Envirolopes, a treasure hunt in a legal sized envelope, challenges a collector to experience a place by stimulating observations and provoking thinking.
Group Size: best with groups of 10 to 30
Suggested Age: 5 and up
Time: 30-35 min for activity + travel time to site
Consider…
- Site: select a site where collecting small samples of leaves, rocks, twigs, or shells is permitted. Picnic tables, sidewalks, or lawns are good places to spread out the envirolope collections for the group discussion and observation game.
- Safety: If the site includes or is near steep slopes or water hazards, take appropriate precautions.
- Materials/prep: envelopes with challenges labeled on front
Focus question:
By using your senses of sight, touch, and smell, how much variety can you find in this study site?
By using your senses of sight, touch, and smell, how much variety can you find in this study site?
Learning outcomes:
- Find deeper detail in surrounding environment.
Summary:
Many people enjoy walks in the outdoors. An awareness of the diversity of nature can enhance the aesthetic appreciation and personal value of such walks can lead to biological inquiry. The color of fall leaves; the fragrance, shape, and color of spring flowers; and the textures and patters of trees, ferns and mosses are only a few examples of the variety found in the outdoors.
Many people enjoy walks in the outdoors. An awareness of the diversity of nature can enhance the aesthetic appreciation and personal value of such walks can lead to biological inquiry. The color of fall leaves; the fragrance, shape, and color of spring flowers; and the textures and patters of trees, ferns and mosses are only a few examples of the variety found in the outdoors.
More Background:
This is a good, simple activity to introduce students to a study site, especially a site that they will return to at different times of the year to notice changes. As long as the participants’ activities are in line with the overall objective of “relatively open exploration of a study site,” don’t be overly concerned about them exploring other aspects of the site besides their specific envirolope challenge. Once they begin looking closely at their surroundings, it can be amazing what they will discover that no one ever thought to list on a challenge.
This is a good, simple activity to introduce students to a study site, especially a site that they will return to at different times of the year to notice changes. As long as the participants’ activities are in line with the overall objective of “relatively open exploration of a study site,” don’t be overly concerned about them exploring other aspects of the site besides their specific envirolope challenge. Once they begin looking closely at their surroundings, it can be amazing what they will discover that no one ever thought to list on a challenge.
Extension Activities:
Do not feel that you need to limit yourself to the Envirolope Challenges included in the folio. Depending on your site, there may be additional challenges that could be added to the list (other examples might be: what are five pleasing sounds, five out-of-place sounds, five grasses, etc.)
Do not feel that you need to limit yourself to the Envirolope Challenges included in the folio. Depending on your site, there may be additional challenges that could be added to the list (other examples might be: what are five pleasing sounds, five out-of-place sounds, five grasses, etc.)
Download the activity PDF file: Envirolopes.pdf
Click on a category for other similar activities.
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Envirolopes
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