Data collection, journaling, and sketching in field notebooks is a common practice in ecology and in ecological education, and encouraging our students to maintain field notes is likely one of the oldest and most accidental STEAM activities employed by instructors of field ecology and natural history courses.
Not only are field notes an excellent opportunity for STEAM practice, but they can also facilitate analog engagement with our environment and generate beautiful artwork.
This section of our EREN STEAM gallery is only just beginning. Below we’ve shared a couple examples of field notebook assignments (including notes for instructors) and we look forward to growing this page and resource dramatically through your contributions.
Please consider submitting your favorite field notebook assignments and images!
Artistic Field Notebook Assignment for Travel Courses (by Laurie Anderson)
Above: Example from student notebook (Ohio Wesleyan University)
View/Download the Artistic Field Notebook Assignment for Travel
Sit Spot Observation & Field Note: Birds (by Jennifer Purrenhage)
Above: Example from student notebook (University of New Hampshire)
View/Download Sit Spot Observation & Field Note: Bird ID & Behavior
Field Notebook Assignment for Turtle Lab (by Jennifer Purrenhage)
Above: Example from student notebook (University of New Hampshire)
