Author: Barb

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Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter- February 2016 Rocks and Creeks

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter February 2016 button

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

February 2016 – Creeks and Rocks

 

Please read the following explanation outlining how to get this month’s newsletter.

The newsletter link is not in this email but will come separately. There may be a delay in your receiving the email so please don’t email me until the second day of the month if you haven’t received the link on the first. For some reason, some email providers take longer to receive the newsletter email.

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This month’s newsletter link will be available only during the month of February so be sure to download it before 2/29/16.

Remember! All of the archived and current newsletters are available as part of the Ultimate Naturalist Library…every level!

Contents of this edition of the newsletter include:

  • Rock and creek nature study ideas, including nature journal prompts and an article from me on a four seasons creek study.
  • Contributions from Outdoor Hour Challenge participants Shirley Ann Vels and Paige Hudson.
  • February Nature Study Planning Page with field trip ideas, nature photo ideas, and a special 15 minute challenge for parents.
  • Creek Study printable notebook page which can be used as a nature journal topper as well.

Resources for your Nature Library: I have started to build a nature library store on Amazon that will feature by category my favorite nature study books and resources. Take a look and see if there is anything you would like to put on your wish list for your family’s nature study library: Handbook of Nature Study Nature Library Suggestions on Amazon.com. Note this is my affiliate store to items I personally recommend and have read or seen in person.

Outdoor Hour Challenge February 2016 Printables for Members @handbookofnaturestudy

Please note that Ultimate Naturalist and Journey level members have access to members only printables each month in addition to the newsletter printables. You will need to log into your account and then go to the “Other Releases” section.

 

Getting Started FAQ Button
Need help getting started with your nature study using the Handbook of Nature Study? Check out the fresh “Getting Started” page here on the website!

 

Creek Study Nature Journal Topper

Don’t forget that the last page in the newsletter is a printable nature journal page or you can use it as a nature journal topper by cutting the journal prompt out and adhering it right in your own nature journal. You can see my page above. I decided to use a spatter paint background and then taped the prompt to the top of my page. Now all I have to do is make my observations and record then in a list using a pen.

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Our Starling Bird Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Starling Bird Study

Of course, the week we had scheduled to observe and learn more about starlings…they have vanished from the neighborhood! They were constant visitors during the autumn months right outside my office window in the pistache trees that line the side of our house. I could hear them out there as they ate the bright red fruits from the tree. But even though the opportunity had passed see them in person, I have plenty of photos from my archives to use as the basis for our study.

I decided to try to determine where they go once they leave our neighborhood. I did some online research and found that most starlings stay right here in the continental U.S. during all seasons. But, I have been watching and they are definitely gone from our area. I think it has something to do with the food supply…which I note later below.

Starling Bird Study Nature Journal @handbookofnaturestudy

Journal Idea: Coloring Page from Cornell’s Bird Coloring Book (page 28). I cut the blackline drawing out and used colored pencils to attempt to show the speckles but wasn’t successful. It is really hard to get it right. Anyway, I decided to use the drawing anyway and focus on the recording good information on the page instead. This is actually quite an interesting bird.

Great Information is found in: Discover Nature Close to Home (one of my Nature Book Project selections) – see pages 59-66. This is my affiliate link. I also used the AllAboutBirds website.

Starling Bird Nature Study @handbookofnaturestudy

Here are two sort of blurry images of starlings I have in my archives. This one from November 2014 shows the speckled look to the bird during autumn and winter. The starlings seem to be around our house only as long as there are those fruits on the pistache tree. Now that the fruits are gone, so are the starlings. We will look forward to their appearance again when the season is right.

Starling Iridescent @handbookofnaturestudyThis is an image of a starling from 2011 in February. I also have a really bad video of this bird from that day (it was just too far away for a good one). There were two of them along with some robins in the trees across from our house. They were eating something off the tree….not sure what. Anyway, this photo shows the iridescent color of the starling at certain times of year. So pretty!

Have you had a chance to look for some birds this month? Don’t forget that the Great Backyard Bird Count is coming up February 12-15, 2016! Mark you calendars!

 

 

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NotebookingPages.com Winter Giveaway and Sale

Don’t Miss This!

I want to share about a fabulous giveaway and opportunity for a free notebooking page sampler from NotebookingPages.com.

I just didn’t want you to miss it! I am a proud sponsor of NotebookingPages.com and my Getting Started ebook is one of the prizes the Grand Prize winner will receive. If you don’t already own my Getting Started ebook yet, why not pop over and enter to win her Homeschool Giveaway?

PLUS starting tomorrow there will be a Mid-Winter Membership Sale with $25 off a lifetime membership. Please note I am an affiliate for NotebookingPages.com and highly recommend their products for all homeschooling families.

Entries about notebooking for your nature journal you may want to read:

Notebook Pages in Your Nature Journal

How to Organize Your Nature Notebook Pages

Winter Giveaway & Membership Sale Event

ONE-DAY WINTER GIVEAWAY

WHEN: Tuesday, January 26 (9am CT – 9pm CT)

1 GRAND PRIZE WINNER receives:
Notebooking Pages LIFETIME Membership
& 12 Sponsor Gifts

24 WINNERS receive:
Notebooking Pages LIFETIME Membership

EVERYONE receives:
FREE Notebooking Pages Sampler

Winter Giveaway & Membership Sale Event

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Paterson Great Falls National Historic Site

Paterson Falls National Historic Site tips and images @handbookofnaturestudy

Back in October our family was able to visit the state of New Jersey and what a surprise New Jersey was to us! It was so much more rural than expected and we fit in a visit to a very interesting place, Paterson Great Falls National Historic Site. It may not have been as majestic as other national parks or sites but it was by far one of the most interesting ways to look back in time to see how the natural feature of the town’s waterfall influenced history and industry in New Jersey. Paterson was the first planned industrial city in the U.S., established back in 1792.

october 2015 Paterson Falls National Historic Site (3)

It was  a raining afternoon with showers but we were still able to get out and explore the small park. We started on one side of the Pasaic River where you can look over and see the falls. There were a few people there braving the rain but we pretty much had the place to ourselves.

october 2015 Paterson Falls National Historic Site (4)We crossed over the street and found the very small visitor center that the national park service had set up. The only thing of note is that they have guided tours available or you can opt for a self guided tour of the area as you learn about the industrial history of the area.

october 2015 Paterson Falls National Historic Site (6)Our son was interested in visiting the Paterson Museum which is just one block from the national park visitor center. This was a great decision! This place has so many interesting things and we took time to look at just about everything, including a sampling of the locomotives that had been built here in the past. This engine is actually one that helped to build the Panama Canal back in the day.

october 2015 Paterson Falls National Historic Site (12)

Of course, my son the pilot was interested in learning all about the history of Wright Aeronautics in Paterson. Amazing things to look at and learn about! The museum also catalogs the history of other Paterson manufacturers like Colt Revolvers as well the local silk industry.

october 2015 Paterson Falls National Historic Site (19)

Back outside we walked back down the street and then over the river to the closest viewing spot for actual waterfall which is in Mary Ellen Kramer Park. I can imagine this place after a hard rain or in the springtime being a magical place with lots of water. During our visit, the falls were not that impressive but still a nice surprise during our brief trip through New Jersey.

october 2015 Paterson Falls National Historic Site (20)

You can tell from the photo that the waterfall is really right in the middle of the town. I got the idea that this park is going to be vamping up its offerings so take a look at their website before you visit for any new features of the park that may strike your fancy. I was wishing I had more time to walk the town and take some “artsy” kinds of photos of the old brick buildings. I can always find something of interest wherever I go.

I am learning a great deal about the difference between a national park and a historic site. Historic sites can be interesting and beautiful but they don’t have the WOW factor of awesome vistas or natural phenomenon. For our family, we enjoy both experiences. I love to learn about most anything so visiting Paterson Great Falls made a memorable afternoon with my husband and son.

Tips

  • There are no entrance fees for the historic site or museum.
  • Junior Ranger program is available.
  • You can get your National Parks Passport stamped at the small visitor center.
  • 35 miles or 50 minutes from JFK Airport
  • Lots of eating options within walking or short driving distance.
  • This park is easily done in a couple of hours or shorter if you just want to stop and look at the waterfall.
  • We combined our visit with a visit to Morristown National Historic Site (entry to come here on my blog).

 

You can read more of my national park entries by following these links:

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Outdoor Hour Challenge – Seeds

Outdoor Hour Challenge Seed Nature Study @handbookofnaturestud

One of my favorite winter nature study activities is to take a hike and look for weeds left from the summer season. They are usually brown and stiff, sticking up out of the landscape even when there is a snow pack. Create a winter weed bouquet for your nature table and use the two challenges below to go a little deeper in your  seed study. Create some anticipation for the spring and summer season by talking about how plants are just waiting for the right conditions to spring forth new life again.

Weeds and Seeds Study – This challenge has a free printable notebook page for you to use as part of your seed study.

Winter Wednesday – Winter Weeds  –  from the Winter Wednesday ebook.

After reading through each challenge linked above, choose one or two things to keep in mind during your Outdoor Hour Challenge time. Enjoy your fifteen minutes outdoors as you look for weeds and seeds.  Make sure to show interest in any item your child finds to observe or bring home to your nature table.

Ultimate Ebook Library @handbookofnaturestudy

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Outdoor Mom’s Journal – January 2016

Outdoor Mom’s Journal – January 2016

I’m either really late with this month’s entry or really early for next month’s entry…oh well. This month has flown by in a good way filled with lots of rainy days but a few opportunities for some outdoor time as well. Read below about our brush with a tornado!!!

 

Snow Day Jan

We took a rather spur of the moment trip to Nevada to refresh our minds and it was picture postcard perfect as we drove up and over the Sierra Nevada. The roads were clear but the mountains were beautifully covered in a layer of snow. We were cold the whole weekend long with temperatures dipping down to 9 degrees…really cold for this California girl. We bundled up and took some walks, shopped in this incredibly large outdoor store (Scheel’s), and ate lots of delicious food. It was a perfect combination of indoor and outdoor fun.

Jan 16 window phto

This is my January photo from my office window and it pretty much sums up our month…rainy! I have been keeping track of our rainfall totals and so far we have racked up 26 inches of rain since the first of October! We have also had a dusting of snow, two hail storms, and believe it or not…a tornado!

Yes, back on December 24, 2015 we had an alert on our phone to take cover because there was a tornado in our area. What??!! This was a first and we decided to take shelter in our basement but the tornado ended up going in a different direction and only came within about 5 miles of our house. I have to say that it was exciting and sort of scary at the same time. In our world, we don’t usually worry about a tornado!

Cronan Ranch Jan 2016

There were some sunny afternoons this month that allowed a few long walks with the husband and our faithful Labrador. This was a muddy hike to the river but we very much enjoyed the warm sunshine and seeing some green for the first time in a very long time. This past few years have not allowed our usual grass crops to green up very much and I am so looking forward to see our beloved California foothills covered in green grass and colorful wildflowers. I’m ready now!

Conifers Nature Journal Page

I had a chance to work on my nature journal and decided to add a list of conifers after completing the Outdoor Hour Challenge on Pines and Cones.

I’m adding a little something different this month as part of my Outdoor Mom’s Journal, a book review. The first book I have read as part of my Nature Book Project is Discover Nature Close to Home by Elizabeth P. Lawlor. This is a fantastic book with a long list of topics that you may find very near your home: maples, pines, seeds, squirrels, starlings, goldenrod, galls, lichens, vines, chipmunks, spiders, centipedes, fungi, ants, and earthworms. This is such a practical guide to nature study that focuses on things close to home. I love the variety of topics, the straightforward information, and specific activity ideas.

Discover Nature Close to Home

Take a look at the book on Amazon and consider the kindle version and a used copy of the paperback book at a reasonable price (my affiliate link):Discover Nature Close to Home: Things to Know and Things to Do

Outdoor Moms Journal @handbookofnaturestudy

Outdoor Mom’s Journal

Whether your family spends a few minutes a week outside or hours at a time, share what is going on in your world. I hope you have enjoyed your October nature adventures.

How Do You Join?

Answer all or just one of the prompts in a blog entry on your own blog or right here on my blog in a comment. If you answer on your blog, make sure to leave me a link in a comment so that I can pop over and read your responses.

  • During our outdoor time this week we went….
  • The most inspiring thing we experienced was…
  • Our outdoor time made us ask (or wonder about)…
  • In the garden, we are planning/planting/harvesting….
  • I added nature journal pages about….
  • I am reading…
  • I am dreaming about…
  • A photo I would like to share…

Yosemite Winter January 2014 Lodge (8)

Throwback to Yosemite National Park January 2014…..the winter trip when it was cold but not much snow. I have seen photos of Yosemite in the last week and they have a ton more snow this year.

I will be posting my Outdoor Mom’s Journal entry once a month. Look for it during the first week of the month each month.

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Outdoor Hour Challenge – Starling Bird Study

 

Starling Bird Study @handbookofnaturestudy

Outdoor Hour Challenge

Starling Bird Nature Study

Inside Preparation:

Outdoor Hour Time:

  • Take a bird walk and note any birds you observe during your fifteen minutes. During the autumn and winter, starlings have their speckled plumage and look like they have white spots. If it is the spring and summer, notice their iridescent sheen. If you happen to spot a flock of starlings, try to count them!
  • If you don’t see any starlings this week, make sure to take a few minutes to make careful observations of any bird found during your outdoor time. Talk about the color, shape, size, beaks, feet, or wings of the bird with your children. Give them some words to use and have them make a journal entry once you are back inside. Keep it simple and fun.

Follow-Up Activity

  • Create a nature journal entry for the starling. Use the notebook page in the January 2016 Handbook of Nature Study newsletter if you have access to a membership here on the website. Or, you can create a simple entry with a sketch and some notes.
  • Advanced study: Learn about how birds sleep! This is something that I am interested in learning more about and here is a great starting point: Where do birds sleep?  Write a short summary of what you learned in your nature journal.

Handbook of Nature Study Ultimate Naturalist Library

 

I highly recommend the NotebookPages.com North American Birds set for your nature study notebooks. Please note I am an affiliate and have used this product in the past and loved it.

Birds of North America Notebooking Pages

 

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Year Long Study Winter Season Reminders


Seasonal Topics Reminders – Winter

Winter Season Nature Study @handbookofnaturestudy

Here are some ideas from year-long nature study topics we have done in the past:

Make sure to add your year-long study to your January or February nature study plans so you don’t forget!!!

Looking for more winter nature study ideas? Check the Winter tab at the top of the website.

Handbook of Nature Study Ultimate Naturalist Library

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Nature Book Project – 2016 List

Here you go…my Nature Book Project List for 2016. I enjoy having a plan for reading nature related books and this year is a mix of books from my shelf and a few new ones as well. As part of this project, I have created a printable nature book project planner page so you can choose your own custom list of nature books. Print it out for some suggested categories. Please note that the book links below are affiliate links. I own all of these books

 Nature Book Project 2016 @handbookofnaturestudy

January- Discover Nature Close to Home – scroll down in this entry to see the review at the bottom

February-A Place for Birds and A Place for Butterflies

March- A Crow Doesn’t Need A Shadow

April- The Practical Naturalist

May- Break month.

June-Botany in a Day

July- Rockhounding Nevada– this one has been postponed, so no formal entry as of yet

August- Break month.

September- The 10 Best of Everything National Parks

October- The Nature Handbook

November- Bringing Nature Home – this one has also been postponed until a future date

December- Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling

 

 Nature Book Project Planner Page @handbookofnaturestudy

Free Downloadable Printable – Nature Book Project Planner Page @handbookofnaturestudy

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Outdoor Hour Challenge – Pines and Cones

Pine Tree and Cone Nature Study @handbookofnaturestudy

This week we will be revisiting two different Outdoor Hour Challenges from the archives – Pine Tree Nature Study and Pine Cone Nature Study. Both of the challenges suggested for this week can be completed in any season and both contain a free printable of some sort to record your pine and cone study. There are links to the ebooks where each challenge is found so Ultimate Naturalist Members can download the corresponding ebooks with custom notebooking pages if desired.

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Winter Pine Trees (from the Winter ebook)

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Pine Cone Study (from the Autumn ebook)

NOTE: Members here on the Handbook of Nature Study have a new printable in the library: Pine Cone Investigation. Make sure to download and use this notebook page with your older students.

“Their foliage is evergreen but is shed gradually. The pollen-bearing and the seed-producing flowers are separate on the tree. The seeds are winged and are developed in cones.”
Handbook of Nature Study, page 674

After reading through each challenge linked above, choose one or two things to keep in mind during your Outdoor Hour Challenge time. Enjoy your fifteen minutes outdoors as you look for pines and cones and make sure to show interest in any item your child finds to observe or bring home to your nature table.

 Ultimate Ebook Library @handbookofnaturestudy