Zoom In, Zoom Out

Students investigate and draw an object in three scales (magnified, life size, and distant) and reflect on the kinds of observations made at each level.

Getting close to a subject reveals different details than those you see from a distance. Close up, micro textures, and fine details stand out. Standing back from a subject in nature, you begin to notice where it is in the environment, its relationship to other things around it, and its overall shape. This activity gives students a framework to intentionally record observations at close, medium, and long range. In the process, they will make varied observations about the subject and pick up the valuable tool of changing perspective, which they can apply in future journaling entries.