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Marian,
There are many simple answers to a question like that; one of the best advances I see when working with grade two to five science teachers in my division is this:
1. Invest in a class set of clipboards. They can be the smaller ones as long as you don't mind cutting up some paper, but I'd consider it a once-in-a-career investment. You may want to tether pens to the clipboards.
2. Create a checklist of objects that the students are trying to look for; this list is very dependent upon the unit you are studying, and where you live.
3. Optional: have a slideshow with examples of the objects on their checklist; go through this the class before you go out with the checklists.
4. Take the students on a walk. Try to instill the importance of honesty, and that the number of things they check off doesn't matter--their honesty does.
5. Rinse and repeat anywhere from once a week to once every other week. It takes an entire half-hour class. (Or a bit more if you decide to use the slideshow the class before.) I think you will see that students really get excited when they authentically see something that they have never noticed before which can be as common as a certain type of songbird.
There's one approach I use all the time with my grade two to five teachers!
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