Has spring fever set in for your children? Is there more doodling going on than learning? Wait! It could be they are learning while they are doodling, just not in the traditional way. I’d like to explore how “doodling” and learning can go hand in hand.

One of my favorite authors is Lois Ehlert. Many of her books have simple pictures with few words that teach an enormous amount of subjects. Just examining the cover of Planting a Rainbow I see identifiable flowers in simple shapes. Leaves are depicted in various ways. Even the method of plant reproduction is painted simple yet true to form. This, along with a sketchbook, makes a great outdoor lesson plan. So let’s tell the students we’re going out today. Pack a snack and water bottle along with the drawing/painting tools. Take a wagon with gardening tools and seeds/plants/bulbs, etc. Plan to make a week of it.

Each page of Mrs. Ehlert’s book shows a stage in planting the rainbow; buying bulbs, ordering seeds, and planting times until the reader reaches the emerging flowers. Then the pages begin to show the variety of flowers found in each color. I love the way the pages are color-coded like a rainbow so the reader is able to look for the flowers that are in that color range. So how can students use this book and enjoy the learning process?

• Find flowers in your garden or in the wild that has similar shapes to those in the book. Point out the circles, the triangles, and the trumpets.
• Take time to sketch the plants and flowers. Just relax and draw, paint, and use markers. Let the doodling begin.
• Notice the leaves and talk about their shapes.
• Sketch leaves to go with the flowers.
• Scratch around in the soil.
• What’s in the soil? bugs, worms, rocks, sticks
• Sketch the soil.
• Plant seeds and bulbs measuring the depth.
• What types of items can you use for watering cans? Sketch those too.
• Find flowers that already have open blossoms. Pick one and take it apart examining the pistil and stamens.
• Labels are great too. That’s what Lois Ehlert does.

Notice how many subjects you have covered just by doodling. For the youngest you have taught colors and shapes (math), and the older child learned measurement and counting (math). Even older children learned plant reproduction and data collection (math, science). You used one simple book teaching across grade levels and subjects. Labeling can even be counted as spelling and writing. This “best day ever” may end up on a journal page for composition. Oh, yes we did some reading as well, Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert.

Happy doodling! Gail Cartee

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