Earth Stories Exchange

Asynchronous remote outdoor learning for all. Free.

Storytelling is an important part of an Upham Woods experience. Each participant writes a story about what they did and discovered. We have seen some truly creative and innovative reflections before. We miss the stories! The Earth Stories Exchange is simple. For more information and a submission form you can mail in check out this flyer.

We are available to discuss how the Earth Stories Exchange can be used to meet your classroom goals. You can ask students to address specific questions for us to answer or topics. We’re excited to share stories with you!

How to

Get outside! You can hike, build a fort, wander, go fishing – anything really.
Notice, observe, question everything around you, and write it down.
Create a story based on what you did!
Share your story by…
- emailing uphamwoods@extension.wisc.edu
- submitting it online here.
- sharing it to our Earth Stories Exchange Facebook group.
- snail mail it to us!

Upham Woods Naturalists

N194 County Rd N

Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965

We’ll send you a story back about what’s happening in our neck of the (Upham) woods! We will send you a story back through the channel you chose to submit to us unless you indicate otherwise.

Why share stories about nature and science?

Uniting storytelling and science emphasize relationships between the experience, narrator, and scientific data. These connections and self-centered discoveries lead to:

Deeper reflection on a scientific experience
Developing skills such as science communication
Creating a positive relationship between participant and science (Hougham et al., 2020).
Co-discovery for youth and adults
A multicultural and individualized approach inviting broader participation in science (Zocher & Hougham, 2020).

What should I do outside?

How do I do science outside?

Example of activity and potential data collection

Build a fort, go fishing, forage for morel mushrooms, sit in the sunshine, go on a hike, make a bird feeder, skip rocks on a pond, paddle in your canoe, hug a tree, garden, make a mud pie, pull the invasive species garlic mustard and watch this video to show you how. You can get up to tons of stuff – the world is waiting…

You can also look here for more ideas.

The Earth Stories Exchange is focusing on two parts of the scientific process: observation and question forming. Try to make sense of what’s happening around you.

At Upham Woods, we use inquiry activities to help jumpstart our observations. Inquiry activities are games that help you decide what to focus on or where to start observing.

Going on a hike.

I wonder if I’ll see more birds closer to my house or farther away… I have a bird feeder so I think I’ll see more close to my house.

As you hike count the number of birds you see and where! Write them down so you don’t forget.

Look at some stories below: