Study on a concrete program of nature observation for elementaly school children

1993 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 03454568
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Education on school subjects and activities
• Research Institution: NATIONAL SCIENCE MUSEUM
• Principal Investigator: YANO Makoto INSTITUTE FOR NATURE STUDY, NATIONAL SCIENCE MUSEUM, 附属自然教育園, 主任研究官 (80110112)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SUGAWARA Touichi 国立科学博物館, 附属自然教育園, 主任研究官 (70110111) ; HISAI Nobuo 国立科学博物館, 附属自然教育園, 研究官 (30000087) ; HAGIWARA Shinsuke 国立科学博物館, 附属自然教育園, 研究官 (30000144) ; CHIBA Shinji 国立科学博物館, 附属自然教育園, 主任研究官 (90000140)
• Project Period (FY): 1991 – 1993
• Keywords: Elementaly school / Nature observation / Program / placenta / fetus / brain natriuretic peptide / amnion / amniotic fluid

Research Abstract

The objective of this study is to make a practical programs of nature observation, what season, what places will it be done, and how to guide them, for school children in the school grounds, parks, river sides and secondary forest ect. from the standpoints of special field workers.
In 1991 we collected many reports of the guidance of fields study, and we made reserches in the three places to get practical data for fields study. The result of this reserch let us following conclusion, that is, little field education carried out in the elementary school, furthermore there were few teaching materials of them. We felt that it is nessary to develop both effective guidans and teaching materials of field study.
In 1992 we examined the method of guidance and developed teaching materials. In the development of teaching material it will be considered that the materials will be used in out-door and those could be used for individual study too. As a result of investigation we made many materials, as follows,
study note, picture-illustration sheets for comment on nature, question sheets start from dried leaf, game cards made from dried leaf, newspaper for nature observation, sheets for how to make rotary-flying seed models, sheets for how to make plaything with herb and seed, making a nature map, orienteering for nature observation etc.
In 1993 we practiced nature observation intended to school children by the newly made materials, and examined the teaching materials. From result of these practice, it was cleary recognized that the teaching materials must be made considering local phenology and suitable materials in each region, and in the case of school children, programs must be changed following school age.