I had the pleasure of working with Meridian School kindergartners this year, teaching a series of nature journaling workshops. We just had our final session, the last of four spread out over the seasons. Each workshop included two visits, one hour indoors and one outdoors. While exploring the seasons and local garden, we practiced fundamental tools for observation, from using our senses, to seeing both positive and negative shapes, color mixing, mood, and temperature, and working with watercolor. I also took them on a virtual sketching expedition to Greenland!

For our workshops, the teachers created a set of nature journals out of recycled binders (inspired by the Art Toolkit) for each student with a small set of crayons, pencil, and ruler.

Over the course of the year, the binders filled up with observations and explorations.

I also gave each student a creative license, inspired by my first grade teacher Aki Kurose, who was an proponent for art, science, and peace. A big thank you to the students and teachers for their enthusiasm and interest, and I hope everyone has a fantastic summer and keeps exploring!