Background information

Content information for educators (also suitable for parents): Getting children outside and connecting with nature is important for our environment. They learn respect and care for all living things and nature play can assist children to understand the world around them. If our youngest learners understand and value nature then they are more likely to feel empowered and take action to protect it. Outdoor time is also vitally important for children's personal development. There is an emerging body of local and international research linking childhood contact with nature to a wide range of benefits in human health and well being. Children will develop fine and gross motor skills, social and emotional skills, risk assessment and critical thinking skills, and language and communication skills readily when active in nature.

For more information read the Benefits of Connecting to Nature Factsheet.

Nature Play WA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vAulkMldMM)

Nature Play WA Inc is an incorporated not-for-profit association established to increase the time Western Australian children spend in unstructured play outdoors and in nature.

About Earth Hour: Earth Hour is a WWF-Australia initiative, and is the world’s largest community-driven climate change campaign. At the centre of Earth Hour is switching off lights to show a commitment to taking action. Thousands of educators use Earth Hour’s education program to enrich their curriculum and provide pathways for young people to create change in their world.

Download the Earth Hour starter kit for your service: Earth Hour for Schools

Definitions:

Nature - is everything that exists in the world that has not been introduced by people, including plants, animals, landscapes and weather.
Biodiversity - the diversity of all living things that form the web of life.
Community - a social group whose members identify with a specific locality, and often share common interests or common cultural and historical heritage.
Neighbourhood - the immediate environment; surroundings; vicinity.
Neighbour - a person who lives near another.
Local - characterised by a position or place in space.
Ecosystems - How living things interact with each other.
Wild Space - a place where the impact of humans is minimised.

New words for children to learn:

Nature
Biodiversity
Ecosystem
Environment
Senses
Community
Neighbourhood
Neighbour
Local

Organising children to get out and about for Earth Hour Schools Day.

Preparation:

Consider your centre's policies and procedures for excursions: can you take the children on regular excursions to a local park or nearby nature, or even a walk around the local area? If so, great; If not, it may be something to discuss with your leadership team, Board of Committee of Management and parents.

Earth Hour Schools Day is more than simply turning the lights off, it's about helping children to connect to and respect nature so they protect it. The activities in this resource are designed to be done in an outdoor setting for Earth Hour Schools Day. You will need to organise children to get out and about in your local community and experience nearby nature. Depending on your centre and children, this may just be going for a walk around the local neighbourhood and observing nature along the way - butterflies, flowers, puddles, ants, leaves and trees. Let the children explore the grass and investigate different textures, smells and sensations. (Or you might be lucky enough to have a natural environment at your centre!)

As Earth Hour is a special event that encourages community involvement, invite caregivers and other educators along for the excursion.

Activities for children aged - 0 to 2

Younger children can benefit from simply being outdoors in nature. Once you have found a good spot outside, ask the children to spend five minutes standing, sitting or lying quietly in nature, absorbing the nature around them.

Talk to the children about changes throughout the year in colours, weather, flowering of plants, animal behaviour (nesting birds, emergence of butterflies, etc.) Take photos of the children in nature to share with caregivers. You can also use these photos to compare the environment next time you visit the area.

Note: Go outside in all weather so that children can experience changes in seasons and the wonder of rain on their face, wet feet, jumping in puddles and the wind in the face!

Provocations:

I wonder what sounds we can hear?
I wonder what this feels like?
I wonder where this comes from?
I wonder what the birds are doing?
I wonder where the butterflies go when it rains?
I wonder what has changed since we came last time?
I wonder what we will see today?
I wonder how we feel when we come to this place?

Possible lines of development:

Consider what program activities you could do outside or in nearby nature rather than inside (stories, rest times, meals or snacks, art, messy play, etc).
Encourage children to bring interesting natural items they find to explore together.
Incorporate natural materials in creative play, music, art, etc.
Explore colours and sounds in nature.
Explore natural materials with mirrors or a light box.

Activities for children aged - 3 to 5

Once you have found a good spot outside with some trees, encourage children to spend five minutes standing, sitting or lying quietly in nature, absorbing the nature around them.

Talk to children about how special this place is. Engage children in a role-play activity where they imagine and act out growing from a seed into a tree.

Talk children through the following steps:

Being curled up in the soil
Needing sunshine, water and food from the soil to grow
Sprouting the first roots and the first leaves
Stretching the shoot up towards the sun
Growing taller and stronger
Growing more leaves and branches, and growing stronger roots and a trunk
Providing shelter, shade and food for animals and people
Blowing in the wind and stretching up for rain and sunshine
Making oxygen for humans and animals to breathe

You could also ask children to use their senses in interesting ways to explore the natural area. For example, children can close their eyes and explore any interesting natural artefacts with just their fingers (rock, pebbles, seedpods, flowers, etc.)

Explain to children that one of the things that makes Australia so great is the beautiful outdoor lifestyle we live. From bushland to rainforests and rivers to snow-capped mountains, coral reefs and lakes, we have one of the most beautiful countries in the world. But we must care for and protect these special places that we love - it only takes a small change to mess up the delicate balance of nature. That’s why in 2016, WWF is encouraging everyone to switch off their lights for Earth Hour to help protect the places we love!

Provocations:

I wonder what’s great about our local park/reserve/beach/etc?
I wonder how we feel when we come to this place?
I wonder how long the trees and plants in the area have been here?
I wonder what’s not so good about our local park/reserve/beach/etc?
I wonder if there is something we could do to change what’s not so good to make it great?
I wonder what we can do to help protect this area?
I wonder what is our favourite place in nature?

Possible lines of development:

Explore any history or interesting stories about your local 'favourite place'.
When organise this event, encourage families to explore it with their children (picnic, planting, night walk, scavenger hunt, games, etc.)
Contact your local historical society or Indigenous community and explore any indigenous/cultural connections relating to your local natural area, or the plants and animals found there.
Write stories, make movies or create something that tells of your adventures in your favourite place, or adventures of the plants or animals that live there.
Consider what program activities you could do outside or in nearby nature rather than inside (stories, rest times, meals or snacks, art, messy play, running or physical activities, games, etc.)
Encourage children to bring interesting natural items they find to explore together.
Consider trying some of Cool Australia's Nature of Mindfulness activities outside in nature.

Evaluation

Complete an analysis of learning listing evidence about:

Belonging	Finding something of interest
Communication	Expressing an idea or feeling
Exploration	Engaging with challenges and persisting when difficulties arises
Well being	Being involved

Embedding into daily practice

Earth Hour - Out and About in 'Our Place'

Summary

Activity Guides and Printables

Activity Details

Curriculum Mapping

Resources Required