EXPLORING SCIENCE AND NATURE USING SKETCHES, GAMES, STORIES, AND CONNECTIONS IN K-12 AND BEYOND

Strategies for fostering an appreciation and understanding of the natural world and getting students excited about science can vary widely depending on the audience and setting but approaches that involve sketches, games, stories, and connections can be effective and adapted for all ages. Here an array of activities are highlighted as modified for different purposes from elementary to college classrooms to public outreach. 1) Sketches can be utilized to collect scientific information, support understanding of concepts via visual aids, as well as encourage learners to pause and observe their surroundings. Time spent sketching at home, in class, or outdoors can also have benefits beyond learning by relaxing the mind and body. Sketching can be used to describe specimens, study building stones, and for recording discoveries in nature journals. 2) Engaging learners through games is another approach that can positively impact attitudes and outcomes for students of all levels and additionally promotes collaboration and community. Examples in Earth and life science can include Pangea puzzles, arranging Earth history cards through time, studying succession via scavenger hunts, and activities to explore properties and processes related to water. 3) Making use of stories in instruction can be done by reading and sharing stories or by having students develop their own narratives. Telling stories is who we are as humans in conveying information and making sense of our lives. Through stories, students can learn about scientific advances and challenges and contextualize science and nature in their lives. Ensuring diverse representation of who contributes to science and examining issues at the intersection of science and society can also be communicated with stories. 4) Finally, guiding students to make connections and build on existing familiarity via constructivism enhances learning experiences as well. Finding weathering and erosion in their neighborhood, identifying minerals in household objects, creating concept maps to strengthen linkages in understanding the Earth system, and drawing on culture and places of meaning are all valuable ways to elevate interest and solidify knowledge in studying the geosciences by leveraging connections. Utilizing these four approaches has benefits for students of all ages; activities and resources will be shared for these featured examples.