International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples / Seasonal Signs Nature Watch
Seasonal Signs Nature Watch
Children look at an Indigenous seasonal calendar from an official source, then head outside to record the plants, animals and weather signs they can see right now.
How to run it
- Explain that many Indigenous peoples read the seasons through signs like flowering plants, animal behaviour and winds, and that many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander calendars have more than four seasons.
- Show a seasonal calendar from the Bureau of Meteorology's Indigenous Weather Knowledge pages or CSIRO, ideally one for your region, or ask your local land council if a local one is available.
- Give small groups a 'signs of the season' sheet to record what is flowering, which birds and insects are about, and the wind, temperature and sky.
- Back inside, compare findings with the calendar and display them, being clear the children's chart is their own observations, not a First Nations calendar.
You will need
- printed seasonal calendar from an official source
- observation sheets
- clipboards and pencils
- magnifying glasses (optional)
Make it easier or harderYounger children use a picture checklist; older children repeat the observation over several weeks and graph changes.
SafetyDo not touch unknown plants, insects or animals, use sun protection, and supervise near any water.
My Time Our Place · Outcome 2, Outcome 4Children observe their environment closely and learn how Indigenous knowledge connects people with seasons and place.
Fits these theme days
International Day of the World's Indigenous PeoplesNAIDOC WeekWeather WatchersSeasons DayNature Play DayOutdoor Explorers
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