How might using instructrional strategies during outdoor learning impact scientific accuracy in drawings while students observe and record in science journals?

Seminar Title

How might using instructrional strategies during outdoor learning impact scientific accuracy in drawings while students observe and record in science journals?

Observation and Recording

Kindergarten

Elementary

Science

Writing

Purple suns and blue grass. How many of your students don’t truly understand scientific accuracy in their observational recordings? I am excited to share my research with you because my students have grasped outdoor learning by observing real items and taking the time to show details in their drawings. My research is relevant to most grade levels and can be adapted to meet the needs of any subject that wants to be doing more outside. My main concepts were observation and recording, but I was able to pull in many other concepts that relate to scientific accuracy. I look forward to sharing engaging ways to bring the learning outdoors and ways you can incorporate different subjects such as math, reading and writing into your science learning. I’m also interested to see what ideas or even concerns that other educators may have for teaching outdoors. If you are looking to find ways to get a little mud on your shoes to engage learners, boost scientific journaling and walk away with some fun ideas and resources, this session is for you! (I promise there won’t be mud!)

The question that guided my research was focused around why students weren’t showing scientific accuracy while they would observe and record in science journals. I was curious if providing more instructional strategies while spending more time outdoors would prove to be more beneficial. A review of literature provided a number of benefits that students receive educationally when they are outdoors for learning and how it can make a positive impact on their drawings. I implemented some new strategies that would impact scientific accuracy 1) spending more time learning in the outdoors 2) how to utilize their five senses when observing and recording 3) ways to teach recording in science journals. I assessed the progress of our student journals by creating a checklist that I could follow with six of my students. This tracked if they were observing objects closely, drawing exactly what they see, labeling the picture and if it shows scientific accuracy. This will be filled out for each journal entry. Students also filled out a survey on how they personally feel about outdoor learning. I did informal observations of students during observations and recording as well. Throughout the research process I learned how to schedule my time to make sure to include more outdoor learning time into my day and week. I had to start to implement new ideas and opportunities for students to learn how to journal and learn best practices for scientific accuracy. By doing this, students made significant growth in a few short months. Students seemed more engaged in writing, drawing and being outdoors. I found that students needed more guidance when starting when observing and recording during the first month. Students needed more guided discovery in the beginning to understand how using their five senses would show scientific accuracy in their journals. As a result of helping students understand how to show scientific accuracy, I plan to have my students fill out their own science accuracy checklist to see if they have are meeting all the areas in their observation recordings. This will help with understanding the process and will also allow students to self-assess in the process.