Lesson Plan- Welcome to Nature School!

I've decided to start up Nature School again! The blog has been quiet for awhile, as I've had some big life changes. My family and I moved to the Bay Area of Northern California (we live in the Berkeley area) about two years ago. Both of my older boys have been in school and my youngest was just a baby when we moved. She is now two and a half, so the time has come to dive into Nature School again! We have a terrific group of friends who are joining us, which makes me so happy and excited! There really is nothing better than a group of friends who want to go tromp around in the beautiful outdoors together. Our first lesson was last week, so it was an introduction to nature school theme. Here's the outline:

Welcome song:
Hello _____, hello ______, hello________, welcome to nature school!
(to the tune of Goodnight Ladies)

Nature School Rules:
1. Stick together (so no one gets lost)
2. Be kind to the Earth and living things
3. Listen to one another. When a friend is talking or sharing, be kind and respectful

Craft:
Name tags with wood discs and hemp cord

What is Nature School?
Nature School is a fun time for you, kids, to explore and be outside! We are going to learn about our beautiful, wonderful Earth too.
Air- Take a deep breath. Earth has clean, fresh oxygen for us to breath
Water- Look around. Do you see water? Why is water important?
Soil/Dirt- Use your hands to touch the dirt. Smell it. Why is soil important?
Plants- Give us clean air, shelter, paper, food, clothing, bed, home, etc.
Animals- Food, clothing, and friends/company
Insects- They pollinate the flowers, make honey, help decompose
Birds- Let's al sit quietly for a moment. Do you hear any birds? Listening to the songs of birds makes me feel peaceful. Do you feel peaceful? Birds inspire us- Long ago, so one saw a bird flying and thought "I'm going to invent something that will help me fly like a bird!"
Sun/Moon/Stars- Helps warm the planet, give us light, warmth, waves, inspiration
Humans- Turn and give your neighbor a big hug. Wouldn't it be lonely if we were all alone? It's nice to have people who love you

Song:
Earth's Gifts (to the tune of The More We Get Together)
The earth gives us water, water, water
The earth gives us water to drink and to play
The earth gives us air, air, air
The earth gives us air to breath in and out
The earth gives us plants, plants, plants
The earth gives us plants for food and oxygen
The earth gives us soil, soil, soil
The earth gives us soil to grow a garden
The earth gives us animals, animals, animals
The earth gives us animals for food and for pets
The earth gives us humans, humans, humans
The earth gives us humans to learn how to love

Hike/Explore:
At some point during the hike, give each child a paint sample and invite them to find the matching color in the nature around them. During the hike, let the children explore and take time to notice the details around them.

Snack and Book:
Popcorn, apples
"The Grasshopper and the Ants" by Jerry Pinkney

Movement/Dance:
Music playing, pick different animals and move and dance like them.