Climate Literacy in Education

A Stone's Throw and Ten Paces

or, Mr. Warbler's Succinct and Useful Field Guide to Flora and Fauna of the Northern Forest

Emma Ambrosi

University of Minnesota Twin Cities

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/cle.v1i2.5532

Keywords: nature exposure, nature journaling, nearby nature, biodiversity, embodiment

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Abstract

A Stone’s Throw was created as a class project for an undergraduate first-year writing class and is partially based on my own experiences growing up close to a wooded trail in northern Minnesota. My initial intention for the story was to write and illustrate a simple narrative about the mental health benefits of nature exposure, based on both my personal experiences and the findings of several previously published research articles. The basic goal of the story is to introduce the reader to the concept of interacting with nature as a restorative experience, and portray experiencing nature as an accessible activity that requires no prior knowledge or particular skill set.

Ideas for reflection:

1. Nature can be present around you in many ways, from a state park to a garden to a simple potted plant. What types of nature do you notice around your neighborhood? What types of nature might your students notice?
2. In the narrative, nature journaling is portrayed as one form of interaction with nature. What other forms of interaction could you engage with and/or teach to your students?