INTRODUCTION OF NATURE TO A PRESCHOOL

By: VANDANA MALIK, PSTTI

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

• Helps in children’s physical, intellectual and social-emotional development.

• Makes children and families happier and healthier.

• Nature provides a low- to no-cost setting for effective teaching.

• Nature enhances academic achievement.• Nature-based activities improve student

behavior.

INTRODUCTION• Meaning of nature.• What nature comprises of.• Different ways of teaching the concept of nature

to preschoolers.• Advantages of teaching the concept of nature to

preschoolers.

What is nature?

• Nature is the physical world and everything in it such as plants, animals, land, air, water, mountains, oceans, stars that is not made by people.

• Nature is God’s greatest boon to mankind.• Nature keeps changing from season to season,

from minute to minute.

What nature comprises of• Nature is made up of –• Living things.

* Plants.* Animals.

• Non-living things.* Land.* Air.* Water.

• Seasons.

LIVING THINGSLiving things are organisms that tend to respond to changes in their environment and inside

themselves, in such a way as to promote their own continuation and longevity. Living things need food, water and air to survive. Living things include plants and animals.

Living things are those that have life and possess the seven characteristics of – • Feeding

All living organisms need to take substances from their environment to take energy, to grow and to stay healthy.

• Movement

All living organisms show movement of one kind or another. All living organisms have inner movement, which means that they have the ability of moving substances from one part of their body to another. Some living organisms show external movement as well – they can move from place to place by walking, crawling, flying or swimming.

• Breathing or respiration

All living things exchange gases with their environment. Animals take in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide.

* ExcretionExcretion is the removal of waste from the body. If this waste was allowed to remain in the body, it would be poisonous. Humans produce a liquid waste called urine. We also excrete waste when we breathe out. All living things need to remove waste from their bodies.

• GrowthWhen living things feed they gain energy. Some of this energy is used in their growth. Living things become larger and more complicated as they grow.

• Sensitivity

Living things react to changes around them. We react to touch, light, heat, cold and sound, as do other living things.

• Reproduction

All living things produce young. Humans make babies, cats produce kittens and pigeons lay eggs. Plants also reproduce. Many make seeds which can germinate and grow into new plants.

LIVING THINGS

LIVING THINGS

NON-LIVING THINGS• Non-living things have no life. They lack the capability

for growth, reproduction, respiration, metabolism, and movement. They also are not capable of responding to stimuli or evolve and adapt to their environment. Non-living things can be classified into :

• LAND Land is the solid surface of the Earth that is not

covered by water. Everything that we stand on is land. Some of the different kinds of landforms are :• Mountains A mountain is a mass of land that is considerably much

higher than the surrounding area.

• Valleys A low area of land between hills or mountains sometimes

with a river flowing through it is called a valley. • Islands A piece of land surrounded with water on all sides is called

an island. • Plains A plain is a flat area on the Earth’s surface.

• Deserts A desert is a hot dry land area with little or no rain. Very

few plants and animals live in the desert. Camels live in the desert.

LAND FORMS

• WATERWater is needed for drinking, cleaning, washing. Humans, animals and plants

need water to live. Water is a sacred element. All life needs water, without water there would be no life. Water covers nearly three-fourths of the Earth’s surface. Water has no colour, taste or smell.

Some of the different kinds of water forms are :• Sea A large area of the Earth is covered by the sea. We cannot drink sea

water because it is salty. We find many sea animals in the sea. • Lake A lake is an area of water that has land all around it. • Oceans Oceans are the largest bodies of water on Earth. • Rivers A river is a long flowing body of water. Rivers come from mountains. We

get drinking water from the river.

WATER FORMS

AIRWe have air all around us. We cannot see air. We cannot live without air. Air is needed for breathing. The space or the sky is filled with air.

SEASONS• Seasons change on or around the 21st of four months:

June, September, December and March. December begins winter, March brings on spring, June means summer is beginning and September gives autumn weather.

Seasons in India can be classified into :* Summer season - from March to May.

* Rainy season - from June to September. * Autumn season - from October to November. * Winter season - from December to February.* Spring season - from February to March.

Different ways of teaching the concept of nature to preschoolers

• Taking children for a nature walk.• Encourage children to collect and bring things

that represent nature to them.• Make a nature exploration table.• Distribute magazines to children and ask them

to classify things into living and non-living.• Give children worksheets related to nature.• Teach them nursery rhymes related to nature.

Advantages of teaching the concept of nature to preschoolers

• Students are motivated to learn when content is connected to nature.

• Outdoor learning promotes communication.• Students improve cooperation skills when

they spend time outside.• Nature offers a number of learning

opportunities for children with special needs.• Students are healthier and happier when they

spend time outside.

THE END