Nature Writing
Authored by Eliza Clarke & Paisley Rekdal
Recommended Grade: 9th+
Participants navigate a waterway through observation. They will express themselves and the unique identity of the creek through writing. Ultimately, they will understand the integral role our waterways play in the Salt Lake Valley.
Utah Core Standards
English Language Arts - Standard W.3
English Language Arts - Standard W.10
Social Studies - Standard WG.1.2
Materials
Notebook
Pen or pencil
Discussion Questions
What does observation reveal about our waterways?
How can poetry express the importance of waterways for people, plants, and wildlife?
Lesson Plan
Pick a section of creek to walk.
Take notes of observations and answer the following:
What do you see, hear, and smell?
Is there industry along the waterway? Who works, lives, and plays here?
Are there other people? What are they doing? How are they interacting?
Do you see wildlife?
Do you have memories or associations here? What are they?
What histories, myths, or legends do you associate with here?
What does this waterway mean to the surrounding space? What does it mean to you?
How can a poem be like this waterway?
Take your notes and write a poem, paragraph, or short story about this creek.
Publish your story on the My Canyon Creeks websites. Click here to learn more.
Background
Nature writing allows for pause, reflection, and contemplation. Intentional observation, followed by writing, examines our natural relationships more deeply. It allows us to understand the uniqueness of our surroundings.
“We will love the earth more competently, more effectively, by being able to name and know something about the life it sustains.”
Feedback
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