Three Steps to
DISCOVERING NATURE
grinning boy with flower

STEP ZERO:
Ideas about
nature sensitization
for the very young here.
(también en Español)

Below are Three Steps to becoming a pretty good backyard naturalist:

STEP 1: Identify something; Figure out the name of natural things you discover in your backyard and elsewhere by using naturalist "tools," such as the special kinds of books known as field guides and identification keys, along with Internet sites. At first you may be overwhelmed by unfamiliar terms and concepts. However, you can teach yourself all you need to know about identification by leapfrogging -- by looking up what you don't know, figuring it out, then leapfrogging to the next mysterious term or concept.

STEP 2: Find out what's interesting about the thing you've identified when you look up the name in a book or on the Internet.

Post your lists

STEP 3: Finally, Over the years, keep gathering information, mainly from your own observations but also from books, journals, web sites and other sources, and keep this information handy in your Nature Notebook (which can be kept on your computer).