Chapter 13: Where Did My Food’s Food Come From?: Nature Journaling as a Tool For Meaning-Making In Photosynthesis

Students can sometimes get lost in the details of photosynthesis and the related chemical equations and fail to see the fundamental importance of these big science ideas to daily existence. This 5E series of middle-school life science lessons connect students’ lived experiences to a foundational understanding of photosynthesis. These learning experiences focus on the practical application of the process of photosynthesis and energy cycling through nature journaling in online instructional settings. Incorporating nature journals into science teaching is a way to support meaning-making through drawing and the scientific practices of observation, recording data, asking questions, and constructing explanations from evidence.