With cameras on smartphones and tablets, it has never been easier to enjoy nature photography. We’ve got a fun scavenger hunt to get you started!
Photo scavenger hunt!
Your mission is to find as many of the items on the checklist as possible. Don’t pick them up. Take photos with your phone or tablet. And don’t worry if you can’t find them all. Enjoy, explore, and as always, respect nature.
Checklist:
| Item to find | Challenge question |
| 1. An insect with wings | Can you name the insect you found? |
| 2. A leaf with serrate (sharp, toothed) edges | The edge of a leaf has a special name: the margin. Can you name or describe some other types of leaf margins? |
| 3. Animal scat (poo) or tracks | Which kind of animal left the signs you found? |
| 4. An animal’s home (like a burrow, web, or nest) | Which animal do you think lives in the home you found? |
| 5. A millipede, earthworm, pill bug (slater), or beetle | What do these organisms have in common? What job do they do in ecosystems? |
| 6. An interesting plant | What are the characteristics of a plant? |
| 7. A mushroom or other fungus | How do underground fungi (like mycorrhizal fungi) help plants? |
| 8. An interesting rock | What does abiotic mean? |
| 9. Something that floats in water | Does an object float if it is more or less dense than water? |
| 10. Something you’ve never noticed or photographed before | What did you learn by spotting this item? |
Some ground rules
- Take only pictures.
- Respect wildlife. For your safety and theirs, don’t get close to wild animals. Try not to disturb animals that are busy doing their jobs. Hunting, eating, building homes, and caring for babies is important work!
- Leave no trace. Make as little impact as possible. Carry out your trash. Be considerate of other living things.
Note to educators:
This is a fun activity for students to do in small groups.
Class photo awards! Consider holding a contest where students vote for their favorite photograph. Ideas for contest categories include funniest photo, most creative, and best macro or close-up.
There’s an app for that
Did you know there are apps you can use to learn the names of plants, animals, and fungi? Yes! You may want to check out iNaturalist (for over 13s, or with parental permission) and Seek by iNaturalist (for anyone!).
You can also use apps like iNaturalist to share your observations of living things with scientists and other people interested in nature.
