Nature Moves
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Exploring movement-based resources for nature learning
An exploration of the integration of movement and nature education, Nature Moves is an attempt to diversify nature education resources by creating and documenting movement-based nature learning resources inspired by fascinating movements in nature, and the performing arts.
Nature Moves Resource Bank
Posters, activity sheets, and colourful printed material are some familiar and popular ways of taking nature learning to classroom spaces. With a little deep observation of our natural surroundings, however, we’d realise that nature is so much more than colours, sights, and words. Something we overlook in nature is how it moves, from Peepal leaves on a windy day to the shuffle of antennae in an army of weaver ants.
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This is an attempt to bring movement, touch, and kinaesthetic experience to the classroom, especially when communicating concepts in nature. Enough evidence in research in developmental psychology indicates the importance of movement-based, psychomotor, rhythm-based, and kinaesthetic modes of learning in children (Bloom, 1956; Dunn & Dunn, 1978; Gardner, 1983; etc.). Movement-based resources could also be a unique mode to bridge the learning gap for children with disabilities, for whom visual or auditory media might be inaccessible.
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While nature education in general fairly represents most of these domains, types, and modalities of learning (through intellectual, verbal, visual, auditory, and experiential components), there appears to be a gap in using movement-based and kinaesthetic components to communicate nature-based knowledge and values. We hope to create a resource bank of movement-based activities that educators can choose from in their nature education and environmental studies classes. We also hope to share our ideas and resources with movement and dance practitioners to engage with in their own spaces, in a recognition of the myriad of fascinating movements in nature.
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Keep a lookout for more exciting things moving about in this space!
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Download the Nature Movements Bingo
Team Members:
Nayantara Siruguri
Roshni Ravi