Explorers

** Paper, pencils, crayons ** ** Name game ** ** Brain game ** ** Backpacks with all tools ** ** Posters with picture and words on ** ** All backpacks ** ** 5 senses book ** ** 5 senses picture ** ** Large picture of the journal ** ** Journals ** ** Whistle ** ** Rule Poster ** ** Line Game ** ** Message Afternoon Boards ** ** Tool Poster ** ** Backpack with tools ** ** 5 senses poster ** ** Journals for the students ** ** Classroom book ** ** Line Game ** ** Message Afternoon Boards ** ** Whistle ** ** Book of observations ** ** Placing littler around the field ** ** Book about exploring and protecting the planet ** ** Paper, crayons ** ** Backpacks with journals ** ** Message Afternoon Boards ** ** Whistle **
 * Day 1: **
 * Materials: **
 * Lean Back/ Review: **
 * Introduce the class. What the class is about and what the students will learn about during the class. Introduce each other **
 * Welcome explorers. This class will allow you to use tools scientists use to explore the world around you. But first, let’s get to know everyone. We are going to play a game. (We will find a game to play to let the students know each other) That was fun and we hope you all learned some of our new friend’s name. **
 * Task: **
 * The students will color and draw what they think a “Scientist” looks like. **
 * Now we are going to do something different. I want you to think about what a scientist looks like. We will pass out some paper for you to draw and color your thoughts. (Need paper with a name line and coloring utensils. Give students 3 minutes or as long as they are engaged.) When finished, ask does anyone want to share their drawing? After they have shared let the students clap and thank them for sharing. **
 * After the students have shared, take a brain game for their brake. **
 * We have really been working our brains hard this afternoon so we think it is time for a break. (Insert brain game here) **
 * Next we will go over what is in the bag each student receives. The students will receive a butterfly net, paper, crayons, pencil, clip board, camera, binoculars, and magnifying glass. There will be pictures of the tools and have their names with the tools. **
 * That was fun. Now we are going to learn more about scientists and their tools. I have a backpack that has the tools we will use this week in our explorations. (Go through the backpack, holding each item and what it can be used for.) **
 * After knowing of the tools, let the students explore the room around them. The students will learn how to use their tools for the days ahead. **
 * Now that we know more about our tools, let’s use them to explore the classroom. (Allow students 10-15 minutes to play with the tools and wander the classroom.) **
 * Closure: **
 * Gather the students back into a circle and share which tool is their favorite and why. **
 * We need everyone to come back to our circle. We are going to talk about which tool you liked the most or which tool is your favorite. I want you to hold up the tool and tell us about it. How did you use it and what did you do find with it? What did we learn about today? **
 * Day 2: **
 * Materials: **
 * Lean Back/ Review: **
 * The students will review of they did yesterday and what is in the backpack. The students will tell us what they know about the tool and what it is used for. **
 * Welcome back everyone. I hope you are ready for a fun afternoon of exploring. Yesterday we talked about what a scientist was and what they use. Today, we are going to continue exploring like a scientist. Let’s look at our tools again to help us remember what they are used for. (Go through the backpack, holing up each item and demonstrating its use or let the students show us what the tool is used for) **
 * Scientists also use their 5 senses. We will go over the 5 senses and read a book about them. **
 * Just like those tools the scientists use they also use their 5 senses. We will be using what we see (showing the picture of the eye), what we hear (showing the picture of the ear), what we feel (showing the picture of the hand), what we taste (show a picture of the mouth), and what we smell (show a picture of what the nose). Since we are becoming scientists we would like you to use the tools and also use our five senses but our taste for these couple of days. **
 * Task: **
 * Journals are a major part of the way we explore. Journals help scientists gain knowledge of what is similar and what is different. These journals have four senses writing in them. This is to help the students know what sense is what. **
 * Scientists write down what they see, smell, feel, hear, and taste. We have made each of you a journal so you can write down your own observations during your explorations. Observations are the writings of our five senses. We have to write down because it is easy to remember and to share with other scientists. Here is how we use our journals. (Demonstrate how to write in the journal) **
 * There are rules to the exploring observation. We will be making rules for the students and the students will also be participating with the rule making. When we go outside you will find 3 things to observe and record in your journal. **
 * We are almost ready to go outside and explore! First we need to go over some rules. (We as a class will go over some of the rules and make rules that the students will create) #1 rule will be to never leave the area we are exploring! **
 * Once we are outside, you will find 3 things to observe and record in your journal. Make sure you use your senses in your observations. Make a drawing and then write about your drawing. Fill in the senses as best as you can. We will be walking around and helping you out. **
 * Okay explorers. When I call your name, come and get your backpack and then stand in line by the door. (Distribute backpacks accordingly) Is everyone ready? It is time to explore! (Line Game) **
 * Discourse: **
 * Gather all of the students back together and ready to go back into the classroom to share their observations. Let the students share what they have found. **
 * Explorers, it is time to head back inside and talk about our observations. (Whistle to get everyone’s attention) (Walk back to the classroom. Have students put backpacks in a pile so they can be gone through to make sure everything is in! Students should keep their journal for the group discussion) You will need your journal as you are going to share your drawing with the class. We will go first. I observed (…and used these senses…Here is my picture I drew) (Group discussion continues until each student has had an opportunity to share) **
 * Explorers that is all the time we have for today. I hope you have had fun exploring like scientists. We will be seeing you tomorrow **** J **
 * Day 3: **
 * Materials: **
 * Lean back/Review: **
 * What was your favorite tool yesterday? Which tool did you use the most? **
 * Welcome back explorers. We have another adventurous afternoon so let’s get busy! Yesterday, we went outside and did some exploring. You used the scientist tools and wrote in your journal. Let’s go around and talk about what your favorite tool was and why. **
 * Intro: **
 * Think about how you observed yesterday…today pick out one object and really observe it. Stay with the one object for the period of time to look at it, see what’s around it, what the object could be used for, or take a picture of it. Prepare the students for the exploration of outside. Hand out the backpacks. **
 * Today, we will go back outside to explore. You will pick out one thing and really observe it. You will again make a drawing and write about it. Write about the senses you use as well. Here is a quick reminder about the senses (go over senses poster). **
 * Gather the students to review of how to put the observations into their journals. Make them really think about what they are putting down on the journal is what is really happening to the object. Some of the questions could be : What did it look like? What do you see around it? What do you think the object is used for? Don’t forget to take a picture of the object you are observing. **
 * I will now call your name to hand you your backpack. Your journal is in you backpack. Stand in line by the door once you have your backpack. (Have a line game ready to use for then the students don’t get out of line) **
 * Task: **
 * Go outside and explore for a little while. Find one object you really think is interesting. Take most of your time to record about it in your explorer’s journal. **
 * Let the students explore outside for a while. Walk around to ensure each student has found something to write about and focusing on what the object is and what it can be used for. **
 * Explorers, it is time to go back inside. Make sure you have all of your tools in your backpack. (Do a scan of the area and make sure nothing is left behind) Please keep your journal and put your backpack here in the pile. **
 * Discourse: **
 * Everyone to share a little about the one object you really focused on. **
 * We are now going to talk about what you observed outside. I will go first. I observed… **
 * Explorers, please hand your journals to me when you stand in line ready to go. I hope that you had fun exploring like a scientist today. **
 * Day 4: **
 * Materials: **
 * ** How to take care of your share of the planet- Betsy Franz (Bernstein Bears) **
 * Lean Back: **
 * Bring out the book of the observations from the students to be passed around to the students. Print off large pictures to be placed around the room for the students can see what they have done. Discuss the student book. “Did anyone see anything in the book that really stuck out to them?” **
 * Welcome back explorers. It is hard to believe that today is our last day. We have a lot to do today so let’s get started. **
 * Yesterday we each observed one thing. You will see there are pictures hanging up throughout the classroom. We have also created a book of your drawings. Let’s go through the book together. Look for something that you haven’t seen before outside that others observed. (Read through the book while the students are sitting in a circle) **
 * Some questions we could ask while the students are observing. Did anyone notice something different in the book that a classmate observed? What different things did you see? **
 * Task: **
 * Now we are going to go exploring outside. Explorers, we have a mission to do today. We are going outside to look around nature. Explore what doesn’t quite fit in or that don’t belong in nature. **
 * We will go back outside for our last day of exploring. See if you can find those things outside that you hadn’t seen or were different than what you found. Also, look for other things that don’t belong in nature. We will go over what is in nature and what is not in nature. (Bring pictures that we find in nature and what isn’t in nature) **
 * Discourse: **
 * “Did you all find 1 thing from the book?” “Did you all find the things that didn’t belong in the environment?” We need to be sure we protect out planet so we can keep exploring it in the future!! **
 * Explorers, it is time to go back inside and share what we found. I want you each to share one you found today. **
 * We noticed there were things outside today that didn’t belong in nature. That is called littler. It is important to make srue we portect out plantet by keeping it clean so we can continue to explore. **
 * On day 1, we asked you to draw a picture of a scientist. We will now draw another picture of a scientist since we have been busy being scientist all week. (Allow students 5 minutes or so to draw. Collect drawings) **
 * We are now going to read a book that will help us better understand how to protect our planet. We will be reading… (not sure what book yet) **
 * Thanks you explorers for a great week and we hope you become scientists when you grow up. **