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I See, I Think, I Wonder

Activity

Observing Nature

Play the “I see, I think, I wonder” game for an object you find in nature on a walk, at your school, or in your backyard. Pick up a natural object and spend 2 minutes observing your object. After 2 minutes is up, write or tell someone these 3 things: 1) I see… 2) I think… and 3) I wonder…If there are multiple people in your group, you can answer “I See” and then pass your object to the next person. Then the next round you will all say what you think. Then all say what the object makes you wonder about. Repeat until finished.

Science Seed

This game helps stimulate curiosity and inquiry through close observation! Try to think more deeply and take notice of an object fully before trying to interpret it! When you examine a natural object, saying “I see…” focuses on direct observations, like its color, texture, or shape. “I think…” uses those observations to make inferences, such as what the object might be or how it was formed. “I wonder…” sparks questions that deepen exploration, like asking about its role in nature or how it came to be in its current state, or where else in the world it might live. This is what scientists do to form hypotheses! The slowing down to closely consider a natural object as well as feeling a sense of wonder have many positive effects on the brain, on health and in stress reduction.

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

Explore Billy Reagan K-8 Education Center

join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.

This project was made possible by HEB.