September: Observation and outdoor learning

Nature Scavenger Hunts

SCAVENGER HUNT lesson plan

GRADE: 2nd - Adult TIME: 1 hour
SEASON: All

National Science Teaching Standards
A. Science as INQUIRY
B. PHYSICAL Science
C. LIFE Science
F. Science in PERSONAL and SOCIAL PERSPECTIVE

Introduction:
Scavenger hunts can be a fun way to explore natural areas and motivate people to look more closely at the variety of things that can be found in the natural world.

Objective:
• Students will gain an increased understanding of the diversity found in nature.
• Students will be able to list some of the unnatural things found in natural areas
and have a better understanding of the harmful effects that people have on nature.

Pre Activity:
• Discuss observation…practice!

Find a spot outside on the playground or in your surrounding neighborhood. With string rope a 12” by 12” area off. This is your spot. Make a list of living and non-living things found in your spot.

Walk by each day for a week and observe any changes.
• Discuss the balance of nature of all things great and small.
• Discuss this state park rule: There are only three things you can take from a state park besides: memories, pictures, and litter. They are: berries, mushrooms, and nuts!

Equipment
• Collection bags
• *Worksheet
• *Pencil
*Items brought by teacher

Procedure
1. Decide group size: whole group, small groups or individuals
2. Hand out equipment and give guidelines as to how far they can go and when to be back. Small items may be collected or the worksheets can be used as checklists.
*Please emphasize preservation/conservation ethics and suggest that students can sketch or draw the items so the item is left in its natural habitat. Students are not to collect the items accept on paper and in their mind unless otherwise stated on the list.
3. When all students have returned, review and discuss their findings.
4. Return all things back to nature.

Post Activity:
• Watch your special spot (from pre activity) change during the school year. Go out to observe changes once a month. Record them. Draw a conclusion at the end of the year of the changes.
• Make a plan to help the environment – put it into action!

Post Discussion:
• Discuss the question, “How many specimens does it take to make a habitat?”
• Were most of the things seen on the scavenger hike natural or human made?
• Discuss how people affect different habitats…woodland, prairie, wetland. (Iowa’s land is the most physically changed of all the states in USA…farming is the culprit!)
• What do you do specifically that impacts your classmates, your community, your state, your country, your continent, your world environmentally?
• What can you do to change the negative impact?
• How can you encourage others to be more aware of their actions and how it affects the environment?

Scavenger Hunt
Directions
1. Assign a group leader to record the items that are found.
2. Each item must be observed by the whole group.
3. Only bring back the indicated items.

Cattail
Frog (sketch)
Turtle (sketch)
Acorn (please bring back)
Flying insect
Insect larvae
Flowering plant
One handful of natural forest fertilizer
Moss
Dragonfly
Coniferous leaf (please bring back)
Deciduous leaf (please bring back)
White-tailed deer
Litter (please pick up)
Herbivore (what is it? )
Omnivore (what is it? )
Carnivore (what is it? )
Three different kinds of seeds (please bring back)
A picture of our state bird (Where did you find the picture? )
The state tree (What is it? )
A picture of the state flower (Where did you find the picture? )
Something that may be recycled (please bring back)
Feather (Not off the mounted birds, please bring back)
A bird nest (sketch)
An animal track (please identify )
Insect (What kind? )
Arachnid (How many legs? )
Butterfly (what color? )

Extra Credit
A seed that hitches a ride
A seed carried by wind
Something that provides energy for all types
A birdhouse made by humans
A natural bird house