Learning Objectives
This activity helps students connect to their local environment by identifying and voting on a location to use the Curious by Nature Guides. It encourages curiosity, teamwork, and decision-making while reinforcing the idea that learning can happen anywhere.
Materials
- Local maps (digital or printed)
- Chart paper or whiteboard
- Markers or sticky notes
- Photos or online images of local parks, natural areas, or schoolyard spaces
Curriculum Connections
Science: Life systems, habitats and communities, ecosystems, interrelationships, landforms, soils, organisms, scientific inquiry, observation, sustainability and stewardship.
Social Studies/Geography: Mapping, spatial awareness, human-environment interactions, indigenous perspectives, land use, community and identity.
Language Arts: Oral communication, writing and reflection, media literacy.
Instructions
Brainstorm
Begin by asking:
- What kinds of natural places exist around us?
- Where do you like to explore outside?
- What makes a good place for observing nature?
Have students brainstorm a list of possible nearby locations. Examples could include a local park, a pond, a ravine, or a community trail.
Record all ideas on the board or on chart paper.
Map It Out
Show a local map and pinpoint the brainstormed areas. Discuss:
- How far away are these places?
- Can we walk there safely? (Or organize a field trip to the location?)
- What might we find there (trees, water, insects, birds, rocks)?
Students can help label the map with drawings or sticky notes showing their predictions.
Compare and Choose
As a class, talk about what makes an area a good choice for a Curious by Nature activity. Discuss:
- Accessibility and safety (Is it close? Are there clear paths?)
- Variety of natural features (trees, water, rocks, open space)
- Opportunities to observe plants, animals, and non-living features
Have each group of students pick their top two choices and explain why. Then, hold a class vote to decide where to go!
Reflect
After choosing the location, ask:
- What are we most excited to explore there?
- What do we expect to find?
- Why is this place important to our community or region?
Extensions
- Students draw a map of their chosen place, showing where they might look for natural features or wildlife.
- Students research the history or Indigenous significance of the chosen area and share what they learn before the visit.
