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Tools of the Past

Activity

Creating Everyday Objects from Nature

Take a walk around Navarro’s outdoor spaces, courtyards, and gardens to look for natural materials, like stones, sticks, or shells, that people might have used long ago to create tools or crafts. Try making a simple tool or ornament using these materials, such as a paintbrush from a twig or a scraper from a flat stone. How might people have used these tools in daily life? How could you improve your tool’s design to make it more useful?

Science Seed

Anthropologists learn about early humans by studying the tools and crafts made from local materials. For instance, Native peoples in Texas shaped stones into sharp arrowheads for hunting and used plant fibers to weave baskets; showing how they understood and used their environment to meet their needs. These tools reveal not only practical solutions but also cultural stories and innovations passed down through generations. For example, ancient people shaped sharp stone blades to cut meat or plants, and over thousands of years, these simple tools evolved into the metal knives and scissors we use today. This shows how ideas and designs improve over time, reflecting ongoing innovation. By examining the materials chosen and how they were shaped, we gain insight into how people adapted to their environment and advanced their technology.

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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 Navarro Early College High School

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.

Navarro Early College High School is a vibrant, diverse public high school in Austin, Texas, grounded in a culture of pride, respect, and responsibility. Through a partnership with Austin Community College, Navarro’s Early College program allows students to earn up to an associate degree at no cost while completing their high school diploma, giving them a strong head start on college and career pathways. The school offers a wide range of academic, arts, athletics, and career-focused opportunities, and fosters a supportive community where students can explore their interests, build skills, and prepare for success beyond graduation.