Spring is in the air. What a wonderful opportunity to get outside and go for a walk. Do you have a favorite trail or park to visit? What about the local nature center, arboretum or botanical garden? Take a few minutes from your hectic schedule and go on a stroll.
While you are outside, take a look around at the spring flowers. In some areas you may see the pussy willows just starting to bud and snowdrops peaking through melting snow. In other areas, the poppies may be starting to wane as the heat builds up. Wherever you may be, stop and enjoy the color and beauty of flowers.
You might be wondering what a nature hike has to do with science, even though it is certainly fun. It turns out you can do science while on a nature hike and it won’t even be hard.
Take a closer look at the flowers you find. Notice if you can smell anything. Are the flowers all one color or are they a mix of colors within a single flower, like the darker orange patches in the yellow flower below? Are there any insects around? Observing is an important science skill, which is simple to do and can lead to further explorations. Do you find the plants in a certain place, such as out in the open or hidden under some brush? Do the plants change over the season? All of these observations can lead to further questions and even to experiments.
Do you know what kind of plants you are finding? Classifying is another important science skill, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to learn the scientific name of everything you see. Classifying can simply mean grouping things based on similarities and differences. For example, you can group all the flowers you see based on the their color, leaf shape or size. Is the flower you are seeing now is the same as the one you just saw over there, or is it different? With children, start a conversation about how they would name the flowers. You can also ask how they would find out the name others have given the flowers.
When you get home, you might want to look up the common and/or scientific names of one or two of the flowers. There are many excellent books or you can use Internet sites like this one from Texas. In any case, hope you have an enjoyable weekend.
