BACKGROUND:
Children can be taught to notice and
observe their surroundings. Recognizing where an organism lives helps to
understand about that organism's natural environment. It is important to
emphasize that animals, protozoa, fungi, plants, and bacteria live in
different places because of temperature, food availability, chemicals, and
light.
Observation skills are very important
to children to learn. Quiet time, to allow the brain to "appreciate"
visual stimuli, can help a child to be more patient and observant.
PROCEDURE:
- In this coloring exercise the children
are to pretend that the person looking at the butterflies are themselves. Tell
the children before they color the picture to sit in their backyard, park, or
other appropriate place and observe their surroundings or environment. In the
classroom or at home have them draw organisms that they may have seen but
which are not in the drawing.
- When all the pictures are completed,
have the students discuss what things are similar and what things are
different with other students in the class. You can make a list on the board
of these comparisons and see if any organisms prefer to live in a certain part
of town, in a park, a river or other places the children have selected. For
instance, squirrels will more likely be found in a park rather than in a
student's backyard.
