Teachers, save “Minnesota Zoo: Biomes, Habitats, and Eco…” to assign it to your class.

Let's spend time observing the environment and ecosystem around us. Get an adult's permission to go outside and observe your environment, otherwise make your observations by looking out of a window of your home. You can jot your observations on a piece of paper or on your mobile device. 1. Find a distraction-free place in nature to sit quietly for 10 minutes. Pay attention to your senses. - What do you see, hear, smell, and feel? - What living and non-living things do you see? - Jot this information down. 2. Tap to add this activity. 3. Tap to add your notes: - Add the date, time, weather, and location of your observation. - Describe living and non-living things you observe. - How are these things interacting? - Did your presence affect the living things around you? How? - What else did you notice about yourself or that ecosystem? 4. Use the mic to share your observations. 5. Tap the check to add to your journal. Optional: Have your family do this activity with you? Did you notice the same things? Draw a map of the living and non-living things around you. Family Why: This activity encourages observation skills and paying attention to the world around us in a new way. Observation skills are foundational to scientific exploration.