Explore and Play: Nature Scavenger Hunt

Find a twig and a leaf outside.

Materials

chart paper with a twig and a leaf drawn on it

Key Science Concepts

There are many different types of plants and seeds.
Plants have different parts: roots, stems, leaves, and fruit.
Plants outside grow in many places. Usually they grow in soil.

Directions

Tell them that you will go on a scavenger hunt outside.

Show children the chart and ask them to name the two pictures (twig and leaf). These are the two things they will search for outside.
Give them a minute to find a twig and a leaf. Explain to children that because trees and plants are alive, it is not okay to break off branches or pull leaves from trees. They should find ones already on the ground.

Reflect and Share

Have children hold up their twigs and compare them. How are they similar? How are they different? Do they think all the twigs came from the same tree, or from different trees? Why? Which ones are similar? Which ones are really different? Then have children sort them into columns, which can be glued or taped to construction paper—all the maple leaves in one column, all the oak leaves in another, and any remaining leaves in a third. Ask them to compare and contrast the leaves.

Week 2, Day 1

Morning Circle

Outdoor

10 - 15 minutes

Accommodations

It may be helpful to do the hunt along with younger children or to pair them up with an older child who can help them and watch out for them.

For English Language Learners, prepare picture cards for twigs, leaves, branches, and trees. Encourage children to use the words or point to the cards if they need to clarify what they want to say. At pickup, you might ask parents to repeat these words in their native language to help children develop their understanding.