Bridges to the Natural World - Habitat Passport Program

New Jersey Audubon Society feels that experiential, hands-on exploration of the natural world is key to understanding environmental interactions.  The "habitat passport" program not only encourages place-based outdoor learning, but recognizes the efforts of schools, teachers, parents and students who participate in this form of nature discovery education.

• Learn how to keep a nature journal.

• The Natural Science Award for the school.

• Junior Naturalist certificate for students and children.

• Download the habitat passport.

• Download the habitat activity log.

• View habitat impressions from student journals.

HOW TO KEEP A JOURNAL Keeping a record of observations can play a significant role in helping students remember what was unique about each habitat. It is recommended that a portion of the time spent at each site be given to creating a journal. Drawing or writing in nature provides a personal, illustrated record of a special event in the student's life. Nature becomes the teacher, unfolding lessons that can be taught only when paying careful attention to lines that define an object or choosing words that describe a scene.

Ideally...

Each student should have a pencil, paper, and a clipboard. At a given signal, they disperse within a designated area and are allowed to spend time alone, reflecting and recording. The teacher circulates among the students, offering assistance as needed.

But if time is limited...

After a habitat site has been visited the teacher directs the students to reflect on the experience.

Suggestions:

• What animals were seen?
• What were they doing?
• What plants were seen?
• How were they arranged?
• Describe something that was: beautiful, ugly, joyous, scary, familiar, comforting, disturbing.
• Why will your visit to this habitat be memorable?

Each student should record personal reflections on at least one page. Reflections may be written, drawn, or used in combination. We encourage teachers to duplicate the drawings and lists of flora and fauna from each habitat chapter and distribute them to the students.* The booklet, accompanied by the personal journal, can become a personal guide to New Jersey's natural treasures.

Journals submitted for New Jersey Audubon Society's JUNIOR NATURALIST AWARD must have a cover sheet that includes the student's name and address in addition to his or her school and its address. Journals will be returned to the students after review.

*NB: Photocopying for the purpose of student participation in this activity does not violate copyright.

NATURAL SCIENCE AWARD for the SCHOOL  This certificate is given to the school in recognition of their support in the Habitat Passport program.

Using the Habitat Passport

Send a single class to study at least ten of the described habitats in Bridges.  Make a class copy of the NJAS Habitat Passport  to keep track of the habitats your class visits.  At the end of each field trip, fill in the name of the habitat(s) studied and present the passport to the teacher-naturalist of the park or nature center to sign. If the field trip is on the school grounds, neighborhood site, or local natural area where there is no teacher-naturalist, a school administrator or teacher may sign the passport.  On completing the requirements, the school should send the passport to the nearest New Jersey Audubon Society center with a request for the award certificate.  Optional:  Submit student journals (and a typed list of all student names) along with the Habitat Passport.

Using the Schoolyard or Neighborhood 

Engage students in schoolyard and local neighborhood investigations as a regular part of curriculum studies. Spend at least ten days or 50 hours of the school year investigating an outdoor natural area.  Keep a Habitat Activity Log for each outdoor investigation with a brief description of the student's investigations. On completing the requirements, the school should send the log to the nearest New Jersey Audubon Society center with a request for the award certificate. Optional:  Submit student journals (and a typed list of all student names) along with the Habitat Passport.

JUNIOR NATURALIST AWARDS for the STUDENT or CHILD

Using the Habitat Passport

Students should complete and submit a personal journal  of their impressions about the uniqueness of at least ten habitats they have visited.  (See "How to Keep a Journal") The journal should be submitted along with a completed Habitat Passport to the nearest NJAS center.  Journals may not include duplications of the habitat illustrations taken from Bridges to the Natural World.  All work must be original or contain original responses to teacher or parent-led activities.  

Using the Schoolyard or Neighborhood

Students whose investigations reflect a single area are required to keep a journal that documents that site throughout the seasons or during a designated period of time. Journals must contain at least ten pages of reflections but may not include duplications of the habitat illustrations taken from Bridges to the Natural World.  All work must be original or contain original responses to teacher or parent-led activities.

Note:  All journals and certificates will be processed and sent back to students in a timely manner. Send a typed list of the students with a $5.00 check payable to NJAS for postage and handling.

HABITAT PASSPORT

Here is the Habitat Passport, in PDF format. It is approximately 20 KB in size. You can save this file to a disk, or print it. You will need the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader to open and read this file -- you can download this free software utility by clicking here.

HABITAT ACTIVITY LOG

Here is the Habitat Activity Log, in PDF format. It is approximately 20 KB in size. You can save this file to a disk, or print it. You will need the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader to open and read this file -- you can download this free software utility by clicking here.

For additional information, call, write or email
 NJAS Department of Education
 Center for Research and Education
 600 Route 47 North
 Cape May Court House, NJ  08210
  (609) 861-0700  

New Jersey Audubon Society (NJAS) is a statewide, not-for-profit, membership organization committed to preserving New Jersey’s habitats and species biodiversity.  We invite your support through membership and participation in our programs.