What do can people learn from the world around them? Can a tree really teach something about life? Many times teachers provide students with facts about nature but fail to consider what one can learn from the natural world around them. After many months of exploring various ecosystems such as the prairie, rain forest, and desert, one of the authors was anxious to assess what her third-grade students had learned and gain insight into their ideas about nature in a creative way. So, to learn more about her students science understanding and to help them refine their writing skills, the authors created a "Nature's Advice Book" as part of an integrated science/language arts lesson.