Nature Quest
Activity #12NATURE QUEST ACTIVITY
Look Closer
This is about looking closely and examining objects in the natural world, identifying and naming parts.
Examining natural things in real detail will help you to understand and appreciate how they work.
Did you know 71 new plant and animal species were discovered in 2019? Look closely and you might just discover a new plant or animal species.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
- A natural item, such as a feather, a flower, a leaf, an insect
- Magnifying glass or bug pot
- You might want to make a pooter or a bug pot if you are looking at bugs. See ‘supporting resources’ section of https://www.rspb.org.uk/fun-and-learning/for-teachers/lesson-plans-and-supporting-resources/ for simple instructions on how to make these.
STEP BY STEP GUIDE
1. Choose a natural item, such as a feather, a flower, a leaf or an insect.
2. Look at it and examine it closely.
3. Draw a detailed picture of what you can see and label it.
4. If you’ve chosen a flower, you might want to dissect it to see what’s inside.
Sites in Harare where you could do this activity:
- Mukuvisi Woodlands
- Haka Park
- Monavale Vlei
Sites in other centres:
- Hillside dams, Bulawayo
- Cecil Kop, Mutare
- Gosho Park, Marondera
Ask your teacher for a suitable place near your school.
ASSOCIATED GAME
Eye in the Sky
1. The children need to be in pairs with a small mirror between them. One child uses the mirror whilst the other acts as a guide. After a set time period they will swap roles.
2. The child with the mirror needs to hold it flat along the bridge of their nose so they can look down into the mirror and see the sky.
3. The second child acts as a guide, holding the child with the mirror by the hand and avoiding any obstacles.
4. The group is taken for a walk, ideally in an area with trees where the children will get a view of the tree/scrub canopy overhead.
5. Half way through the walk, the children swap.
6. At the end of the activity discuss what the children saw, how it felt, did they notice anything interesting when they were looking at things from such an unusual angle?
Don’t forget to email or send us photos/drawings/writing to chirimutaronald@gmail.com or birds@zol.co.zw to demonstrate you’ve completed this activity.
