Making Nature - CIRCLEcircle.adventist.org/files/jae/en/jae201577034007.pdf · Above all, outdoor education helps our students learn that, despite sin, God’s creation is still marvelous

40 The Journal of Adventist Education • February/March 2015 http:// jae.adventist.org

MakingNature

Part of the Curriculum

41http:// jae.adventist.org The Journal of Adventist Education • February/March 2015

Nature is inextricably woveninto the human experience. Infact, nature served as the firstclassroom for Adam and Eve.After God pronounced Hisbenediction on His good cre-ation, He stated His intention

for the planet’s stewardship: “[L]etthem [humanity] have dominion overthe fish of the sea, over the birds of theair, and over the cattle, over all theearth and over every creeping thingthat creeps on the earth.”1

According to Ellen White, in thisfirst open-air classroom, Adam and Eve“were not only children under the fa-therly care of God but students receiv-ing instruction from the all-wise Cre-ator. . . . The mysteries of the visibleuniverse—‘the wondrous works ofHim which is perfect in knowledge’(Job 37:16)—afforded them an ex-haustless source of instruction and de-light. . . . On every leaf of the forest orstone of the mountains, in every shin-ing star, in earth and air and sky, God’sname was written. The order and har-mony of creation spoke to them of infi-nite wisdom and power. They were ever

discovering some attraction that filledtheir hearts with deeper love and calledforth fresh expressions of gratitude.”2

How different life is today! Few peo-ple interact with nature on a dailybasis. Most adults work long hours inclimate-controlled office buildings ornoisy factories; while most young peo-ple are confined to classrooms duringthe day and often play video games orwatch TV after school. How, then, is itpossible to engage students in activitiesthat will draw them closer to their Cre-ator and the environment He createdfor us to care for and enjoy?

The answer is simple and satisfying:nature-assisted activities. Such activities“are delivered in a variety of environ-ments by a specifically trained profes-sional, paraprofessional, and/or volun-teers who possess specialized knowledgeof all facets of the natural environmentincorporated into the activity. Some in-dividuals include activity directors,camp counselors, [and] educators.”3

Nature-assisted activities—both inthe classroom and outdoors—providevital opportunities for both teachersand students within the learning envi-ronment to be reconnected to God’sonce-perfect creation.

Nature Education in the Classroom

Nature education in the classroomcan vary from interacting with micro-organisms and plants to observinglarger animals. Nature walks, field tripsto museums and parks, outdoorschool, and presentations by parkrangers or other experts can be an ex-citing addition to indoor education.4

When animals are involved, natureeducation provides a host of benefits,including the following:5

1. Talking about animals and estab-lishing a relationship with them helpchildren develop social and emotionalskills. “Children can connect with oth-ers over their shared interest and expe-riences with animals, and they canbegin to unpack the elements thatmake up a good relationship, under-stand for themselves what it means tobe ‘humane’ and practice thinkingabout the well-being of others.”6

2. Discussing animals with class-mates gives “students an ideal forum topractice the skills they will need in the21st century, such as listening, perspec-tive-taking and critical thinking; skills

B Y L Y N D E L L E B R O W E R C H I O M E N T I

Practical and SpiritualLessons From

God’s “Other Book”


business leaders claim are missing inthe workforce.”7

3. Learning what animals need andhow to provide for those needs helpchildren develop “empathy and theability to pay attention to anotherbeing.”8

4. Building experiences into scienceclasses or other classroom activitiesthat concentrate on the care and hu-mane treatment of animals create op-portunities for students to learn how tobuild strong social units whose mem-bers work well together.9

5. Housing small animals in theclassroom ensures that those childrenwho do not have pets at home “can see,feel, touch and make connections tothe wide world of animals.”10

Classroom pets also help childrenwith several other life lessons. They“learn that all living things need more

than just food and water for survival,”11

that their behavior directly affects oth-ers.12According to some studies, havinganimals in the classroom can reducetension.13 Overall, caring for classroompets can help children learn responsi-bility and give them a sense of accom-plishment and pride.14

Teachers can even incorporate smallpets into the lesson plans for varioussubjects. For example, weighing smallanimals involves math. Learning whatanimals eat involves science, while re-searching the habitats of certain smallanimals involves geography. Studentswill learn creative writing and propergrammar as they write essays describ-ing goldfish or other small creatures.15

PetSmart® Pets in the ClassroomProgram,16 a resource available throughlocal PetSmart stores,17 provides teach-ers with the know-how and necessaryequipment to incorporate a variety ofsmall animals into elementary schoolclassrooms. Grants are available if aclass desires to adopt hamsters, guinea

pigs, fish, leopard geckos, and beardeddragons. For information about how toapply for a grant, visit the PetSmart®Website.18

Wagging Tails and SympatheticEars

To assist children who experiencedifficulties with reading, many pettherapy organizations feature a literacyprogram called Reading Education As-sistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.). This programinvolves registered teams that consist of“a handler and a dog who have beentrained, evaluated, and registered as alicensed therapy team.”19

Teachers who have been involvedwith the R.E.A.D. program report thefollowing benefits for their students:20

1. Reading to dogs helps childrendevelop confidence regarding theirability to read.

2. Reading assessment scores im-prove.

3. Students who read to dogs oftenseem calmer afterward.

4. Students who are at first reluctantto read learn that reading can actuallybe fun.

5. Reading to dogs helps childrenwho are behind in their reading ad-vance to higher reading levels.

6. Students who read to dogs gainmore confidence in their ability toread, and learn not to be afraid tosound out words they don’t know be-cause dogs are friendly and nonjudg-mental.

To learn if there is a R.E.A.D. pro-gram near you, contact your local li-brary, check online to see if there is agroup nearby, or call kennel clubs orspecific breed organizations in yourarea.

Questions to Ask Before You Commit

Integrating pets and small animalsinto the classroom not only engagesstudents, it also offers an innovativeway to provide nature education acrossthe curriculum. However, classroomteachers should consider several thingsbefore making such a decision21:

1. Why do you and your class wantan animal?


2. How comfortable do you feel withthe type(s) of animal to be introduced,and how will you integrate it/them intothe curriculum?

3. How might school administratorsrespond to such a request, and what isthe protocol for sharing your proposalwith them?

4. What insurance will you need ifsomeone in the school is injured or in-fected by the animal?

5. Will any parents object to an ani-mal in their child’s classroom, and howwill you respond to those objections?

6. How will you care for the pet dur-ing weekends, holidays, and vacations?

7. Will any students be allergic tothe type of animal you and/or the stu-dents want?

8. Does your classroom provide thetype of environment in which the ani-mal will thrive?

9. How will you prepare your stu-dents for the possibility that the pet orsmall animal might die?

While several programs are availableto assist the classroom teacher integratepets and small animals into the cur-riculum, the teacher should first con-sider his or her motivations, and those

of the students, for having animals inthe classroom, as well as the factorsthat determine a successful implemen-tation.

Take It OutdoorsNature education is beneficial to

students both inside and outside theclassroom. The American Academy ofPediatrics states: “Today’s children arespending an average of seven hours aday on entertainment media, includingtelevisions, computers, phones andother electronic devices. . . . Studies


have shown that excessive media usecan lead to attention problems, schooldifficulties, sleep and eating disorders,and obesity. In addition, the Internetand cell phones can provide platformsfor illicit and risky behaviors.”22

However, stepping out of the class-room into the great outdoors to usenature as a method of teaching offersmany benefits. The Institute for Out-door Learning classifies these accordingto the following categories: (1) back-ground benefits, (2) planned benefits,(3) bonus benefits, and (4) wider bene-fits.23

Background benefits accrue from

the experience of spending time in nat-ural environments. They include in-creased physical, mental, and spiritualhealth; greater sensory and aestheticawareness; improved communicationskills; and a greater “sensitivity to one’swell-being.”24

Some of the desirable goals of out-door learning are to enable students to“cooperate with and respect the needsof others”; to develop an “appreciationand understanding of the world and itspeoples around them”; to “understandthe need for sustainable relationshipsbetween people and their environ-ment”; and to “enhance practical prob-lem solving and team work skills.”25

There are bonus benefits, too, whenstudents learn more than the contentsof a lesson plan.26 Such benefits occurin the moments of serendipity whenstudents begin to explore and to maketheir own discoveries. Perhaps one ofthe most important bonus benefits isstudents’ realization of the intercon-nectedness of God’s creation; every-thing we do has a cause-and-effect rela-tionship with other things. Outdoorlearning can also have a broader effect,benefiting both the families of the chil-dren involved and “future generations(especially in relation to sustainabil-ity).”27


Above all, outdoor education helpsour students learn that, despite sin,God’s creation is still marvelous andworthy of attention and care.28 Theworld we know came from God’s handperfect in every way. But after thou-sands of years of sin and mismanage-ment, the very things necessary for sus-taining life—fresh air, pure water,unpolluted soil—are at risk.

Outdoor education thus not onlygives students an appreciation for theintricate balance between sustainablelife for humans, animals, fish, birds, in-sects, and micro-organisms, it alsohelps make them aware of threats toGod’s creation.

Integrating Outdoor EducationInto the Curriculum

One of the strengths of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is its Adventurerprogram for children ages 6 to 9, andits Pathfinder program for childrenages 10 to 15. Both of these programsinclude earning Honors as part of thecurriculum for specific age levels ina variety of categories, including na-ture(i.e., Amphibians, Birds, Cacti,Ecology, Environmental Conservation,Endangered Animals, Fishes, Flowers,Herbs, House Plants, Marine Algae,Marsupials, Reptiles, Seeds, Soils, Spi-ders, Trees, and Worms). Each Honorcomes with a list of age-appropriate ac-tivities that can serve as readymade les-son plans.29

Classroom teachers should also con-sider the possibilities of joining forceswith the local church’s Pathfinder lead-ers as children earn these Honors, thusstrengthening the nature education ofboth organizations.

Integrating Nature EducationInto the Religion Curricula

Our great and loving God createdthe world and filled it with many natu-ral wonders. A topical Bible concor-dance lists many entries dealing withthese wonders and reveals how theyteach great spiritual truths.

• In Jonah 4:5 to 10, God uses a fast-growing vine to shelter His runawayprophet and teach him a lesson. Stu-dents can research the types of plantthat might have grown fast enough to

provide shade and reflect on God’severlasting love for human beings, evenwhen they are rebellious.

• In Proverbs 6:6 to 8, Solomon usedants as models to admonish his readersto be diligent in preparing for the fu-ture. What do children see when theyobserve an ants’ nest?

• “Eat honey,” Solomon said, “for itis good” (Proverbs 24:13, 14). Not onlydid Solomon compare the sweetness ofhoney to wisdom, he provided teacherswith an opportunity to discuss the im-portance of honey in history, its role inpollination, and the exquisite planningthat goes into a honeycomb; the organ-ization and hard work required tomaintain a beehive and produce honey;and human activities that threaten beecolonies.

• In Matthew 6:25 to 34, Christ ad-monished us not to worry. By observ-ing how God cares for birds, teacherscan easily move into a discussion of themigratory patterns of birds, threats to

their habitat, and how we can provide asafe environment for them. Not onlydo small, seemingly insignificant birdsillustrate God’s care for us, they also re-mind us that we are stewards of all wesurvey, the large ecosystems as well asthe common creatures that nest in ouryards.

Nature Speaks of God’s Eternal Care

Nature in the classroom and out ofdoors helps teachers and students learnof God’s goodness as they develop com -passion, learn responsible ways of takingcare of animals both large and small,and learn about ecology. Across thecurriculum, in reading, math, science,grammar, creative writing, Bible, andso much more, nature may be inte-grated into daily lessons and classroomactivities. Yet, among the many lessonsthat nature can teach, the most impor-tant illuminate God’s care for His cre-ation and how He demonstrates thisthroughout the natural world. Accord-

trieved in December 2013.6. Ibid.7. Ibid.8. Ibid.9. Ibid.10. “Benefits of Classrooms Animals”:

http://www.petsintheclassroom.org/teachers/benefits-of-classroom-animals/.

11. Ibid.12. Ibid.13. Ibid.14. Ibid.15. Ibid.16. PetSmart® Pets in the Classroom Pro-

gram: http://www.petsintheclassroom.org/.17. PetSmart® stores specialize in the sale of

small animals and pet supplies. Located through-out the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico,the retail chain also provides additional servicessuch as animal grooming, training, adoption, andoverall care.

18. PetSmart® teacher grants: http://www. pets in theclassroom.org/grant-app/.

19. Donita Massengill Shaw, “Man’s BestFriend as a Reading Facilitator,” The ReadingTeacher 66:5 (February 2013): http://www.therapyanimals.org/Research_&_Results_files/Shaw%20Mans%20Best%20Friend %20Doogan% 201.13. pdf.

20. Ibid.

21. Nebbe, Nature as a Guide, op. cit., p. 218;see also Mark F. Carr, “How Should ChristiansTreat Animals in Research?” The Journal of Ad-ventist Education 76:1 (October/November2013), pages 16 to 22, with particular attention tothe sidebar, “Caring for God’s Animal Creations:Ethical Principles” on page 19 by Gerald R.Winslow: http://circle.adventist.org//files/ jae/ en/jae201376011607.pdf.

22. American Academy of Pediatrics, “Mediaand Children”: http://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/pages/ media-and-children.aspx.

23. Institute for Outdoor Learning, “WhatAre the Benefits of Outdoor Learning?”:http://www.outdoor-learning.org/Default.aspx? tabid=213.

24. Ibid.25. Ibid.26. Ibid.27. Ibid.28. Luke 12:6, NKJV.29. http://www.pathfindersonline.org/hon

ors/index?start=192.30. Ellen G. White, Education (Mountain

View, Calif.: Pacific Press Publ. Assn., 1958), p.101.


ing to Ellen White, “Only in the lightthat shines from Calvary can nature’steaching be read aright. . . . In singingbird and opening blossom, in rain andsunshine, in summer breeze and gentledew, in ten thousand objects in nature,from the oak of the forest to the violetthat blossoms at its root, is seen thelove that restores. And nature stillspeaks to us of God’s goodness. ‘I knowthe thoughts that I think toward you,saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, andnot of evil’ Jeremiah 29:11. This is themessage that, in the light from thecross, may be read upon all the face ofnature.”30

Lyndelle BrowerChiomenti earneda doctorate in edu-cation from An-drews Universityand works for theSabbath School/Per-sonal Ministries De-

partment of the General Conference ofSeventh-day Adventists, Silver Spring,Maryland, as Editor of the CQ BibleStudy Guide for Young Adults. She oftentakes her dog Timmer to visit teenagers ina behavioral health clinic.

NOTES AND REFERENCES1. Genesis 1:26, NKJV. Unless otherwise indi-

cated, all Bible texts in this article are quotedfrom the New King James Version. Texts creditedto NKJV are from the New King James Version.Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982, by Thomas Nel-son, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

2. Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets(Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Publ. Assn.,1958), pp. 50, 51.

3. Linda Lloyd Nebbe, Nature as a Guide: Na-ture in Counseling, Therapy, and Education, 2nded. (Minneapolis, Minn.: Educational MediaCorporation®), p. 23.

4. See the Nature issue of the Journal (Vol-ume 71, No. 3, February/March 2009) for ideas.The articles can be accessed at http://jae.advent ist.org.

5. Nicole Forsyth, “Talking About Animals:The Benefits for a Classroom and for the 21stCentury Society,” One Green Planet (September21, 2012): http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/talking-about-animals-the-benefits-for-a-classroom-and-for-the-21st-century-society/. All Websites in the endnotes were re-

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Making Nature - CIRCLEcircle.adventist.org/files/jae/en/jae201577034007.pdf · Above all, outdoor education helps our students learn that, despite sin, God’s creation is still marvelous