A Language Arts Lesson to Bring Outdoors

Why sit in the classroom during writing class when you can use nature to inspire your students agesnine and older? These activities focus on using metaphors, similes, and descriptive writing. You maywant to read a poem or two to your students to arouse creative thinking. Give the students a setamount of time to walk with the group along a nature trail or explore an area where you can watchthem. Ask that they use these two, five, or ten minutes to remain silent, yet open to theirsurroundings.

"I Am an Acorn" Metaphor Writing Activity

Ask your students to each select one item in nature that they can point to or hold in their hand. Afterthe students display their objects to the class, each person in turn has to explain any traits he or sheshares, or would like to share, with this object.

Start by saying, "I am a _____" and then following the statement with an explanation. For example, "Iam an acorn. I am beginning. Someday I will become a mighty protector." "I am a fern. I do notstand alone but with many others."

"I Am Like a Tree" Simile Writing Activity

Gather different items from the natural surroundings. Pick up two items and tell the students thatthey will work on their creativity as well as similes by connecting items that seem to have nothingobvious in common. The results may be silly or profound.

Have the children sit in a circle and get thingsstarted with some questions: How is an antlike a flower? How are clouds like trees? Onceeveryone realizes there are no right or wronganswers, the similes will start flying.

Create Word Pictures

Pretend that the objects around you lacknames. What would you call the trees or theflowers based on their appearances? Don't

forget to name streams and rocks. Encourage creation instead of judgment.

Grass could become: tickle-green, whisper stalks, ladybug ladders

Oak leaves could be called: fairy boats, tree fingers, squirrel umbrellas, wind voices

Silly Scientific Names

This is a fun game to introduce to anyone who enjoys punsand riddles that rely on word play. You will need a fieldguide to nature so you can show your students a few ofthe scientific names for common plants or animals.

You don't need to remember what the different elementsof Latin translate to, but you can explain to the childrenthat scientists name the things around them based on thecharacteristics of the object. The Latin names are a wayfor scientists to know they are talking about the samething. The children will create scientific-sounding names (flavored with a hefty dose of humor) forthe objects they encounter on the trail.

Examples of real scientific names:

Parus atricapillus (Black-capped chickadee)

Rana sylvatica (Wood frog)

Sassafras albidum (Sassafras tree)

Examples of silly scientific names:

Acorna droponheada (Oak tree)

Seede stealalota (Gray squirrel)

The "Nice" Descriptive Writing Activity

Use this activity to encourage descriptive language and eliminate vague statements, such as, "Thewalk was nice," or "The flowers are pretty."

Ask the students if they found their class time outdoors a nice experience. Point out that "nice" is avague word that doesn't say much about an experience because everyone perceives things indifferent ways. Consider riding on a roller coaster. One person may get off a roller coaster and saythe experience was "fun" while another person would describe it as "scary." Ask each student to listfive specific statements describing their time outdoors.

Also try to Write an Acrostic about Nature, Compose anAnimal Poem, or Write a List Poem. It isn't necessary toincorporate all of these activities into a single class. Thefirst time your students go outside, their excitement abouta break in routine may leave you time to do no more thana single activity. Encourage observation and stillness, asit will relax the students' judgment and allow for creation.