During Social Distancing and Distance Learning Why Not Nature Journal!

Journals can be a great learning experience all year long

For links to these projects go to Planetpals Pinterest Nature Journal Board

What better learning experience is there than to document nature's splendor, with a nature diary! It's a great project for any age including kids!  Anyone can draw, write, record and photograph what they see.

Any season is a season for Journaling; 

Spring means outdoors for many who have cooped up all winter, like birds and bugs, trees and plants.   Summer is a time for thriving for many plants and animals, caring for their young, plants blooming and harvesting.  As well, Autumn harvests and the storing and shedding of animals and plants.  Winter is time for hibernation and wild weather patterns. Let's face it, all year long nature evolves, the skies not only change through the seasons, but change day and night, as do the tides. 

The changing seasons are a perfect time to think of Journaling.  

Journaling is a wonderful pastime and an educational hobby. With the changing season comes changes in nature. You can track the seasons of trees and flowers.  You can track nature's life cycles like that of a butterfly from and egg to a caterpillar to a full grown butterfly. You can watch animals come out of, or prepare and go into, hibernation.

Things you can record in a Journal:

Learn to look for patterns in nature such as heart shaped leaves, camouflage or repetitive patterns. Find nests and cocoons, take photos of changing leaves, sprouting flowers and new blossoming plants. Watch gardens grow and the changing seaside.  Learn what different species eat, which ones are endangered,  and learn about the food chain. Collect different kinds of natural species or their parts such as shells or barks from trees. Or simply find the beauty in any natural thing!

Here is a list of additional ideas for a Seasonal Journal:

• Color in Nature
• Art in Nature
• Anatomy and Architecture
• Planted Seedlings
• Budding and Blooming Flowers
• Budding and Blooming Trees
• Birds and Nests
• Bugs and Insects
• Cacoons and Bee Hives
• Hybernation and Habitats
• Otters and Damns
• Breeding and Birth
• Sky and Clouds
• Changing Leaves
• Collecting bark, leaves, insects or shells
• More 

© Judith Gorgone Designs www.gorgone.com

How to document in your Journal:

• Draw
• Paint
• Photograph
• Write Stories
• Write Poems
• Write Haiku
• Describe Objects
• Color Match
• Collect specimens
• Save seeds
• Collect images from magazines
• Decorate

How to make a Scrapbook:

• Buy a notebook or scrapbook
• Use any kind of paper
• Use paper 
• Use cloth
• Recycle papers, scraps and bags
• Recycle cardboard

See many more ideas and download helpers here:

• A Printable Nature Journal for you to download for free.
• Free Nature Discovery Kit to Download
• Our Nature Magazine of additional articles and ideas for you to explore.
• DIY Nature Journal Ideas Pinterest Board
• Our Creative Art Journal Ideas Pinterest Board

Download Planetpals Free Nature Diary FREE Here.

Be a Planetpal!  Come up with some natural ideas and recycle ideas you can use in your journal and share it with us!

Teaching Families To Care For Mother Earth This Mother's Day

Care About The Planet. Everyone And Everything On It!

Why are we not getting the message to care for Earth?

It's been Planetpals goal for 20 years to teach kids to learn to care about Earth by caring for it! Like all living things, it needs nurturing and love.  

But, look around you and what do you see?  Bottles and trash on roadways, beaches, parks.  Go to any popular event and watch when people leave, how much is left behind?  Very few people are picking up after themselves! 

Corporations are to blame, too! As packages get smaller and smaller to keep prices down, we have more package waste. Much of it plastics. It all lands on Earth and in our water!

Do we live in a society where we are all oblivious to it? That's a scary thought. Let's teach ourselves and our children the importance of being pro-active. 

Teach them by example!

Be Don't Be A Turkey This Thanksgiving Be Thankful

Share Your Thanks This Holiday At The Table or In The Classroom With This Meaningful Thanksgiving Activity

At Planetpals we gobble up great ideas to help you have a greener and more thankful holiday, this year is no different.

If you are looking for a fun activity for Thanksgiving try out this Thankful Turkey!

Get This Meaningful Activity For Thanksgiving

It's the perfect activity with kids.  Just Color, cut, assemble. 

Two ways to use it:

1. Children can make their own Thankful Turkey - listing on each feather all the things they are thankful for.
2. Families can pass out the feathers for everyone to write one thing they are thankful for
3. Lastly, assemble it and spend the day admiring all the special things that bring thanks!

See the activity in more detail

While you are planning your Holiday, incorporate these 15 great Ecology Tips to help you make a greener world this holiday

Lastly, learn all kinds of eco friendly and fun Thanksgiving  tips, tricks and crafts - on Planetpals Thanksgiving Journal.

Always Remember the 4 "R"s. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair!

Planetpals New Eco Friendly Products And Activities Store For A Healthier World

The Best Way To Play On EARTH!

A world full of new activities for school, home, homeschool at our latest Store!

Earthday, America Recycles Day, Peace Day or Just Any Day Planetpals Eco Friendly Activities Encourage Kids have Fun While Learning About Healthy Living!

Planetpals adorable characters, Earth friendly messages and cute characters are the most unique way to teach kids about their world. Each character engages them with humor and fun facts and encourages stewardship, caring and responsibility.

Now you can take their unique engagements home and to the classroom with a new world full of new activities for school, home, homeschool are available at our latest shop on TeacherPayTeachers.

Stop by and find an activity for Any Holiday or Any Day...make it a Greener day!

Other Planetpals products available here

Teach The 4”R’s” and Paint Your School Bright GREEN

There are so many great ways to have a greener school yearl. This is Planetpals top ten list of SIMPLE ideas you can implement in your school, in no time, and with no cost!  All the while, encouraging GREEN habits, pro-active solutions and teaching the 4 “r’s”. 

1. Reusable Containers

Encourage everyone to use reusable containers to hold their snacks, drinks and lunches - so that no plastic or paper has to be thrown away. This is a great way to REDUCE!

2. Scrap Paper Box

Keep a scrap paper box in a convenient location. Encourage everyone to use both sides of the paper. This is a great way to Renew!

3. Ecology Craft Box

So many of the items normally bound for the garbage actually make wonderful craft materials.  Boxes, tissue paper, string, and plastic bottles are some of the items kids can use to make great projects. This is a great way to recycle!

4. School supply SWAP

Organize a school supply swap or have a swap box in the classroom for unused school supplies and books. This is a great way to REDUCE!

5. Book Swap:

Encourage additional reading! Organize a one-day book swap or have a “free book” bookcase in the classroom.This is a great way to REUSE!

 6. Organize a Planetpals “Walking School Bus” or Car Pool:

If kids live close to school, we love this idea.  Kids can learn to save energy and gas by using alternative means of transportation such as bicycle, walk or ride sharing. This is a great way to REDUCE! Learn more

7. Get Your Whole School to Recycle. Start a Planetpals ECO PATROL

Planetpals ECO PATROL is a great way to encourage kids In school. This is a great project for your class. if your school does not already have a recycling program in place.  If your school already recycles, see if your class can improve the current system. This is a great way to RECYCLE!

8.  Recycle Fundraisers: 

Good for the school good for the environment.  Recycle phones and ink cartridges.  Earn points and money for your classroom.  Encourage companies to sponsor your by donating their points. A recycle fundraiser gets everyone involved.  This is a great way to RECYCLE! 

9. School Beautification:

Teach kids to love their surroundings and earn a green thumb.  Start seedlings and later plant flowers around the schoolyard. Encourage them to maintain the garden. This is a great way to RENEW!

10. ORGANIZE a “PLANETPALS Day”.

Once a month or once a week.  Many schools have a” Planetpals DAY”. Do Planetpals recycle kits and activities to learn about earth and earth issues and encourage recycling. Why not have a recycle craft on that day! This is a great way to learn  ALL the 4 “r’s”!

Learn more about being green at Planetpals.com.  Hundreds of pages of content, info, ideas, crafts and downloads. Teachers Parents Pages, more.

Be a Zero Hero...Do Your Part For Zero Waste Week

National Zero Waste Week September 5-9, 2016

National Zero Waste Week takes place week beginning 5th September 2016. Zero Waste Week is the annual awareness campaign for reducing landfill. Helping you save money and preserve resources since 2008.

Join Planetpals and become a Zero Hero and do your part!   According to myzerowaste.com this year’s theme is ‘One More Thing‘ which reminds us that the collective impact of taking baby steps can add up to significant change.

You can learn a lot about zero waste on planetpals.com and planetpalsblog.com. For 15 years Planetpals has offered proactive solutions to the environment for the whole family, through ideas, tips, activities, education and downloads.  We say practice the "r's" and particularly the 5th "R" Refuse.

Visit our Recycle Center and learn more! 

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