Hobbies And Interests
Time-of-Day Journals
Keep a journal of the animals sighted during daily or weekly walks in local woodland or park space. Make a note of each creature sighted, what it looked like and what it was doing. When walks are taken at the same time each day, the habits of animals becomes easier to see. Individual animals may become more familiar since they occupy the same area each day. Observers may notice certain animals may only be out at in the morning or in the evening. Spend a few weeks taking walks at different times of the day and spend a few weeks taking walks at the same time. Compare journal entries about the animals and animal habits seen at these times to learn more about the daily habits of these creatures.
Seasonal Journals
Create a seasonal creature journal chronicling year-round animal sightings. Divide the journal into four sections for the four seasons. Keep the journal by windows or take the journal on walks. Write down the animals sighted and what they were doing. Also make note of the number of young animals seen in the spring and summer months. Compare notes about animals seen in the summer with animals in the winter. This type of creature journal helps children and adults learn about the yearly cycle of animal life, including eating habits, habitat building and breeding.
Habitat Journal
Habitat journals focus on the places where animals are sighted. This type of journal involves notes about the environment in which animals are seen. Take trips to various habitat locations such as woodlands, grasslands, desert, wetlands, ocean, lake or stream. Make detailed notes about the various animals sighted there. Compare what kind of animals live in the diverse environments and note how the creature is specially adapted to its the habitat. Bring a field guide, such as Peterson's Field Guides, on these trips in order to identify the bird, mammal or amphibian species that occupy different habitats.
Sketch Journal
Creature sketch journals improve observational habits and patience when watching animals. This type of journal involves making pen or pencil sketches of animals in a sketchbook. Sit still and observe the animal before sketching. Pay close attention to the way the creature moves and what kind of activity it is engaged. The creature could be grooming, eating or habitat building. Make notes of these things by the sketch. This type of journal works well for adults and children who are visual learners or who have a proclivity for the arts.
Item Journal
An item journal is much like a natural scrapbook. This type of journal includes collecting natural samples of animal evidence along with notes about the type of animal that possibly left such evidence. Animals often leave behind evidence of their presence including bird feathers, snake skins, small bones, empty nests and partially eaten plants. Collect the evidence creatures have left behind and press these items into the journal. Larger items can be kept in a box along with notes connecting them to the journal entry the correspond with. Noting where the item was found and the possible animal it is from helps journal writers realize how animals interact with their environment.