What's Up in May?
Observe the May sky and nearby nature: watch clouds, birds, sunrise times, and flowers, then make an illustrated nature journal with notes.
Step-by-step guide to observe the May sky and create a nature journal
Step 1
Take your materials and go to a safe outdoor spot where you can sit and watch the sky and plants.
Step 2
Write today’s date and the time you start at the top of a fresh page in your notebook.
Step 3
Sit quietly and watch the sky for five minutes without moving around.
Step 4
Draw the cloud shapes you see on your page using your pencil.
Step 5
Write one short sentence that describes the clouds’ color shape or movement.
Step 6
Spend five minutes listening for birds and looking around the trees and bushes.
Step 7
Draw any bird you see using simple shapes in your notebook.
Step 8
Write one word that describes what the bird was doing near your drawing.
Step 9
Look near you for a flower or leaf on the ground and bring it close for a better look.
Step 10
Draw the flower or leaf on a new page showing its shape and main parts.
Step 11
Count the petals or leaves and write the color and number next to your drawing.
Step 12
Use the magnifying glass to look at a small detail and make a tiny close-up sketch.
Step 13
Add color to your drawings with your coloring materials to make your pages bright.
Step 14
Repeat these observations on at least two more days this month and add each new dated entry to your journal.
Step 15
Share your finished nature journal on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use instead of a magnifying glass or special coloring supplies?
If you don't have a magnifying glass, use a phone camera's zoom or a reading-glass lens to make the tiny close-up sketch, and swap crayons or markers for colored pencils, watercolor paint, or even torn colored paper when you add color to your drawings.
What should we do if we can't sit quietly for five minutes or don't see any birds or flowers?
If the five-minute sky watch is hard, set a short timer for one or two minutes and build up, use a window or a calm corner outdoors to watch clouds and trees, and if you don't spot birds or fallen flowers nearby try waiting a few minutes, checking different bushes, or coming back later to finish the bird sketch and leaf/flower drawing.
How can we adapt the steps for younger children or older kids?
For ages 3–5 simplify by tracing cloud shapes, saying or dictating one word instead of writing a sentence, and counting petals with help, while older kids (10+) can label leaf parts, time longer observations, add measurements and detailed notes across the required repeat entries, and prepare the journal for sharing on DIY.org.
How can we extend or personalize our nature journal beyond the basic instructions?
Extend the project by pressing a found leaf or flower between pages to preserve it, photographing clouds and birds to include next to your dated drawings, using a field guide to identify species and writing the name next to the sketch, or decorating a cover before uploading the finished journal to DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to observe the May sky and create a nature journal
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Facts about nature journaling and seasonal observation
🌅 Sunrise times in May can change by several minutes each day—over a month your sunrise might shift by around 30–60 minutes depending on where you live.
☁️ Clouds are weather clues: thin wispy cirrus high up usually mean fair weather, while growing low cumulus can turn into storms.
🐦 Many songbirds return during spring migration—some travel hundreds or even thousands of miles to reach their breeding grounds.
🌸 Some spring wildflowers are ephemerals that bloom for only a few weeks, so May is prime time to catch them in full color.
📔 Old nature journals and phenology notes help scientists track long-term climate patterns—your May observations could be useful too!
