Elementary Studio Lesson
Picturing the
Natural
World
Hannah Salia
How is the natural environment in our neighborhood representative of the larger biosphere in which we live? Studying the local birds and flora of the Pacific North- west in the context of the local parks and ponds provided
a rich opportunity for third-grade students at St. Thomas School in
Medina, Washington, to explore and learn about biodiversity. Collaborative opportunities for teachers also resulted in deeper connections between disciplines and a sense of vitality and excitement for
our entire learning community as students proudly took ownership
of the project.
Students developed research skills gathering information about
the natural world around them, used strong observational
drawing and painting techniques to capture their insights
about birds and native plants, and became aware
of art historical contributions in the field of
scientific naturalism. They brought it
all together in technology class with
printed field guides that both
showcased their work and pro-
vided an excellent resource
for the community.
