DO THIS: Walk around the neighborhood and answer these questions. Keep this survey in your journal.
Important: Adult supervision is required. Have your parent or teacher take you to the neighborhood study area.
What natural open spaces can you see?
What natural features can you see? Trees, meadows, rock outcroppings, unusual landforms, streams, rivers, lakes.
Where do children or adults play? What are they playing? Note on map.
Do the trees look healthy? Look for no leaves in spring or summer, broken or split trunks, fallen branches, insect damage.
What animals do you see or hear? Can you identify them?
What looks, sounds or smells bad? Piles of trash, dead plants, areas where soil is exposed, smelly water, graffiti, noisy equipment. Note on map.
Where are the best views? The worst? Note on map.
Note the sun and wind direction.
Which way does the land slope? Balance a pencil on your finger at eye level. Hold the pencil at the horizon. From the lowest point in the neighborhood, try to determine how many feet you are below the highest point. Hint: have someone stand downhill and use their height to estimate difference in grade.
WORD SEARCH: Look up these words in a dictionary or encyclopedia: Environment,
Habitat, Landform, Meadow, Nature, Natural, Open Space, Slope.
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