Outdoor Hour Challenge:
This week try to find at least one specific rock to collect and observe. If you need to, pick a rock from your collection and use that as your subject. Use your outdoor time to slow down and really look for rocks or if you have snow on the ground, try to remember where there are rocks in your neighborhood and plan for a future rock hunt when the weather is more agreeable.
You may wish to complete the granite or the quartz challenge that were previously posted here on the Handbook of Nature Study:
Granite Study
Quartz Study
You may pick any rock to study that you have on hand. There are several other rocks listed in the Table of Contents for the Handbook of Nature Study that you may wish to use in your study.
Printable Activity:
Rock Observation Chart: Use this printable chart to examine several of your rocks carefully. This is a little more advanced activity using vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to you. The activity is meant to be a simplified exercise in learning how to use deductive reasoning to identify your rock sample.
You may find these links helpful: Identifying Minerals and Mineral Field Tests.
Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #7. We are focusing on rocks this month so you can start your own rock field guide using the directions and notebook page in this challenge. You can record your observations from the printable activity above on your rock field guide card if you wish.
Hi, We use AO, and I have known about your site for a while. I keep listing HONS on my boys’ weekly schedule, but always crossed it off, never checked it off:( We are starting our new term in late Feb, and I would really love to finally be consistent with nature study using your website. Your getting started ebook looks great. I noticed you had a promotional run on it at the beginning of the year. Do you plan to run that again in the nearish future? I am on the fence about getting it, but think it would be useful and motivational. Thanks! Holly
Our next big promotion will not be until August 2013.
You can always use the challenges straight from the blog…follow the link on the sidebar that says Getting Started 1-10 and you will have ten links right there.
Thank you so much for sharing. This chart was just what I needed!!
You are very welcome!