Nature Journaling and Social Change

As an educator, one of Manasi's missions is to inspire social change at grassroots levels in the arts. She teaches kids to learn arts and creativity through nature. In this blog, she provides examples of her nature journaling entries that connect nature and artistic expression. The goal is to help readers get started on their own nature journals with these tips. The blog aims to motivate educators and parents to help readers learn.

Begin with a nature journal. · You can nature journal anywhere you see nature. · Where can I get ideas? · If you have a tree near where you live, draw it. There may be a tree in front of your house. Maybe the tree is behind your house. Notice its branches, and its leaves. · If there is a bird on the ground, notice its shape. Its color and its length, its feathers, what its beak look like. · If there is a bird on a tree, you can draw that too. What its

* In the first workshop class we provide these supplies. You can also bring your own supplies. · A simple notebook. · A pen · A pencil · Some colors, such as color pencils, color pens. · A brush · Water colors and a container for water.

What is nature journaling? Using basic supplies, one can observe, draw and write about nature. Learning about plants, animals, birds and weather can teach kids or of any age to combine art, science and creativity.

Have you ever tried planting these beans? Sketching the flowers and beans themselves. The plant is a creeper with medium size flowers.

Have you had fresh flowers on your desk? Drawing these different colors in my sketchbook.

My morning began with sighting this butterfly. This called for my sketchbook. I drew quickly with my pencil, hoping that it wouldn't fly...

Had to sketch this. At the farmers market, this guava had its leaves intact. Looks like it came straight from the tree! Have you ever...

In the summer time, the plan was to grow pineapples. First the pineapples in the refrigerator had to be consumed before they could be...