First Grade

A Child-Led, Natural Learning Curriculum

by Leah McDermott, M.Ed. © 2017

MYBACKYARD
 INTRODUCTION
Welcome t o Your Nat ural Learner Overall Focus
First Grade - My Backyard! Nearby Nature and Local Wildlife

In this theme, your child will be exploring the Int ent ion
natural world outside their four walls.
In the Pre-K/Kindergarten years, your child's
How t o Use This Theme curiosity guided them to explore the world
around them. Now, in the first grade years, your
The theme is divided into sections to make it easy
child is becoming more aware of their
for you to pull the activities that you want to focus
surroundings and is able to learn in much more
on each day/week. Try to vary the subject areas
detail about their unique habitat and the nature
you pull from, though you'll notice that many of
around them. In this My Backyard learning
the activities are cross-curricular and touch on a
journey, your child will be focusing on how the
variety of subject areas within a singular activity
bigger things they have learned about (i.e. Birds,
(notice the guide below). Each activity also has
Bugs, Weather) are extremely unique in their own
suggestions for which books to pair it with and
backyard and community.
which other activities in the theme it goes well
with. Keep in mind that these are merely Not e t o Parent s
suggestions - feel free to flow through this theme
In this theme, you will be mostly helping your child
as your child is interested in a particular area and
take their nature understanding from a very
as it suits your schedule and needs.
macro view of the world to a micro look at the
Subject Area Guide nearby nature and local wildlife around them. If
you are unfamiliar with a lot of the natural world
Look for these symbols on each activity page to let
in your local area, this is a fantastic opportunity
you know which subject areas your child will be
for you and your child to learn together.
learning about while doing the activity!
Key Learning
= Literacy = Social
Connections Each region of the world has a special blend of
plants and animals that live there; my area is
unique too.
= Math = Art and
Expression Focus Words
habitat, local, natural, animals, plants, inspiration
= Science = Nature

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 1
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Use t his t able of cont ent s t o quickly find t he
act ivit y or sect ion t hat you're searching for.

If you are viewing thisdigitally, you can click the CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS INTRO.....17
activity or section and it will take you directly
Listen to the Birds.....18
there!
Make a Bird Feeder.....19

Paint a Flower - Van Gogh Intro.....20

INTRODUCTION.....1
Fairy Garden.....21

Painted Rock Art.....22

RECOMMENDED READING.....3

LITERACY SKILLS FOCUS.....4

NATURE ADVENTURES INTRO.....23

Backyard Scavenger Hunt.....24

Cloud Watching.....25
MATH EXPLORATIONS INTRO.....5
Capture Animal Tracks.....26
Square Foot Nature Exploration....6
1 What Lives in Dirt?.....27
Rock Skip Counting....7

Patterns in Nature.....8

Observation Tallying.....9

Backyard Mapping.....10
SOCIAL CONNECTIONS INTRO.....28

Visit a Local Natural Museum.....29

Kindness Rocks Project.....30

SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS INTRO.....11

Which Seeds do Birds Prefer?.....12

EXTRA RESOURCES.....31
What is Soil Made Of?.....13

Build a River.....14

Sprout House....15

Does a Leaf Breathe?.....16

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 2
RECOM M ENDED READING
This is a list of suggested books for this topic. They are not necessary for the activities and anything
you can find similar to this list will be a great supplement/addition should you have trouble finding
these texts. These are simply ideas to help support your ?My Backyard?learning journey! Pick them
up at your local library, bookstore, or order through an online retailer like Amazon.com. In this list
you will find a variety of levels of text, allowing for a balance of read-alouds, read togethers, and
independent readers. All are important for a meaningful literacy experience.

Birds, Nests, and Eggsby Mel Boring (lots of great books in this series)
Garden Wigglersby Nancy Loewen
Swirl by Swirl: Spiralsin Nature by Joyce Sidman
I Took a Walk by Henry Cole
Topsand Bottomsby Janet Stevens
Backyard: One Small Square by Donald Silver
Are you a Grasshopper by Judy Allen (lots of great books in this series)
Your Backyard isWild by Jeff Corwin
Secretsof the Garden by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
Birdsin Your Backyard by Barbara Herkert
Backyard Fairiesby Phoebe Wahl
Wild Backyard by Kate Riggs
Look Up! Birdwatching in Your Own Backyard by Annette LeBlanc Cate
In Our Backyard Garden by Eileen Spinelli
The Backyard Birdsong Guide by Donald Kroodsma (this one is for North
America - other regions are available)

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 3
 LITERACY SKILLS FOCUS

Import ant First Grade Skill :

St ep-by-St ep and Descript ive W rit ing
"Diary of a Seed" Writing Project

One of the first types of writing that your child will be able to do independently as a first grader is
step-by-step descriptive writing. Since it involves short sentences and is easy for a child that is just
beginning to read and write with fluency to describe, this type of writing is a great place to begin.
The My Backyard theme is a fantastic place to practice using descriptive words to describe a
process and to practice writing these steps down, since there are many things that your child will
observe during this theme that they can see happening as a process and describe what they've
witnessed.

A perfect example to use for this writing practice would be to combine it with any of the
planting/gardening activities in the My Backyard theme. Describing and writing out the process of
planting a seed and watching it grow is a wonderful way to practice descriptive writing! It is also a
wonderful way to watch your child's progress grow over time, as the seed growing process will
likely take several weeks from planting to harvest. Begin the writing with the steps you took to
plant the seeds. With each new thing that you and your child witness as the seed grows and
changes, add to your child's writing.

During writing, encourage your child to focus on using good descriptive words that will give them
practice with expanding their vocabulary, describing a process, and writing sentences. If the word
is too challenging for your child to spell, simply write it for them - many times children will try not
to use large words simply out of fear of not being able to spell them correctly. Take away that
pressure and allow them to explore their vocabulary freely!

If you haven't already, this is a great time to invest in a nature journal for your child. This can be
something fancy designed specifically for that purpose, or a cheap blank sketchbook from a craft
store. Allowing your child the space and opportunity to draw and write freely as they are exploring
nature, or after they return home from a nature adventure is a great way to not only encourage
writing habits, but also to inspire a lifelong love of what they are discovering in nature.

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 4
 M ATH EXPLORATIONS

W hy Learn Mat h t his Way?

Children are best able to learn complex mathematics concepts when they can practice them in
real-life situations. While it may seem impressive for a child to complete a page full of addition
problems while a timer counts down, in reality, this common "drill and kill" practice is generally not
creating meaningful learning that your child will remember. Most importantly, they are rarely able
to apply this knowledge to real life situations (which is the whole point we learn something
anyway!). For learning to happen in a meaningful way that can be applied across a variety of
situations, the new information and skills should be taught through a real-life situation.

W hat is t he Mat h Focus in t he "My Backyard" Theme?

In the My Backyard Theme, your child will be experimenting with both nature and math concepts
and how they combine beautifully. In fact, your child will have so much fun exploring in their
backyard that they won't even realize they're actually learning math at the same time! Some of the
concepts your child will explore in this theme are patterns in nature, skip counting,
mapping/charting, and more.

W hat Should My First Grader Know?

Much of what your child will be learning in the My Backyard learning journey in terms of
mathematics concepts will be subtle, almost hidden learning. You'll be focusing on learning what
you're seeing in nature, while actually discovering some fantastic math fun! Your child should be
able to easily understand and make the connections between what they are discovering in their
backyard and on nature walks with the concepts you will be guiding them to see in each of the
activities in this theme.

How Do I Know My Child Is Learning?

Several of the activities in this theme allow for a lot of expansion, based on your child's personal
interest and ability levels. Allow your child to continue each activity exploration for as long and as
far as they want to allow for maximum understanding and curiosity!

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 5
 M ATH EXPLORATIONS
Square Foot Nat ure Explorat ion

Key Learning: Often we focus on big picture things in nature, but so much can be learned when we
narrow our focus to just one small area! In this activity, your child will explore what nature can be
found in just one square foot area of their backyard.

Need: ruler, string, magnifying glass (optional), paper and Suggest ed Reading:
pencil or nature journal

Direct ions: Begin by asking your child what types of things Wild Backyard by Kate
they can find in their backyard. They'll likely start with some
Riggs
bigger things that they see - trees, grass, dirt, rocks, etc.
Explain that in this activity, you're going to be focusing on just Backyard: One Small
one small area of the yard to really explore all that you can
Square by Donald Silver
find in just one section. Tell your child that you want to look in
a square foot area, so the first thing you need to do is map out
how much space that is. If your child doesn't already know,
explain that a ruler is 12 inches, which equals a foot. Use the
ruler and string to map out a square foot area (i.e. all four sides
equal one foot), and explore the size of this square foot shape.
Ask your child why they think it's called a "square foot." What might two square feet look like? How
about a square inch? Continue discussing and exploring square sizes until the interest wanes.

Next, start exploring! What do you notice inside this square foot area? Start with what you can see
without moving anything - grass, clover, dirt, flowers? Write down on your paper or in your nature
journal everything that you find (maybe your child can investigate and call out what they find while
you act as note-taker). Then start exploring more in depth - use the magnifying glass and shift the
dirt and grass around. Do you see any living creatures? Anything man-made that doesn't quite
belong outside? Explore every area of the square foot nature area. If your child is having a lot of
fun, move your square foot rope to another area of the yard and compare what you find there.

Ext ension idea: Once you've finished making your list of what you've found in the square foot area,
look more intently at the items you wrote down. Ask your child how you can sort or classify what
you discovered. Can you sort by living/non-living? Plants/animals? Nature/man-made? By color?
Have fun exploring how many categories of biodiversity you were able to discover in just one small
area of your backyard!

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 6
 M ATH EXPLORATIONS
Rock Skip Count ing

Key Learning: Skip counting (i.e. counting by 2s, 5s, 10s, etc.) is an important skill for first graders
to learn and practice. Finding ways to do this through nature and in real, meaningful ways helps to
solidify the concept and commit it to memory more easily. Note: it is easiest for children to start
with 10,s then 5s, then 2s.

Need: assortment of rocks (gathered on a nature walk is Suggest ed Reading:

great!), basket or bin, cards with 2, 5, and 10 written on them

Direct ions: In this activity, your child will practice counting a I Took a Walk by Henry
large group of rocks (other nature objects will work as well)
Cole
with different skip counting methods. This will help them
visualize not only how skip counting works, but also how it is Topsand Bottomsby
an efficient method of counting large quantities instead of
Janet Stevens
one thing at a time. First, choose a quantity of rocks that's
divisible by the skip counting number you'll use (for example,
choose 20 rocks to skip count by 5s so that there are no
leftovers). Place those rocks in the container and ask your
child how they could count the number of rocks the fastest.
Counting one at a time would work, but what if you could
count several at a time? Choose a card for your child - 2, 5, or
10, and have your child sort the rocks into piles corresponding to that number. Then help them
count by that number, counting a pile at a time. For example, if you are sorting by 5s and have 20
rocks, your child will have four piles of five rocks each. Help your child count the piles by 5s - 5, 10,
15, and 20. Continue practicing this with several different containers of rocks and various skip
counting numbers.

Ext ension idea: When your child has a good grasp of skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s, you can
extend the learning by talking with your child about how to count any "leftovers" after sorting. So,
for example, if you have 21 rocks and are sorting/counting by 2s, at the end, there would be one
rock by itself. Model counting by 2s up to 20, and then single counting the remainders to find the
total amount.

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 7
 M ATH EXPLORATIONS
Pat t erns in Nat ure

Key Learning: One of the most amazing mathematical concepts that your child can learn through
nature is the recognition of patterns! We see patterns in the way things work - seasonal changes,
tide going in and out, moon cycle, etc. - but there are also incredible geometric patterns to be found
all throughout nature if you take the time to slow down and
look for them! While it may not seem that finding patterns Suggest ed Reading:
connects to math skills, being able to recognize, describe, and
recreate patterns helps to develop geometry and algebraic
skill concepts!
Swirl by Swirl: Spiralsin
Need: magnifying glass (optional)
Nature by Joyce Sidman
Direct ions: Note: Thisactivity will go especially well with the I Took a Walk by Henry
book Swirl by Swirl, if you can get a copy! Begin by asking your Cole
child where they see patterns in things. Perhaps there is a
repeating design on your furniture, or stripes on their shirt.
Point out that patterns are everywhere, both in nature and
made by man. Identify which type your child has already
pointed out. Head outside, either just in your yard or on a
nature walk, and begin observing where you see patterns.
Practice describing the patterns you see (this will correspond with the writing focus for the My
Backyard theme). Perhaps your child will want to draw them in a nature journal or take photos for
inspiration in their creative work back home. Look for both big patterns (tree bark, clouds, etc.) and
small patterns, even using the magnifying glass to notice them (swirls on a snail shell, vein patterns
in small leaves, etc.).

Ext ension idea: Practice recreating some of the patterns that you find in nature with your child.
There are many ways to do this - using art supplies to paint or draw the patterns, using other
natural objects to redesign the patterns, etc.

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 8
 M ATH EXPLORATIONS
Observat ion Tallying

Key Learning: Tallying and keeping a chart are wonderful skills for a first grader to practice.
Slowing down long enough to make observations can often be a challenge for busy minds and
bodies, but when they have a purpose like this activity, they are more likely to be able to easily
focus and observe.

Need: paper and pencil, clipboard (optional, but makes it easy

Suggest ed Reading:
for sitting by a window and writing)

Direct ions: Note: Thisactivity isgreat to do in correspondence

Look Up! Birdwatching in
with the skip counting activity, asmaking talliesof five will
reinforce the skip counting practice. Set up a station at a window Your Own Backyard by
that faces some trees or a bird feeder to increase the amount Annette LeBlanc Cate
of birds that your child will see. Show your child how to make
tallies by making four lines and then crossing the fifth line. Birdsin Your Backyard
Reinforce the concept of skip counting by explaining how this by Barbara Herkert
is similar to how you were sorting/counting rocks in the skip
counting activity. Every time your child sees a bird, have them
make a tally. After a certain period of time, count up how
many birds you saw by skip counting with the tallies. Try this
at different times and over a few days and make observations
about when there are more birds visible. Are they more active in the morning than in the evening?
Do you notice more birds on one side of the yard than another? What else do you notice about
their habits?

Ext ension idea: Once your child has had good practice with tallying and counting the number of
birds they see, you could extend the activity to tally and count specific types of birds. Using a good
bird guide is a great way to help your child recognize and track the types of birds that come to
their neighborhood. You could extend even further by experimenting with offering different types
of bird food to see if it attracts different birds!

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 9
 M ATH EXPLORATIONS
Backyard Mapping

Key Learning: Understanding how to read and create a map is a great skill for first graders. This activity
is a fun and helpful way to encourage exploration of your backyard and learn about the area nearest to
your home. Note: If you do not have a yard of your own to explore and map, ask a family member or
friend if you can use theirs, or map a familiar park in your area.

Need: clipboard, paper, pencil, crayons/colored pencils Suggest ed Reading:

Direct ions: This will be a multi-step process so it is great for an

all-day project or as something to do over a few days, depending Wild Backyard by Kate
on your child's attention span. Explain to your child that you are Riggs
going to make a map of your backyard area, but that you want it to
be as detailed as possible. So, your first step needs to be exploring Your Backyard isWild by
every inch of your yard to make sure you know exactly what is Jeff Corwin
there. You can do this as detailed or as simple as you'd like - take
notes, measure spaces, compare areas, talk about man-made vs
nature-made areas, etc. Once you've "surveyed" your backyard
and your child has a really good working knowledge of what the
1
space looks like all over, it's time to draft a map! Again, this can be
as simple or detailed as you like - if your child is especially good at
and enjoys creating maps, you can talk about drawing to scale, using symbols and designs for certain
areas, etc. Or keep it simple and have your child draw it from their own memory, just for fun. After
creating the draft of the map, have your child add details through color, adding a map key to show what
is in the various areas, etc. It might be a good idea to show your child some examples of real-life maps to
give them some ideas that they can use in their representations. Once finished, this will likely make a
great addition to the family art wall!

Ext ension idea: A really fun idea with this activity is to partner with a pen pal and mail your maps to
each other once finished. This not only gives your child the experience of sharing with a friend, but
allows them to see and interpret someone else's work as well!

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 10
 SCIENCE EXPERIM ENTS

W hy Learn Science t his Way?

Hands-on learning is the best way to understand science concepts. When a child is able to
deconstruct or take something apart, it helps them to see how it fits together in the first place. This
is true in nature learning, and it is true in almost all science concepts.

W hat is t he Science Focus in t he "My Backyard" Theme?

We often think that we have to plan ahead or go on field trips to learn about science themes, but so
much meaningful science learning can happen right outside your door! By observing and exploring
the nature that is in your yard (and that visits your yard in the form of bugs, birds, and other
critters), your child can engage their curiosity and develop a great scientific understanding of what
is happening in the nature right around them. Through the experiments in the "My Backyard"
journey, your child will be learning about the nature that is right outside their door, fostering a love
of both scientific inquiry and nature, thus laying the foundation for further discovery as they get
older.

W hat Should My First Grader Know?

In earlier years, your child's focus on learning in nature was in a "big picture" kind of way. Nature
walks, general observation, talking about what they see, etc. Now, at a first grade level, they are
more able to "pull back the leaves" so to speak, and learn at a more micro level. Your child should
be looking more closely at details, paying attention to smaller things for (slightly) longer periods of
time, and be able to use more descriptive language to describe what they are observing.

How Do I Know My Child Is Learning?

The experiments in the "My Backyard" theme will help your child practice careful observation,
observe small changes over time, make predictions and assumptions, and describe what they see
with more descriptive language. Help your child with these deeper and more meaningful scientific
understandings and skills by modeling patience, descriptive language, and encouraging
conversation.

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 11
 SCIENCE EXPERIM ENTS
W hich Seeds Do Birds Prefer?

Key Learning: Most likely, your child has spent a good bit of time observing the birds that visit their backyard and
nearby areas. You've probably had conversations about the colors of their feathers, you may have found a bird's
nest or two, and your child has observed patterns and habits of local birds. In this activity, your child will be
experimenting with various types of bird feed to see if there is a particular preference for local birds.

Need: 3-4 bird feeders, 3-4 different types of feed, observation/nature

journal Suggest ed Reading:

Direct ions: This activity pairs perfectly with both the Make a Bird Feeder
activity and the tallying math activity! There is some prep involved in that Look Up! Birdwatching in
you will need at least three or four bird feeders to set up this experiment.
Explain to your child that you are going to determine if there is a certain
Your Own Backyard by
type of bird feed that the local birds who visit your yard prefer. To set up Annette LeBlanc Cate
the experiment, you will need to place the various bird feeders around
your yard, but all within eyesight of a central location of a window, so that Birds, Nests, and Eggsby
your child can observe the feeders. Place a different type of bird seed in
Mel Boring
each feeder, but make sure to use the same amount in each one - this way
you can easily determine how much of the food has been eaten. Now, you
wait and watch! Your child can observe the birds visiting the feeders - are
1
they all gravitating to one feeder? Do different types of birds seem to
prefer different foods? Does it seem random which food they choose?
Choose a certain time of day with your child to visit each bird feeder and measure the amount of food that has
been eaten. You can do this just by looking and observing or, if your child is really into the scientific aspect of this
experiment, you could dump out and measure the amount of food left to accurately determine how much has
been eaten of each type of feed. Practice making predictions along the way and have conversations about what
you and your child are observing together.

Ext ension idea: This experiment is an excellent opportunity to begin discussing the Scientific Method with your
child. Talk about the need to have something that is changing (bird seed), and how everything else should remain
the same so that you can focus only on one change at a time. Discuss the importance of observing over time,
things you don't have control over, making an hypothesis, etc. Through the experience of putting together an
experiment like this, your child will be able to easily understand many of the elements of the Scientific Method in
a meaningful, hands on way.

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 12
 SCIENCE EXPERIM ENTS
W hat is Soil Made Of?

Key Learning: This activity is a great example of helping your child look at the world through a smaller
lens. By taking soil samples and looking at them closely, your child will learn about the earth and make
connections to their garden, other natural areas, be able to compare and contrast, etc.

Need: two soil samples from different areas - these can be from
two different areas in your yard or, if you have all the same soil, Suggest ed Reading:
take a sample from your yard and elsewhere (perhaps a friend's
yard or a nearby park), magnifying glass, paper or nature journal
Topsand Bottomsby
and pencil, trays for spreading out the soil samples to explore
Janet Stevens
Direct ions: First, head outside to gather your soil samples. Have
some conversation while your child is gathering the sample - Was In Our Backyard Garden
the soil easy or difficult to dig up? Was anything growing in it?
by Eileen Spinelli
Once you have your samples, head to a table to do some
investigating! Use the tools you have available to spread out and
look closely at what makes up the sample of soil your child
gathered. Take notes about the samples as your child is exploring.
1
This is a great experiment to let your child lead, as there is no
wrong way to explore and investigate the samples. Guide them by
asking some leading questions - Do you notice any small pieces in the soil like rocks? What colors do you
notice in the soil? Is it hard and chunky or soft and flows easily? What happens if you put water on it -
does it ball up and get sticky or does it hold the water well? Once your child has taken notes and made
some comparisons about the two samples, explain to your child the three main types of soil (there are
actually five, but only these three need to be learned at this age): Clay, Sand, and Silt. Clay soil is heavy
and dense, gets sticky when wet, and is predominantly a reddish color. Sandy soil is coarse and made up
of large particles; water flows right through it and it doesn't stick together. Silty soil is finer than sandy
soil, made up of very tiny particles, and makes a soft mud when wet. Can your child identify which type
of soil their samples are?

Ext ension idea: Hypothesize with your child about what types of soil would be best for growing plants
in. If your child is interested, you could help them design an experiment planting flower seeds in each of
the two soil types to see which grows faster/better.

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 13
 SCIENCE EXPERIM ENTS
Build a River

Key Learning: This activity is not only a great way to experiment with building skills, problem
solving, and exploring the properties of sand, but it is a phenomenal way to encourage some
imaginative, sensory play outdoors as well!

Need: sand - either in a sand box, pit, or just loose in a

container, aluminum foil, various natural loose parts like sticks Suggest ed Reading:
and rocks and bark, etc., water

Direct ions: There aren't many directions necessary for this, as Your Backyard is Wild by
this will be a challenge for your child to build a river that will
Jeff Corwin
hold water. Try to step back and allow them to navigate and
problem solve as much as possible on their own. Challenge Secretsof the Garden by
your child to create a river in their sandbox/pit. They should Kathleen Weidner
notice pretty quickly that if they pour water onto sand, it will Zoehfeld
quickly be absorbed. Offer the aluminum foil as a solution to
build a trench that will hold water for a river without sinking
into the sand. Allow your child to explore and experiment with
1
using the aluminum foil and various nature objects to design
and build a river that will hold water and can be used for play.

Ext ension idea: This activity connects very well with the previous activity that looks at what soil is
made of. If you have other areas of your yard with various soil types, you could have your child
experiment with building a river there. Is there a clay-heavy soil area where you could build a river
without having to use foil to hold the water? Have fun experimenting and exploring!

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 14
 SCIENCE EXPERIM ENTS
Sprout House

Key Learning: This is a simple way to explore gardening and sprouting without having to change
anything in your outdoor landscape. Your child will explore engineering and building skills in this fun
science experiment.

Need: 4-5 plain sponges, scissors, toothpicks, hot glue gun

(optional, but makes construction faster), several types of Suggest ed Reading:
seeds - fast-sprouting ones like alfalfa, clover, chia, wheatgrass,
etc. are great, spray bottle of water
In Our Backyard Garden
Direct ions: Help your child construct a small sprout house
by Eileen Spinelli
using the sponge pieces. Use one as a base and cut shapes and
designs out of the others. Use toothpicks and/or hot glue to Secretsof the Garden by
hold the pieces together. Once the house is constructed, it's Kathleen Weidner
time to plant the seeds! Explain that the sponges are going to Zoehfeld
act as soil to sprout the seeds. Have your child sprinkle the
seeds wherever there is a flat surface (mixing them with some
water may help to make them sticky enough to cover a slanted
1
roof surface). Using the water bottle, spritz the seeds to
moisten them and the sponges. Place your houses in a sunny
window and spritz them with water 1-2 times a day as you wait for them to sprout!

Ext ension idea: If you chose edible sprouts for your seeds, such as alfalfa, this is a great way for your
child to experiment with some healthy eating! Children are much more apt to try a new food if they
helped to grow and prepare it! After your sprouts have grown enough to harvest, sprinkle some on a
sandwich or salad and enjoy the experience of trying something new together!

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 15
 SCIENCE EXPERIM ENTS
Does a Leaf Breat he?

Key Learning: This is a super simple experiment that, while it doesn't require much hands on work, is
a really exciting thing to witness and learn! The best part about this experiment is that your child will
get to witness a process that is typically invisible, giving it a very magical feel.

Need: glass bowl, water, small rock, freshly-picked leaf

Direct ions: Note: This activity doestake a few hoursto happen, so Suggest ed Reading:

it isprobably best to set it up first thing in the morning and plan to

come back to it later in the afternoon. First, ask your child if leaves Backyard Fairiesby
breathe. They may understand that plants and trees are alive,
Phoebe Wahl
but the thought of breathing might throw them off. Ask your
child what happens when they hold their breath in a pool, then Secretsof the Garden by
go under water and release the air - bubbles come to the
Kathleen Weidner
surface. This shows that a breath was taken and let out under
water. To see if leaves breathe, you can try the same thing - put Zoehfeld
it under water! Fill a bowl with lukewarm water. Head outside
and pick a large leaf fresh from a tree or plant (a dead leaf
1
obviously will not work). Put it in the bowl of water and use a
small rock to push it to the bottom of the bowl, making sure that
it is submerged. Place the bowl in direct sunlight. Now - you wait! When you come back several
hours later, your child should see small bubbles around the surface of the leaf and the edge of the
bowl, demonstrating the release of oxygen from the plant! Explain to your child that while they
breathe through their lungs, for a plant this happens through photosynthesis (using the sunlight to
create food for the plant). Since the leaf was kept in sunlight, it was still able to process carbon
dioxide into oxygen, which you can see evidence of through the bubbles in the water!

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 16
 CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS

W hy Creat e t his Way?

As your child moves into first grade and beyond, it is critical that you continue to give them every
opportunity to express themselves creatively. This helps them to develop problem solving skills, be
inventive and creative, and claim their self-expression as an important part of who they are. It is
especially important for learners who do not enjoy, or struggle with, writing their thoughts, as being
able to create helps them share their knowledge and thoughts through a different medium.

W hat is t he Creat ive Focus in t he "My Backyard" Theme?

Obviously as you are exploring your backyard and the nature within, it is the perfect time to explore
creating through nature. Each activity in the "My Backyard" journey will involve your child utilizing
their knowledge of nature and their creative spirit to explore and share their experiences in a
creative way. In addition to creating their own works, your child will have the opportunity to be
introduced to a variety of famous artists who themselves used nature as an inspiration for their
greatness!

W hat Should My First Grader Know?

No prior understanding is necessary for your child to explore and experiment with creating in
nature. Have fun, enjoy the process, and take time to create together!

How Do I Know My Child Is Learning?

Do not be alarmed if your child seems disinterested or not quite ready to comprehend the
understanding of the artists and composers that they will be introduced to in this theme. You are
merely laying the foundation for an understanding and appreciation of these individuals and their
work for later in life.

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 17
 CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS
List en t o t he Birds

Key Learning: Singing of birds is perhaps the first music that people ever heard, so what a beautiful
way to celebrate creativity in nature than by listening to bird songs with your child! This is a
two-part activity designed to both tune your child into the calm, intricate beauties of nature's
sounds, and also to discover how musicians have been inspired by bird songs for many, many years!

Need: a computer with internet access Suggest ed Reading:

Direct ions: For the first part of this activity, you will simply be
listening to the bird songs in your own backyard or local nature The Backyard Birdsong
park. To get the best bird concert, wake up a bit earlier than
Guide by Donald
normal and head outside to hear all of the birds singing their
morning tunes with the sunrise. Talk about the sounds you hear Kroodsma
with your child. How do they differ? Can you identify any of the
Listen to the Birds: An
birds by their songs? Which of the bird noises sound more like
songs than others?Do any of the sounds remind you of Introduction to Classical
something else? You might enjoy this so much that you and your Music (see resources
child make this a daily habit! What a great addition to a morning
1 page)
routine!

For the second part of this activity, you will be showing your
child how composers have been inspired by bird songs for centuries! Luckily most classical music is
available for free downloads and listens online, so with some quick searching, you can find pieces
that were inspired by our bird friends. Explain to your child that famous musicians and composers
have been so inspired by the bird songs they hear that they have created entire musical pieces
around them, and have used special instruments to mimic the bird songs they heard. Listen to
several classical pieces and see if your child can point out some parts that sound like a bird song!
Some examples to check out: Beethoven's "Symphony No. 6", Dvorak's "Wood Dove", Haydn's "The
Bird", Stravinsky's "Song of the Nightingale" , and Vivaldi's "The Goldfinch".

Ext ension idea: Explore which instruments are used in classical music to create and mimic bird
songs. Can you find ways to create your favorite bird songs yourself?

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 18
 CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS
Make a Bird Feeder

Key Learning: There are several activities in the "My Backyard" Theme where your child will be
observing and exploring the bird habits in your area. What better way to enhance this experience
than through creating and building your own bird feeders?!

Need: depends on how you decide to construct your bird

feeder Suggest ed Reading:

Direct ions: There are no specific directions for this activity,

because there are hundreds of ways that you can uniquely Birds, Nests, and Eggsby
design bird feeders for your backyard! Spend some time
Mel Boring
perusing Pinterest or other online resources for ideas with
your child. When something sparks your child's creative mind, Look Up! Birdwatching in
make a list of needed materials and enjoy your time
Your Own Backyard by
constructing and creating together!
Annette LeBlanc Cate
One of our favorite ways to make a quick and easy bird feeder:
Gather pine cones on a nature walk. Spread the pine cones
with peanut butter and roll in bird seed. Hang the pine cones
from a tree.

Ext ension idea: You could easily turn this creative project into
an experiment to see if the birds prefer a specific bird feeder in your yard. Make several different
bird feeders and place them in various places of your backyard. Fill them with the same bird seed
and observe over a few days to see if one is more frequently visited than another!

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 19
 CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS
Paint a Flower - Van Gogh Int roduct ion

Key Learning: It would be remiss to spend time studying and learning in nature without discovering
Vincent Van Gogh, who took so much of his inspiration in the intricate beauty of nature around him.
Taking a cue from Van Gogh's "Sunflowers", your child will be exploring their nature creativity
through a similar project.

Need: canvas or heavy cardstock, fresh picked flower (ideally Suggest ed Reading:
from your yard or nearby), vase for display, paints matching
the colors of the flower, paintbrush, image of "Sunflowers" by
In Our Backyard Garden
Vincent Van Gogh
by Eileen Spinelli
Direct ions: This activity pairs well with the music activity, as
the parallels of Van Gogh's inspiration from nature align with Topsand Bottomsby
the composers in that activity. Introduce your child to Vincent
Janet Stevens
Van Gogh by showing them his famous painting "Sunflowers."
Explain that just like the composers from the music activity, Vincent'sColorsby
Van Gogh and many other artists were inspired to create by
Vincent Van Gogh
the nature around them. Set up an invitation to paint a flower
1
like Van Gogh did for your child. They can freely explore their (MOMA)
own creativity within these parameters, you simply need to
arrange an invitation for them. Set out a blank canvas and paints with a flower in a vase next to the
canvas for inspiration.

Ext ension idea: If your child enjoys this activity, there are many ways to expand and extend this!
Continue exploring some of Van Gogh's other works or research other artists who were inspired by
nature. Gather other natural objects for your child to paint or, better yet, take your paint supplies
outdoors and stop to paint whenever your child is inspired by something!

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 20
 CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS
Fairy Garden

Key Learning: Though your first grader is growing older and learning more facts about the world
around them, there is still so much magic in their minds. Harness this narrowing window by
creating as much of a magical world, ideally in nature, as you can. A fairy garden is a phenomenal
way to do this!

Need: container or pot to house the garden, various plants, Suggest ed Reading:
rocks/pebbles/gemstones, fairy homes (optional)

Direct ions: Just like the bird feeder activity, designing a fairy Backyard Fairies by
house is a very unique creative expression and there is no Phoebe Wahl
wrong way to do this. You could peruse the internet for some Wild Backyard by Kate
inspiration, but I would encourage you to instead head out
with your child gathering the materials that inspire them!
Riggs
Head out on a nature walk and gather loose parts such as
twigs, moss, attractive rocks and pebbles, tree bark, and
anything that can be brought home. Visit your local gardening
center and pick a few plants together that would look great in
1
your fairy garden - succulents, tiny tree shrubs, flowers, etc.
You could choose to keep it completely made of natural objects
or visit a craft store and grab some gemstones, ceramic houses, solar lights, etc. Once you've
gathered all of the materials, help your child plant and design a small magical garden to invite the
fairies to visit!

Ext ension idea: Place the fairy garden somewhere in your backyard in a space that already has or
needs a bit of a magical feel. Use this space as a place where your child can go to relax, enjoy the
outdoors, maybe read a book, and simply feel comfortable being in the magic of nature.

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 21
 CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS
Paint ed Rock Art

Key Learning: This is a simple, yet beautiful way to use nature to explore creativity! It can be done
anywhere, anytime, and is a wonderful, relaxing activity.

Need: various sizes of rocks, acrylic paints, paintbrushes, permanent markers (optional, but handy
for adding small details)

Direct ions: Head out on a nature walk and gather rocks and Suggest ed Reading:

pebbles of various size and shape. Smooth ones will be easier

to paint. Once home, have your child wash the rocks to make Swirl by Swirl: Spiralsin
the surfaces smooth and clean for painting. Lay the rocks out
Nature by Joyce Sidman
to dry. Once ready, have fun creating designs on the rocks
using the paints and markers. Consider creating designs that I Took a Walk by Henry
you can use in future projects and activities such as tic-tac-toe
Cole
rocks, numbers for math practice, various facial features for a
fun "Create a Face" game, etc.

Optional: Once dried, if you would like to preserve the design for
extended use, you can spray with a sealant.
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Ext ension idea: See the Kindness Rocks Project in the Social
Connections section of the "My Backyard" Theme for a great
way to use these rocks once your child has created the designs.

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 22
 NATURE ADVENTURES

W hy Learn W it h Nat ure?

If you and your child learned together through the Pre-K/Kindergarten Your Natural Learner
Curriculum, then you know that the benefits of learning through and exploring in nature are
innumerable for your child! Every plane of development grows in leaps and bounds when your child
is able to use nature to help them learn - social, emotional, physical, academic, mental, and beyond.

W hat is t he Nat ure Focus in t he "My Backyard" Theme?

Clearly in this theme, there is no shortage of opportunities to spend time out in nature, as it is the
main focus of the "My Backyard" journey! Since many of the other activities in this theme have your
child experimenting, creating, and moving, in the Nature Connections you'll find more activities
that encourage your child to slow down and pay attention to what is around them - a valuable
practice for children at this age who always seem to be on the go!

W hat Should My First Grader Know?

The activities here will likely give your child a balance of old, familiar routines with new experiences
and learning to accompany them. Be available to answer questions that your child has, or work
together to find the answers you are unsure of.

How Do I Know My Child Is Learning?

There is no formal type of assessment that needs to take place when your child is spending time
outdoors. Simply inviting your child to participate and watching them connect with nature is proof
enough that your child is gaining the understanding that they need.

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 23
 NATURE ADVENTURES
Backyard Scavenger Hunt

Key Learning: A scavenger hunt is always a great way to encourage your child to put on their
explorer eyes and get to work! In this scavenger hunt, your child will explore the world right outside
their door.

Need: scavenger hunt list, clipboard, pencil

Direct ions: Note: Depending on your child's current reading ability Suggest ed Reading:

level, you can choose to make the scavenger hunt in a written list or
using illustrations/imagesto accompany the wordsasa visual Backyard: One Small
support. Design a scavenger hunt for your child to explore the
Square by Donald Silver
backyard searching for the items. It is even more fun if you
encourage your child to help you make the list! Try to make it Are you a Grasshopper
more challenging than just a simple seek and find - have your
by Judy Allen
child find certain colors in nature, search for something buried
under grass that doesn't belong, find three different types of
bugs, search for various textures like something smooth and
something sticky, etc. Head outside and watch your child
excitedly explore their world!
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Ext ension idea: For an added layer of fun and challenge, have
your child use a camera to take photos of the found items on their scavenger hunt list, instead of
simply checking the item off. Once they've completed the hunt, ask your child to show you the
photos and explain how or why this item matches the thing on the list. This is a great way to
encourage and practice the descriptive writing focus in the "My Backyard" theme!

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 24
 NATURE ADVENTURES
Cloud Wat ching

Key Learning: There are all kinds of books, activities, and videos out there that can teach your child
about the names of the different types of clouds. But nothing will connect your child with the world
around them quite like quietly laying on a blanket in the grass and staring up at the sky, watching the
clouds shift and turn and take various shapes.

Need: a cozy blanket to relax on Suggest ed Reading:

Direct ions: Obviously this is pretty simple adventure to

facilitate! This is all about having fun, bonding with your child, Wild Backyard by Kate
laughing together at the silly shapes you'll start to see in the
Riggs
clouds the longer you look, and simply enjoying the connection
and communion with nature. Look Up! Birdwatching in
Ext ension idea: Turn your cloud watching adventures into Your Own Backyard by
creative projects by taking photos of your favorite clouds and
Annette LeBlanc Cate
using different mediums to recreate those photos. Challenge
your child - what materials can we use to represent a cloud?
Puffy paint?Marshmallows? Cotton balls? This should be as
1
much, if not more, fun as lying under the clouds and watching
the shapes go by.

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 25
 NATURE ADVENTURES
Capt ure Animal Tracks

Key Learning: You and your child spend quite a bit of time in this theme observing the birds and the
bugs and the plants that are in your backyard, but there are often creatures that we don't catch
sight of that visit our yards too! Many mammals visit backyards, especially at night, and this is a
great way to capture a glimpse of who else is visiting your yard when you're not looking!

Need: baking tray, sand, water, two small bowls - one with Suggest ed Reading:
food, one with water to attract the creatures

Direct ions: Ask your child about the creatures that visit your Are you a Grasshopper
yard. Likely they'll mention the birds you've watched, the
by Judy Allen
butterflies on the flowers, and maybe even a squirrel or two
that has attempted to sneak from the bird feeders! Explain to Your Backyard is Wild by
your child that in many places, it's common for more mammals
Jeff Corwin
and creatures to come and explore in backyards, but they do so
at night or when no one is around. With this activity, you can
capture the animals' tracks without harming them, so you can
discover who is visiting your outdoor space! First, fill the
1
baking tray with sand. Add just enough water to make all of the
and moist, stir and smooth out the sand, not packing it down.
Place one small bowl of water and one small bowl of attractive food, such as some fresh fruit, on
opposite sides of the tray. Place the "track capturer" somewhere in your yard before nightfall. In the
morning, check for tracks! Take photos or make sketches of the tracks you find and compare them
to local wildlife guides to determine who has visited your backyard! This can be an ongoing
experiment to see how many different creatures visit.

Ext ension idea: If your child is particularly excited about this project, try setting up a camera on the
tray to hopefully capture a video image of your visitors!

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 26
 NATURE ADVENTURES
W hat Lives in Dirt ?

Key Learning: Similar to having your child examine soil samples to determine what the soil is made
of, this activity allows your child to look at the bigger picture and see what organisms make the dirt
their home!

Need: shovel, white or light colored sheet, magnifying glass,

paper/nature journal and pencil (optional) Suggest ed Reading:
Direct ions: This is a fun and dirty exercise that can last as long
as your child is enjoying the exploration. Begin by laying the Garden Wigglersby
white sheet out outside. Scoop a shovel-full of dirt from an
area in your yard and dump it on the sheet. Have your child get
Nancy Loewen
down and dirty with their hands, magnifying glass, and any Secretsof the Garden by
other investigation tools on hand. Sift and sort through the dirt
Kathleen Weidner
to find anything that might be living in the pile. Talk about what
you find, and if your child wants to document it, make notes in Zoehfeld
their journal or on paper. Continue scooping piles of dirt onto
the sheet until your child is done investigating.
1
IMPORTANT PARENT NOTE: Do not feel afraid of doing this
activity if you have a pristine yard or no space that feels
"dig-worthy." Overcome your own fears around this and get your shovel into that grass! It can be put
back when you're done, grass can be replanted, but your child won't always have the adventurous
and curious spirit that they have now! You may feel knots in your stomach when you think about
digging somewhere you "shouldn't dig" but the joy on your child's face when they find beetle larvae
or other living creatures in that dirt pile will be so worth it!

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 27
 SOCIAL CONNECTIONS

W hy Make Social Connect ions?

Especially in the first grade years as your child is discovering how they fit into the world around
them, it is important that they begin to make social connections to their learning. Sometimes this
includes connecting with others (i.e. "socialization"), but this is not the point of making social
connections. Simply learning about how we are the same/different from those in the world around
us helps to build awareness and connection.

W hat is t he Social Connect ion Focus in t he "My Backyard" Theme?

While this theme is more focused on what is happening right within your family's/child's personal
space and learning environment, there are still ways that you can share their experiences in this
theme through social connections. Through learning about your backyard space from a local
expert/museum and sharing creative projects with others, your child will bridge a connection
between their personal world and that of the world around them.

W hat Should My First Grader Know?

While your child may not feel comfortable yet asking their own questions to a stranger, it is great
for your child to verbalize and formulate their questions before visiting a museum or local expert.
Be sure to have discussions with your child about what they WANT to learn and know before
assuming what that answer might be. This helps you to guide the learning experience when you are
out and about to best tailor to your child's needs and interests.

How Do I Know My Child Is Learning?

Discussion is always key to a successful social connections learning experience! Leave space for
your child to ask questions and be open and honest with them.

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 28
 SOCIAL CONNECTIONS
Visit a Local Nat ural Museum

Key Learning: Learning and exploring within your own backyard can teach your child so much about
nature and the world around them. However, that experience can be compounded many ways if
they are able to visit a local natural museum, designed specifically to teach you more about the
nature around you!

Need: nothing Suggest ed Reading:

Direct ions: Most cities and even small towns have a local
museum or resource center that is dedicated to learning and Museum website,
understanding more about the local ecosystem, plants and featured exhibits,
wildlife, bugs, birds, etc. Do some research to find the closest museum bookstore
museum or natural resource center to you and plan a visit with features, etc.
your child! Be sure to come up with some questions or topics
of interest in advance so that you can best help your child to
make the most out of the experience by focusing more on what
they need or are interested in.

Ext ension idea: Depending on the experience, this visit might

spark a deeper interest in learning about local wildlife, nature,
and more. Follow your child's interests and ask for more
resources at the museum/center to support these growing interests!

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 29
 SOCIAL CONNECTIONS
Kindness Rocks Project

Key Learning: There is a beautiful trend happening around the world right now called the Kindness
Rocks Project. Use the rocks that you and your child paint in the "My Backyard" Theme to
unexpectedly brighten someone's day!

Need: painted rocks

Direct ions: Search the #kindnessrocks and Suggest ed Reading:

#kindnessrocksproject hashtags on social media and show

some of the photos to your child. Explain that the idea is to Search and explore the
brighten someone's day with a surprise painted rock hidden in #kindnessrocks and
an unsuspecting place! To participate in the Kindness Rocks #kindnessrocksproject
Project, gather some of your painted rocks from the previous hashtags on Instagram!
activity and head out into your community to secretly hide
them for others to find! This sneaky adventure is super fun for
children. Encourage them to hide them in plain sight, so they
are easy to spot, enticing people to pick them up. Explain that
you probably won't see anyone actually find the rocks, but that
1
the joy is in knowing that you've brightened someone's day
that you'll never even meet, hopefully encouraging them to do
something nice for someone else in return.

Ext ension idea: If you hope to track your rock on social media, take a moment before heading out to
write one of those hashtags on the back of the rock with a permanent marker. Continue checking
the hashtags periodically with your child to see if one of your rocks shows up!

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 30
EXTRA RESOURCES/ IDEAS
Websit es/Apps/ Videos
iBird Pro App- While it's not free, this is a phenomenal resource, especially if your family travels to
different regions frequently. This is hands-down the most comprehensive bird identification app for
all of North America.

SkyView App - Take the cloud watching fun into nighttime with star gazing, and use the SkyView
app to determine what constellations and stars you are actually looking at! There is a free version
that is pretty simple and basic, with an upgrade that is worth the few pennies to teach your child
more about the constellations and stars they see.

Cool Supplement s t o t his t heme t o purchase

Pocket Naturalist Guides - These are amazing, laminated guides that are easy for kids to use,
travel-friendly, and virtually non-destroyable. There are hundreds of them available for all manner
of flora and fauna and habitats that are local to you. Find a few that are for your area and use them
to supplement your learning through this theme and beyond.

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Project Garden by Stacy Tornio - This is a fantastic guide to backyard gardening that you can do all
year with your children!

Listen to the Birds: An Introduction to Classical Music - A wonderful book and accompanying CD
showcasing all of the various ways that birds influenced famous classical composers over the years,
and how they used instruments to mimic the sounds they heard. *Use this book with the activity
"Listen to the Birds" in the Create section!

Herb Fairiesby Kimberly Gallagher - This is a beautifully written, magical adventure that will get
your child excited about plants, learning about helpful herbal remedies, and connecting to the
magic within nature.

M Y BACKYARD THEM E 31