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The Field Notebook A field notebook is one of the most important tools for the field botanist. Observations, sketches, hypothesis and personal experiences all make their way into the notebook. This valuable book is not only a research resource, but becomes the explorer's personal journal. Kids will receive a Jungle Explorer's Field Notebook upon arrival at the Conservatory. (Clipboards and pencils will be provided.) This learning tool reinforces the adaptations seen in each of the Conservatory's Galleries using observation, comparison and measurement. In addition, it encourages personal responses to the discoveries made, planting the seeds for students to develop their own relationship to the plant world. You may consider using a field notebook in your class. (Our Field Notebook can be a supplement to yours.) Notebooks can be three-ring binders, spiral bound notebooks or theme books. Field notebooks are generally smaller than standard 8 1/2 X 11"-easier to carry when out exploring-but any notebook will suffice. A Field Notebook can be expanded to include Language Arts, Social Science, History, Visual Arts and Math. It's a useful and efficient tool for self-expression and evaluation at the same time. Consider this as a way to introduce the Field Notebook concept to your students: As explorers and scientists, we may think that what we're doing or observing is so important that we will never forget it. Or we may believe that what you are doing or observing is so unimportant that it is not worth recording. The truth is, it's easy to forget details of an event, and details that seemed unimportant at the time may become important at a later date. A field notebook is a place to maintain a record of all your experiments and observations while conducting a scientific investigation. In the Field Notebook you will ask questions, record your observations, gather data, and make sketches. The questions can include what you are investigating and what you are going to do to answer it. Observations can include what you see, hear, smell and feel. You can describe colors, textures and the size of plants. How do you feel about it is an important component of the Field Notebook If you're performing an experiment, collect your data, graphs and results in your Notebook. Write down as much as you like so you don't have to worry about remembering what happened. Sketches are another fun and important part of your Field Notebook. Sketches don't have to be fancy, but they should include the basic shape and any special characteristic of what you are observing. Download Activity PDF << back to Activities Index |
