Guide 1C Field Work
Resources
Additional activities, a behind-the-scenes gallery, recommended books, and more.
About this Guide
Get Out There
There are so many reasons to stay in one place, we’re busy with all of the things life brings. But that is unlikely to change; now is the time to get the multisensory impact of a day or two in the field. Use this course’s media pieces and portfolio as an “excuse,” take a friend, and find animals in their habitats.
Lesley
Getting Around
We believe field work should be accessible to everyone, the learning experiences are rich and distinct from laboratory experiences. Lesley has a mobility impairment; we work out creative ways to incorporate field work into our teaching.
Field Gear
Equipment is available to augment experiences in the field. On days that are more sitting than walking, extra time spent and a different perspective can lead to unique discoveries.
Accessible Trail
A recent addition to our yard is an ADA-style trail. Animals, including deer and fox, regularly use the trail; seed and fruit-filled feeders insure the animals come to us.
Additional Activities
Favorite Spot
Find a comfortable and accessible place in nature that you can visit repeatedly over the years to come. Take photos and videos and collect notes on the organisms present. Try visiting in different seasons and at different times of day or night (if safe). In a time of de-stashing and downsizing, it is easy to lose a sense of place or possession. Mentally “own” a habitat, like you would a famous painting in a museum, and experience how it changes you.
Sowbugs as Pets
We have kept sowbugs in our lab for over a decade and more recently we have moved their colony into our display windows on campus. They are a showstopper! There is something about the sheer number (when well fed), the noise of thousands of small legs moving, and their constant battle with the crickets for food and territory that can’t be beat.
Behind-the-Scenes
World in a Yard
Our land is recovering from agricultural over-use and loss of soil organisms. Since 2002, we’ve seen the planted trees grow and a wide variety of animals appear.
Field Journaling
Wherever we go, field journals go with. It’s an opportunity to slow down and take in sensations the camera can not easily capture.
A look at how we stage the introductions for each guide introduction.
Recommended Books
Give the soil inverts the respect they deserve and pass on their story to others.
The Oxford "very short introduction" series packs a punch on a variety of topics.
Learn advanced field research techniques to experience nature in a new way.
Build a library
Whether its digital or print, collect resources that assist in exploring, describing, and explaining the natural world.
Field Work Product Page
Complete this module’s products before advancing on to the next module
Previous Guide
1B: Laboratory
This Guide
1C: Field Work
