We had such fun with the outdoor adventure and the classroom activity. I modified the lesson so the students had to write the color words and the name of the item they attached to the student pages.  I also added a student page that asked students to include four observable colors in nature that they could not collect a sample of. For example, students wrote things like 'blue sky', 'purple flower'  (they saw but knew not to take!), or 'brown bird'. I also chose the big book "We're Going on a Leaf Hunt" to introduce the lesson because they love BIG books!  The text also had a sing-song quality that appealed to them. I thought the book  "Color Me a Rhyme" was too advanced and complex for them. I also chose to review colors and how to spell them with a very engaging, kid-friendly song called "Color Farm" by Dr. Jean. The kids love this song and as you will see when you get the collection of student work; they do know how to spell the color words correctly already! This was such a fun lesson that I plan to do it every fall with my students!

Irene 'Rae' Frost
First Grade Teacher
Williamsburg Elementary
Williamsburg, OH 45176

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A great way to get young learners out and exploring in a way that promotes respect for nature.

Roy G. Biv
Teacher
Primary Elementary
Colorful, OH

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The kids really enjoyed this lesson! I think they really did pay closer attention to nature! I liked the idea of getting the kids outside to take a closer look at what they see everyday, but do not really "look" at. This also gave us a reason to walk to the middle/high school and access the nature trail. I really liked the book Nature Spy recommended in the lesson. The kids enjoyed looking at the pictures in the book, and while we were on our nature hike they pretended to be nature spies.

I did not, however, like the book Color Me A Rhyme listed in the related resources section. The poems in it were way over the student's heads. We did talk about the different names for each color listed on each page though. I also did not care for the DeColores song suggested in the lesson. Instead, we sang the song Color Farm by Dr. Jean Feldman from her Sing to Learn CD.

There were several changes that I made to the lesson to bring it from a kindergarten to a first grade level.

• Instead of calling it The Colors of Nature, I added The Colors of Nature in the Fall.
• Before reading the book Nature Spy, I listed ideas on chart paper on what the kids thought nature was. Then I read a definition of nature from a children's dictionary. We also discussed what it meant to be a spy.
• I made up a booklet for the students to complete after our nature hike. The students were instructed to collect at least four items from nature that were four different colors, to place in their booklets. Then they were instructed to also remember what they could see, but not place in their bags.
• The students were also given a scavenger hunt paper. The paper contained items they may spot in nature in the fall. They were to check the items they found while on the hike.
• We made a class book using pictures that I took while on the hike, of the students being "nature spies." I also took pictures of several different items of different colors to include in the book.

Christi Bach
First Grade Teacher
Williamsburg Elementary
Williamsburg, OH 45176