First Grade Writers Inspired by Nature

Lisa Preston
by Lisa Preston, lower school naturalist

The first graders have been studying poetry in the classroom...what better way to celebrate the art of writing than by going on a journey?
 
We traveled to Warner Park and hiked part of the Candy Cane trail to the large open space, known as the "bread tray." In thinking about what the "bread tray" might look like and how it got its name, first graders imagined the rounded shape of a bread loaf, the flatness of a tray and that it might look lumpy.  Well, that is exactly what we found, along with a big sky canopy.
 
Before each student moved to find a special spot for writing, we noted that there are many famous writers who were inspired by nature and that they, even though they are not yet famous, can be nature writers and can share how nature inspires them. Once we gathered back together, a few shared their writings with the group.  
 
It was and is truly awesome to experience how nature looks and feels through the eyes of a child.
 
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University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.