Directions:  Choose one of the following options below and write a page. If you are feeling ambitious, you may choose to write on both.

Note: The journals are intended to be a way for you to explore ideas that you might later wish to refine in a paper or a discussion.  I will not censor these journals in any way, nor will I grade them on content or grammar (though, like the seminars, they must be coherent and display some measure of critical thinking about the question at hand). You do not have to answer all the questions, nor do you have to confine yourself to these questions. Write about whatever is on your mind. 

Option #1 - The Natural World
Much of The Last Child in the Woods focuses on the effect on children of too much technology and not enough time in nature. How well can you relate to these ideas?
Some questions to consider: 

• What's your relationship to the natural world? Do you tend to appreciate being in nature? Are you comfortable in nature? How do you feel the further into wilderness and the further out from 'civilization' you go?
• Do you go out of your way to spend time in nature?
• What was your relationship to nature growing up? Did you spend a lot of time outside? Doing what?
• If you have kids, what is their relationship to nature? Do you deliberately arrange for them to spend time in nature? If you don't have kids, and want to have kids, how do you imagine you will introduce the natural world to them?
• Do you think that our children need more time in nature, generally speaking? Why do you think this, and what do you think might be a solution to the problem of kids not having enough time in nature?

Option #2 - Technology

What are your thoughts on the role of technology in your life, and in the lives of our youngsters? Here are some questions to get you going: 

• How much time do you spend using technology (phone, computer, TV, etc) on a daily basis?
• Are you happy with this amount of time? Is it something you try to balance deliberately? If so, what is your strategy for acheiving balance?  
• What do you think technology adds to your life?  What does it take away?
• How do you feel about the relationship that your kid/s have with technology, if you are a parent? If you are not a parent, comment on the role of technology in the lives of youngsters you know and in the lives of the millenials, kids born in the early 2000s, who are just now hitting adolescence.
• Do you think schools should be putting more of a premium on kids being outside and being in nature? If so, what do you think schools should give up in order to be able to offer more time for kids to be outside?