Landing and Launching: Installment #16

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NATURE CONCEPT

36 LEAVES

Preparation Time: 5-10 minutes

Materials Needed: A variety of leaves. They can be from many different trees or shrubs.

Procedure:

1)  This activity is best done outside and can be a seasonal transition activity*

2)  This activity is best done outside or on an outing.

3)  “Pick one leaf for what your hike was like today.”

Notes: *I often do transitional check ins and check outs when the seasons shift. They provide concrete anchoring points. “Pick one leaf for what your fall was like and one leaf for what you'd like your winter to be like.”

37 WEATHER

Preparation Time: 5 minutes to 1 hour

Materials Needed: None or cards you make yourself

Procedure:

1)      Ask the students if they were weather today what kind of weather would they be? Verbal prompts are recommended: Are you sunny, overcast or cloudy?

Alternatives:

Advanced Outdoor Option:

(an older science class or outdoor trip perhaps). Have students describe their mood on a continuum of weather along with the specific type of cloud. Here is a quick list for reference points.

(1) Cirrus

(2) Contrail

(3) Alto stratus

(4)  Alto cumulus

(5)  Nimbo stratus

(6)  Strato cumulus

(7) Stratus

(8)  Cumulus

Notes: This is a quickie, back pocket type of check- in. You may, however, want to help students explore the subtleties and nuances of their check-in. A student may be cloudy but the clouds will be passing soon. You might point out that clouds bring rain which is necessary for flowers and other living things. Little moments like this can help you teach students the value of processing emotions of all shades. 

38 Creatures of the Deep

Preparation time: Fifteen minutes

Materials: One of the following:

•   Cards with images of sea creatures
• Props of sea creatures
•   A collection of shells
•   This list with associations: 
•   Shark: Hunters, some endangered now
•  Whale: Actually a mammal, loves to sing
• Starfish: Clingy
• Seahorse: Magical
•  Seal: Fun loving
•   Sea Lion: Fierce sometime lazy 
• Walrus: Wise and somber
• Salmon: Feeds the people
•  Clams: Likes to hide
• Oysters: Home of pearls (pearls of wisdom)
•  Crab: Eats just about anything, has a fierce pinch
•  Lobsters: Tasty! Also has a fierce pinch
• Sand dollars
•  Kelp: Capable of incredible growth (three feet in a day!)
• Procedure: