Earth Day

I first learned about Listening Walks when I took over a program where they were part of the Kindergarten Curriculum. In Alaska, my school was on miles of hiking trails, so I would go on a listening walk one day each spring with my classes. This year I decided to use it as an Earth Day activity. Although it is called a walk, we did no walking. We found a patch of grass, sat and listened.

I gave my kindergarten and first grade classes a blank piece of paper. I folded a piece of paper into 4s, copied over the creases with a marker and made copies of the paper. The directions were to draw four pictures of things they heard. With my second thru fourth graders I had them make predictions on what they thought they would hear before we went out.

I was really impressed by how quiet my younger students were able to stay. This activity was a great way to incorporate hypothesis making and art into music. It also forced the students to focus on listening, which I believe is a skill most people struggle with.

Handout for Grades 2nd-4th

Earth Day 2013
Name:
Class:

Listening Walk Directions: Include words and pictures. What you heard and what caused it.

I think I will hear?

1.


2.


3.


4.


5.


I heard_____________
Did you see it or just hear it?
1.


2.


3.


4.


5.