DIY Nature Journal
Science at Home
Arizona Science Center and #SariOnScience are here to be your resource for bringing science to life at home. From crafts to experiments, we’re here to be your resource for fun science activities that spark curiosity and motivate learning! Materials are easy to find, most activities take an hour or less, and the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning is limitless.
Create Your Own Nature Journal
Nature is all around us, and all we have to do is take some time to look around! A nature journal is a great way to express yourself, and the natural world. You just need a few materials, and a good spot to sit. This activity can be done from your front or backyard to a park or a hiking trail. Use all 5 of your senses when creating a nature journal! Observational skills in nature are essential to a lot of environmental science jobs. Park rangers, biologists, hydrologists, ecologists, and more, all have to look at natural systems to learn about how they change and if they are at risk.
Supplies
Notebook or Paper
Pencil, crayons, colored pencils, or markers
Tape or glue
Scissors
Assorted nature materials (leaves, flowers, sticks, etc)
How-To
1. Find a spot in nature - this can be your front yard, back yard, park, hiking trail, etc.
2. Each page in your journal can utilize a nature prompt. Get creative! 3. Find 5 different plants and tape them into your nature journal: what color are they? How many leaves do they have? What shape are the leaves?
4. Draw 3 animals you see or hear.
5. Draw one insect - where does this insect live? What does this insect eat?
6. Illustrate your favorite activity in nature, or your favorite memory of being in nature.
7. Can you find animal tracks, scat, or burrows? Draw them in your journal
8. Nature free write - what do you like about nature? How does it make you feel?
Guiding Questions
1. What does nature mean to you?
2. What other prompts can you include in your journal?
3. What are other ways to observe and immerse yourself in nature?
