[{"_1":2,"_261":-5,"_262":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4},"pages/Activity.page",{"_5":6,"_7":8},"origin","http://www.mizzen.org","dehydratedState",{"_9":10,"_11":12},"mutations",[],"queries",[13,42],{"_14":15,"_16":17,"_36":37,"_40":41},"dehydratedAt",1755632941179,"state",{"_18":-5,"_19":20,"_21":22,"_23":-5,"_24":25,"_26":25,"_27":25,"_28":-5,"_29":-5,"_30":31,"_32":33,"_34":35},"data","dataUpdateCount",1,"dataUpdatedAt",1755632940894,"error","errorUpdateCount",0,"errorUpdatedAt","fetchFailureCount","fetchFailureReason","fetchMeta","isInvalidated",false,"status","success","fetchStatus","idle","queryKey",[38,39],"activity-collections","featured","queryHash","[\"activity-collections\",\"featured\"]",{"_14":15,"_16":43,"_36":257,"_40":260},{"_18":44,"_19":20,"_21":15,"_23":-5,"_24":25,"_26":25,"_27":25,"_28":-5,"_29":-5,"_30":31,"_32":33,"_34":35},{"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_32":53,"_54":55,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":76,"_77":78,"_79":80,"_91":92,"_122":123,"_124":125,"_133":134,"_135":136,"_159":256,"_70":46},"id","30d5b7e1-e760-4ba3-a0a0-6c8e15014c1a","createdAt","2025-07-28T19:34:44.234Z","updatedAt","2025-08-13T21:05:56.294Z","title","Introduction to Scientific Sketching","PUBLISHED","partner",{"_45":56,"_47":57,"_49":58,"_59":60,"_61":-5,"_62":-5,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":31,"_68":69,"_70":69},"f46dd434-d96e-4bc0-a59e-f7d99344a026","2025-07-28T19:03:42.663Z","2025-08-18T23:57:12.431Z","name","California Academy of Sciences","contact","profilePhoto","logo","166c37e3-c7d6-4fb6-b09a-0b92700a8c5a","visible",true,"deleted","slug","cal-academy-sciences","slugOrId","overview","Students learn how to sketch like scientists. You can teach this even if you think you can't draw!
","duration",60,"gradeFrom",3,"gradeTo",12,"tags",[81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90],"stem","science","observation","biology","plants","environment","visual art","creativity","skills development","team building","heroImage",{"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":94,"_59":95,"_96":-5,"_32":97,"_98":99,"_100":31,"_101":102,"_103":102,"_104":105,"_106":95,"_107":108,"_109":110,"_111":112,"_113":95,"_114":97,"_115":102,"_116":-5,"_117":-5,"_118":119,"_120":121},"eaf1a7dd-0209-48e9-994d-b1283f26d132","2025-08-05T17:37:18.379Z","hero-image-ck0my3m6z8ff60781dwlql3jk","note","ACTIVE","type","FILE","isAttachment","fileUuid","d7f33fdd-723e-4151-af8d-10a458bbec01","fileS3Key","fileS3Bucket","mizzen-platform-asset-uploads-production","fileName","fileExtension","jpeg","fileMimeType","image/jpeg","fileSize",46144,"legacyFileKey","fileAutoThumbnailStatus","fileAutoThumbnailUuid","linkUrl","thumbnailUuid","fileUrl","https://ucarecdn.com/d7f33fdd-723e-4151-af8d-10a458bbec01/","thumbnailUrl","https://ucarecdn.com/d7f33fdd-723e-4151-af8d-10a458bbec01/-/resize/1000x/","template","DEFAULT","categories",[126,129],{"_45":127,"_59":128,"_70":81},"60f1b41b-bc3e-4b54-b4c3-b9e49a519625","STEM Lab: Build, Tinker, Explore",{"_45":130,"_59":131,"_70":132},"d0751edd-5459-41ca-94b0-89953c105eeb","The Natural World","natural-world","learningStandards",[],"collections",[137,193,221],{"_45":138,"_47":139,"_49":139,"_140":141,"_161":162,"_190":20,"_191":46,"_192":163},"e0b7343a-3574-4cc1-a130-4f3d97377d2e","2025-07-28T21:53:08.188Z","activity",{"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_32":53,"_54":56,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":76,"_77":78,"_79":142,"_143":144,"_145":146,"_147":148,"_149":150,"_151":150,"_152":153,"_154":150,"_155":150,"_156":150,"_91":93,"_122":123,"_124":157,"_133":158,"_159":160,"_70":46},[81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90],"learningObjective","

Improve their careful observation skills.
Practice sketching like a scientist.

","materials","

Students’ science notebooks

Pencils

Colored pencils

Collection of items to sketch, 1 per student, e.g. leaves

Scientific Sketching PowerPoint or printed example sketches

Gallery of Example Sketches

","preparation","

Background for EducatorsMost of us, adults and children, associate sketching with making a pretty picture. This association can limit us, especially if we feel we are not good at drawing. A scientist sketches to record and communicate information, not to make art. Along with a drawing, a scientific sketch often includes labels and diagrams, questions and explanations. You don’t have to be an artist to create a successful scientific sketch. You simply have to take time, observe closely, and record what you see. Recording what you see is different from drawing the picture you have in your head. Many of us have cartoon-like images in our head of trees, flowers, houses, apples, rabbits, etc. When you set out to sketch a real thing, it’s important to focus on the individual specimen in front of you, rather than the generalized image you carry in your head. You can help students understand this by focusing on particularities of an example object – like a leaf with holes in it, or an irregular rock. These particularities are often very important for scientists to record. One way to help students feel successful is to give them a few practical suggestions for how to sketch a given object. At the very least, give them a first step (this will vary depending upon the object), so that they know how to get started. [See the Scientific Sketching PowerPoint for an example of a step-by-step process for drawing a redwood leaf.] If you provide enough scaffolding, even those students who feel they are “bad at drawing” will have an entry point. It’s very likely those students will come away surprised at their own abilities. ABCDE (Accurate, Big, Colorful, Detailed, Explained)
The pneumonic ABCDE gives students a clear idea of what makes a good scientific sketch. It also enables you, as a teacher, to give meaningful feedback to students. Rather than praising a drawing as “pretty,” you can say, “Great job making your sketch big; it really helps me see the details,” or “I’m glad you included explanations in your sketch; they will help another scientist understand what’s important.” For constructive feedback, try: “What could you do to make this sketch more accurate?” or “I bet adding color would help another scientist understand what the object really looks like.” This kind of feedback is concrete enough for students to understand why they’ve done a good job, and what steps they can take to improve their work.

Gather sketching materials.

Gather leaves or other simple, natural objects for students to sketch. For activity to work, all students must have the same type of item, but many items could work. They should be simple to draw and have variation from one item to the next. Consider using: leaves, shells, rocks, fruit, seeds, or flowers.

Set up Scientific Sketching PowerPoint or print examples of sketches.

","worksheets","","multimedia","steps","

Introduction (15 minutes)
- Have students retrieve their notebooks, open up to a new page, title it “Scientific sketch” and add this page to the table of contents.
- [SLIDE 1] Introduce students to the purpose of a scientific sketch. If possible, do \"Science Notebooks Across Time\" as a prep activity before this one, so that students have already discovered why scientists sketch. If you haven’t done that lesson, you can explain that scientists use sketches to capture information for themselves, and communicate information to others. They often sketch when they are doing field research, observing a plant or animal they cannot take back to the lab. Sketches are sometimes more valuable than photographs because they can include specific data the scientist wants to highlight, as well as the scientists’ observations and questions.
- [SLIDE 2] Put nervous students at ease by emphasizing that a scientific sketch is not about making a pretty picture. It’s about communicating information.
  
  Explain the difference between “drawing what you see” and “drawing the idea in your head.” (See more on this distinction in the above Background for Educators)
- [SLIDE 3] Introduce the criteria for a successful scientific sketch. Explain the meaning behind each word in the pneumonic: ABCDE
Sketch a Leaf Instructions (10 minutes)
- [SLIDE 4] Explain that students will be practicing scientific sketches with leaves (or whatever object you have chosen). Their task is to make a sketch that is specific enough that another student will be able to pick their leaf from a pile, based on the sketch alone. Depending on the age of your students, you may want to front-load all the directions, or give them a few steps at a time.
Students Sketch (25 minutes)
- [SLIDE 10] Give students ample time to sketch their leaves, 15-30 minutes.
Leaf Matching Game (10 minutes)
- Explain that students will break into smaller groups of about 10 people, to play a Leaf Matching game. If you’d rather do this activity as a whole class, that will work too. It will just take longer. Each group needs to stand in a circle. Once you have arranged the group into small circles or one big circle, give the following instructions:
Wrap Up (10 minutes)
- Ask students to share out what they noticed about the different sketches.

","examples","versions","variations",[127,130],[],"facilitationTips",[],"collection",{"_45":163,"_47":164,"_49":165,"_98":166,"_51":167,"_32":53,"_54":56,"_168":169,"_73":170,"_75":76,"_77":78,"_171":-5,"_91":172,"_180":31,"_39":31,"_79":181,"_188":189,"_68":-5,"_122":123,"_70":163},"d235ff0a-b052-469b-ab5b-f1a62a77c24c","2025-07-28T21:53:08.187Z","2025-08-13T21:06:06.593Z","MODULE","Learning Scientific Sketching","introduction","This collection of activities teaches students how to sketch like scientists. Students learn techniques for observation, data collection, and analysis. After learning and practicing these introductory sketching techniques, they will then be able to confidently use their skills for scientific inquiry.
",240,"updatedBy",{"_45":173,"_47":174,"_49":174,"_59":175,"_96":-5,"_32":97,"_98":99,"_100":31,"_101":176,"_103":176,"_104":105,"_106":175,"_107":108,"_109":110,"_111":177,"_113":175,"_114":97,"_115":176,"_116":-5,"_117":-5,"_118":178,"_120":179},"02ca4c6e-6cdf-47a5-ab1b-4b161067bbd5","2025-08-05T18:20:19.126Z","hero-image-ck0wmiodh8h300781vsa1fhcq","e17d279b-de27-4f8e-9ba5-d766ffec5833",41849,"https://ucarecdn.com/e17d279b-de27-4f8e-9ba5-d766ffec5833/","https://ucarecdn.com/e17d279b-de27-4f8e-9ba5-d766ffec5833/-/resize/1000x/","hideListing",[81,82,83,182,88,183,184,185,186,187],"measurement","art","design","skills","problem solving","analysis","exploreOrder",34,"order","activityId","collectionId",{"_45":194,"_47":195,"_49":195,"_140":196,"_161":201,"_190":76,"_191":46,"_192":202},"f1e6ddc0-c7cd-4cfd-ab46-e7e8747da721","2025-07-28T21:53:08.210Z",{"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_32":53,"_54":56,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":76,"_77":78,"_79":197,"_143":144,"_145":146,"_147":148,"_149":150,"_151":150,"_152":153,"_154":150,"_155":150,"_156":150,"_91":93,"_122":123,"_124":198,"_133":199,"_159":200,"_70":46},[81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90],[127,130],[],[],{"_45":202,"_47":195,"_49":203,"_98":204,"_51":205,"_32":53,"_54":56,"_168":206,"_73":207,"_75":76,"_77":78,"_171":-5,"_91":208,"_180":31,"_39":31,"_79":216,"_188":-5,"_68":-5,"_122":123,"_70":202},"7755d8cc-45d3-433f-8cb9-a5502f8e0600","2025-08-13T21:06:06.594Z","PLAYLIST","Science Notebooks","Keeping a notebook can help your students think and act like scientists. Sample these easy-to-implement strategies and lessons to bring science notebooking into your program.",435,{"_45":209,"_47":210,"_49":210,"_59":211,"_96":-5,"_32":97,"_98":99,"_100":31,"_101":212,"_103":212,"_104":105,"_106":211,"_107":108,"_109":110,"_111":213,"_113":211,"_114":97,"_115":212,"_116":-5,"_117":-5,"_118":214,"_120":215},"4cd89a79-e008-448b-8064-71255551e5b8","2025-08-05T18:17:03.737Z","hero-image-ck7njdo5s20x807137qhowkou","8e475a13-93e9-4386-bf11-367301ac042e",52253,"https://ucarecdn.com/8e475a13-93e9-4386-bf11-367301ac042e/","https://ucarecdn.com/8e475a13-93e9-4386-bf11-367301ac042e/-/resize/1000x/",[81,82,83,217,88,186,89,218,219,220],"writing","reflection","knowledge","collaboration",{"_45":222,"_47":223,"_49":223,"_140":224,"_161":229,"_190":255,"_191":46,"_192":230},"eb2f14e5-fc88-4f79-8906-c3772cd798fc","2025-07-28T21:53:08.306Z",{"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_32":53,"_54":56,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":76,"_77":78,"_79":225,"_143":144,"_145":146,"_147":148,"_149":150,"_151":150,"_152":153,"_154":150,"_155":150,"_156":150,"_91":93,"_122":123,"_124":226,"_133":227,"_159":228,"_70":46},[81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90],[127,130],[],[],{"_45":230,"_47":223,"_49":231,"_98":204,"_51":232,"_32":53,"_54":233,"_168":234,"_73":235,"_75":236,"_77":237,"_171":238,"_91":239,"_180":31,"_39":31,"_79":247,"_188":-5,"_68":-5,"_122":123,"_70":230},"0b0ca177-90ee-4974-88eb-533d31929623","2025-08-14T16:36:16.431Z","Outdoor Activities for Middle School at Home","f3c582e9-3453-48bf-a918-5399d6672576","

This Playlist is all about getting outside and trying some STEM outdoors or in for Middle-School aged kids, and has been mixed especially for having fun at home or in small groups!

",585,6,8,"d5b453cb-61c3-40bb-9fdc-ddb8bdc3aa56",{"_45":240,"_47":241,"_49":241,"_59":242,"_96":-5,"_32":97,"_98":99,"_100":31,"_101":243,"_103":243,"_104":105,"_106":242,"_107":108,"_109":110,"_111":244,"_113":242,"_114":97,"_115":243,"_116":-5,"_117":-5,"_118":245,"_120":246},"dd9127ad-bdb7-4096-8d00-55084b6a35e9","2025-08-05T18:17:00.329Z","hero-image-ck865baun6g7i0713i9mti9pp","ccc53725-462c-4c7e-be0f-a90904a1d919",30015,"https://ucarecdn.com/ccc53725-462c-4c7e-be0f-a90904a1d919/","https://ucarecdn.com/ccc53725-462c-4c7e-be0f-a90904a1d919/-/resize/1000x/",[81,82,248,249,250,251,252,253,254,90],"engineering","math","technology","outdoor","nature","physics","problem-solving",5,[],[258,46,259],"activities","preview","[\"activities\",\"30d5b7e1-e760-4ba3-a0a0-6c8e15014c1a\",\"preview\"]","actionData","errors"]

Introduction to Scientific Sketching

Introduction to Scientific Sketching

Introduction to Scientific Sketching

Overview