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	Sharing Nature with Children, Volume 2 Sample Activities Getting Acquainted This activity was designed by Cliff Knapp, author of Humanizing Environmental Education, to help people get to know one another better. After playing the game, groups almost always feel more relaxed and work together better.              To play the game, pass out sheets of paper on which you've printed the items listed below. (Feel free to make up your own list.) Each player must interview the other people in the group, asking questions and marking the items with the names of people who meet the listed criteria. Tell them to try to get each person's name on the list at least once, but not to linger too long with any one person. The Getting Acquainted Questionnaire  Find someone who:  Claims prairie roots: Has a hero in the conservation or natural history field: Name of Hero: Sits quietly every day and observes nature:  Has written a letter to a government official about an environmental issue: Has seen an endangered species: Species: Knows who John Wesley Powell is: Knows a good story about how the stars were created: Has slept in a tipi:  Has helped an injured animal or tree: Has an exciting or inspiring nature experience to tell:  If he were to turn into a plant or animal, has a favorite plant or animal he'd like to be: Favorite plant or animal: Can recite a poem, song, or quotation about nature: Has a favorite outdoor activity: Has gotten lost outdoors: Has lived without electricity for an extended period of time: Has overcome a personal limitation while in nature: Has seen at least one of the following animals in the wild: scissor-tailed flycatcher, backswimmer, giraffe, California sister, bobcat, gannet, or humpback whale: Can name three books he would like to have with him, if stranded on a deserted island: Names of books:  Sound Map       The drumming of a woodpecker. Wind rushing and roaring through the tree tops. The flute-like call of a hermit thrush. The "buzz" from a nearby hummingbird. Water cascading and singing down a steep, rocky incline. A thrilling chorus of natural sounds delights the players in the Sound Map Game. Children love this activity--they become completely absorbed and sit surprisingly still while making their sound maps. To play, begin by showing the group a 4 x 6 index card with an X in the center. Tell the players the card is a map, and that the X shows where they're sitting. When they hear a sound, they should make a mark on the card that aptly describes the sound. The mark's location should indicate as accurately as possible the direction and distance of the sound. The marks should be interpretive, not literal: the players don't have to draw pictures of plants and animals, just a few lines that represent the sound--for example, two wavy lines indicating wind, or a musical note indicating a songbird. In other words, they should spend little time drawing and most of the time listening. Tell the players to keep their eyes closed while they listen. Explain that cupping their hands behind their ears provides a reflective surface for catching sounds, creating a shape like the sensitive ears of a fox or kangaroo. To hear sounds behind them, they needn't turn their heads, but just cup their hands in front of their ears. Select a site where the group is likely to hear a variety of sounds--meadows, streams, and forests are fine. It's important to have everyone find a special "listening place" quickly, so that some aren't walking around while others are already listening. I usually give the group one minute to find a spot and tell them to stay in the same spot until the end of the game. Giving the players enough time to disperse fairly widely will ensure a diversity of sound maps and greater interest in sharing. How long you should play depends on the group's age, attention span, and how well-supplied the environment is with sounds. A good basic guideline is 10 minutes for adults, 5-10 minutes for children. I like to call the group back together by imitating a natural sound or blowing a crow or duck call. As the players assemble, ask them to share their maps with a partner. It's sometimes hard to find a site that's protected from the sounds of cars and machinery, but these noisy areas are ideal for teaching lessons about noise pollution. Have the children make two sound maps, the first one near a busy street and the second in a quiet, natural spot. After the game, ask them where they felt more comfortable. This is a fine way to build children's conscious appreciation of natural areas. After the children have drawn their maps and shared them, you can ask questions such as:  How many different sounds did you hear?  Which sounds did you like best? Why? Which sounds did you like least? Why? Which sounds had you never heard before?  Do you know what made the sounds?          Instead of having them answer aloud, you can ask them to circle the sounds they'd never heard before, draw one line under sounds they liked best and two lines under the sounds they liked least.  Mystery Animal      Years ago, I was wandering with a friend in the fields near my home when I saw a beautiful bird about the size of a robin, but smaller and thinner. Neither of us had ever seen such a strikingly-colored bird. Its head and back were black, its eyes were brilliant red, its sides were chestnut-colored, and its belly was white. Its back and wings were covered with dazzling white spots. When it flew, there was a flashing display of browns, whites, and blacks. We didn't know anyone who could tell us the bird's name, nor did we have the trained eyes of a bird watcher, so we didn't have any luck picking it out from the hundreds of pictures in a bird book. Every day for two weeks, I went out to look at these birds. I discovered that they fed on the ground by pulling up leaves and twigs to uncover seeds and insects. They scratched in the leaves so vigorously that they made more noise than a deer. (Another friend called them "masters of the double-footed scratch.") They gave a trilling call, and also a cat-like "meow." For me, these birds seemed marvelous and mysterious.        My interest in birds grew into curiosity about all living things. The experience of not receiving quick answers also taught me a valuable lesson: I realized that no matter what the subject was, the longer my curiosity burned, the more I learned. Applied to nature study, this means that people learn far more deeply when they're captivated by a sense of mystery.              By the way, the bird was a rufous-sided towhee, western race. In Mystery Animal, the leader shares intriguing information about an animal without giving its name. To play, the group should be seated comfortably, near enough to hear you clearly. Tell them you're going to take them on a trip to see a very unusual animal. Urge them to pay close attention to everything they "see," because they'll have to create a "field report" on the animal and its environment afterwards.       To give your narrative the power of a guided visualization, use descriptions that involve the senses: jungle noises, tropical heat and humidity, the smell of forest greenery and rotting leaves, and so on. Include as much humor as you like.            The following example narrative is just about the right length to hold the interest of adults and teenagers. With younger children, you'll probably need to shorten it. I've found it's more dynamic to memorize some of the most important points and narrate the imagery extemporaneously, instead of reading from a script.          When you finish, pass out pencils and 4 X 6 cards. Tell the players that their field report should be a picture of the animal in its environment. (Many people are self-conscious about their inability to draw, so I never mention drawing until this point. And to lessen their discomfort, I tell them they don't need to sign their reports.)     While they draw, tie a light rope or heavy string between two trees or branches. When they're finished, ask the group to attach their pictures with clothespins to the line for an informal "art exhibit." There'll be lots of discussion and laughter as the players scrutinize one another's drawings. Finally, ask them if they'd like to see a photograph of the animal.         The players' enthusiasm will amaze you. Faces glow with concentration as they search the photograph for details you've mentioned and for details they've included in their drawings.           Mystery Animal works very well with young children, especially on a field trip to the zoo. Before taking the children around the zoo to see the animals, gather them together and introduce the game. Describe a mystery animal and tell them to let you know if they see the animal. (Make the Mystery Animal one of your last stops.) Watching little children look intently at each animal, trying to discover whether it's the mystery animal, is very touching.             With children too young to draw the animal, you can set up 6-8 pictures of different animals and ask the children to choose the right one.                  Mystery Animal provides a fine excuse to tell about animals whose stories seldom get told--an environmentally threatened butterfly whose life history isn't well known, for example.              With older children, you can ask the players to create their own Mystery Animal stories and then share them with the group.  A Sample Mystery Animal Story           You are in one of the last great unexplored regions on earth. Charles Darwin called it "one great, wild, luxuriant hothouse." The temperature is nearly always over 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the humidity is 80%, and the average annual rainfall is over 13 feet (156 inches). Because of these favorable conditions, the tropical rain forest harbors a greater variety of life than any other environment on earth.           Look high above you. You see a thick canopy of branches. Only 1% of the sunlight ever reaches the forest floor, so few plants cover the ground, and walking is easy. You begin to walk through the forest. You see strange plants around you. You hear a chorus of wild, shrieking, croaking, and clicking cries: monkeys, birds, frogs, and insects. You smell rotting vegetation.    High above, hanging under a branch, you see something move. It looks like a mass of dead leaves, moldy fungus, or a termite's nest. But, look--it moved again! Use your binoculars to get a closer look. Yes, it's an animal, and it's hanging upside down from a branch. It has long, coarse hair and four long limbs. Each foot has claws that look like bailing hooks. It is about two feet long and seems to weigh around 14 pounds. Its rounded head is no bigger than its neck, and it doesn't have any ears that you can see. It's very hard to tell which end is the front and which is the rear, because you can't see a tail. Aha! Its face is turning toward you. Study it closely. Its face is flat and whitish, and its mouth makes it look like it's always smiling.      This animal isn't known for its speed; in fact, it moves like a slow-motion movie. Amoebas are said to stream faster than this animal moves. It's beginning to move now. See why it moves so slowly...(pause)...it's moving just one limb at a time. See it reach slowly for the branch nearest to it. It's almost got it. (Pause) There! Now watch its other leg begin to move. It may take half a minute to shift its legs only a few inches. One mother who was hurrying toward her baby 15 feet away covered the distance in just over an hour. Its extreme slowness makes it hard to see by its main enemies: jaguars and harpy eagles. Its top speed in the trees is a little over 1 mph, but on land it's only 1/10 mph. This is because its legs can't support it, so it has to drag itself along the ground. It doesn't come down out of the trees very often--only to give birth and to go to the bathroom. The latter occurs infrequently--once every seven or eight days.              After following and studying this animal in the jungle for a week, a scientist jokingly remarked that some people might say it had an ideal life, because this is how it spent its time:          11 hours feeding            18 hours just moving slowly about              10 hours resting             129 hours sleeping         It spent 18 out of every 24 hours sleeping! Its metabolism is also very slow--these animals have been known not to need to breathe for as long as thirty minutes while under water.       It doesn't spend much time on personal hygiene, and it doesn't clean its fur. As many as 978 beetles were found living in the fur of one individual. In fact, nine species of moths, four species of beetles, six species of ticks, and several species of mites have been found living happily together in its hair.    During the rainy season, algae grows on its fur. The greenish tint of the algae serves as camouflage. Caterpillars feed on its moldy hair, then pupate and fly away as moths.        This animal seems so primitive and slow-witted that you wonder how it has managed to escape extinction. Its success is due to several factors: protective coloration, the habit of feeding mostly at night and remaining motionless during the day, and its twenty-three pairs of ribs, (humans have twelve), heavy coating of fur, and thick, tough skin, all of which protect its internal organs. "Of all animals," wrote Charles Waterton, "this poor, ill-formed creature is the most tenacious of life." It has the ability to survive wounds that would kill any other animal. Although many people make fun of this animal, it has been said that no other creature is better adapted to life in the tropical rain forest.            The animal we've been observing hasn't moved in quite a while and is now doing what it does best: sleeping. Before we head back to camp, let's take one more good look with our binoculars. Notice its bear-like body, its coarse hair hanging down toward its back, and its long limbs, each with three long, curved claws.              The Mystery Animal is a three-toed sloth. It lives in the tropical forests of South and Central America. Camera   Camera is one of the most powerful and enjoyable activities in this book. In a simple and natural way, it quiets distracting thoughts and restlessness and frees the attention for absorbing nature with unobstructed clarity.        One player takes the role of photographer, and the other plays the camera. The photographer guides the camera, who keeps his eyes closed, on a search for beautiful and interesting pictures. When the photographer sees something he likes, he points the camera's lens (eyes) at it, framing the object he wants to "shoot." Then he presses the shutter button (see below) to open the lens.              It's important that the camera keep his eyes closed between pictures, so that the 3- to 5-second "exposure" will have the impact of surprise. Many people have told me they remembered their "pictures" fondly for years after playing the game.   Encourage the photographers to be creative in choosing and framing pictures. Tell them, "You can make stunning photographs by taking shots from unusual angles and perspectives. For example, you can both lie down under a tree and take your picture looking upward, or you can put your camera very close to a tree's bark or leaves. Try looking down into a flower, or panning the horizon. Be open to the opportunities of the moment."             Sometimes while playing the Camera Game and playing the photographer's role, I've used a bird call (see "Bird Calling" in Sharing Nature with Children) to attract birds to within a few feet, then take their pictures with my "camera."              Because the Camera Game uses nature experiences instead of verbal explanations, very young children can participate just as fully as adults. It's very touching to watch five-year-olds guide their parents or grandparents, taking pictures and sharing their delight in natural things.       I suggest that children "press the shutter button" by tapping the camera's shoulder. A second tap tells the camera to close his eyes. For the first picture, it may help to say "Open" with the first tap, and "Close" with the second.             In a mixed group of adults and children, or children of varied ages, I ask the players to use the tragus (the flap of cartilage at the front of the ear) as the shutter button. I don't generally recommend the tragus with small children because of the temptation to stick fingers in one another's ears!        The preferred "exposure time" is 3 to 5 seconds. With longer exposures, the camera's mind begins to wander, reducing the impact of the picture--just as too much light overexposes real film.       Show the players how to pan the camera--i.e., move it slowly with the shutter held open, like a movie camera. While panning, they may keep the shutter open longer than five seconds, since the movement will hold the camera's interest. Suggest that they also pan vertically--for example, starting at the base of a tree and slowly moving up the trunk to the highest branches, then into the sky.            The photographers can prepare their cameras for the next picture by telling them which lens to use. For a picture of a flower, tell the camera to choose a close-up lens; for a sweeping scenic panorama, a wide-angle lens; and for a far-away object, a telephoto lens.       Take time to talk to the group about the elements of creative and beautiful pictures--otherwise they may end up with pictures of deer scat or the insides of trash cans! This is especially important with small children. It's also very important to encourage the photographers and cameras to talk only when it's unavoidable. Explain that silence creates pictures that have greater impact for the camera.           You may need to take time to show the group how to guide their "blind" cameras sensitively and protectively. I've found it works well to hold the camera's hand and gently pull an arm in the direction you want to go.         Tell the photographers they'll have about 10 minutes to take pictures, then they'll trade roles. It works well to tell the photographers to take a certain number of pictures (six to ten is fine), then trade places with their partners. With these rules, everyone will finish at about the same time.            After everyone has played both roles, give each player a 3 x 5 index card and tell them, "Remember one of the pictures you took when you played camera. Develop it by drawing it, and give it to the photographer." If some players groan self-consciously about their lack of artistic talent, tell them they can blame the quality of their pictures on the photographer! The goal of the game is to give the players a more lively appreciation of nature's beauty. You can extend the game by asking the group to write about their pictures. You might also have the photographers take 8-10 pictures on a single theme: plant succession, animal homes, or conifers, for instance. The camera can then write a story in which he must use all the pictures. Afterwards, the camera and photographer can discuss their stories.    You can have all the players be cameras at the same time. Have them hold onto a rope and pull them along gently to the next picture with their eyes closed. Ask everyone to turn in the direction of the subject ("Please turn left"), then take a picture with one camera at a time. (Make sure the people at the end of the rope don't sway off the trail when you turn.) The number of players you can guide will depend on the age of the group and the terrain. HOW TO ORDER: All Sharing Nature Products are now available through secure online ordering.  Or call toll free to order through Inner Path at 866-665-7765 In the United Kingdom you can order our books from Deep Books, ltd. Contact: David Birkett, david@deep-books.co.uk Joseph Cornell's books are currently available in the following foreign languages: Chinese, Danish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Slovene, Spanish, and Thai.
	Excerpts from Sharing Nature with Children, Volume 2 Contents  Flow Learning  Stage 1: Awaken Enthusiasm  Stage 4: Share Inspiration  Sample Activities
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