School and Group Programs

Preparing for Outdoor Exploration

The activity illustrates the tools every naturalist needs, so that the students will arrive prepared to be outdoor explorers.

A naturalist is a person who studies nature through observation. Being a naturalist is a multidisciplinary task involving art, writing and science each are important tools. John Muir is a famous example of a naturalist. Students at Olympic Park Institute are expected to be naturalists, so for their new role they require essential items: a full water bottle, a journal and pencil, extra layers for all kinds of weather, lunch, and a bandana to use as a place mat for lunch.

 

  1. Unprepared student's costume: chips, soda, candy, sandals, beach blanket, swimsuit, plastic bag to carry food in, and anything else that would be amusing (bathrobe, bike helmet, goggles, etc.)
  2. Naturalist's costume: healthy lunch, full water bottle, sturdy walking shoes, raingear (poncho, or jacket and pants), warm jacket, hat, sunglasses, journal, pencil, bandana, and a backpack to carry everything. A backpack with a hip strap is best.

  1. Store the naturalist's costume inside the classroom.
  2. Choose an outgoing student who will be comfortable when classmates laugh at her/him, or another teacher, to act out being unprepared.
  3. Privately inform the student of where outside the classroom the unprepared person's costume is stored, and explain when the time comes that s/he should act silly.
  4. Begin the lesson with a brainstorm about what students think a naturalist is.
  5. Introduce a famous naturalist, sharing a photograph and a story from the naturalist's life. Focus on patience, keen observation skills, ability to notice detail, comfort in all kinds of weather, a sense of adventure, and appreciation for the outdoors.
  6. Send the student you selected in advance out of the classroom to put on the costume.
  7. With the rest of the class, introduce the essentials they need to be comfortable outdoors.
  8. Explain that you selected the student who left the room to dress as a prepared naturalist.
  9. Have the costumed student enter the room. After the laughter subsides, go through each unnecessary item and exchange it for the appropriate one. Eventually your student will be correctly dressed and ready.
  10. Finish with a brainstorm about acceptable alternatives to the items presented. For example, if a student doesn't have hiking boots, sturdy running shoes are fine.

  1. Naturalists often use additional specialized tools such as binoculars or field guides. Olympic Park Institute instructors provide these items when necessary. Your students can create their own field guides to common plants and animals they might see. Each student can study a particular animal or plant, write a report about it, and illustrate the report with a photograph. To create a field guide, compile each report and place it in a sturdy folder. If practical, each hiking group can have a copy.

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