Math and Language in Nature

Today I bring you a proposal to work on curricular aspects of mathematics and reading and writing in children's education in nature or with natural materials. Although the proposals that I am going to comment are fundamentally for early education, you are going to see that it can be made more complex and, therefore, applicable to higher levels. You can also do them in nature or bring nature to the classroom.

How natural materials can enhance children's learning?

• They are unstructured materials
• Adapted to the (evolutionary) moment of each child
• Affordable and manipulable, which favors the autonomy and independence of children
• They enhance motor, cognitive, affective, social ... and even spiritual activity
• They are sustainable
• Free, open-ended with multiple meanings
• Support body expression
• Non-discriminatory (not for cultural reasons, sex ...)
• They provide a sensory richness not comparable with another type of material (variety of textures, smells, colors ...)
• They offer infinite possibilities. They are very subjective and flexible to the person and their need
• They encourage creativity and fantasy. They can become thousands of disparate objects.

Ideas to work the Math and Language Literacy with natural materials.

First of all, I want to clarify that in nature schools, it is the children who show interest about what they want to learn. In some schools also sporadically you can propose some math provocation, but of course, it is not usual.

There are infinite ideas, but today we are going to focus on presenting some tips:

CONTEXT: We are in the forest and one of the elements that we have in our natural

environment are leaves that, coincidentally, are of different colors for the time of the year in which we are.

NATURAL MATERIAL: Leaves (variable according to natural environment)

Math:

1. Sort the leaves by colors. Here you can reflect and investigate why they change color.
2. Sort them by size. Are we able to find two identical ferns? Or are they all different?
3. Find natural elements that measure the same and then make comparisons with other objects that we can find. Will I find something that measures exactly the same as my leaves? What variety of elements can I find?
4. Measure the length of the leaves and learn about lengths and measurements.
5. Measure the width and find similarities with areas of our body that measure the same.
6. Count the number of leaves that are the same color.

Language:

1. Identification and description of the element. We can work descriptive oral skills.
2. Initiation to the written code. Recognize and capitalize the initial of the element.
3. Work the directionality. Trace the letter with the finger, with a stick, a stone ...
4. Fill the letter with the chosen element (leaves)
5. Create a picture - mandala
6. Say other words that begin with that same letter
7. Teach phonemic awareness with sounds in nature
8. Work with the colors and symmetries.
9. Create a story about the leave and how it got there. What adventures did she live

I hope this post has served you to see nature also with that didactic dimension and, if you are a teacher, help you transform and include nature in your classroom.