Instructions
Let's go on a nature adventure! Explore your backyard, a local park, or a nature trail to find the 10 items listed below. For each item you find, read the fun fact and then either draw a picture of it or write a short description in the box provided.
1. A Smooth, Flat StoneFind: A stone that has been worn smooth by water or wind. Fun Fact: Rocks that are smoothed by water are often sedimentary rocks. Over millions of years, tiny bits of sand and minerals get pressed together to form a new rock! In the box, draw your stone or describe its color and texture. |
My Drawing or Description: |
2. A Leaf with Veins You Can SeeFind: Any kind of leaf where you can clearly see the lines running through it. Fun Fact: Leaf veins are like tiny straws! They carry water and nutrients from the roots all the way to the edges of the leaf, and carry sugar made during photosynthesis back to the rest of the plant. In the box, draw the leaf and its vein pattern. Was it a simple pattern or a complex web? |
My Drawing or Description: |
3. A FeatherFind: A feather that has fallen from a bird. Fun Fact: Feathers are made of keratin, the same protein that makes up your hair and fingernails! They are incredibly strong but also very lightweight, which is perfect for flight. In the box, draw the feather. Note its colors and if it feels soft or stiff. |
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4. A Piece of BarkFind: A piece of tree bark that has fallen to the ground (don't peel it off a tree!). Fun Fact: Bark is like armor for a tree. It protects the tree from insects, extreme temperatures, and losing too much water. In the box, describe the bark. Is it rough, smooth, flaky, or bumpy? |
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5. A Seed Pod or ConeFind: An acorn, a pinecone, a "helicopter" seed, or any other seed pod. Fun Fact: Plants have amazing ways to spread their seeds! Some fly on the wind (like helicopter seeds), some hitch a ride on animal fur, and some are inside tasty fruits that animals eat. In the box, draw the seed pod you found. How do you think it travels? |
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6. An InsectFind: Look for a small insect like an ant, a beetle, or a ladybug. Observe it, but don't touch! Fun Fact: All insects have three main body parts: a head, a thorax, and an abdomen. They also have six legs attached to their thorax. In the box, try to draw the insect you saw. Can you label its body parts? |
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7. Something a Spider MadeFind: A spider web. Look in corners, between branches, or on fences. Be careful not to break it! Fun Fact: Spider silk is one of the strongest natural materials in the world. For its weight, it is stronger than steel! In the box, describe the web. Was it an orb shape, a tangle, or a funnel? |
My Drawing or Description: |
8. A Flower with at Least Five PetalsFind: Any flower that has five or more petals. Count them! Fun Fact: The bright colors and sweet smells of flowers aren't for us—they are to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. The pollinator gets a sugary nectar snack, and in return, it helps the flower make seeds. In the box, draw the flower. How many petals did it have? What color was it? |
My Drawing or Description: |
9. A Type of FungusFind: Look for a mushroom or a shelf fungus growing on an old log. Remember the rule: never eat wild mushrooms! Fun Fact: Fungi are not plants! They can't make their own food through photosynthesis. Instead, they are nature's recyclers, breaking down dead plants and animals and returning nutrients to the soil. In the box, draw the fungus. Where did you find it growing? |
My Drawing or Description: |
10. Something Green That Isn't a LeafFind: Look for a patch of moss on a rock, tree, or patch of dirt. Fun Fact: Mosses are ancient plants that don't have true roots or veins like the leaf you found earlier. They absorb water and nutrients directly through their tiny, simple leaves, which is why they love damp, shady places. In the box, describe what the moss felt like. Was it soft, spongy, or dry? |
My Drawing or Description: |
Answer Key
The goal of a scavenger hunt is to explore and observe the world around you! There are no wrong answers for your drawings or descriptions as long as you tried your best to record what you found. Check to see if you found an example for each of the 10 items listed:
- A smooth stone: Examples include a river rock, a skipping stone, or a pebble from a path.
- A leaf with visible veins: Examples include maple, oak, or any common broadleaf.
- A feather: Any kind of bird feather will work (e.g., from a pigeon, crow, robin).
- A piece of bark: Examples include a fallen piece from a pine, birch, or oak tree.
- A seed pod or cone: Examples include a pinecone, acorn, maple "helicopter" seed, or dandelion fluff.
- An insect: Examples include an ant, beetle, ladybug, or grasshopper.
- Something a spider made: Examples include an orb web, a tangled cobweb, or a funnel web.
- A flower with 5+ petals: Examples include a daisy, buttercup, or wild rose.
- A type of fungus: Examples include a mushroom or a bracket/shelf fungus on a log.
- Something green that isn't a leaf: Examples include moss on a rock or tree, or algae on a puddle's surface.