nature assignment in english

Nature Essay for Students and Children

500+ words nature essay.

Nature is an important and integral part of mankind. It is one of the greatest blessings for human life; however, nowadays humans fail to recognize it as one. Nature has been an inspiration for numerous poets, writers, artists and more of yesteryears. This remarkable creation inspired them to write poems and stories in the glory of it. They truly valued nature which reflects in their works even today. Essentially, nature is everything we are surrounded by like the water we drink, the air we breathe, the sun we soak in, the birds we hear chirping, the moon we gaze at and more. Above all, it is rich and vibrant and consists of both living and non-living things. Therefore, people of the modern age should also learn something from people of yesteryear and start valuing nature before it gets too late.

Significance of Nature

Nature has been in existence long before humans and ever since it has taken care of mankind and nourished it forever. In other words, it offers us a protective layer which guards us against all kinds of damages and harms. Survival of mankind without nature is impossible and humans need to understand that.

If nature has the ability to protect us, it is also powerful enough to destroy the entire mankind. Every form of nature, for instance, the plants , animals , rivers, mountains, moon, and more holds equal significance for us. Absence of one element is enough to cause a catastrophe in the functioning of human life.

We fulfill our healthy lifestyle by eating and drinking healthy, which nature gives us. Similarly, it provides us with water and food that enables us to do so. Rainfall and sunshine, the two most important elements to survive are derived from nature itself.

Further, the air we breathe and the wood we use for various purposes are a gift of nature only. But, with technological advancements, people are not paying attention to nature. The need to conserve and balance the natural assets is rising day by day which requires immediate attention.

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Conservation of Nature

In order to conserve nature, we must take drastic steps right away to prevent any further damage. The most important step is to prevent deforestation at all levels. Cutting down of trees has serious consequences in different spheres. It can cause soil erosion easily and also bring a decline in rainfall on a major level.

Polluting ocean water must be strictly prohibited by all industries straightaway as it causes a lot of water shortage. The excessive use of automobiles, AC’s and ovens emit a lot of Chlorofluorocarbons’ which depletes the ozone layer. This, in turn, causes global warming which causes thermal expansion and melting of glaciers.

Therefore, we should avoid personal use of the vehicle when we can, switch to public transport and carpooling. We must invest in solar energy giving a chance for the natural resources to replenish.

In conclusion, nature has a powerful transformative power which is responsible for the functioning of life on earth. It is essential for mankind to flourish so it is our duty to conserve it for our future generations. We must stop the selfish activities and try our best to preserve the natural resources so life can forever be nourished on earth.

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Essay on Nature

Here we have shared the Essay on Nature in detail so you can use it in your exam or assignment of 150, 250, 400, 500, or 1000 words.

You can use this Essay on Nature in any assignment or project whether you are in school (class 10th or 12th), college, or preparing for answer writing in competitive exams. 

Topics covered in this article.

Essay on Nature in 150-250 words

Essay on nature in 300-450 words, essay on nature in 500-1000 words.

Nature is a precious gift that surrounds us, encompassing the world’s landscapes, ecosystems, and living beings. It is a source of immense beauty, inspiration, and solace. From towering mountains to vast oceans, lush forests to serene meadows, nature provides us with breathtaking sights and a sense of awe.

Nature is not only visually captivating but also essential for our survival and well-being. It sustains life by providing clean air, fresh water, and fertile soil. It is home to a diverse array of plants and animals, each playing a vital role in maintaining ecological balance.

Furthermore, spending time in nature has numerous benefits for our physical and mental health. It rejuvenates our spirits, reduces stress, and enhances our overall well-being. Immersing ourselves in nature’s tranquility allows us to disconnect from the fast-paced world and reconnect with our inner selves.

However, human activities have taken a toll on nature. Deforestation, pollution, and climate change threaten the delicate balance of ecosystems and the survival of countless species. It is our responsibility to protect and conserve nature for future generations.

Appreciating nature’s beauty and recognizing its significance is crucial. We must strive to live in harmony with nature, practicing sustainable lifestyles and preserving natural resources. By valuing and respecting nature, we can ensure its preservation and continue to enjoy its countless gifts.

In conclusion, nature is a precious and awe-inspiring entity that sustains life and provides solace and inspiration. It is essential for our physical and mental well-being. As stewards of the Earth, it is our responsibility to protect and conserve nature, ensuring its preservation for future generations to cherish and enjoy.

Nature is a magnificent and awe-inspiring gift that surrounds us, encompassing the diverse landscapes, ecosystems, and living beings that make up our planet. From the majestic mountains to the serene lakes, from the vibrant forests to the vast oceans, nature captivates us with its beauty, power, and serenity.

Nature provides us with numerous benefits and is essential for our survival and well-being. It is the source of clean air, freshwater, and fertile soil that sustains life on Earth. The intricate web of ecosystems, comprising plants, animals, and microorganisms, works together to maintain the delicate balance of nature.

Beyond its practical importance, nature has a profound impact on our physical and mental health. Spending time in nature has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance overall well-being. The sight of a breathtaking sunset, the sound of waves crashing on the shore, or the touch of grass beneath our feet can have a soothing and therapeutic effect, allowing us to reconnect with ourselves and find solace in the beauty of the natural world.

Unfortunately, human activities have had a detrimental impact on nature. Deforestation, pollution, climate change, and habitat destruction threaten the delicate balance of ecosystems and the survival of countless species. It is imperative that we recognize the urgency of preserving and protecting nature for future generations.

Conservation and sustainable practices are vital for ensuring the continued well-being of our planet. We must strive to live in harmony with nature, embracing sustainable lifestyles and adopting practices that minimize our ecological footprint. This includes reducing waste, conserving energy and water, practicing responsible consumption, and supporting conservation efforts.

Furthermore, education and awareness play a crucial role in fostering a deeper appreciation and understanding of nature. By learning about the intricate interconnectedness of ecosystems and the importance of biodiversity, we can develop a sense of responsibility and take action to protect and conserve the natural world.

Preserving nature is not just about ensuring our own well-being; it is a moral obligation to future generations and a commitment to the intrinsic value of all living beings and ecosystems. By valuing and respecting nature, we can create a more sustainable and harmonious future, where humans coexist with the natural world in a mutually beneficial relationship.

In conclusion, nature is a source of wonder, beauty, and vital resources. It sustains life, nourishes our souls, and provides us with a profound sense of connection. As custodians of the Earth, it is our responsibility to protect and preserve nature, adopting sustainable practices and fostering a deep appreciation for the natural world. By doing so, we can ensure a vibrant and thriving planet for ourselves and future generations to enjoy and cherish.

Title: Nature – A Pristine Gift Nurturing Life and Inspiring the Human Spirit

Introduction :

Nature, with its awe-inspiring landscapes, diverse ecosystems, and intricate web of life, is a pristine gift that surrounds us. It captivates us with its beauty, serenity, and transformative power. This essay explores the profound relationship between humans and nature, highlighting its importance for our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. It also emphasizes the urgent need to protect and preserve nature in the face of environmental challenges.

The Beauty and Diversity of Nature

Nature encompasses a vast array of breathtaking landscapes, from snow-capped mountains to lush forests, from vast oceans to tranquil meadows. Each holds its unique charm, captivating us with its grandeur, tranquility, and raw beauty. From the vibrant colors of blooming flowers to the graceful flight of birds, nature’s diversity evokes wonder and ignites our imagination.

Nurturing Life and Ecosystems

Nature sustains life on Earth, providing vital resources and supporting intricate ecosystems. It supplies us with clean air, freshwater, and fertile soil, enabling the growth of crops and the survival of diverse species. The delicate balance of ecosystems ensures the survival of plants, animals, and microorganisms, each playing a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and ecological harmony.

Physical and Mental Well-being

Spending time in nature has numerous physical and mental health benefits. It reduces stress, anxiety, and depression, promoting a sense of calm and well-being. The healing power of nature can be seen in activities such as forest bathing, where individuals immerse themselves in natural environments to enhance their overall health. Nature provides a respite from the fast-paced urban life, allowing us to disconnect, recharge, and rejuvenate our spirits.

Inspiration and Spiritual Connection

Nature inspires us and stirs our innermost emotions. The grandeur of a mountain range, the rhythmic crashing of waves, or the delicate beauty of a flower can evoke a profound sense of awe and wonder. Nature’s beauty stimulates our creativity, kindles our imagination, and nurtures our spirit. It serves as a reminder of our place in the larger tapestry of life, connecting us to something greater than ourselves.

Environmental Challenges and the Need for Conservation

Nature is facing unprecedented challenges due to human activities. Deforestation, pollution, climate change, and habitat destruction pose significant threats to the delicate balance of ecosystems and the survival of countless species. The urgency to protect and preserve nature has never been greater. Conservation efforts, sustainable practices, and environmental awareness are crucial in mitigating these challenges and ensuring a sustainable future.

Cultivating a Connection with Nature

To protect and preserve nature, it is essential to cultivate a deep connection and appreciation for the natural world. Education plays a vital role in fostering environmental awareness and instilling a sense of responsibility. Encouraging outdoor experiences, nature-based activities, and environmental stewardship programs can nurture a love for nature and promote a sense of guardianship of the planet.

Conclusion :

Nature is a remarkable and invaluable gift, nurturing life, inspiring the human spirit, and offering solace and serenity. It is essential for our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. However, it faces significant challenges that threaten its delicate balance and the well-being of future generations. By protecting and preserving nature, adopting sustainable practices, and fostering a deep connection with the natural world, we can ensure a vibrant and thriving planet for ourselves and future generations to enjoy and cherish. Let us embrace our role as stewards of the Earth and work collectively to safeguard nature’s invaluable gifts.

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• Paragraph Writing
• Paragraph On Nature

Paragraph on Nature - Check Samples for Various Word Limits

Nature is the connection between the physical world surrounding us and the life inside us. Nature is God’s most precious and valuable gift to humans. It is the principal source of all essential nutrients for all living things on the planet. ‘Nature’ is one of the topics on which we might be asked to write a paragraph. Check the samples provided in the article to learn how to write one on your own.

Table of Contents

Paragraph on nature in 100 words, paragraph on nature in 150 words, paragraph on nature in 200 words, paragraph on nature in 250 words, frequently asked questions on nature.

With the increasing threats of global warming, it is essential to be well aware of the threats to our nature and take necessary measures. In our school days, we must have written a lot of short paragraphs on various topics. We must have studied various measures to save nature.

Everything we see around us constitutes nature, including the sun, the moon, trees, flowers, fruits, human beings, birds, animals, etc. In nature, everyone depends on one another to keep the ecosystem healthy. For survival, every creature is interrelated and reliant on one another. Humans, for example, rely on nature for their survival, and nature provides us with oxygen, food, water, shelter, medicines, and clothing, among other things. Many shades may be seen in nature, contributing to the planet’s beauty. Along with humans, animals and birds also find their habitat and means of survival in nature. Therefore, it is essential to take proper care of our nature to maintain a healthy life.

Nature is the ultimate source of our living. Both living and non-living things include nature, and everyone is interdependent, which helps maintain the ecosystem. Plants, animals, and humans all depend on nature for their survival. It supplies oxygen, sunlight, soil, water, and other necessary components. But deforestation has been the primary cause of global warming, destroying nature. In addition to exploiting excessive natural resources, other industries pollute the environment with toxic gases and chemicals. It is now essential to reduce biological damage, reuse things, and recycle existing materials to create new ones. People from all over the world should join forces to relieve pressure on the environment and restore its balance. It is now the essential aim to serve nature with utmost care to save our nature from hazards and threats.

Nature is beautiful, yet it is difficult to put into words. Nature is honoured with a variety of religious traditions. The primary source of life on Earth is the components that exist naturally. All of the elements are linked. Natural ingredients can never be substituted. Humans process natural materials for use in today’s ever-changing world and destroy their rawness and individuality. Human activities have an impact on nature, and as a result, the quality of the environment is deteriorating. Deterioration of nature is primarily caused by pollution of the air and water. The oxygen produced by a single fully-grown tree is enough to supply ten people, and the amount of oxygen released by a forest is unquestionably adequate for a metropolis or town. Nature is a healer, and it is the foundation for many industries. Nature, on the other hand, is both a giver and a taker, according to legends. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, and cyclones are examples of natural calamities. These disasters, which occur as a result of natural causes, have resulted in significant damage. The benefits of sunlight and fresh air to our health cannot be overstated. Nature has a variety of beneficial effects on our bodies. For recuperation and vacations, people choose natural settings. People prefer to raise their children in the countryside in the United States. Their primary goal is to introduce their children to the benefits of natural beauty.

For all of us, nature is crucial. It’s the reason for the existence of life on this planet. Nature is home to many different creatures. All living organisms benefit from the natural balance maintained by Mother Nature. The study of the natural environment is a separate discipline of science. Every element has its own story to tell. Nature’s beauty is portrayed through the sun and moon, the plants, the flowers, etc. It is a common belief that reacting to something is a natural human characteristic. Naturally drawn characteristics are defined as genetic traits of an organism in sociology. The resources of nature are plentiful. The proper use of resources aids in the conservation of the environment. Natural scavengers include a variety of land and marine animals. Nature has provided us with a variety of ways to utilise it effectively.

With the increasing population, the threats towards nature are increasing. With the growth in population, the resources are now depleting. Excessive levels of air and environmental pollutants add to the mix. Industrial waste, unrestricted vehicle use, illicit tree cutting, wildlife hunting, nuclear power plants, and a slew of other factors are contributing to the disruption of natural systems. The extinction of species as enormous as dinosaurs and the survival of animals as tiny as ants have been documented in history. It is unavoidable to remember, among other things, that nature can play both a protective and destructive role. Natural disasters, pandemics, and natural crisis scenarios have demonstrated the need for humans to maintain the subtle balance of nature in order to ensure the continuation of life on Earth for the benefit of future generations.

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Using Nature Writing to Develop Analytical Skills

This process has students closely examine objects in nature and then use the same observational tools to improve their analytical writing skills.

In my AP Language & Composition classes, most of my students have the requisite skills of reading comprehension and basic structure for analytical writing. However, they generally fall short on the depth of their analysis sections: the evidence and commentary portion of the AP Language rubric. Most students can find evidence, but explaining the important elements of how that evidence proves their point or why the author made the rhetorical or compositional choices they did tends to stymie students. 

This difficulty arises because analytical thinking and writing is a complex process that requires a child’s cognitive skills to be appropriately developed. Before students can be asked to analyze, they must first learn how to observe and inquire. There is no better way to learn the astute skill of observation and observational compositions than through nature writing. 

Analytical Writing Process

On a chilly October morning, I took my AP Language & Composition classes outside with their notebooks and pencils. I had them find space well away from each other (and without their phones, of course) to sit and observe an object in nature. Students often feel giddy, and their energy surges outside of the classroom, in part because being outside is freeing, and an assignment like this is less stressful than the majority of the rigorous analysis of the coursework. 

In this case, our school has plenty of natural features: trees, grass, and dirt for them to observe. I have also done this activity in classrooms that are in the middle of urban settings by bringing in plants, rocks, leaves, and other elements of nature. Nature is subtle, and observers must be still and silent to truly grasp the details and nuances of their subject. 

To set up the assignment, I tell students that this is an anticipatory lesson or mini-lesson to prepare them for something else, like analytical writing. Generally, the nature writing activity takes between 45 minutes and an hour, and it provides a nice transition into more complex analytical writing pieces. I may, for instance, have students complete nature writing on a Monday and then delve into the more analytical elements throughout the week. Ideally, regular time in nature followed by these activities allows students to get into the writing and thinking space more efficiently. The more teachers can do it, the more detail-oriented the observations become. 

Observation: The goal, like any good nature writing, is to first observe. It is difficult to provide an analysis of anything if we do not fully understand it. Learning how to observe natural elements helps students look at the nuances of their subjects. I first ask them to come up with 20 adjectives or phrases to describe the object they’re focusing on. 

At first, many offer broad observations like “The leaf is yellow.” But as they spend more time and run out of obvious things to say, the observations become more nuanced and even beautiful: “The leaf is a heart with veins receding in size from the central stem.” The observations are a natural part of the analysis where the student is gaining familiarity with the subject. 

Questions: After writing 20 descriptive statements or observations, they then write 10 questions about the observations. Many are scientifically based, like “Why do leaves turn yellow in the autumn?” or “What happens to this leaf after it snows?” Some are more profound: “What did this leaf do to contribute to the world?” Kids love to learn and ask questions about what they are observing, and this is the next logical step in understanding their environment.

Answering questions: After my students have crafted 10 inquisitive questions, I have them posit their answers to five of their favorite questions. The answers may be very scientific: “The leaves turn color because the creation of chlorophyll has stopped and the leaf is essentially suffocating.” Others may be more imaginative: “The autumn fairies move through the trees and paint the leaves the color of the season in preparation for old man winter.”

Some teenagers prefer the philosophical anecdotes: “The leaves are only small elements of the oxygen production that the Earth needs, but if they all stopped doing their jobs, there would be no life on the planet.” These creative expressions begin to connect to the analytical element of their brains when they respond to their own inquiries of their observations without being held to a “correct” answer. 

Writing explanations: Finally, I ask them to explain the answers to three of the inquiries they posited. Some students may explain how photosynthesis works and what happens to the leaves when it stops for autumn. Others will explain how nature fairies all work together to shift seasons for the larger entities of the natural world. And others will develop a response fraught with deep philosophical wisdom. This explanation element is the heart of analysis and a demonstration of how they have the cognitive capacity to write analytically. They have essentially primed themselves for the development of analytical writing through a low-stress, high-engagement activity. Now, these students are ready to take the same approach to a text as they did in their nature writings. 

Application to text: When we come back into the classroom, students then use the same observational tools they used for their nature inquiry and apply them to a close reading of a text. I ask them to perform a close reading of a text, observe 10 elements of the writing they think are interesting, ask five questions of the text, posit responses to three of those questions, and pick one element to explain in a paragraph. This progression gives students a concrete understanding of what they are essentially being asked to do in analytical writing—the same cognitive function we did in nature writing. 

I’ve found that students are less likely to be consumed with finding the “correct” answer and more open to expanding on their own insights and interpretations of the text. This assignment effectively moves students into an inquisitive state of mind rather than focusing on a “correct” answer or checking boxes in a rubric. The skills they learn go beyond writing and develop a mindset of inquiry that they will be asked to use in postsecondary writing and critical thinking for life.

If we want students to improve their analytical skills, then developing the foundational skills of observation and inquisition should be paramount. All students could benefit from spending more time observing their world and less time trying to decode it or find the answers in black and white. Let the kids’ natural inclination for seeing the natural world guide them. To build analytical minds, take them outside.

Essay on Nature for Children and Students

Table of Contents

Nature Essay: Nature is an integral part of our lives. But even while we appreciate the blessings she bestows on us, we forget that we are plundering her treasures and thereby denying our children the pleasure of enjoying nature in all her abundance and variety.

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Find very simple and easy to understand essay on nature. Bring some creativity in the education of your lovely kids, children and students who are studying in nursery, KG, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Nature is the most important thing for our life and our kids should know about this. So motivate their learning through following nature essay.

Long and Short Essay on Nature in English

Nature essay in 100 words.

We live on the most beautiful planet, Earth which has very clean and attractive nature full of greenery. Nature is our best friend which provides us all the resources to live here. It gives us water to drink, pure air to breathe, food to eat, land to stay, animals, plants for our other uses, etc for our betterment. We should fully enjoy the nature without disturbing its ecological balance. We should care our nature, make it peaceful, keep it clean and prevent it from the destruction so that we can enjoy our nature forever. Nature is a most precious gift given by the God to us to enjoy but not to harm.

Nature Essay in 150 words

Nature is the most beautiful and attractive surrounding around us which make us happy and provide us natural environment to live healthy. Our nature provides us variety of beautiful flowers, attractive birds, animals, green plants, blue sky, land, running rivers, sea, forests, air, mountains, valleys, hills and many more things. Our God has created a beautiful nature for the healthy living of us. All the things we use for our living are the assets of nature which we should not spoil and damage.

We should not destroy the originality of the nature and should not imbalance the ecosystem cycle. Our nature provides us beautiful environment to live and enjoy so it is our responsibility to keep it clean and away from all the damages. In the modern era, many selfish and bad activities of the human being have disturbed the nature to a great extent. But we all should try to maintain our nature’s beauty.

Nature Essay in 200 words

The nature is everything around us which surrounds us with beautiful environment. We see and enjoy it every moment. We observe natural changes in it, hear it and feel it everywhere. We should take full advantage of the nature and go out of home for the morning walk daily to breathe pure air and enjoy morning beauty of nature. All though the day it changes it beauty like in the morning when sun rises everything looks bright orange and then yellowish. In the evening when sun sets it again becomes dark orange and then light dark.

The nature has everything for us but we do not have anything for it even we are destroying its property day by day to just fulfill our selfish wishes. In the modern technological world lots of inventions are getting launched daily without its advantage and disadvantage to the nature. It is our responsibility to save the declining assets of our nature to make possible the existence of life forever on the earth. If we do not take any step towards nature conservation, we are keeping our future generations at danger. We should understood its worth and value and try to maintain its natural shape.

Nature Essay in 250 words

Nature is the most precious and valuable gift to us from the God to live our life here on the earth. Nature makes our life easy by providing all the required resources for daily living. We should thankful to our nature for helping, caring and nurturing us like a mother. We can enjoy the sweet sound and scenery of the nature if we peacefully sit in the early morning in the garden. Our nature is adorned with lots of scenic beauty which we can enjoy anytime. Earth has geographical beauty and known as the city of garden or heaven. But it is sad to say that such beautiful gifts of God are declining day by day due to the technological advancement and high level of ignorance of the human beings.

Nature is like our real mother which never harms us but always nourishes us. Walking in the lap of nature in the early morning makes us healthy and strong as well as keeps us away from many lethal diseases like diabetes, chronic heart diseases, high blood pressure, liver problem, digestive system ailments, infections, brain disease, etc. It is good for our health to hear the soft sound of the birds, rattle of the breeze, sound of running fresh air, sound of running water in the river, etc in the early morning. Most of the poets, writers and people used to of yoga and meditation are seen in the early morning in the garden to re-energize their body, mind and soul.

Nature Essay in 300 words

Nature is the most important and integral part of the lives of everyone. Everyone has been blessed with the true love of God in the form of beautiful nature. We should never miss the pleasure of enjoying the nature. Nature has been the most favourite topic of the works of many famous poets, writers, painters and artists. Nature is the beautiful creation of the God which he blessed to us as a precious gift. Nature is everything which surrounds us like water, air, land, sky, fire, river, forests, animals, birds, plants, sun, moon, stars, sea, lake, rain, thunder, storm, etc. Nature is very colourful and has both living and non-living things in its lap.

Everything in the nature has their own power and uniqueness provided by the God. It has its many forms which are changing by season to season and even from minute to minute such as sea looks bright blue in the morning but by noon it looks emerald green colour. Sky changes its colour all through the day from pale pink at sunrise, dazzling blue in late morning, bright orange in evening at sunset and purple by twilight. Our mood also gets changed according to the nature such as happy and hopeful at sun shine, rainy season and spring season. We feel heartily happy at moonlight and little bored and tired in high sun light.

Nature has some powerful transformative power which changes our mood and behaviour accordingly. Nature has power to recover the patients from their diseases if they are provided with the required and pleasant environment. Nature is very essential for our healthy life so we should keep it clean and conserve it for our future generations. We should cut trees and forests, should not despoil the ocean, rivers, should not make hole in ozone layer, should not increase green house effect, global warming and many more through our selfish activities. We should get fully aware about our nature and try our best to keep it natural so that it can nourish life on the earth forever.

Nature Essay in 400 words

Nature is the natural environment which surrounds us, cares us and nourishes us every moment. It provides us a protective layer around us to prevent from the damages. We are not able to survive on the earth without nature like air, land, water, fire and sky. Nature includes everything around us like plants, animals, river, forests, rain, lake, birds, sea, thunder, sun, moon, weather, atmosphere, mountain, desserts, hills, ice, etc. Every form of nature is very powerful which has ability to nourish as well as destroy us.

Now a day, everyone has less time to enjoy nature. In the increasing crowd we forgot to enjoy nature and improve health. We started using technological instruments for our health fitness. However it is very true that nature has power to nourish us and fit us forever. Most of the writers have described the real beauty and advantage of the nature in their writings. Nature has ability to make our mind tension free and cure our diseases. Because of technological advancement in the life of human being, our nature is declining gradually which needs a high level of awareness to keep it in balance and to conserve natural assets.

God has created everything very beautifully seeing which our eyes can never be tired. But we forgot that we too have some responsibility towards our nature to relationship between nature and human beings. How beautiful scenery it looks in morning with sunrise, songs of birds, sounds of lakes, rivers, air and happy gatherings of friends in the evening in garden after a long day of crush. But we forgot to enjoy the beauty of the nature in just fulfilling our duties towards our families.

Sometimes during our holidays we spend our whole day by watching TV, reading news paper, playing indoor games or on the computer but we forgot that outside the door we can do something interesting in the lap of nature ad natural environment. Unnecessarily we left on all the lights of home, we use electricity without need which ultimately increases the heat in the environment called global warming. Our other activities like cutting trees and forests increase the amount of CO2 gas in the environment causing green house effect and global warming.

If we want to be happy and healthy always we should try our best to save our planet and its beautiful nature by stopping our foolish and selfish activities. In order to keep ecosystem in balance we should not cut trees, forests, practice energy and water conservation and many more. Ultimately we are the real user of the nature so we should really take care of it.

Essay on Nature FAQs

What is the nature essay.

A nature essay is a written piece about the natural world, often describing its beauty and significance.

What is nature in simple English?

Nature, in simple terms, refers to the outdoors, including plants, animals, and the environment around us.

What is nature 5 points?

Nature comprises trees, rivers, animals, mountains, and the sky. It's where we find beauty and life.

What is the beauty of nature?

The beauty of nature is seen in its landscapes, from colorful sunrises to lush forests, evoking awe and serenity.

What can I write about the beauty of nature?

You can write about breathtaking sunrises, calming lakes, diverse wildlife, and the peace nature brings.

How do you describe a nature walk?

A nature walk is a leisurely stroll in the outdoors, appreciating the scenery and observing plants and animals.

What is the purpose of a nature walk?

The purpose of a nature walk is to connect with nature, enjoy its tranquility, and learn about the environment.

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Nature Mentoring

How To Create Nature Study Lesson Plans (Fun activities & tips for engaging kids)

One of the big challenges faced by everyone who wants to share nature with children is planning the best possible outdoor experiences.

With the right encouragement, kids are amazing at soaking up the lessons of nature, and this can have incredible effects on the emotional & intellectual well-being of young, developing minds.

But I’ve also noticed many educators really struggle to find the right balance between being exciting and fun, while also giving practical lessons that have long-term impact.

Over the years I’ve studied many different approaches for designing effective nature lessons & classes, and there are 3 components that always stand out in the best examples.

All the best nature lessons follow this 3 step formula:

• An Engaging Introduction That Activates Curiosity & Emotions
• Fun & Experiential Learning Activities Grounded In Sensory Awareness
• The Opportunity To Harvest Lessons With Language & Creativity

If you can build these 3 steps into your nature lessons, then everything you do will work 100x more effectively.

The purpose of these three steps is to maintain that extremely delicate balance of education + engagement.

Let’s take a look at how it all works…

2 Biggest Mistakes To Avoid When Planning Nature Lessons

Most nature educators make 1 of 2 mistakes:

• Either their lessons are too heavy on the side of fun and games, so they miss out on the best learning opportunities, or…
• Their lessons are so focused on learning outcomes that students end up getting bored and tune out.

Both scenarios are equally problematic and need to be avoided if you want to create the best learning experiences for your students.

The trick to sharing nature with kids is to keep them on their edge, so they feel intellectually challenged while being emotionally stimulated and engaged.

If you do this correctly, your students will feel like the whole experience is completely spontaneous, unplanned and fun… when in reality there’s a very specific sequence of learning happening.

Of course, this takes some careful planning and scheming ahead of time so everything flows naturally and effortlessly with your students.

Have no fear – I’m going to walk you through the entire process so you can apply this magic formula in your own situation.

Let’s start by looking at each component one by one, and then I’ll give you some of my best tips for planning and making it all come together successfully!

Step #1: An Engaging Introduction

The first step to effective nature lessons begins with having an introduction that truly captivates the imagination and interest of your students.

So let’s say the main focus of your day is going to be birds and observing patterns of bird behavior.

As a teacher/mentor, your goals might include things like:

• Developing practical observation skills
• Building knowledge about local birds and wildlife populations
• To understand the importance of birds in ecological health

But remember, these are kids you’re dealing with… and kids are drawn to whatever is most fun and engaging!

If you’re too direct and focused on teaching goals, you’ll lose them. You need to be fun, but you also can’t just let them do whatever they want.

Children benefit tremendously from good leadership & role modelling that helps them stay on track to learning while having fun and even believing that the whole thing was their own idea.

This is one of the toughest skills for teachers to master, but there are ways of making it a lot easier.

For starters – let’s take a closer look at what it means to be engaging, and how to measure how engaged kids are on a topic.

What Does It Really Mean To Be Engaging?

The easiest way to know what’s engaging for kids is by listening to what’s coming out of their mouths.

Have you ever noticed how kids can absorb massive amounts of information about their favorite things?

Maybe they have a doll or a toy, and they can tell you everything about it… Things that you would never know or even be able to remember in a million years.

They can go on and on about how it works, what it does, who it’s for, etc.

It’s like they’ve been intensively studying & developing their knowledge about this thing for years.

Well, this is a great example of how kids are learning machines.

And you can tell by what comes out of their mouths that they are incredibly inspired and motivated and capable of learning about their favorite things.

They can talk for hours about things that match their interests.

That’s the power of engagement!

It’s important to realize that when you’re trying to open the mind of a child to nature – you’re competing for attention with all their favorite toys, video games, television & storybook characters.

There’s no way you can compete with these things unless you can somehow make nature equally as cool .

So what if it were possible for you to harness this incredible learning potential and direct it towards the nature topics you want them to learn?

It’s pretty sneaky, but if you do this right… your job as a teacher/mentor will become much more effortless.

So how does it work?

How can you harness the same captivating, spellbinding interest as the stories & characters your students have fallen in love with?

The Art of Conversational Mentoring

The ability to truly engage the mind & emotions of young learners all comes down to something I call “Conversational Mentoring”.

This is all about how you talk to kids and engage them in a conversation by asking questions, sharing stories and most importantly – listening to what they have to say .

Kids will actually tell you everything you need to know in order to be massively inspirational and effective as a teacher.

And I want to point out that this is something you’re already doing in small ways every time you talk to kids and have a dialogue.

You’re probably already listening to kids as they tell stories, ask questions, and have little dialogues.

So you already know how to do this, but most likely you’re simply not using the dialogue to it’s full potential.

Most people are not conscious of how they engage kids in dialogue, so they miss out on the real usefulness of this activity.

Awakening Young Naturalists With Dialogue

If you want to get kids genuinely inspired to learn about nature, all you have to do is get them talking about nature, asking questions & telling stories.

Simply engage your students in a dialogue about whatever topic you want to teach them, and you will witness a profound transformation in their relationship with nature, and their ability to learn about natural things.

How can you do this? It’s actually quite simple.

Let’s take a look at 3 simple techniques to facilitate naturalist dialogue:

• Storytelling
• Sharing Circles
• The Nature Museum

If you get this part right, it’s really the secret to activating massive interest and anticipation before heading into the actual lessons.

Remember – a dialogue is more about listening and being responsive rather than trying to force your agenda upon someone else.

Kids love to talk and share stories… so if you can harness this natural enthusiasm for communication and direct it towards the natural world… they will do all the teaching for you.

Your students will passionately ASK YOU questions and seek knowledge in ways that you never even imagined.

It makes your job easier, while helping your students discover so much more in the process.

Dialogue Technique #1 – Storytelling

Storytelling is a big part of what builds a healthy obsession for learning about nature.

One of the reasons kids get so obsessed with television shows is because they’re filled with engaging storytelling .

If you can get your kids engaged with stories about birds, animals, plants, wilderness adventures, etc… they will be much more excited to engage with the learning activities, missions & challenges you give them in the next step.

However – the type of storytelling required to generate this effect is probably quite different from what you might imagine.

Remember – our goal is light up the imaginations & emotions of our students.

So it’s very important that you’re not boring them to death by blabbing on as you “tell your story”.

Is Storytelling Difficult?

A lot of people get intimidated by storytelling because they think it has to be this really formal and memorized thing.

But even if you’ve never told a practiced story in your entire life, it’s totally okay.

The real purpose of storytelling in the introduction is simply to facilitate dialogue.

So even more important than what you say… is the ability to get your students talking and listening!

There’s always a time and place for more formal storytelling, but honestly, that skill is pretty rare. It just takes a lot of practice to develop.

If you do have the confidence and communication skills to tell engaging stories in a more formal way, it’s definitely a great thing to do.

But remember… sitting in front of a group while you blab on telling your story really still doesn’t enable you to have a real dialogue.

Instead, there are much easier ways to engage kids in storytelling without needing to memorize a single thing.

How To Facilitate Conversational Storytelling:

The trick with conversational storytelling is to keep your stories short, personal & ideally true !

I’ve demonstrated many times that if you share a story about an encounter with a wild animal… Suddenly kids will perk up.

They get all excited and almost like magic they start talking about times when THEY saw a wild animal, which then leads to more stories about other animals.

Each story sparks more ideas & interest around the topic.

You tell a story. Then one of the kids tells a story. Which reminds you of another one, etc.

And bam! Instant dialogue about nature.

Even in a small group of 4 or 5 kids. There are thousands of hours of storytelling to be had.

And the kids will really do most of the work here.

These types of stories are a lot less obvious than what most people think of as ‘storytelling’, but the effect is actually much more powerful.

From an outside perspective… iI doesn’t look like teaching, but these types of conversations will build massive interest & excitement for exploring nature deeply.

If you get can get a group of kids to take turns sharing animal stories in a really organic way… this is a recipe for instant motivation.

Then when you say, “Let’s go look for signs of animals”, they will play right into your hand and probably even think it was their own idea.

Where To Get Your Story Ideas…

When you’re deciding on stories to tell – start by thinking about what the main topic is for your lesson, and brainstorm a list of past experiences you’ve had with that aspect of nature.

For example: if you’re going to be talking about mammals – tell stories about times when you encountered a local raccoon or coyote.

If you’re going to be talking about plants – tell stories about times when you harvested plants and used them for food or running through fields of dandelion fluff.

If you don’t have any personal stories with a topic – I highly recommend you go out and create some relevant memories before you try and teach on the subject.

It’s always a good idea to choose lesson topics that are within your realm of “expertise”.

This doesn’t mean you need to be an actual expert. It just means you need to have some kind of personal experience.

If you’re doing a lesson on birds but you don’t have any personal experience with birds – Go sign up for a local birdwatching event and gain some personal experience… Then suddenly you have stories you can tell.

It’s really that simple.

Another thing you can try is rather than thinking about a specific nature topic – just look for a good feeling:

• What are the moments when you felt most connected and alive in nature?
• Where were you? Who were you with? What were you doing?
• What did you love doing when you were a kid?

Maybe you loved building sand castles. Or maybe you had a fort out in the woods.

Maybe you remember a trip to the zoo and how you felt watching the otters swim around.

If you can identify these moments when you felt emotionally alive and inspired in nature – these are great material for your own stories.

Then as much as possible, always focus on harvesting stories from the kids themselves.

Always remember that their stories are more important than yours! (So don’t overthink this)

You’ll notice it usually just takes one 30 second story to get kids talking, and then you’re off to the races.

Dialogue Technique #2 – Sharing Circles

Sometimes the best way to get kids engaged in a topic is by making them do all the work.

Sharing circles make things easier for you, and more engaging for them!

It’s a win-win.

This technique works especially great for teens because they have the verbal skills to sit quietly, listen and reflect on a much deeper level than younger kids.

The sharing circle technique has the added benefit of building bonds between a group, while facilitating connection to nature.

You’ll notice that groups who engage with sharing circles are much better at resolving conflict and being inclusive.

Here’s how to facilitate a sharing circle:

Simply sit in a circle and invite everyone to speak their thoughts one-by-one about a question while everyone else listens… that’s it!

The goal here is to strike a good balance between questions that engage internal reflection, while staying relevant to nature exploration.

For example: The first time you do this – you might invite the group to share on 2 things:

• Who are you? (Tell us a little bit about yourself)
• What is your past experience with nature?

Now, these might sound like simple questions (and in some ways they are).

But it also leaves lots of space for creativity… You’re leaving it up to them how much they want to share, which is very non-threatening.

You always want to keep things fairly simple & general so they have lots of options about how to respond.

Then all you have to do is listen deeply.

You might be surprised by the level of depth that some young people will produce when you give them the opportunity to speak honestly and freely.

Some students will find this activity more natural than others, but it’s a skill that everyone will develop with practice.

Tips For Running Effective Sharing Circles

It’s important to realize that the first few times you do this might take a bit of getting used to, both for your students and for you.

Speaking your truth into a circle while everyone listens can be an extremely intense experience for adults let alone teens… but the effects on a group are very transformative.

Many young people have simply never had an adult who really wants to listen respectfully and without judgement.

You want to encourage them to dig beyond the surface, and really share from the heart.

• Make it clear that there’s no rules about how they respond to the questions.
• They’re not being marked or judged on what they say.
• You simply want them to be as authentic as possible, while going beyond the surface-level response.

With repetition you’ll be amazed at the wisdom and depth that comes from young minds.

They really are capable of reflection and thoughts far beyond what most adults give them credit for.

They will become very curious, eloquent and wise, and these qualities will transfer over to how they explore nature.

Should You Use A Talking Stick?

If you ever notice the group is having trouble listening to each other, you might want to practice with a talking stick.

A talking stick is just a symbolic stick or object to facilitate deep listening.

The rule is that you’re only allowed to talk if you have the stick. If you don’t have the stick then your job is to listen.

This encourages the group to drop in more during their sharing.

When the stick comes around to you, make sure you add your own voice too.

Use this as an opportunity to model the attributes of honesty, vulnerability and deeper reflection. The kids will look to your behavior for guidance about how to share when it’s their turn.

Share your response to the question and then do your best to say a few words that tie the group reflections together as a jump-off point for the main activities.

Now that everyone has had a chance to share about their relationship with nature… let’s go make more discoveries!

As I mentioned before, this technique works best with teens & adults because they just have more capacity for sitting still, listening deeply and being reflective.

For younger kids, I prefer using the nature museum technique that I’ll explain next.

Dialogue Technique #3 – The Nature Museum

So what if you’re not a good storyteller?

What if the kids just cannot sit still long enough for a talking circle?

If you’re working with kids between ages 4 & 12, I usually find the nature museum is a much better way to create an engaging introduction.

This technique works for all ages, but it’s especially effective at getting around the common challenges that young children have (like sitting still, staying focused, holding in their enthusiasm).

The nature museum will actually harness that insatiable curiosity and inability to sit still or stay focused… and use it to your advantage!

Here’s how the nature museum works:

Before you give a lesson on any topic… go outside and gather a collection of natural items related to that days topic.

Young kids really benefit from having props and actual physical things you can use to stimulate dialogue.

Think of it like a collection of conversation starters that you can use to direct their stories & interests without telling them what to do.

If you’re doing a tree day – go out and gather actual leaves from every different type of tree that grows in your bioregion.

Gather seeds, seed pods, nuts, bark, branches & twigs, leaf galls… anything you can possibly find that relates to trees.

Try to find as many diverse and unique objects as you can… focus around your daily theme whether birds, or trees, or plants, etc.

Lay the items out on a table or a blanket that you spread on the ground.

Then all you have to do is invite the kids over and they’ll take care of the rest.

This gives the kids something to get their hands on… It’s a recipe for instant curiosity & stories.

A Recipe For Instant Engagement…

Even if you’re a horrible storyteller… the nature museum will accomplish the main introduction goal and get some dialogue happening.

As the kids gather around it gives you the opportunity to help them explore the items one-by-one.

Maybe you notice one of your students is taking an interest in a bird feather.

This is all it takes to create an opening where you can very subtly begin to test their knowledge & awareness by asking little questions.

• Do you know what that is?
• What part of the bird do you think that comes from?
• Any ideas what kind of bird it might be?
• What kinds of birds do you know?
• Have you ever seen a Robin?

The point of these questions is not to judge or evaluate your students, but rather to find out where to start the dialogue.

You want to start the dialogue by focusing on things they already know. Then gradually move towards things that are new.

You’ll find that some kids already have a lot of knowledge about the things in your nature museum, while other kids don’t.

The goal here is to create a feeling of open discussion rather than a formal lesson. Seek an organic dialogue that just feels like a normal conversation.

Some questions will be directly related to items in the nature museum, and other times you might venture off into indirectly related stories.

You might work in a story about a recent experience you had while looking for birds in a wetland.

Or if you know a particular kid has bird watching experience – you can call them out and ask them to share.

Has anyone here ever done any bird watching?

Nathan, I know you’ve done some bird watching with your parents – what have you seen while watching birds?”

And here’s the real magic…

 All throughout this shared observation of things in the museum, stories & questions, you’re priming the pump and engaging the imagination…

So that by the time you say “Let’s go find some birds” – They’re already 100% onboard with the mission and you can lead them to new discoveries.

A Few Tips For Using The Nature Museum:

• Prepare your collections ahead of time so you’re not rushed to collect things when the kids arrive.
• Use different items every time so the kids don’t get bored with the same materials.
• This technique works best with small groups. Chatty kids might need smaller groups , while quiet kids can manage a bit larger, but I wouldn’t go larger than 8.
• If you’re working with more than 8 kids at a time, it’s better to split into multiple groups , each with a facilitator who can engage stories & questions.
• Observe body language & awareness . Work with the most engaged and talkative kids first, but then make sure you give attention to the quiet ones too.
• Don’t have a set time limit for this activity. You can keep going as long as the kids are engaged. But if you notice the energy waning, then it’s time to move on.

Step #2: Fun & Experiential Learning Activities

Okay take a deep breath and relax…

Believe it or not, at this point – most of the hard work is already done!

Even though your introduction will typically require the shortest amount of time… it’s probably the MOST important step to get right.

So don’t skip that intro!

If you ever find your activities spiralling into mad chaos, it’s probably because you didn’t quite engage the kids effectively in the introduction.

The good news – If you have succeeded in getting your students engaged in the lesson topic verbally through stories & questions, now it’s very easy to lead them into more focused learning activities.

You can choose pretty much any activities you want as long as it stimulates the senses and gets your students to observe nature.

For instance: If you want to teach about local mammals, you might start by playing a game where you have all the kids pretend to be squirrels making nests and gathering food while avoiding cats & hawks.

Then you might follow that up with a mammal wander where you quietly walk through the forest and look for sign of animals.

If you see any live animals, you can stop and quietly watch as a group.

In your introduction you already had a bunch of cool conversations about squirrels, deer, raccoons & other mammals. So now the opportunity to actually see these things in real life will be much more enticing.

You’ll notice the children will be capable of sitting still to watch & listen much more carefully than normal because you primed their brains with dialogue.

Their senses will be fully engaged in whatever you do, and rather than having scattered energy, the group will be much more unified and easier to manage without having to “police” the group and use a bunch of boring rules.

There are literally hundreds of great activities you can do for any given topic.

Here are some different activities to choose from:

• Scavenger hunts . Themed hunts & checklists that help kids to interact, explore and make guided discoveries.
• Free exploration . Hikes & slow wanders with awareness missions & challenges.
• Empathy games where the kids become different types of animals and play out stories of their lives.
• Sneaking games that promote quietness & observation skills.
• Bring in live animals like rabbits for the kids to touch and study.
• Go looking for tracks & sign . Tracking missions fit well with free exploration activities.
• Harvesting missions . A more engaging way to learn about useful plants, trees, care-taking & stewardship.
• Constructing natural shelters . Learn about survival, fire & wilderness safety while using local materials.

Each of these activities can be easily adapted towards different topics & seasons in order to promote a wide variety of learning opportunities.

Facilitating Teachable Moments

Here in stage 2, the kids are already primed and ready for learning… so you’ll notice they’re much more responsive to activities that would normally feel like “work”.

This is a great opportunity to assign little awareness tests and missions that would normally require extra motivation.

You can use these awareness “missions” & challenges to get kids engaging their naturalist intelligence in ways that normally wouldn’t happen without a significant amount of effort.

For example: Let’s say you’re doing a bird watching day, with a free exploration activity that involves walking around a pond looking for birds.

Rather than just barreling out into the forest like a mad mob of kids… You can preface the activity by adding conditions and agreements that increase the quality of focus & attention on nature.

Don’t be afraid to give direct challenges like:

We’re gonna go on a bird walk now, but remember that birds are very sensitive to noise and movement so we have to be quiet and we have to move a bit slower than normal… do you think we can do that? Does anyone have any ideas about how we can be more quiet?”

Let them talk. See what ideas they have. Test their engagement. Ask questions to pull them deeper.

I was thinking it would be cool to see how many different birds we can find out there… How many birds do you think we can find? Does anyone know some birds we can keep our eyes out for?”

Let them talk again. Really listen to their ideas, and incorporate them into the activity.

The more collaborative you can be about the “rules” of engagement for whatever games & activities you choose to play, the more invested your students will be.

Each new activity is an opportunity for another mini dialogue with the kids as you collaborate to help them achieve their goals.

This really helps to reinforce the learning and calls more of their attention into the moment because they help define the parameters of the activities you’ve chosen.

Step #3: Harvest The Lessons

The final step in a truly complete nature study lesson plan is to spend time harvesting the lessons.

Harvesting lessons means giving your students a chance to review, reflect & document their discoveries so they can integrate what they’ve learned.

Similar to the introduction… This can be done by sharing stories & asking questions to generate dialogue about nature.

Or you can get creative with journaling activities , dramatic performances, artwork & crafts.

The goal here is twofold:

First – We want to reinforce the lessons and experiences gained during our daily activities.

You’ll notice that students are often unaware of what they’ve learned until they have a chance to externalize the lessons by speaking or journaling about their day’s experience.

The end of the day is often a mad rush to finish things up, and get the kids on the bus or in the van.

But it’s really important to give your students a chance to tell their stories and share what they’re learning.

If they don’t get a chance to truly reflect, then you run the risk of them forgetting HUGE chunks of the day!

A lot of nature schools completely skip this step or do a really poor job of facilitating it… Often they just don’t realize the capacity that young children have for storytelling and sharing what they’ve discovered.

This is an amazing opportunity to help develop their speaking, writing, artistic & interpersonal skills. You can include drama, music… all kinds of things to engage the different learning preferences of every child.

Second – We want to document our progress so we can demonstrate the tangible results of our programs.

One of the big challenges of nature based education is actually proving to parents and school boards that kids are in fact learning and benefiting from the program.

The notion of free play in nature makes intuitive sense to a lot of people… but it doesn’t make sense to everyone.

If you’re able to document some kind of tangible artefact of the lessons, you’ll find parents and education systems will be much more likely to value and pay for your services.

Documenting is truly one of the best ways to reinforce nature lessons. It has tremendous learning value all by itself.

This is not done by testing and grading knowledge, but rather creating a portfolio of learning that you can present to parents at the end of the year.

This is very simple.

Techniques For Harvesting & Documenting Lessons

One of my favorite ways to harvest lessons is to have everyone sit in a circle & take turns sharing their stories from the day.

You can simply invite students to talk about what they observed & learned through the day’s activities.

Then use your own stories & questions to engage a dialogue with each student one-by-one.

You can ask them things like:

• What was your favorite part of the day?
• Did you learn anything about trees today?
• Were you a squirrel, or cat, or hawk in the game?

Whenever possible, try to pull your students beyond the surface level response by asking followup questions.

Never underestimate the brilliant minds of children.

They might not have fully developed verbal skills yet, but you’ll be surprised by how thoughtful and reflective young children can be given the opportunity.

With repetition – they’ll learn that it’s both safe and fun to open up and share their experiences by talking them out.

Remember that game where we all pretended to be squirrels gathering food while avoiding the cats & hawks?

• What did it feel like to be the squirrels trying to gather food?
• What strategies did you use to avoid the cats and hawks?
• How did you decide where to put your nest?
• What did it feel like to be the cats? What was your hunting strategy?
• What did you do when the squirrels hid up in the trees?
• What about the hawks?

Now these might sound like pretty advanced questions about wildlife behavior, but because the activity was disguised as a fun game, your students will actually be able to answer these questions with surprising eloquence.

You’ll be amazed how often the strategies used by kids pretending to be squirrels and hawks are pretty much identical to the strategies used by actual squirrels and hawks in the wild.

Journaling & Crafts

Another method you can use to harvest lessons is journaling.

You can have them write the story of what it felt like to be a squirrel protecting their nest.

Or sketch the plants, leaves & flowers you gathered during a scavenger hunt.

Or you can do crafts with the natural tree items you collected on a wander.

These are all different ways of reinforcing the core activities while documenting the lessons, which can be especially helpful as proof for parents that learning is taking place.

When the parents arrive – you can have the students present their crafts, journals or stories to involve their family in the learning process.

Just do whatever makes the most sense for your individual group, and your personal strengths as an instructor.

4 Planning Tips To Make Everything Easier

I know all of this might seem like a lot of things to think about when planning nature study lessons.

The last thing I want to do is overwhelm you to the point where you don’t take action.

So if you’re new to this – please don’t think you need to implement everything on your very first day.

If all you can manage at first is to get kids outside and having fun with plants, trees, and birds in the forest – you’re doing them a great service!

Then you can practice adding one simple upgrade to your lessons every day, and it will very quickly become second nature to you.

You’ll be amazed by how deep the impact of your programs can become as you gradually add in the framework shared here.

Just take it slow & steady!

As you develop your own teaching skills – here are a few tips to help you progress faster & with less resistance.

#1 – Use A Teaching Team

Whenever possible, I highly recommend partnering with someone else to help you plan, implement, and debrief your teaching adventures.

No matter how skilled you are as a mentor, there will always be moments when things get overwhelming.

There might be times when you just don’t know what to say or do in order to redirect energy back towards the learning goals.

It makes a huge difference just knowing you always have a safety net, and that you’re not alone.

It means you have more than one person being aware and ready to facilitate engagement.

If one mentor ever runs out of things to say or share, they can simply pass it to the other person and collect their thoughts.

If you don’t have a formal teaching team – even a volunteer or 2 gives you the opportunity to bounce ideas and get help.

Parents & early stage mentors are often thrilled for the opportunity to spend time with kids in nature.

It also gives you a chance to brainstorm with someone ahead of time… which brings us to the next point.

#2 – Brainstorm your lessons beforehand

Before each lesson, meet with your teaching team to discuss the plan.

At this point you should probably have a pre-chosen topic, and a few activities already thought out.

Your lead instructor can create this plan ahead of time by thinking about the local & seasonal opportunities.

A few examples:

• You might do a harvest day in autumn where you visit an orchard, or collect different plants & nuts from trees.
• In spring, you might do a day where you focus on birds and learn about singing, nesting, territories & alarm calls.
• In winter you might spend a day exploring the snow and looking for tracks & sign of animals that aren’t normally visible.

The overall theme will instantly suggest a host of ideal activities & learning goals to focus on.

But there’s still going to be a lot of little details that just require last minute brainpower and discussion to decide on the best strategy.

• Who’s gonna setup the hula hoops for the squirrel game?
• Who’s gonna lead the nature museum?
• Where are we doing the different activities?
• What do we do if it dumps rain on us?

You’ll want to have an approximate plan of the different activities and how you’re going to do the harvest.

This plan becomes more important as your group gets larger.

With smaller groups it’s possible to get by without planning too much, but it also depends on your personal strengths as a leader.

Another way of thinking about all this is with something called the 50/50 principle…

#3 – Use the 50/50 principle

A bit of planning can make things go 1000X smoother, but you should always be prepared for the possibility of changes.

The 50/50 principle means planning 50% of your day, and leaving 50% up to whatever presents itself naturally. Or another way is to plan 100% of your day, but stay open to throwing it all away if something else seems better.

With nature, there’s no way to predict when you’re going to stumble into group of feeding deer, or when a massive raincloud dumps rain on you.

Your plans should always be responsive to what nature is giving you in the moment.

Sometimes the energy level is just perfect for a silent observation activity when you weren’t planning one.

And other times you might plan a quiet activity when what the kids really need is a game where they can use their bodies & voices.

It’s always good to have a general theme for each day, but leave space for whatever comes up in the moment.

#4 – Debrief the experience after each day

Finally… it’s important to realize that harvesting the lessons isn’t just for the benefit of your students.

It’s also one of your absolute best tools to help you improve your teaching skills, programs and lessons over time.

Just like we harvest the stories from our students in step 3… it’s important for your growth as a teacher and mentor that you have the opportunity to share YOUR stories.

This is easy enough to do in a semi-structured feedback & harvest session with your teaching team, after the kids have all left for the day.

At the end of each day… sit down with your teaching team, clear your minds, relax into the moment and give each other the opportunity to process what just happened:

• What went well?
• What could’ve gone better?
• What did you observe about the kids?
• What would you do differently next time?

The teaching debrief will enable your team to dramatically improve over time, and support each other when things didn’t go the way you expected.

This is a good opportunity to focus on your own team-building, communication & support each other to improve.

The more unified you are as a teaching team, the easier & more flowing your class days will go.

You can share strategies with each other… talk about moments when the kids were really engaged… and track patterns that might be interfering with engagement so you can make improvements next time.

Finally – You can look ahead to your next lesson… and discuss what needs to happen for your next day to go smooth.

What Questions Do You Have?

There’s so much more we could say about creating nature lesson plans, but hopefully these ideas have given you a lot to chew on!

I’m rooting for you! Have fun out there!

And let me know what you’re still struggling with so I can continue creating more resources & tools to help you facilitate some truly awesome nature study lessons with kids 🙂

Are You Ready For More?

If you’re seeking age-old tools & techniques to go deep with knowledge of plants, trees, birds and energize your natural instincts… you’ve come to the right place!

Whenever you’re ready… here are 4 ways I can help you connect deeply with nature in your local environment:

1. Try My Free Lessons & Guides

I always recommend new visitors start by watching my free training video ‘ How To Read The Secrets of A Forest ‘. This video shares lessons that will forever change the way you look at trees & forests. You can also download a free copy of my Ebook – ‘ The Wild Observer ’. It’s all about how to make amazing observations in nature.

2. Master Real Nature Awareness Skills

If you’re looking for the easiest way to start really honing your outdoor instincts and nature observation skills… try the Nature Memory Journal Program .

All the home learning products in my online store come with a money-back guarantee and cover unique aspects of the holistic deep nature connection journey from bird language & naturalist intelligence to mindfulness & goal-setting.

3. Join My Instincts Mentoring Program

Every month I gather on the phone with like-minded nature geeks, trackers, bird language & nature awareness enthusiasts to support my students on their journey with nature skills & awareness.

Would you like to join us? Click here to get a sneak peak at my instincts mentoring program.

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And if you’d like to work with me one-on-one… just send me a message and tell me what you’d like to work on together… and I’ll get you all the details!

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Paragraph on Nature

Nature is the creation of natural material and physical world on earth independent of the human activities. The beauty and richness of nature is diverse and massive. Nature provides us with several delicacies to enjoy and is our life support system. Our basic needs like food, shelter, water and air are all the gifts from nature. Humans have a strong connection and interrelation with nature. Escaping away in the nature heals the mind and body and soothes our soul. Irrespective of what nature provides us it is also our moral and social responsibility to nurture nature.

You will find below a number of short and long paragraphs on Nature. We hope these Nature paragraphs will help students in completing their school assignments. These will also help children to write and read out paragraphs with simple words and small sentences. Students can select any paragraph on Nature according to their particular requirement.

Long and Short Paragraph on Nature

Paragraph on nature 1 (100 words).

Nature is that natural and physical world that surrounds us and makes life possible on earth. Nature is the heart of earth. Nature heals us and helps build connection with our freedom, authenticity and our souls. Simply connecting and feeling nature gives us a divine pleasure. We have a strong bond and emotional connection with nature.

The serenity of nature calms our hearts. The stillness and movement in nature both have a hypnotizing effect. The unfolding creativity of nature is an art. It is alluring to experience solitude with nature. The practice of devoting ourselves to the bliss of nature is soothing and reviving. Everyone loves to escape away in the mysteries of nature.

Paragraph on Nature 2 (150 words)

Nature refers to the physical world and all forms of life species on earth in general. Our natural ecosystem is the community of biotic and abiotic components. The biotic components are the living organisms that also include humans. Abiotic components are the non-living components such as air, water, minerals and soil. The biotic and abiotic components are interrelated and interact with each other through energy flow.

Natural ecosystem also includes the interrelation between diverse organisms and their environment. Natural ecosystem obtains energy primarily from sun through photosynthesis. Through the process of photosynthesis plants obtain energy from sunlight and absorb carbon dioxide from atmosphere. Plants combine carbon dioxide and water to produce oxygen and carbohydrates. The energy obtained by plants is consumed by animals. Animals also play important role in nutrient cycle and flow of energy. They influence plants and other micro-organisms in the ecosystem. Thus the energy enters ecosystem through the process of photosynthesis and is transferred to the living organisms. Thus, natural ecosystem supports life on earth.

Paragraph on Nature 3 (200 words)

Nature refers to the natural resources and natural surroundings. The life species in nature are interrelated and create balance in nature. They form a natural food chain through which energy is passed to all the species. The series of organisms in which each organism feeds on the one below it in the sequence is called the food chain in natural ecosystem. Food chain includes several plants, organisms, animals and other living species. This natural food chain is the source of energy for the forest species. The energy is passed from one creature to the other which helps them grow and survive.

For example in forest deer feeds on the grass and green plants and the tiger feeds on the deer. Plants get their energy form sunlight and nutrients from soil. Deer is herbivores animal. Herbivores animals depend on plants for energy and are vegetarians. Tiger is carnivorous animal. Carnivorous animals eat herbivores and sometimes other carnivorous for energy. So there is a whole chain that includes plants, herbivores, carnivorous and plants consume energy from sunlight. And there are lots of animals that eat plants and meat both. These are called omnivorous animals. For instance, black beer is an omnivorous animal. Some omnivorous also eat dead animals and those are called scavengers. Thus, the chain goes on.

All the species on earth are important for the survival of entire series of organisms and to balance the natural cycle.

Paragraph on Nature 4 (250 words)

The beauty of nature is unimaginable. Everyone is attracted by nature’s beauty and diversity. There are several natural attractions in different parts of the world. People have always appreciated and valued the beauty of nature. They travel far and wide to enjoy this scenic natural beauty.

Natural Tourism

Natural tourism refers to the tourism to areas of natural attractions. Natural attractions include mountains, rivers, beaches, wood lands etc. that also include diverse life forms of plants, birds and animals. There are several natural attractions shaped by the unique natural features of surrounding environment. People escape away to these destinations to enjoy nature, relax and perform adventurous activities.

These tourists are interested in the diversity of nature. There are several places in India where people travel to enjoy nature. These include Shimla, Kerala, Kullu, Manali, Ooty and Port Blair to name a few. Internationally also people travel to Singapore, Switzerland, Russia and various other places. Every place is unique and has diverse nature for tourists to enjoy. The diversity of nature is massive. The beauty of nature is not limited to certain areas but is wide spread all over the world and there are diverse natural attractions in different regions.

However where ever we travel we should travel in a responsible manner and should not damage the environment and avoid throwing away waste and trash on the roads and public places to maintain the cleanliness. We should protect and care for the nature and natural surroundings as we all want to preserve the beauty and richness of nature for future generations.

Paragraph on Nature 5 (300 words)

Nature includes the natural and physical world including animals, birds, landscapes and other features and creations that exist on earth independent human creations.

Beauty of Nature

When we observe and feel the beauty of nature it has such a tranquil and soothing effect on our mind, body and soul. It has a lasting effect on our senses and gives an amazing feeling of refreshment and delight. When we think of the beauty of nature we immediately think of the scenic and visual beauty of nature, like the soaring mountains, tranquil rivers, greeneries of trees, colors of rainbow, butterflies and birds, and the blossoming flowers. Everything about nature gives us the feeling of pleasure.

Nature is beautiful not because it meets our several needs but because of the way all these natural forms render the feeling of bliss and help us connect with our true selves. The experience of this natural beauty diverse and intense is the heart of nature. Every part of nature is beautiful and unique in itself. Every single moment God is painting the new stroke of beauty in nature. Nature’s beauty is revealed everywhere around us all the time. Morning dew on the velvet green grass, the flowers falling from the tree in the backyard, the sparrow building its nest on the tree, butterflies here and there – everything is nature’s beauty. Nature is alive, expressive and fruitful.

Nature is an art performing and evolving all the time so beautifully. The connection with nature has a calming effect that heals us. The freshness and purity of nature rejuvenates us. When we experience solitude in nature we feel real peace and tranquility of nature. One needs to lose deep in to the nature to feel the heart of nature. The beauty and richness of nature is beyond words and beyond imagination.

Paragraph on Nature 6 (350 words)

The most interesting fact about nature is the diversity of nature. It is the true beauty of nature. The diversity in nature has important role to play in the lifecycle on earth. The variety of life species on the earth is known as biodiversity of nature. It refers to the diversity of plants, animals, organisms, birds, bees etc. It also includes small microorganisms, fungi, algae, bacteria and many other insects and tiny creatures. It encompasses the diverse nature of ecosystem such as forests, desserts, mountains, rainforests and oceans. All are these are a part of nature.

Nature comprises of the connection between the life species, their habitat, their activities, living conditions and survival process. Biodiversity is measured higher in the tropical and floristic regions. The best studied species are mostly the large mammals. The diversity in nature cannot be measured in figures but all the living species large or tiny have an important role to play in nature. Biodiversity is responsible for balanced ecosystem. The spread of biodiversity varies across the globe depending on the soil, temperature, rainfall, altitude and geography.

Benefits of Biodiversity

• More number of plant species provides us with greater variety of crops.
• The diversity of species ensures the sustainability of all the species.
• Healthy ecosystem can withstand several natural disasters.
• Plants ensure remineralization and increase soil nutrients.
• Plants provide us with food, medicinal resources, wood products, plants, diversity in genes and various species.
• The social benefits of biodiversity are research, education, tourism, recreation and more.
• It helps protect and preserve our water resources.
• The biodiversity of organisms and fungi is important in the decomposing of waste.
• Birds and butterflies play important role in seed dispersal and fertilization.
• Biodiversity plays important role in absorbing and reducing pollution.

Biodiversity is valuable to humans. Biodiversity forms the base of infinite economic services that contribute to overall well-being of humans. Growth in population and economic development has led to inefficient use of biodiversity. Biodiversity has threats from human activities. Exploiting biodiversity can cause loss of species important for natural balance. Preservation and sustainable use of biodiversity is vital. Biodiversity is a gift from nature and we all should shield and protect it from further harm.

Paragraph on Nature 7 (400 words)

Nature refers to the natural resources, plants, animals and other forms of living and non living things that exist naturally in the universe. One very important part of nature is the wildlife. Nature includes rich and diverse wildlife. Wildlife mostly refers to the undomesticated animal species, but also comprises other species like plant, fungi and other organisms that exist and penetrate independent of human intrusion. Wildlife is present in the entire ecosystem including forests, deserts, rainforests and grasslands. Diverse forms of wildlife can be found in these areas.

Some animals are domesticated by human beings. Human beings also use animals for personal activities or entertainment and serve them as pets taking them away from their natural habitat. Animals are also caged in the zoo for public display and this disrupts their skills to hunt their meals independently and survive wild in the nature. In modern times, interest and concern for natural environment has seen a rise. Many activists have objected to the exploitation of wildlife for human benefits.

Threats to Nature and Wildlife

• Global Warming: Global warming is raising the temperature of the climate on earth and is responsible for severe natural calamities like flood, hurricanes, droughts, etc. This also causes danger to our natural environment, adding pressure to our wildlife species and their habitat. Global warming can cause loss of several wild life species.
• Overuse of Wildlife: Due to rise in population there is upsurge in use of wildlife and plant species by human beings for food, clothing, medicine, pets and several other purposes. If we use more than the nature could supply then some of the species might get exploited completely.
• Deforestation: Due to personal needs, urbanization and development humans are clearing away forests. Forests are important for the natural cycle of ecosystem in which several animals feed on plants. It leads to the loss of habitat of several species. Forests are also important to reduce the effects of global warming as trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen in the atmosphere.
• Hunting and Poaching: Human beings hunt and poach animals for personal benefits which endangers the wildlife. Forest management should be strict and precise to deal with the issue.

Wildlife is important part of nature and helps balance the natural environment. The main aim of wildlife conservation is to save and preserve the wildlife for the future generations to enjoy. Wildlife conservation has become an important practice as human activities have affected wildlife negatively. Several programs are initiated by government for wildlife conservation. There are many government agencies and NGO’s working for wildlife conservation. Various campaigns and NGO’s are promoting the causes of wildlife conservation to protect nature as a whole.

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Assignment on Nature

Nature is the most comprehensive subject of science. It encompasses the broadest concept of material, natural and physical science. It highlights every aspect of natural phenomena present in the environment and the world. So, when a student is asked to prepare a detailed assignment on nature, they find trouble doing it. To ease down their struggle, Researchomatic provides a large collection of valuable nature assignment topics, written by our qualified panel of writers having specialization on the subject. They incorporate most recent approaches and discoveries highlighting complex concepts and terminologies. You can be sure to receive a masterpiece when we are here to serve you.

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• Speech on Nature

Long Speech on Nature

Good morning everyone. I, ABC (mention your name), would like to thank everyone present here for letting me share my views on nature.

Nature means the natural world. Our earth is made up of water, soils, air, mountains, plants, and animals. Earth is the only known planet in our Solar System that has life and has a suitable climate to support it. Environment, atmosphere, and climate are constituents of nature. Nature consists of living as well as non-living things, and all these things are an integral part of it. Even the smallest of creatures, like microorganisms, are a significant part of nature. Life on the earth is possible only because of favourable natural conditions.

Nature has many wonders that aren’t changed by human exercises at all or those that exist even with human intervention. All the living and non-living components of nature are dependent on each other, and are collectively called an Ecosystem. An ecosystem consists of several elements; one of its main elements is the Atmosphere.  Air is the layer of gases that covers the earth. Gases that together form the air are nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and water droplets. Every gas has a different purpose in our environment, like the Ozone layer protecting us from the dangerous UV radiations. Just like air, water is also an important component of nature. Our earth is covered with large water bodies, like seas and oceans. Seas, as we all know, are made of saltwater. They cover 71 percent of earth’s natural surface. All marine life exists inside the sea biological system.

Water on the earth's surface is also present in the form of lakes, streams, ponds, and rivers. Lakes are mainly used for transportation as waterways. Streams provide us with freshwater. Rivers originate in the mountains and provide water for irrigating farmlands. Thus, water plays a huge role in the existence of mankind, just like any other element of nature, but we are threatening the natural resources that have given us so much.

To make life simpler, we have always been dependent on nature and its resources. But for our benefit, we have started ruining our world. Practises like deforestation, contamination of water bodies, and excess plastic usage are threatening our very existence. The marine system is in danger because of contamination. Depletion of the Ozone layer is posing a great threat for humankind in the form of skin cancer and various other diseases. The world’s average temperature is rising day by day, and the weather cycle is not following regular patterns. Lush green forests have been cleared to make space for building towns and houses. In the name of development, we are hurting our natural resources. We must control our habits, lest nature will.

I would like to end my speech by saying that we should think about our condition. We must avoid using plastic and plant as many trees as possible, start using public transport often, and switch to electric vehicles.

Thank you for giving your valuable time.

Short speech on Nature

Nature is everything present around us. Human beings depend on nature for fulfilling their needs. It provides the humans, animals, and all the living beings on the earth a place to survive.

Nature helps in sustaining our life. As we all know, nature is very important for human life, but our greediness is destroying it. For millions of years, we have been dependent on nature for everything. Even today, our requirements are met by nature only. Nature is a boon given to us, as it supports life on earth. Nature gives us forests, which are the lungs of Earth.

In the name of growth and development, we are exhausting our natural resources and, in turn, exposing our mother earth to great dangers. Forests have been destroyed, rivers have been polluted, and vast open fields have been consumed for buildings and factories. We are destroying our nature by hunting down animals, cutting down trees, releasing poisonous gases into the atmosphere, and polluting rivers.

Due to such activities, our rivers are going dry, plants are dying, as well as species are being eliminated. Today, our biggest problem is global warming, which has a serious impact on our environment. So we must take care of our environment at all costs. In the end, I would like to request you all to become responsible global citizens and contribute to saving our planet in whichever way possible.

Conservation of nature is another important issue. Various governments are employing various ways to conserve nature, individuals must also play their part to save nature. Therefore, we must plant more and more trees, restrict the use of paper, and stop wasting water and electricity. We also need to put a stop to ill practises, like the hunting of animals. Also, we must go for rainwater harvesting systems. If everyone plays his/her part, we can contribute hugely to the conservation of nature.

FAQs on Speech on Nature

How can we help to conserve energy?

We must focus on energy consumption. Therefore, switch off electrical equipment when there is no use. Do not use personal vehicles, and use public transportation more often. We should prefer bicycles for travelling shorter distances. With these simple yet effective measures, everyone can contribute greatly towards saving our nature from further damage.

Understanding Assignments

What this handout is about.

The first step in any successful college writing venture is reading the assignment. While this sounds like a simple task, it can be a tough one. This handout will help you unravel your assignment and begin to craft an effective response. Much of the following advice will involve translating typical assignment terms and practices into meaningful clues to the type of writing your instructor expects. See our short video for more tips.

Basic beginnings

Regardless of the assignment, department, or instructor, adopting these two habits will serve you well :

• Read the assignment carefully as soon as you receive it. Do not put this task off—reading the assignment at the beginning will save you time, stress, and problems later. An assignment can look pretty straightforward at first, particularly if the instructor has provided lots of information. That does not mean it will not take time and effort to complete; you may even have to learn a new skill to complete the assignment.
• Ask the instructor about anything you do not understand. Do not hesitate to approach your instructor. Instructors would prefer to set you straight before you hand the paper in. That’s also when you will find their feedback most useful.

Assignment formats

Many assignments follow a basic format. Assignments often begin with an overview of the topic, include a central verb or verbs that describe the task, and offer some additional suggestions, questions, or prompts to get you started.

An Overview of Some Kind

The instructor might set the stage with some general discussion of the subject of the assignment, introduce the topic, or remind you of something pertinent that you have discussed in class. For example:

“Throughout history, gerbils have played a key role in politics,” or “In the last few weeks of class, we have focused on the evening wear of the housefly …”

The Task of the Assignment

Pay attention; this part tells you what to do when you write the paper. Look for the key verb or verbs in the sentence. Words like analyze, summarize, or compare direct you to think about your topic in a certain way. Also pay attention to words such as how, what, when, where, and why; these words guide your attention toward specific information. (See the section in this handout titled “Key Terms” for more information.)

“Analyze the effect that gerbils had on the Russian Revolution”, or “Suggest an interpretation of housefly undergarments that differs from Darwin’s.”

Additional Material to Think about

Here you will find some questions to use as springboards as you begin to think about the topic. Instructors usually include these questions as suggestions rather than requirements. Do not feel compelled to answer every question unless the instructor asks you to do so. Pay attention to the order of the questions. Sometimes they suggest the thinking process your instructor imagines you will need to follow to begin thinking about the topic.

“You may wish to consider the differing views held by Communist gerbils vs. Monarchist gerbils, or Can there be such a thing as ‘the housefly garment industry’ or is it just a home-based craft?”

These are the instructor’s comments about writing expectations:

“Be concise”, “Write effectively”, or “Argue furiously.”

Technical Details

These instructions usually indicate format rules or guidelines.

“Your paper must be typed in Palatino font on gray paper and must not exceed 600 pages. It is due on the anniversary of Mao Tse-tung’s death.”

The assignment’s parts may not appear in exactly this order, and each part may be very long or really short. Nonetheless, being aware of this standard pattern can help you understand what your instructor wants you to do.

Interpreting the assignment

Ask yourself a few basic questions as you read and jot down the answers on the assignment sheet:

Why did your instructor ask you to do this particular task?

Who is your audience.

• What kind of evidence do you need to support your ideas?

What kind of writing style is acceptable?

• What are the absolute rules of the paper?

Try to look at the question from the point of view of the instructor. Recognize that your instructor has a reason for giving you this assignment and for giving it to you at a particular point in the semester. In every assignment, the instructor has a challenge for you. This challenge could be anything from demonstrating an ability to think clearly to demonstrating an ability to use the library. See the assignment not as a vague suggestion of what to do but as an opportunity to show that you can handle the course material as directed. Paper assignments give you more than a topic to discuss—they ask you to do something with the topic. Keep reminding yourself of that. Be careful to avoid the other extreme as well: do not read more into the assignment than what is there.

Of course, your instructor has given you an assignment so that he or she will be able to assess your understanding of the course material and give you an appropriate grade. But there is more to it than that. Your instructor has tried to design a learning experience of some kind. Your instructor wants you to think about something in a particular way for a particular reason. If you read the course description at the beginning of your syllabus, review the assigned readings, and consider the assignment itself, you may begin to see the plan, purpose, or approach to the subject matter that your instructor has created for you. If you still aren’t sure of the assignment’s goals, try asking the instructor. For help with this, see our handout on getting feedback .

Given your instructor’s efforts, it helps to answer the question: What is my purpose in completing this assignment? Is it to gather research from a variety of outside sources and present a coherent picture? Is it to take material I have been learning in class and apply it to a new situation? Is it to prove a point one way or another? Key words from the assignment can help you figure this out. Look for key terms in the form of active verbs that tell you what to do.

Key Terms: Finding Those Active Verbs

Here are some common key words and definitions to help you think about assignment terms:

Information words Ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why.

• define —give the subject’s meaning (according to someone or something). Sometimes you have to give more than one view on the subject’s meaning
• describe —provide details about the subject by answering question words (such as who, what, when, where, how, and why); you might also give details related to the five senses (what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell)
• explain —give reasons why or examples of how something happened
• illustrate —give descriptive examples of the subject and show how each is connected with the subject
• summarize —briefly list the important ideas you learned about the subject
• trace —outline how something has changed or developed from an earlier time to its current form
• research —gather material from outside sources about the subject, often with the implication or requirement that you will analyze what you have found

Relation words Ask you to demonstrate how things are connected.

• compare —show how two or more things are similar (and, sometimes, different)
• contrast —show how two or more things are dissimilar
• apply—use details that you’ve been given to demonstrate how an idea, theory, or concept works in a particular situation
• cause —show how one event or series of events made something else happen
• relate —show or describe the connections between things

Interpretation words Ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Do not see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation.

• assess —summarize your opinion of the subject and measure it against something
• prove, justify —give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is the truth
• evaluate, respond —state your opinion of the subject as good, bad, or some combination of the two, with examples and reasons
• support —give reasons or evidence for something you believe (be sure to state clearly what it is that you believe)
• synthesize —put two or more things together that have not been put together in class or in your readings before; do not just summarize one and then the other and say that they are similar or different—you must provide a reason for putting them together that runs all the way through the paper
• analyze —determine how individual parts create or relate to the whole, figure out how something works, what it might mean, or why it is important
• argue —take a side and defend it with evidence against the other side

More Clues to Your Purpose As you read the assignment, think about what the teacher does in class:

• What kinds of textbooks or coursepack did your instructor choose for the course—ones that provide background information, explain theories or perspectives, or argue a point of view?
• In lecture, does your instructor ask your opinion, try to prove her point of view, or use keywords that show up again in the assignment?
• What kinds of assignments are typical in this discipline? Social science classes often expect more research. Humanities classes thrive on interpretation and analysis.
• How do the assignments, readings, and lectures work together in the course? Instructors spend time designing courses, sometimes even arguing with their peers about the most effective course materials. Figuring out the overall design to the course will help you understand what each assignment is meant to achieve.

Now, what about your reader? Most undergraduates think of their audience as the instructor. True, your instructor is a good person to keep in mind as you write. But for the purposes of a good paper, think of your audience as someone like your roommate: smart enough to understand a clear, logical argument, but not someone who already knows exactly what is going on in your particular paper. Remember, even if the instructor knows everything there is to know about your paper topic, he or she still has to read your paper and assess your understanding. In other words, teach the material to your reader.

Aiming a paper at your audience happens in two ways: you make decisions about the tone and the level of information you want to convey.

• Tone means the “voice” of your paper. Should you be chatty, formal, or objective? Usually you will find some happy medium—you do not want to alienate your reader by sounding condescending or superior, but you do not want to, um, like, totally wig on the man, you know? Eschew ostentatious erudition: some students think the way to sound academic is to use big words. Be careful—you can sound ridiculous, especially if you use the wrong big words.
• The level of information you use depends on who you think your audience is. If you imagine your audience as your instructor and she already knows everything you have to say, you may find yourself leaving out key information that can cause your argument to be unconvincing and illogical. But you do not have to explain every single word or issue. If you are telling your roommate what happened on your favorite science fiction TV show last night, you do not say, “First a dark-haired white man of average height, wearing a suit and carrying a flashlight, walked into the room. Then a purple alien with fifteen arms and at least three eyes turned around. Then the man smiled slightly. In the background, you could hear a clock ticking. The room was fairly dark and had at least two windows that I saw.” You also do not say, “This guy found some aliens. The end.” Find some balance of useful details that support your main point.

You’ll find a much more detailed discussion of these concepts in our handout on audience .

The Grim Truth

With a few exceptions (including some lab and ethnography reports), you are probably being asked to make an argument. You must convince your audience. It is easy to forget this aim when you are researching and writing; as you become involved in your subject matter, you may become enmeshed in the details and focus on learning or simply telling the information you have found. You need to do more than just repeat what you have read. Your writing should have a point, and you should be able to say it in a sentence. Sometimes instructors call this sentence a “thesis” or a “claim.”

So, if your instructor tells you to write about some aspect of oral hygiene, you do not want to just list: “First, you brush your teeth with a soft brush and some peanut butter. Then, you floss with unwaxed, bologna-flavored string. Finally, gargle with bourbon.” Instead, you could say, “Of all the oral cleaning methods, sandblasting removes the most plaque. Therefore it should be recommended by the American Dental Association.” Or, “From an aesthetic perspective, moldy teeth can be quite charming. However, their joys are short-lived.”

Convincing the reader of your argument is the goal of academic writing. It doesn’t have to say “argument” anywhere in the assignment for you to need one. Look at the assignment and think about what kind of argument you could make about it instead of just seeing it as a checklist of information you have to present. For help with understanding the role of argument in academic writing, see our handout on argument .

What kind of evidence do you need?

There are many kinds of evidence, and what type of evidence will work for your assignment can depend on several factors–the discipline, the parameters of the assignment, and your instructor’s preference. Should you use statistics? Historical examples? Do you need to conduct your own experiment? Can you rely on personal experience? See our handout on evidence for suggestions on how to use evidence appropriately.

Make sure you are clear about this part of the assignment, because your use of evidence will be crucial in writing a successful paper. You are not just learning how to argue; you are learning how to argue with specific types of materials and ideas. Ask your instructor what counts as acceptable evidence. You can also ask a librarian for help. No matter what kind of evidence you use, be sure to cite it correctly—see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial .

You cannot always tell from the assignment just what sort of writing style your instructor expects. The instructor may be really laid back in class but still expect you to sound formal in writing. Or the instructor may be fairly formal in class and ask you to write a reflection paper where you need to use “I” and speak from your own experience.

Try to avoid false associations of a particular field with a style (“art historians like wacky creativity,” or “political scientists are boring and just give facts”) and look instead to the types of readings you have been given in class. No one expects you to write like Plato—just use the readings as a guide for what is standard or preferable to your instructor. When in doubt, ask your instructor about the level of formality she or he expects.

No matter what field you are writing for or what facts you are including, if you do not write so that your reader can understand your main idea, you have wasted your time. So make clarity your main goal. For specific help with style, see our handout on style .

Technical details about the assignment

The technical information you are given in an assignment always seems like the easy part. This section can actually give you lots of little hints about approaching the task. Find out if elements such as page length and citation format (see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial ) are negotiable. Some professors do not have strong preferences as long as you are consistent and fully answer the assignment. Some professors are very specific and will deduct big points for deviations.

Usually, the page length tells you something important: The instructor thinks the size of the paper is appropriate to the assignment’s parameters. In plain English, your instructor is telling you how many pages it should take for you to answer the question as fully as you are expected to. So if an assignment is two pages long, you cannot pad your paper with examples or reword your main idea several times. Hit your one point early, defend it with the clearest example, and finish quickly. If an assignment is ten pages long, you can be more complex in your main points and examples—and if you can only produce five pages for that assignment, you need to see someone for help—as soon as possible.

Tricks that don’t work

Your instructors are not fooled when you:

• spend more time on the cover page than the essay —graphics, cool binders, and cute titles are no replacement for a well-written paper.
• use huge fonts, wide margins, or extra spacing to pad the page length —these tricks are immediately obvious to the eye. Most instructors use the same word processor you do. They know what’s possible. Such tactics are especially damning when the instructor has a stack of 60 papers to grade and yours is the only one that low-flying airplane pilots could read.
• use a paper from another class that covered “sort of similar” material . Again, the instructor has a particular task for you to fulfill in the assignment that usually relates to course material and lectures. Your other paper may not cover this material, and turning in the same paper for more than one course may constitute an Honor Code violation . Ask the instructor—it can’t hurt.
• get all wacky and “creative” before you answer the question . Showing that you are able to think beyond the boundaries of a simple assignment can be good, but you must do what the assignment calls for first. Again, check with your instructor. A humorous tone can be refreshing for someone grading a stack of papers, but it will not get you a good grade if you have not fulfilled the task.

Critical reading of assignments leads to skills in other types of reading and writing. If you get good at figuring out what the real goals of assignments are, you are going to be better at understanding the goals of all of your classes and fields of study.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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