Mindfulness in Nature
Authored by Ariel Campos, Eliza Clarke, & Madison Vilhauer
Recommended Grade: 10th+
A mindfulness activity to practice managing and reflecting on stress. Participants mediate in a natural then highly-altered stretch of creek, and compare the two experiences. This activity highlights mindfulness in nature as an easy way to curb stress and develops stewardship in participants.
Utah Core Standards
Health Sciences - Standard HII.MEH.1
Earth Sciences - Standard ESS.4.1
Materials
Notebook
Pen or pencil
Discussion Questions
How can mindfulness in nature reduce stress?
Why are natural spaces important for mental health?
Lesson Plan
Begin at a natural stretch of creek. Ask participants to mentally identify sources of stress.
Spend three minutes quietly reflecting on surroundings. Ask: What do you hear? What do you smell? What do you see? Encourage participants to take deep breaths. Discuss the state of the creek. Are there any visible alterations?
Participants write a short paragraph about experience, including stress levels before and after and drawing and describing the creek.
Repeat at a highly-altered or buried stretch of creek.
Participants write a paragraph comparing the two experiences. Discuss how mindfulness influenced their stress. Reflect on how the two settings changed their experience and why access to nature is important.
Background
Teens experience higher average stress levels than adults. To make matters worse, many do not engage in stress management practices. High stress levels contribute to depression and changes in sleep and eating, among many other physical and mental side effects [01]. Teen should learn and practice stress reduction techniques in nature.
In urban areas, waterways are often channelized, degraded, or buried in underground culverts. Our built environments remove access to nature as an outlet for stress management. This activity builds stewardship as participants see the numerous benefits of our streams and natural spaces.
“Greater access to green views and green environments yields better cognitive functioning; more proactive, more effective patterns of life functioning; more self-discipline and more impulse control; greater mental health overall; and greater resilience in response to stressful life events.”
Feedback
Did you use the curriculum? What did you think? Share your feedback to help us improve and refine this activity.
Sources
Bethune, Teen stress rivals that of adults (2014).
Kuo, Parks and other green environments: Essential components of a healthy human (2010).
