Schoolyard animal journal
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Enrichment; teachers adapt to pupils and school conditions. Observe from a distance without catching, touching, feeding or disturbing animals.
- The teacher selects a safe schoolyard location, time and boundary. Observe with supervision; use photographs or videos if an outdoor activity is unsuitable.
- Observe from a distance. Do not catch, touch, chase, feed or approach animal nests. Stop and tell the teacher if a situation is unsafe.
- Record the date, duration, weather, animal features and number seen. Write “unidentified” when uncertain; do not guess a species.
- Compare observations with the same duration and location. The number seen is not the entire population; the same animal can be counted again.
- Discuss one difference, one possible explanation and one unknown. Do not publicly share pupil names or animal nest locations.
Observation sheet
Date / time / duration / weather / general area:
| Features or tentative name | Number seen | Behaviour / notes | Uncertainty |
|---|---|---|---|
Compare two observations
What differs? Were duration and location the same? Could there be another explanation?
Teacher notes
There is no required count or species answer. Assess complete notes, separation of evidence from assumptions, and conclusions consistent with observations. Counts seen are not population estimates.
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