Nurtured by Nature

• Overview:

In this project, students will explore the connections between mental health and nature. In addition to researching how nature (and the lack thereof) affects the brain and mental health, students will learn about healing plants used in cultures around the world to help ease mental health challenges. Through this project, students will discover links between nature, plants, and mental health while collecting mental health "cures" from around the world.

There is potential for a math/science collaboration in this project.

• Essential Question

  • What impact does the natural world have on mental health?

  • What plants have a healing impact on our bodies and brains?

  • How can learning about healing practices from around the world improve our ability to navigate mental health challenges?

• Key Product

  • Our class will plant a garden of healing plants on the school campus.

  • We will publish a magazine to share out to the school community compiling students' research in the form of informational articles, recipes, visual information (maps, images, and charts/graphs), and narratives commentating on personal experiences.

• Key Learning Goal

  • Students will learn note-taking strategies and research effectively. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.7) (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.8)

  • Students will integrate visual information (charts, graphs, photographs, maps) with other information in print or digital texts. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7)

  • Students will write informative texts to examine the topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2)

• Possible Anchor Texts

  • "Nurtured by Nature," APA.org

  • "The Nature Fix" by Florence Williams