Activity #5: Garden A-Z

In Tudor England, most people could not read or write. Those who could write used handwriting much different-looking than ours today. Their words were a form of English (Early Modern English), but some letters and word spellings would look unusual to us today.

Let’s head back outside for a writing activity and to look for more plants and animals! Find a blank page in your field journal and label it down the left side with the letters from A to Z. Explore the outdoors today in your own yard or a neighborhood park. You can do this activity at the beach or the lake, too!

Walk slowly and also sit down now and again to observe (look closely at) your surroundings. See if you can find plants, animals or other natural objects that begin with the letters of the alphabet. For example, you may find an Ant for the letter “A” and a Toad for the letter “T”. See if you can find at least one thing that begins with each letter of the alphabet. Let us know how you do!

Try to copy the alphabet below into your journal. These are letters that were used 500 years ago when people wrote with quill feather pens and liquid ink! See if you can write any of your A-Z words with these letter forms. Try to write your name, too.