Creating a Nature Journal

A nature journal is a book or notebook in which both children and adults can record their thoughts, feelings, ideas, and observations about the natural world.



WHY KEEP A JOURNAL?

There are several reasons to keep a journal. First of all, recording observations and feelings in a book is a good way for children to get to know their natural surroundings. Also, it is difficult for children to care deeply about something they don't know much about. If children learn to study and enjoy nature, they also develop a desire to take care of it.

On the educational side, journaling can be an exercise in collecting scientific data. For example, it can include an on-going record of a specific location and how that location changes through the seasons. It could also contain information such as where and when to look for particular wildflowers or birds.

Just as scrapbooking helps preserve memories of events with family and friends, journaling serves as a way for children to save their feelings about their nature experiences. Looking back through their journals will keep these experiences fresh in their minds. Journaling provides opportunities for children to experience the wonder and learn the lessons of God’s amazing creation.

There are no set rules to follow while nature journaling. Some children may decide to include only one topic in their journals. For example, one person might be interested in butterflies, while another may want to record the different types of trees. Other topics could be mammals, wildflowers, rocks and minerals, spiders, or song birds.

Another way children might plan their journals is to record everything they find in one year. They could organize it by month, from January to December, or by season: winter, spring, summer, and fall. Or their journals might be a record of one location, such as a park or a backyard. It’s up to the individual -- there’s no right or wrong way to create a journal. It is the child's own personal book, containing his own experiences with nature. No two journals will look exactly alike because no two people are exactly alike.

An example of a nature journal is the book The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden. Edith loved the changing seasons, and her journal includes poetry and watercolor drawings of wildlife, as well as Latin names and common names of the flowers, birds, insects and trees she observed near her home.



SUPPLIES FOR A NATURE JOURNAL

Paper: Remember that acid-free paper provides for better preservation. Here the individual has a lot of choices. The type of journal one might use depends on his individual style. Choices include:

* An ordinary tablet

* A sketchbook with unlined pages

* A mix the types of paper (lined & unlined) clipped into a 3-ring binder

* A homemade journal using cardstock for the cover and clean paper for the pages.

* A composition book or office journal

* A regular spiral notebook: if using a lined notebook with drawings on separate sheets of unlined paper, they can be cut and pasted into the journal.

* Loose paper clipped onto a hard surface (clipboard) to add to a folder later

OTHER SUPPLIES:

* Pencils and erasers

* Glue sticks for putting drawings into books

* Colored pencils

* Watercolors - A pan set would work well as they are easy to travel with)

* Natural items for drawing, like rubbing a leaf or berry on the paper for color.

* Pen - if your child is old enough to record in his journal without making many mistakes.

* Field guides of birds, snakes, lizards, mammals, rocks, trees, etc.



WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR NATURE JOURNAL

Every journal entry should include:

* Time

* Date

* Place

* Weather

* What you saw, heard, or smelled -- You should try to identify the objects, plants, and animals you find. Then you can begin writing, creating a narrative account or writing a story.

* Drawings in pencil, pen, colored pencils, or watercolors. Be sure the children realize they don’t have to color their pictures; they can leave them in pencil. Tell them to really look at the specimens the way they are truly designed, and that it’s okay if their drawings aren’t perfect. It's all a part of the learning, and they will improve the more they draw.

Journals can also include:

* Scientific Names/Common names of specimens

* Interesting fact or two about the specimen

* Poetry - a special poem they know or one of their own

* Hymns or Scriptures

* Photographs

* Pressed leaves or flowers (press flowers and plants between a triple layer (or more) of newspaper. Put two or three heavy books on top and wait for at least a week before peeking. When completely dry and flat, they may remove and carefully glue the flowers into their journals.

* Leaf Rubbings: Place the leaf under a sheet of paper and rub over it with the side of a crayon.

FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN:

Keep it simple. Have them to notice the colors, textures, and shapes of the things they see, such as the different shapes of leaves, how tall certain plants are, and the colors of a butterfly’s wings. Even a young child can draw in a nature journal.

You could also have them use a nature coloring book. The children can color or trace the pictures, then cut and paste them into their books.



HOW TO START A NATURE JOURNAL

The best way to get your child started on his nature journal is to go on a nature walk. Take your child outside and record the necessary data: Time, Date, Place, and Weather. Walk around and observe anything that catches your attention. It might be a bird’s nest or a shiny rock. Your child might spot a beautiful wildflower or a tiny acorn.

After your child has observed and drawn the object, have him write a few lines about it. Perhaps it reminds him of a song or a funny poem. He can describe it in detail or write about how it makes him feel. Some children will draw more, and some will write more. These journals will reflect the children themselves.

Parents, be sure to keep a journal with your children. You’ll be modeling journaling for them, and students who might otherwise be uninterested will follow your example. But remember, your children's journals are their own -- don’t insist that they look like yours. Now head outside and draw!

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