I came across this poster idea on Pinterest last night and fell in love with it immediately.  We need to encourage our students to become explorers.  What better way to learn, then to be aware of our environment, be curious about it, investigate it, and learn from it?  Just think of all of the FREE lessons that are literally under our feet and all around us.  Encourage them to literally smell the roses!

How to Be an Explorer

1.  Always be looking (notice the ground beneath your feet)

2.  Consider everything alive and animate

3.  Everything is interesting- LOOK CLOSER!

4.  Alter your course often

5.  Observe for long durations (and short ones too)

6.  Notice the stories going on around you

7.  Notice the patterns and make connections

8.  Document your findings in a variety of ways (drawings, notes, pictures)

9.  Observe movement

10.  Create a dialogue with your environment- talk to it!  Talk about it!

11.  Trace things back to their origins

12.  Use all of your senses in your investigations (sight, touch, smell, hearing)