How to Begin A Nature Walk
Nature Study Lesson
Created for 4th Grade At Home Learning
For the next few weeks azaleas will put on a marvelous display of color ranging from solid white, light pink, and lavender to bright oranges, pinks, and purples.
Azaleas /əˈzeɪliə/ are flowering shrubs of the genus Rhododendron. Some azaleas are deciduous, but many are evergreen. Azaleas bloom in the spring (April, May and June in the temperate Northern Hemisphere).
Their flowers often last several weeks. They are shade tolerant, and generally prefer living near or under trees.*
In Chinese culture, the azalea is known as "thinking of home bush" (sixiang shu). Azaleas and rhododendrons were once so infamous for their toxicity that to receive a bouquet of their flowers in a black vase was a well-known death threat.*
*Taken from Wikipedia
How To Take A Nature Walk
Take a walk around your yard (if you have some) or your neighborhood and see how many different colors of this flowering shrub you can find.
Choose your favorite.
What do you notice about the leaves’ color and edges?
What do you notice about the flowers?
Label your journal page with the date, weather conditions and temperature, and location.
Lightly sketch one of the flowers in your nature study journal. Have a parent check your work.
Try your hand at recreating the color of these brilliant flowers.
An Ambleside Teacher