Nature Journaling Workshop sparks joy, curiosity
For immediate release ‐ March 12, 2021
Contact: Melissa Dowland, 919.707.9898. Images available upon request
Americorps Member and Teacher Education Specialist Taylor Prichard scans the Neuse River for birds.
Gratitude. Reverence. Joy. Curiosity. These were just a few of the words used by eastern NC teachers to describe our “Nature Journaling in Your Nature Neighborhood” educator workshop last Saturday.
On March 6, twelve teachers from eastern North Carolina joined Museum educators for a full day of outdoor learning at Cliffs of the Neuse State Park in Goldsboro, NC. The workshop focused on using nature journaling as a tool to guide observation and exploration of the natural world. We focused on topics that teachers and students can find in their neighborhoods, schoolyards, backyards or local parks. We got down on our hands and knees and used magnifiers to peer closely at the delicate structures of wildflowers (aka common yard weeds), and record them in our journals. We sat quietly on the ground and made sound maps of the sighing wind, the footsteps of families and the calls of birds. We took a deep dive into the intricacies of mud dauber wasp nests, learning about the amazing web of life that interacts on a tiny scale.
One of our participating teachers takes a close look at a ladybug she discovered while searching for tiny “wildflowers” (aka common yard weeds) outside of the park visitors’ center.
“This helped re-energize me and got me thinking of new ideas to share in my classroom,” wrote Marguerite Bishop, an elementary school teacher from Nash County.
Brittany Mitchell, an 8th grade science teacher from Sampson County, is already plugging nature journaling activities into her teaching. “This workshop provided me with activities and strategies that I can start using in my classroom on Monday – in fact I did today! Science is my content area and I know it very well, but sometimes I can forget just how much the natural world has to offer my students as lessons, both in academia and real life. We will all be mud dauber nest protectors now!”
A ladybug the group discovered in the grass near the visitors’ center.
Lucy Russell, a second grade teacher from Warren County, shared, “I am a first year teacher in Warren County, and this was my first in-person professional development session ever! The bar has now been set incredibly high from the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. Our day was incredibly fulfilling, including everything from the authentic connections with the outdoors to the organic conversation with inspiring educators. I am very grateful for the opportunity to learn from the people and planet through this workshop, and I know my second graders will enjoy doing the same in our classroom.”
This workshop was made possible by generous support from the Simple Gifts Fund, which allowed the Museum to offer the program free of charge to teachers from 30 counties in eastern North Carolina.