Super Natural Adventures in the Classroom

Now that 2009 is in full swing we can truly appreciate what little free time we have, both as parents and teachers. I know I have my work cut out for me this spring if I want to keep all my proverbial balls in the air. One exciting new project I’m working on is getting Super Natural Adventures into the classrooms of my two youngest sons (or more accurately, getting those children out of the classroom!) Both Michael and Will are going on class field trips this spring and SNA is hopping on board to film their adventures and turn them into segments to post on the website.

Each field trip will be different in the content (and characters) but they will both get the children out of the deductive, structured style of learning they’re all too accustomed to and out into the wild world of inductive education. With inductive learning, children become co-teachers of their lessons as they are able to experience the world first hand and draw their own conclusions.

What ‘s interesting about inductive learning is that teachers don’t need to give the children information in the form of answers, but rather questions that allow them to process and interpret that information for themselves. In short, the teacher is helping the students learn on their own. In the article, “The Many Faces of Inductive Teaching and Learning” by Michael Prince and Richard Felder, it is stressed that internalization of information occurs when children are able to connect what they’re learning in the classroom to the outside world. (Cue SNA video clip…)

Super Natural Adventures is a perfect example of inductive learning and can be used in any classroom for any age group. Simply determine which unit of your lesson fits in with the SNA content (i.e. environmental issues, ecosystems, animals, and the list goes on…) and plan a field trip with your students to explore and learn first hand. The kids will be in charge of researching the content, developing a story line and ultimately shooting the video. And the real bonus is that once they post the video online, they’re able to share their experience with the rest of the world, which gets them more than a little enthusiastic about doing the project!

Let me know what video ideas your class comes up with!

Good Habits for 2009

Happy New Year!

I hope 2009 is finding you and your family happy, healthy and heading outdoors. I've been having fun brainstorming with my boys about what we can do this year to be more environmentally friendly, more connected with nature and more in touch with the needs of the world around us. Hers's a few of the ideas we came up with:

• Bring a water bottle to school to keep from buying those plastic bottles.
• Turn off the lights whenever you leave a room.
• Use both sides of the paper for homework.
• Start a compost pile in the corner of your backyard.
• Volunteer more. In Costa Rica there are plenty of indigenous peoples, like the Bri Bri, who really appreciate any help we can offer. Who needs help in your area?

Click here to check out the National Wildlife Federation 2009 Priorities and see what you can come up with to help them with their world-changing goals for 2009! And remember, even the little things can make a difference. Even if you can’t reverse global warming in one afternoon, the planet appreciates any help it can get. Let me know what you are doing this year to be more environmentally conscious.

Parents and Educators Love Super Natural Adventures!

We are receiving some great feedback on the site and on the overall concept of SNA.

Here are some of the comments:

"I found SNA phenomenal!!! What a wonderful idea and a great teaching tool. I couldn’t keep quiet about it to my friends (moms)...I am sooo impressed... The videos are educational, fun, well-done, so professional--just amazing. Your kids do a fantastic job on them. They make it so upbeat and exciting."

--Veronique, mom of two, San Jose

"My kids really enjoyed watching the videos. They can't wait to get outside now and have their own Super Natural Adventure! Thanks for inspiring them!"

--Tom, father of three, New York

"You are fantastic parents who have learned how to give your children an opportunity of a lifetime -- a REAL EDUCATION!!!!!"

--Mrs. Nash, elementary school educator, instructor for teachers, Milwaukee

Thanks for all the support, educators and fellow parents!

Let's continue to get kids excited about nature and the environment!

Ideas for Outdoor Family Fun

Well, the "Outdoor Movement" is certainly catching on!

Just about every weekend now is a designated time by some organization or other for families to get outside.

That's great news for parents, because with all these designated days comes a website and suggested family outdoor activities!

This coming weekend, October 11-13, it's the National Wildlife Federation's Green Hour campaign that is promoting Make Tracks: Family Trail Weekend.

Be sure to bring along a camera and snap some picks or shoot soome video that your kids can submit to our website.

It's "Take a Child Outside Week!"

We're in the midst of "Take a Child Outside Week," an initiative started last year by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

It's fast becoming a national event, with a few hundred organizations around the United States signed on to participate this year.

What can you do to participate? Check out www.takeachildoutside.org and get some great tips for outdoor activities.

And while you're out there...don't forget to take some photos or video and submit it to Super Natural Adventures!

Today Show Focuses on the Importance of Kids Connecting to Nature

It's not just SNA suggesting that kids get outside! There's a world-wide movement taking place!

The Today Show recently did a peice on Nature Deficit Disorder and getting kids outside. I hope you too are getting more and more inspired each day to send your kids outside to have their own Super Natural Adventures! Encourage them to share their experiences on our site.

Take Back Your Family!

As the school year begins and the flurry of activity that accompanies it kicks in as well, I'm reminded of the origins of our move to Costa Rica.

Four years ago living in suburban USA I saw from observing my neighbors with older kids what was coming down the pike for me: week nights crammed with homework and infernal driving to practices, weekends dictated and decimated by game schedules.

That was enough to motivate me three years ago to grab my family and flee the country. But I'm known for Bold Moves, both literally and figuratively.

Others are taking back their family with equal success without going to such extremes.One family we know moved from the city life to the mountains of Colorado to experience a different pace of life. Another we know takes a month in summer and disappears into the beauty of Hawaii, while another spends long weekends deep in the pristine nature of Montana. I'm struck that for each of these families (including ours), getting into nature is an important component to reclaiming their family life.There's a movement out there in many parts of the US called, "Leave No Child Inside." There are other similar "kids and families back-to-nature" chapters and organizations springing up. If you feel you'd like to start reconnecting with your family AND the natural world, I encourage you to check out one of these organizations (start by clicking on "Links of Interest" on the Super Natural Adventures website).

OR, Send me an e-mail at junglemama@snamail.com and tell me what measures you're taking to reclaim your family time and/or reconnect with nature. I'd like to start sharing inspirational stories with our SNA site visitors.