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Map My Day

Activity

Exploring Familiar Paths

Think about the places you visit every day. Without looking at a map of these areas, draw out the routes you take to arrive at these locations. Think about the paths you walk and the landmarks you might pass along the way! What features do you think are important to include? For an additional challenge, compare your map to a published map; how does your mental map compare?
Child drawing with pencil
Person using a tactile map with 3D models of town centers
Three girls drawing and labeling on a map

Science Seed

Creating mental maps helps us navigate the world we live in and remember where to find important things like food and our homes; Both humans and animals use their senses to understand and move through their surroundings. Just like we create mental maps of familiar places by remembering routes and landmarks, animals build mental maps of their environments to navigate and find resources. Many humans use visual cues to create mental maps, but visually impaired humans, like many other animals, might rely more on a combination of sensory information, such as sound, smell and a natural sense of orientation. For example, a bird might use landmarks and the position of the sun to navigate, while ants use chemical trails to find their way.
botany jar illustration

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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 Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

The Ecologist School Pocket Guide: TSBVI edition is a collaboration between Families in Nature and the Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired as an effort to help our community learn more about the TSBVI campus, while getting outside into nature together! This booklet has 80 lessons across 16 different branches of science to help you play, learn, and volunteer on campus!

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.
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