Barb, Author at Homeschool Nature Study

Posted on April 23, 2025April 23, 2025 by Barb — Leave a comment

Leaves of Three Study For Kids: Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac

Our leaves of three study for kids includes identification and first aid tips for poison oak, poison ivy, and poison sumac.

It is very important for those of us who take our children out into the woods for nature study to be able to recognize poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.

Where we live we have an abundance of poison oak and this time of the year it is actually very pretty and easy to identify. I know in other parts of the country there is poison ivy and poison sumac as well.

Identifying Poison Oak, Poison Ivy, and Poison Sumac

Educate yourself with photos of these different leaves in nature!

This video does a great job of explaining everything you should know before you take a walk in the woods and potentially come into contact with poison oak, poison ivy, or poison sumac. Knowledge is always a good thing.

Poison Oak First Aid Tips

My husband says that in his job as a wildland firefighter, they use Tecnu after any exposure. We are going to get some and have it on hand for those times we think we may have come into contact with poison oak. I would hate for you to unknowingly expose anyone to something potentially dangerous. On the other hand, don’t get too worried either.

Just remember the “leaves of three, let it be” rule and you should do a good job of avoiding contact.

We have had our share of poison oak rashes in our family and I think most of our exposure comes from our family pets. Don’t miss that part of the video.

Poison Oak Nature Study: Creepy Things Curriculum

Homeschool Nature Study members enjoy a course fills with fun topics to explore. In the Creepy Things curriculum, you can take a deep dive into Leaves of Three Awareness Study with Poison Oak. Filled with

resources
a printable information sheet
Outdoor Hour time suggestions
information on birds and animals that eat the poison plant and its berries
first aid information on exposure
notebooking pages for follow up journaling activities
Advanced studies: creating a nature journal about poisonous plants (includes a printable)

Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support

Can you believe all of these spring homeschool resources you will find in membership? You will also find a continuing homeschool nature study series plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges for nature study in our Homeschool Nature Study membership. There are 25+ continuing courses with matching Outdoor Hour curriculum that will bring the Handbook of Nature Study to life in your homeschool! In addition, there is an interactive monthly calendar with daily nature study prompt – all at your fingertips!

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership HERE!

We have quite a few new participants in the Outdoor Hour Challenges so I want to give a big welcome to everyone!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

Outdoor Hour Challenge by founder, Barbara McCoy, September 2009. Updated by Tricia April 2025. Tricia and her family fell in love with the Handbook of Nature Study and the accompanying Outdoor Hour Challenges early in their homeschooling. The simplicity and ease of the weekly outdoor hour challenges brought joy to their homeschool and opened their eyes to the world right out their own back door! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at You ARE an ARTiST and Your Best Homeschool plus her favorite curricula at The Curriculum Choice. She and her husband, Steve, are also publishers of Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett.

Posted on April 17, 2025April 17, 2025 by Barb — Leave a comment

Watercolors For Outdoor Nature Journaling: On the Go Tips

Watercolors For Outdoor Nature Journaling! These on the go tips will help you make the most of outdoor journaling – while hiking OR enjoying your backyard!

I have been sharing my hopes for a colorful “artist’s garden” to sit and sketch in over the summer. I am impatient for all my flowers to start growing but I was inspired this morning by my colorful blooming flowers on the back deck, waking to the sun and warmer temperatures totally lifts my mood and urges me to step outside.

Create a Colorful Artist’s Garden for Outdoor Sketching In Your Own Backyard

The hummingbirds were darting in and out of the feeders hanging from the eaves on the back of the house and the bees were buzzing among the flowers. It was peaceful. I brought my new favorite art supplies and my nature journal to do a quick sketch and watercolor. Honestly this page took me about twenty minutes start-to-finish, including deciding what to draw and finding a comfortable spot to sit.

Watercolor Quick Sketch in the Garden

I made a quick sketch with my Prismacolor marker and didn’t worry too much about exact proportions or numbers of petals. I think that is the difference between art and taking a photo….if you want an exact representation you really should just take a photo. I was going more for capturing my mood and the vibrant color.

Watercolors For Outdoor Nature Journaling: On the Go Tips

I used my little field box of watercolors. I shared this set of watercolors with some friends at a nature study presentation a few weeks ago and they were amazed at how small and light this little box is in real life.

Using a Field Box of Watercolors for Outdoor Nature Journaling on The Go

I am going to start carrying this in my daypack when I hike so I can add some quick color to my nature journal when I am out and about. It even includes a small brush and a vial to carry some water if you need it. (I rarely carry water for watercolors when I hike since I usually have a water bottle or there is a stream or creek to scoop up some water for my art.)

The paint colors are so vibrant! I filled in the sketch with some watercolors with a sort of “sketchy” style where I don’t worry too much about filling in the edges perfectly and if I color outside the lines that is okay too.

I came back with my Prismacolor marker and just outlined the petals again to sort of clean up the edges. I added a date and a caption to complete my page.

This is my first garden sketch in what I hope will lead to a whole book full of colorful sketches.

Field Nature Journaling Supplies

Here are the the supplies.

Koi WaterColors Pocket Field Sketch Box: The watercolors are a little pricey but the paints seem like they are going to go a long way….lots of color for a little amount of paint.
The Prismacolor marker set is one that I got awhile back. There is such a great variety in this little set and I have been using mine weekly and have yet to use any of them up.

More Nature Journaling and Flower Nature Studies for Your Homeschool

Clover or Shamrock Nature Study (with journaling video by Victoria!)
Spring Green Nature Journal Ideas (that beg to be sketched!)
Garden Flowers: Geraniums are the Perfect Beginner’s Nature Study – When picking garden flowers, geraniums are the perfect beginner’s garden flower study and the red flowers attract hummingbirds too!
Best Tips for Starting Seeds for a Flower Garden – Growing plants from seeds is easy! Here are the best tips for starting seeds for a flower garden. If you are new to gardening and need some tips, I will give you some step-by-step instructions.
Easy Preschool Science Nature Journals – My daughters have their own paper bag nature journal. The inside pages have a place where they can draw what they have observed on our nature walk. This is a perfect nature craft for kids!
The Ultimate Guide to Nature Journaling: Tips for Writing About Nature – We’ve gathered the best tips for writing about nature in this ultimate guide to nature journaling. What a wonderful, joyful way to expand your homeschool nature study!
Creating a Nature Journal Supply Kit for Your Homeschool – It is simple, inexpensive and is easy to do!
Watercolor vs Chalk Pastels: Art for Kids – Learn about watercolor vs chalk pastels in your homeschool art. Two artists share their favorite medium plus the pros and cons.

Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership HERE!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

Outdoor Hour Challenge by founder, Barbara McCoy, May 2011. Updated by Tricia April 2025. Tricia and her family fell in love with the Handbook of Nature Study and the accompanying Outdoor Hour Challenges early in their homeschooling. The simplicity and ease of the weekly outdoor hour challenges brought joy to their homeschool and opened their eyes to the world right out their own back door! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at You ARE an ARTiST and Your Best Homeschool plus her favorite curricula at The Curriculum Choice. She and her husband, Steve, are also publishers of Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett.

Posted on April 9, 2025April 9, 2025 by Barb — 1 Comment

Garden Flowers: Geraniums are the Perfect Beginner’s Flower Study

When picking garden flowers, geraniums are the perfect beginner’s garden flower study and the red flowers attract hummingbirds too!

Garden Flowers: Geraniums are the Perfect Beginner’s Flower Study

Up until now, I have not appreciated the geranium. I usually don’t pick geraniums for my garden but after reading that hummingbirds were attracted to red flowers I decided to give them a try. I picked the reddest variety I could find at Home Depot, brought it home, and potted it right under my hummingbird feeder.

When we were deciding on a garden flower to study this month as part of the suggestions in the Outdoor Hour Challenge, I skimmed the list of garden flowers in the Handbook of Nature Study.

One flower we have not observed closely and added to our nature journal is the geranium. I turned over to the pages to read about this common flower and I was dazzled by all that we could learn by taking a few minutes to follow the suggested lesson activities. (Lesson 163 in the Handbook of Nature Study)

1. We observed the leaves, touching them and enjoying the fuzzy texture. Mr. B said that they were thick and stiff and I would agree with that. What a great shape the leaves are and I decided right away that was going to be the focus of my nature journal entry.

2. We looked at the petals as suggested in the lesson, noticing that all the five petals are not the same shape and size. Anna Botsford Comstock says that this flower is the perfect beginners flower since you can observe and name all the parts easily.

“The geranium’s blossom is so simple that it is of special value as a subject for a beginning lesson in teaching the parts of a flower; and its leaves and stems may likewise be used for the first lessons in plant structure.”
Handbook of Nature Study, page 585

3. We read about the nectar tube and took a closer look at it after reading how the structure works.

“No other flower shows a prettier plan for guiding insects to the hidden sweets, and in none is there a more obvious and easily seen well of nectar. It extends almost the whole length of the flower stalk…”
Handbook of Nature Study page 586

This garden flowers: geraniums lesson was only a few minutes long on a sunny morning out on our back deck but what a lot of information we now have about this common garden plant. I love learning more about my own backyard.

Each person can pick a different design for their nature journal entry. I used the coloring page and the lined page with boxes for sketching and a photo. I was thinking that the coloring page is something you could make yourself using the Fill In The Circle idea.

Geranium Nature Study Outdoor Hour Challenge in Homeschool Nature Study Membership

Homeschool Nature Study Members enjoy an in-depth study of geraniums, including:

Video: Types of Geraniums
Video: How to Grow Geraniums
Handbook of Nature Study references and suggestions
Outdoor Hour Time: Visiting the garden nursery and Garden Nursery Field Trip Mini Book
Spring Walk: Observing a geranium up close or another spring flower
Attracting hummingbirds
Nature Journaling suggestions and follow up time
Video: Advanced studies on propagating geraniums

Members: Go To Your Geranium Outdoor Hour Challenge!

More Garden Flower Nature Studies and Suggestions

Can you tell I am going for lots of color this year? Can you tell I am going for lots of color this year?

Lantana for the bees and butterflies.

Petunias (Lesson 162 in the Handbook of Nature Study)

Pansies (Lesson 152 in the Handbook of Nature Study)

Gerbera daisies

You can grow a lot of different flowers in pots even if you only have a small space. I encourage you to give it a try and then complete some of the garden flower Outdoor Hour Challenges. Keep your study simple by choosing just a few of the ideas in each lesson, building on what you already know.

I hope you are taking advantage of the warmer, drier weather to get out into your own backyard. I look forward to seeing your nature study adventures!

More Spring Nature Study Activities

Here are some more dandelion resources to enjoy!

Discover a Dandelion Nature Study – Though you may consider the dandelion a weed, there is so much to discover in this dandelion wildflower nature study for your homeschool. This is simple and delightful learning in your own backyard!
Dandelions Outdoor Hour – I’ve always viewed dandelions as either a childhood delight or a nuisance. They tend to spread so quickly in a yard you are trying to keep free of weeds. But their seeds are also so much fun to blow and spread. A joy to watch catch the wind!

Geranium Art Lesson - Our sister website has a beautiful geranium art lesson by Nana to enjoy! Ultimate members have access to it!

Geranium Art Lesson – Our sister website has a beautiful geranium art lesson by Nana to enjoy! Ultimate members have access to it!
How to Draw a Dandelion Art Lesson – One of the icons of warm weather is the dandelion. Have you ever studied the detail of this beautiful creation? Oh there are so many ways you could paint it! This dandelion chalk pastel art tutorial is inspired by a photo I took last spring.
Take Along Nature Guides for Homeschool – I’m always looking for appealing books to help us out in our nature study to help spark my kids’ interest in all things outdoors. When I found my first “Take-Along Guide” at a used book store, I was interested so I purchased it. But it was later when I began really reading it that I became really interested.

Get your FREE Getting Started: Nature Study Close to Home (includes three challenges!)

Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership HERE!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

Posted on March 26, 2025March 27, 2025 by Barb — 3 Comments

Beautiful Spring Green Nature Journal Ideas

Enjoy these spring green nature journal ideas! The spring world just begs to be sketched – capturing the various shades of green.

The colors of the flowers as they blossom in the warming sun just cry out to us to observe them closer, to see their intricate details. As I gather a few of our early spring flowers to record in my nature journal, I am struck the with the varying shades of green that appear in the leaves of these springtime beauties.

Spring Green journal with colored pencils

Spring Green Nature Journal Ideas

Each stem and leaf is a different shade of green, or they are even a mixture of greens that need our careful scrutiny if we are going to get them just right in our journal. Some leaves are olive green, some are emerald green, and some are dark green. I invite you to look at your garden greens and see if you don’t notice it too.

I count myself a very careful observer of nature. I spend lots of time in my garden enjoying the many varieties of plants, bushes, and trees, but I didn’t even notice the reddish edges on this leaf until I brought it inside to sketch into my nature journal. This illustrates the value of slowing down and taking the time to keep a nature journal…you are blessed with better powers of observation.

This is true in adults and also in children. We can help train our children to have better observation skills in all areas of their life if we use nature journaling as a skill-building tool.

Out of sheer self-indulgence I decided to make a couple pages in my journal with all the different greens I have in my colored pencil collection. I made small little sample splotches of color for each of the greens in my watercolor pencil and regular colored pencil sets. I labeled each color patch with the name on the pencil or in some cases the number on the pencil. This way I can use it as a reference whenever I need to find just the right green for a sketch. The color palette of spring is very different than that of autumn or winter.

Spring Nature Study In Your Homeschool

Now I am ready to make some nature journal entries! You may wish to include this nature journal idea as part of your Spring Wildflowers study.

More Nature Ideas for Your Homeschool

Let these give you even more nature journal ideas!

Easy Preschool Science Nature Journals – My daughters have their own paper bag nature journal. The inside pages have a place where they can draw what they have observed on our nature walk. This is a perfect nature craft for kids!

The Ultimate Guide to Nature Journaling: Tips for Writing About Nature – We’ve gathered the best tips for writing about nature in this ultimate guide to nature journaling. What a wonderful, joyful way to expand your homeschool nature study!

Creating a Nature Journal Supply Kit for Your Homeschool – It is simple, inexpensive and is easy to do!

Nature Study Calendar included in Membership!

For even more homeschool nature study ideas, join us in Homeschool Nature Study membership! You’ll receive new ideas each and every week that require little or no prep – all bringing the Handbook of Nature Study to life in your homeschool!

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership Today!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get Outdoors!

First published April 2012 by Barb, updated by Tricia March 2025

Posted on March 20, 2025March 20, 2025 by Barb — Leave a comment

100+ Ideas To Use In Creating Your Backyard Habitat

Here are 100+ ideas to use in creating your backyard habitat! This list is for all of us to use in creating a backyard habitat designed to attract birds, bees, and butterflies. I’ve heard from so many of my readers that they think their backyard space is boring or nothing out of the ordinary.

So this week, I’m going to challenge you all to get outside and prove yourselves wrong!

100+ Ideas To Use In Creating Your Backyard Habitat: Attract Birds, Bees and Butterflies

Every space has something to observe, and the list below will help you start thinking differently about whatever your outdoor space is currently looking like at the beginning of spring.

As part of the process in creating a backyard habitat, the first step is to make an assessment of what you already have and then decide how you can improve it. Challenge your children to check off as many things as they can from the list below.

summer garden 2020 - A giant list of 100+ ideas to use in creating your backyard habitat designed to attract birds, bees, and butterflies! — Last year’s garden was filled with lots of living things.

What Do You Observe in Your Own Backyard?

Trees: leaves, bark, twigs, roots, flowers, cones, needles, seeds, pods, nests, birds
Patch of weeds: leaves, roots, bugs, flowers
Dirt: worms, gravel, stones, seeds, mud, ants, mushrooms, moss
Sky: clouds, sun, moon, stars, birds
Air: temperature, wind, smells, breath on a cold morning
Birds: flying, pecking, eating, chirping, hopping, shapes and colors, beaks, wings, tails, feet
Sounds: wind, frogs, rain, leaves, crickets, bees, fly buzzing, mosquitoes
Weather: rain, clouds, temperature, snow, ice, dew, wind
Flowers (garden or in a pot): petals, pollen, roots, leaves, stem, fragrance, shapes, colors, seeds

We need to train our eyes and hearts to be open to the opportunities that arise in our everyday travels.

Wildlife Habitat Plan with 25 More Ideas – With Requirements For Certified Wildlife Habit!

Homeschool Nature Study Members can enjoy this Wildlife Habitat Plan (with Requirements for a Certified Wildlife Habitat!) with prompts for 25 more ideas for your backyard habitat!

What would you add to the list?

More Resources For Homeschool Nature Study

Enjoy these ideas for even more inspiration:

How to Make Your Backyard a Natural Habitat for Wildlife – Here are some simple ways you can make your backyard a natural habitat for wildlife. You will love having the opportunity to have nature come to you in your very own backyard. Involve your whole family in the project and spend some time outdoors!

150 Homeschool Nature Study Ideas to Get Your Family Outdoors – nature study ideas and outdoors sorts of things! Make a list of your own and get outdoors!

How to Make a Butterfly Puddle – Here is an easy step-by-step on how to make a butterfly puddle right in your own backyard.

Attracting Birds to Your Yard – Here you will find all sorts of ideas for attracting birds to your yard for homeschool nature study and birdwatching.

Homemade Suet Recipe for Your Backyard Birds – Enjoy a homemade suet recipe and see how our homeschool family studied and learned about which type of food attracts a variety of backyard birds!

Nature Study Calendar included in Membership!

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership Today!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get Outdoors!

by Barb, March 2021 and updated by Tricia March 2025

Posted on March 13, 2025March 13, 2025 by Barb — 32 Comments

Gardening Projects for Kids – Growing Your Own Little Gardener

Gardening Projects for Kids is more than a "how to" garden book. It encourages a gardening way of life – in your backyard working and playing together.

Gardening Projects for Kids by Whitney Cohen and John Fisher is much more than a “how to” garden book. It is more than suggestions for getting started with gardening with your children. It is in fact a book that encourages a gardening way of life..spending lots of time with your children in the outdoors in your backyard working and playing together. I love this message found throughout the book.

It is exciting to find a resource that gathers many easy to use ideas, presents them in a way that is enjoyable to look at, and lights a fire inside me to get outside into our garden as soon as possible. This book does a great job at showing how ordinary families with ordinary kids can get outside and make memories that will last a lifetime. What a great supplement to the Outdoor Hour Challenges!

Gardening Projects for Kids – Growing Your Own Little Gardener

The Book of Gardening Projects for Kids: 101 Ways to Get Kids Outside, Dirty, and Having Fun

Want to get a glimpse into what this book has to offer? Here is a short video on YouTube!

Gardening is an important way to connect our children with nature. Gardening allows for casual talk about things we observe as we plant seeds, water seedlings, weed, and harvest the goodies from our garden beds. The Book of Gardening Projects for Kids is a visual feast for the eyes and will inspire you to make room for a garden in your yard. This delightful book is just so much fun to look at and paging through it I just can’t help but smile.

Don’t have a garden yet? Don’t worry! It is never too late to get started.

“Your joyful work in the garden is the most likely thing to encourage your kids to join in…..Simple role model gardening with a joyful attitude and an open mind, and your kids may find it contagious.”

Making Gardens Fun for Kids section

Gardening is a time for them to work as well as to play. They can explore the garden while you do the garden chores. The book shows ways to incorporate play in your garden from the smallest toddler all the way up to teens. This book shows you how to “weave the garden into your everyday lives”.

The projects in this book are more than your average list of things you would expect. Here are a few that caught my eye and make me wish my children were much younger.

1. Solo Garden Ramble- You set up a trail of notes for your child and as they follow your directions on their own they are cued to do certain things in the garden like smell a flower, look for shades of green, hug a tree, etc. I love the idea of fostering independent exploration.

2. Making Dolls From Flowers- This would have been a huge hit with my daughter when she was younger.

3. Blindfolded Meander – You guide your blindfolded child through the garden encouraging them to use all their other senses.

There are many projects in the book that are appealing to me even now that the children are older.

1. Growing a Rainbow of Cut Flowers
2. Homemade Tea Bags
3. Making Your Garden a Certified Wildlife Habitat
4. Rock Plant Markers
5. Lots and lots of recipes using produce from your garden

Gardening Projects for Kids is a book that families will want to look at together as you pick a few things to add to your garden each year. I am keeping it with my garden reference books so when I am picking seeds and planning when to sow them, I can pull this book out and be reminded that we need to have fun in the garden too!

The summer is nearing its end but there are still plenty of warm days and sunshine to start enjoying your garden with your children.

1. Making Gardens Fun for Kids
2. Designing a Play-Friendly Family Garden
3. Digging in With Kids: Planning, Growing, Thriving
4. Pizza Pies and Pumpkin Jungles: Theme Gardens
5. Wings, Webs, and Whiskers: Animals in the Garden
6. Garden Adventures and Games
7. Art in the Garden: Fun Projects for All
8. Cooking from the Garden: Snacks, Meals, and Other Tasty Activities
9. Preserving the Harvest
10. Let the Festivities Begin: Garden Celebrations

There is something to learn from each chapter in this book…in fact, there are 101 ideas packed into the pages. Our family gives this book a huge thumbs up and we are excited to use a few of the ideas when we plan next year’s garden.

I received this book to review from Timber Press and no other compensation. As always, the opinions expressed in my reviews are my own and are a fair and honest account of my experience with the product.

More Homeschool Garden Activities to Enjoy!

Homeschool Garden Activities for May Nature Studies – These homeschool garden activities are perfect for your May nature studies. Includes outdoor activities and gardening tips for kids.

How to Create a Winter Garden with Shelter for Wildlife – Here are a few of the ways we keep our yard as a wildlife habitat in winter. We have structured our garden to help encourage wildlife to visit all year long. Create a Winter Garden and add shelter for wildlife with these easy and effective resources and tips.

The Ultimate List of Garden and Wildflowers Nature Study with the Outdoor Hour Challenges – You can enjoy a simple garden and wildflowers homeschool nature study with these resources we have gathered for you to use in your own backyard. It is such a delight to study and learn about a garden and the beauty of wildflowers!

Planting a Rainbow Book Activities: Flower Craft and Nature Game – This book is a fun way to introduce children to gardening. Each page has vibrant illustrations of bulbs and flowers. Children can see how different plants and flowers come in all different colors—-all the colors of the rainbow.

How to Make a Wagon Garden – such a fun way to make container gardens around book themes!

Join The Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support

Can you believe all of these garden and wildflowers resources you will find in membership? You will also find a continuing series on gardens and wildflowers plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges for nature study in our Homeschool Nature Study membership. There are 25+ continuing courses with matching Outdoor Hour curriculum that will bring the Handbook of Nature Study to life in your homeschool! In addition, there is an interactive monthly calendar with daily nature study prompt – all at your fingertips!

Join Homeschool Nature Study Membership Today!

Published August 2012 by Barb and updated 2025 by Tricia

Posted on March 7, 2025March 8, 2025 by Barb — Leave a comment

Nyctinasty Nature Study: Learn Why Flowers Close at Night

Learn why and how some flowers close up at night. Enjoy your own Nyctinasty Nature Study with these ideas.

I love learning about amazing things that happen right under my nose. Many of us have observed the way our dandelions are closed up tight in the morning and then the bloom opens up in the sunshine each day. But, have we taken the time to really understand how that happens and more importantly, why it happens? Enjoy this simple Nyctinasty Nature Study in your backyard!

What is Nyctinasty ?

This unfamiliar word was first introduced in the early 1900’s by German botanist Wilhelm Pfeffer. He was a pioneer of plant physiology and molecular biology. Nyctinasty means: plant movement in response to light intensity; or the closing of flowers at night. Which ultimately can help to protect the pollen from dew.

Some flowers that open and close:

Daisies: White daisies close their petals as evening falls
Tulips: Close up at night
Poppies: Close up at night
Crocuses: Close up at night
Morning glories: Experience nyctinasty
Lotuses: Some water plants that close their flowers at night
Water lilies: Some water plants that close their flowers at night
Oxalises: Experience nyctinasty
Gazanias: Experience nyctinasty

Even the leaves of some plants, like those of certain legumes, open and close. Peas, chickpeas, soybeans, beans, and peanuts, fold up at night.

How does nyctinasty work?

Nyctinasty is controlled by the circadian clock. It’s associated with changes in light and temperature during the day. Plants change pressure in cells at the base of the leaf or petal, which swell or shrink to cause the movement.

Nyctinasty Nature Study: Why Do Flowers Close At Night?

Nyctinasty Nature Study: Find a patch of daisies, dandelions, or poppies near your yard. Observe the flowers at different times of the day. What time of day do they open? What time do they start to close? Homeschool Nature Study Members can print the new Nyctinasty Worksheet and draw their observations. This worksheet is in the Member Database in the Wildflowers course.

Advanced Nyctinasty Nature Study: For an additional experiment, try covering a dandelion with a box to shut out the light. What do you think you will find when you take the box off the next day?

Taking time to notice these changes will help your child make a more intimate connection with the world around them. I guarantee you will look at dandelions differently after observing them up close!

More Flower Activities for Spring

Looking for more flowers to study? Try these other Nature Study Ideas:

A Simple Homeschool Science Activity: Food Coloring Flowers plus these…

Join The Homeschool Nature Study Membership

You will also find a continuing series on gardens and wildflowers plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges for nature study in our Homeschool Nature Study Membership. There are 25+ continuing courses with matching Outdoor Hour curriculum that will bring the Handbook of Nature Study to life in your homeschool! In addition, there is an interactive monthly calendar with daily nature study prompt – all at your fingertips!

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership Today!

first published April 2018 by Barb, updated by Stef March 2025

Posted on February 28, 2025February 28, 2025 by Barb — 2 Comments

150 Homeschool Nature Study Ideas To Get Your Family Outdoors

Be inspired with 150 homeschool nature study ideas and outdoors sorts of things! Make a list of your own and get outdoors!

My husband and I were inspired by another meme to make up own of our own. We sat under a blanket one cold morning over a winter break and compiled a list of 150 homeschool nature study ideas and random outdoor sorts of things.

It was fun to list 150 things we have done or would like to do. We decided to narrow the list to things to do in the United States so feel free to use our list or come up with one of your own!

We have not done or experienced all the things on the list *yet* but it is fun to think about how we could check some of the items off the list in the future.

We marked our completed homeschool nature study ideas with a star.

150 Homeschool Nature Study Ideas

Outdoor Hour Challenge – 150 Outdoor Sorts of Things to Do – United States Version

1. Make maple syrup.
2. Stand under a redwood/sequoia. *
3. Ski down a mountain. *
4. See a saguaro cactus. *
5. See an alligator in the wild.
6. Find a shell on a beach. *
7. Skip a rock on a lake. *
8. See a sunrise. *
9. Pick an apple from a tree. *
10. Grow a sunflower. *
11. Sleep under the stars in a sleeping bag.*
12. Find the Big Dipper.*
13. Climb a sand dune. *
14. Walk in the rain with or without an umbrella. *
15. Find a fossil.
16. Take a photo of the Grand Canyon. *
17. Go to the lowest point of North America-Badwater, CA *
18. See a raptor fly. *
19. Be able to identify ten birds.*
20. See a mushroom. *

Be inspired with 99 homeschool nature study ideas and outdoors sorts of things! Make a list of your own and get outdoors!

21. Visit a tide pool. *
22. Visit a volcano. *
23. Feel an earthquake. *
24. See a tornado.
25. Experience a hurricane.
26. Catch snow on your tongue. *
27. See a deer in the wild. *
28. Touch a dolphin.
29. Go ice skating on a pond.
30. Go fishing. *
31. Go snorkeling.*
32. Whittle a stick. *
33. Gather chicken eggs.
34. Milk a cow or a goat.
35. Ride a horse. *
36. See a moose. *
37. Gather acorns.*
38. Pick berries and eat some.*
39. Watch a lightning storm. *
40. Build a campfire.*
41 Press a flower.*
42. Use binoculars to spot a bird. *
43. Identify five wildflowers. *
44. Take a photo of Half Dome. *
45. Find a piece of obsidian. *
46. See a tumbleweed. *
47. See a wild snake.*
48. Watch a spider spin a web. *
49. Climb a tree. *
50. Get lost on a hike. *
51. Watch ants in a colony. *
52. Hatch a butterfly. *
53. Climb a rock. *
54. See the Continental Divide. *
55. See a ladybug.*
56. See a bear in the wild. *
57. Dig for worms. *
58. Grow a vegetable and then eat it. *
59. See a bat flying. *
60. Feel a sea star. *
61. Swim in the ocean.*
62. See a geyser erupt.*
63. Walk in the fog. *
64. Observe a bee.*
65. Find a bird’s nest. *
66. See a beaver’s den.*
67. Go whale watching. *
68. See a banana slug. *
69. Stand on the edge of a cliff.*

70. Blow a dandelion. *
71. Throw a snowball and build a snowman.*
72. Cook an egg on the sidewalk…can you actually do that?
73. See a lightning bug. Or do you call it a firefly?*
74. Visit a cave. *
75. Make a sandcastle. *
76. Hear a cricket. *
77. Catch a frog.
78. Watch for the first star in the evening.*
79. Smell a skunk. *
80. Feel pine sap. *
81. Feed a duck. *
82. Learn to use a compass or GPS.*
83. See a buffalo. *

84. Get wet in a waterfall. *
85. Swim in a lake. *
86. Walk on a log. *
87. Feel moss.*
88. Jump in a pile of leaves. *
89. Fly a kite. *
90. Walk barefoot in the mud. *
91. Hear a sea lion bark. *
92. Hear a coyote. *
93. Pan for gold. *
94. Crack open a nut. *
95. Go snowshoeing. *
96. Feel a cattail. *
97. Smell a pine forest. *
98. Sit under a palm tree.*
99. Walk across a stream on rocks.*

100. Plant a rainbow.*
101. Compare seeds.*
102. Gaze at the northern lights. *
103. Explore the subnivean zone.
104. Create a winter garden. *
105. Watch bald eagles.*
106. Hear an elk. *
107. Take a leaf art nature walk. *
108. Go on a pumpkin field trip. *
109. Read a nature book outdoors. *
110. Hear a woodpecker. *
111. Watch a squirrel gather acorns. *
112. Make a leaf mask. *
113. Plant a bulb. *
114. Explore the seashore.*
115. Gaze at the moon.*

116. Listen for an owl. *
117. Play in a creek. *
118. Watch fish. *
119. Find tadpoles.*
120. Watch hummingbirds.*

Then add these 30 MORE for 150 nature study ideas!

30 Backyard Family Activities! These 30 backyard family activities help you have fun outdoors with your children in a way that is easy and fun! Ever get the “Mom, I’m bored” line from your kids? Boredom is often the gateway to greater use of the child’s imagination, and saying “I’m bored” in our house usually receives the answer, of “go play outside. . . build a fort, climb a tree, watch a bug. . . or something like that.” Two hours later, that kid will come back in and say, “Mom, come see what I built/did/saw!” And, it’s usually pretty fantastic.

What would you add to the list?

More Resources For Homeschool Nature Study

Join Homeschool Nature Study Membership Today!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get Outdoors!

first published January 2009 by Barb

Posted on February 14, 2025February 15, 2025 by Barb — Leave a comment

Winter Weeds and Seeds Nature Hunt

Snowy walks are a great opportunity to spot beautiful winter weeds and seeds. Like this seed pod I noticed in our backyard. In my mind’s eye I see the seeds all sleeping inside cozy, waiting for the right time to spring out and sprout in the springtime sunshine.

Find Winter Weeds and Seeds on your next nature walk. Homeschool Nature Study Members can print the Seeds Comparison Worksheet.

Winter Weeds and Seeds Nature Hunt

What are seeds doing in the winter? In the winter, seeds are dormant and experience cold stratification. These are two great words to define and draw in your Nature Journal! We are all pretty familiar with “dormant”, but “cold stratification” might be a new concept. It means, the cold weather breaks down the seed coat and allows water to enter the seed. This process mimics the natural cycle of winter cold and precipitation, followed by spring warmth.

Take advantage of your winter season to look for weeds and seeds. The landscape at this time of year has far less competing for your attention and weeds can be spotted even if you have snow or ice.

Tricia’s family enjoyed a winter weeds and seeds hunt in their own backyard! They even found hints of spring. Enjoy their discoveries and journal pages here.

Seed Comparison Worksheet

If it’s still a bit too cold to start hunting for seeds – bring the seed hunt inside with this new Member’s Worksheet: Seed Comparison. Let students draw their seeds and discuss the different shapes, colors, and sizes. Find the Seed Comparison Worksheet in your Member’s Database.

I am so looking forward to the wildflower season this year! We have had a decent amount of rain and it should help make it a splendid show of color in a few weeks! Read more about Wildflowers from these great posts!

Join The Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership Today!

first published January 2017 by Barb, updated by Stef February 2025

Posted on January 28, 2025February 2, 2025 by Barb — Leave a comment

A Fascinating Winter Subnivean Zone Nature Study

Learn more about the interesting Subnivean Zone animals and predators with these winter facts and new member worksheet.

Learn more about the interesting Subnivean Zone animals and predators with these facts and new member worksheet.

The Subnivean Zone is found in and under the snow pack. It’s the space that many creatures inhabit during the winter where the snow actually acts as an insulator from cold winter temperatures. Smaller mammals like mice, voles, pikas, and shrews live in the subnivean zone to escape the cold, wind, and predators.

The smaller mammals create a unique tunnel system to travel around, hunt, and gather food. However, predators like weasels, foxes, coyotes, owls, and wolves, use their amazing senses of smell, hearing, and sight to find these prey below the snow.

Does your state have a Subnivean Zone?

The Subnivean Zone is found in colder regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including states along the Rocky Mountains, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.

Barb shared what she noticed about the subnivean zone creatures in her backyard!

Subnivean Zone Nature Study Fun Facts

The Subnivean Zone temperature remains steady around 32 degrees Fahrenheit – even when the surface temperature drops much colder!
“Sub” means beneath, and “niv” translates from Latin as snow.
Sublimation happens under the snow when heat from the ground changes the snow from frozen water directly into water vapor. As the vapor cools, it condenses and forms a layer of ice on the snow.

Member’s Printable Worksheet

Homeschool Nature Study Members will find the new Subnivean Zone Worksheet in their database. Find it in your Winter course. There are so many wonderful winter nature studies for you to enjoy!

Don’t miss this great winter post: How to Create a Winter Garden with Shelter for Wildlife.

Learn More About Outdoor Hour Challenges with The Handbook of Nature Study

It’s a great time to join Homeschool Nature Study! We offer a multitude of science activities, hands-on learning ideas, seasonal nature studies, crafts, free resources for all ages – join the #outdoorhourchallenge community and enhance your homeschool science lessons!

Homeschool Nature Study Membership

Our Homeschool Nature Study members have access to endless year round nature studies, Handbook of Nature Study references, follow up nature journaling activities, notebook pages and resources to inspire and guide you.

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership With Access to ALL Studies!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

Post originally written by Barb January 2018, updated with worksheet by Stef Layton, January 2025.

Identifying Poison Oak, Poison Ivy, and Poison Sumac

Poison Oak First Aid Tips

Poison Oak Nature Study: Creepy Things Curriculum

Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support

Create a Colorful Artist’s Garden for Outdoor Sketching In Your Own Backyard

Watercolor Quick Sketch in the Garden

Watercolors For Outdoor Nature Journaling: On the Go Tips

Using a Field Box of Watercolors for Outdoor Nature Journaling on The Go

Field Nature Journaling Supplies

More Nature Journaling and Flower Nature Studies for Your Homeschool

Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support

Garden Flowers: Geraniums are the Perfect Beginner’s Flower Study

Geranium Nature Study Outdoor Hour Challenge in Homeschool Nature Study Membership

More Garden Flower Nature Studies and Suggestions

Lantana for the bees and butterflies.

Petunias (Lesson 162 in the Handbook of Nature Study)

Pansies (Lesson 152 in the Handbook of Nature Study)

Gerbera daisies

More Spring Nature Study Activities

Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support

Spring Green Nature Journal Ideas

Spring Nature Study In Your Homeschool

More Nature Ideas for Your Homeschool

100+ Ideas To Use In Creating Your Backyard Habitat: Attract Birds, Bees and Butterflies

What Do You Observe in Your Own Backyard?

Wildlife Habitat Plan with 25 More Ideas – With Requirements For Certified Wildlife Habit!

More Resources For Homeschool Nature Study

Gardening Projects for Kids – Growing Your Own Little Gardener

Don’t have a garden yet? Don’t worry! It is never too late to get started.

There are many projects in the book that are appealing to me even now that the children are older.

I can’t share all the wonderful ideas in this review but here are the chapter titles to capture your interest.

More Homeschool Garden Activities to Enjoy!

Join The Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support

What is Nyctinasty ?

Some flowers that open and close:

How does nyctinasty work?

Nyctinasty Nature Study: Why Do Flowers Close At Night?

More Flower Activities for Spring

Join The Homeschool Nature Study Membership

150 Homeschool Nature Study Ideas

Outdoor Hour Challenge – 150 Outdoor Sorts of Things to Do – United States Version

Then add these 30 MORE for 150 nature study ideas!

More Resources For Homeschool Nature Study

Winter Weeds and Seeds Nature Hunt

Seed Comparison Worksheet

Join The Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support

Does your state have a Subnivean Zone?

Subnivean Zone Nature Study Fun Facts

Member’s Printable Worksheet

Learn More About Outdoor Hour Challenges with The Handbook of Nature Study

Homeschool Nature Study Membership

Outdoor Hour Challenges for families since 2008!