Youth Education Program

of San Francisco Botanical Garden Society

Guided Childrens Walks

Developmental Perspectives

The field of child development recognizes major domains in which milestones and skills are accomplished: physical (fine and gross motor skills), cognitive (memory and attention), social (peer relations) and emotional (self-esteem and emotional self-control). In the course of a guided walk at SFBG, these domains are touched upon and children are able to experience the world around them in a unique way. While there are a variety of specific skills related to these domains that may be developed and nurtured in the course of a walk, those known as naturalist skills are particularly relevant. These skills involve the ability to discriminate among living things as well as recognize various other features of the natural world. Developing those skills requires that we: 1. guide children in observing patterns in nature 2. provide children with opportunities to classify objects in natural environments 3. support childrens exploration and comparison of natural and human-made systems. As docents, you have the opportunity to provide children with a rich experience which will impact their development in all domains, and in particular to develop their naturalist skills. To help you discover the best ways to work with children of different ages, weve pulled together some themes and strategies to assist you on your First Look, Flowers, and Web of Life walks. Remember, First Look walks serve K/1 students while Flowers and Web of Life serve grades 2-5.

Grades K-2 Age-Related Dynamics: This age group thinks concretely. Things are not perceived as permanent yet for example they are trying to figure out death and understanding that their gender does not change. Abstract concepts are not likely to register and so simple, clear descriptions are best. This age group likes to ask questions but not necessarily to be asked a lot of questions. Making statements is most effective. Using the folder that they will take with them is important to them.

Guided Childrens Walks Developmental Perspectives

What may also be important from their perspective: names and name tags (including the parent chaperones), looking at a large scale map to see a start point and/or to show where the walk was (summarize at the end), stopping for water or a bathroom mid-walk. Also, to say what they learned in school about plants so far, counting (number of petals, number of ducks in the pond), seeing multiple examples of shapes/colors/textures, as in the fragrance garden. What may be distracting but important from their perspective: spotting and observing a squirrel, the tendency to shout out and not take turns in order to be heard, fascination with leaves/sticks that can be claimed and carried along.

Primary domains: Physical/Movement skills = provide children with opportunities for physical activity and encourage them to participate Socio-emotional/Insightful skills for self-understanding = encourage children to use their imaginations and to work in groups Cognitive/Spatial & Naturalist skills = guide children in observing patterns in nature

First Look walk concepts: Plants come in many different shapes, colors and sizes. Plants have parts and each part has a special job. When seeds have a good place to grow, they can make more plants basic plant life cycle People and other animals need plants. Vocabulary words: fruit, leaf, stem, root, seed

Flowers walk concepts: Flowers are living things that change and grow what is alive? The order of the life cycle - bud to flower to fruit (with a seed inside)

Guided Childrens Walks Developmental Perspectives

Why is pollen important? It helps the flower make seeds so there can be more plants. Why are flowers so colorful and beautiful? To attract pollinators with their colors, patterns, smells and shapes. Vocabulary words: botanical garden, flower, pollen/pollinator, bud (hands on examples in garden)

Web of Life walk concepts: Plants and animals interact and live together. Different kinds of plants and animals live in parts of the garden that become their home. Food chains (what eats what). Vocabulary words: botanical garden, plant, animal, habitat

Grades 3-5 Age-Related Dynamics: This age group thinks abstractly. They get that a flower is no longer alive once picked from the plant. Naming the stamen and pistil and their functions and showing examples in nature would be attention-getting. Using a vocabulary list including definitions of bud/nectar/pollinator/seed and having kids find buds, stamens with pollen, or pollinators at work would keep their interest. Whats important from their perspective is what the parameters of the walk are, i.e. who will lead and where one can walk, less important are name tags. Also important is what peers are doing or finding. It works to have them take turns at leading with you when they are listening, as walking ahead of the docent is common. Enlist parent chaperones to help with behaviors that are too distracting. Using the folder as a vocabulary list check off that students can take turns reading from, etc. can be as effective as a collection. Same distractions occur as with younger groups, but your reaction is more important. Organizing them in partners is effective when on trails and trying to find plant parts, cones, etc. You can ask more thought provoking questions throughout the walk and point out the origins of some of the plants from different parts of the world.

Guided Childrens Walks Developmental Perspectives

Primary domains: Social/Verbal skills= question asking and answering opportunities, with concepts they can think about Cognitive/Naturalist skills = opportunities to classify objects and explore and compare natural systems and habitats. Physical/Movement skills = opportunities to practice fine motor control, taking apart specimens or sketching

Flowers walk concepts: The order of the life cycle = bud to flower to fruit (with a seed inside) in more detail (Have kids describe) what a pollinator does and cite examples of pollinators. Use plant to demonstrate how the shape of flowers, like the fuchsia, can evolve to match the pollinator (hummingbird). Peel apart flowers to find the nectar and discuss how animals are attracted to a plant (petal shapes, colors, patterns, fragrance). Use pipe cleaners to show how pollen is moved from one plant to another and pass one to each child so they can carry with them and be pollinators throughout the walk. Vocabulary words: petal, pistil, stamen

Web of Life walk concepts: Plants are at the base of all food chains (discuss energy from the sun and chlorophyll) Natural habitats and what is native? Relationships and different ways living things depend on one another for survival. Vocabulary words: habitat, predator, prey, photosynthesis