Barb, Author at Homeschool Nature Study

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Barb — Leave a comment

Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park – Tips and Images

Sugar Pine Point State Park in Northern California is situated on the western shores of Lake Tahoe. This 2,ooo acre park was once the estate of the Ehrman family and features their turn of the century summer home, lake front views, and many year round accessible trails for hiking and snow shoeing. Oh yes, there are the trees too! Sugar pine, fir, aspen, and cedars are all found within easy hiking of the parking lot and campground.

I have lived in California all my life and it always amazes me when I find a place that I have never visited before. My husband and I were camping at near-by Fallen Leaf Lake last September when we decided to make the short (and gorgeous) drive past Emerald Bay and onto Sugar Pine Point. We had packed a picnic lunch and made a day of it…we could have stayed longer and may sometime next year visit again with our kids. It might even be a winter trip to snowshoe among the trees if we can manage to get over the mountain. An interesting fact about this park is that it was the site of some of the Nordic events in the 1960 Olympics.

There was plenty of visitor parking and if you just wanted to stop and have a lovely picnic under the tall trees it would very easy and convenient. There are restrooms and picnic tables that are even handicap accessible. You can reach all of the trails from the parking lot, including the 6.5 mile long General Creek Trail.

There is a small nature center and gift shop located in the park. We took a quick look through the exhibits…nothing outstanding but still valuable if you are new to the area and habitat. It will give you some general ideas of what you can see in the park.

This was my favorite part of the park….the view of the lake! There is a large beach and you can rent kayaks if you want to actually get out on the water. There is an interpretive trail that follows the shoreline that tells about the history of this area and is about a quarter mile long. If you are short on time, this is probably the short hike you want to take with your children.

This is the original home that was finished in 1903 and is built in the “Shingle Style California Craftsman” style using native materials. I could only imagine sitting on this porch on a hot summer day overlooking the lake. It must have been amazing. You can take a tour of the house if you come between Memorial Day and the end of September (extra fee).

Lake Tahoe is one of my favorite spots in the whole world. Sugar Pine Point State Park has beach access for families and we saw plenty of young ones enjoying a good romp in the sand on this sunny day. The water is fairly cold but here on this stretch of beach where it isn’t too deep, the water is warmer and there were people swimming. You can’t beat this view!

The sugar pine creates these monster cones. We have seen much larger ones but I didn’t think to snap a photo. We were on the Dolder Nature Trail where it merges with the Edwin L. Z’berg Natural Preserve. I highly recommend this 1.5 mile trail through the forest because it will get you out and away from other visitors. This allows for the best chances for viewing wildlife, including birds, deer, and reptiles too.

Yes, this is where we saw the garter snake. He was a big guy and was crossing the trail right when we came upon him. I want to say right here that this is a perfect example of where preparation in nature study comes in. Our family has in the past taken a look at all of the native snakes that we might encounter on our hikes. This advance preparation gave us the confidence to identify this harmless snake and to allow us to actually enjoy stumbling across him on this day when we were out and about. I admit at first I was surprised and did a little squealing when we say him. But, after calming down and seeing that he was a garter snake, we took a few minutes (as long as he allowed) to observe his beauty. Then we were all on our way again….him to find his next meal and we enjoyed the rest of the trail.

The most visible bird we saw on this day was the Steller’s jay. This noisy bold bird makes himself known with his familiar “shook shook shook” sound and his swooping in over the picnic lunch to see if we are going to share something. The Steller’s jay is much darker in color than the Blue jay found in the eastern United States and he has a prominent crest which sets him apart from the Western scrub jay.

I’m sharing this photo because it makes me laugh. We saw on the trail map and on a sign that there was a “lighthouse” in this state park. We were curious to see this lighthouse and hiked down the side trail to view it. Turns out it is a beacon light with its claim to fame being the “world’s highest in elevation operating maritime navigational light”. I guess that’s something. We enjoyed the view of the lake from this spot and the interesting rocks.

This started off as a way to achieve a nature study goal for the year...visit one new state park. But, it turned out to be an amazing day with many memories being made and the desire to visit again in all the seasons. Since it is very near to my home (about 90 minutes), this may be added to next year’s nature study goals. This is a place that families who visit the Lake Tahoe area should make a point to visit. It would make a wonderful stop on a drive from South Lake Tahoe, through Emerald Bay, and on to Tahoe City. You will not see more breathtaking views than along this shoreline drive.

Thanks for letting me share my day with you!

Other Tips

There is a charge to enter the park, currently $10 per vehicle.
The nature center and gift shop are open daily from June through August and on weekends in September.
Tours of the mansion are conducted in season and are currently $10 per adult.
There is a Junior Ranger program available.
There are bears in this area so never leave food out after your picnic or overnight in your car.
You can download a park brochure ahead of time for more information: Sugar Pine Point State Park Brochure.
The West Shore Bike Trail passes right at the entrance to this state park. There are trails within the park that you are allowed to mountain bike.
There are 175 campsites that are open year round. We drove through the campground and it looks like a decent place to stay even though it is noted that many of the sites are very close together.

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

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Redwoods National Park (California)
Channel Islands National Park(California)
Death Valley National Park(California)
Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
Joshua Tree National Park (California)
Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
Point Reyes National Seashore (California)
Muir Woods National Monument (California)
Zion National Park (Utah)

Posted on October 23, 2015 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Catbird

Outdoor Hour Challenge
Catbird Study

Inside Preparation Work:

Read pages 95-97 (Lesson #24) in the Handbook of Nature Study. I really love the narrative part of this lesson and I would encourage you to read it and highlight some interesting sections to share with your children before you go outside this week.
Look up the range map on All About Birds to see if you have catbirds in your area. Here in California we don’t have catbirds but an alternate study could be the cowbird or the mockingbird.
Listen the catbird song and call on All About Birds: Catbird.
View a video of the catbird: All About Birds-Catbird. Here are two more really interesting videos: Catbird in Florida and Catbird in California.

Outdoor Hour Time:

For this challenge, use your sense of hearing to listen for bird sounds. This can be done just about anywhere, even your own backyard. Teaching your children to listen carefully is a huge part of a successful nature study program so use birds as a way of practicing this life skill.
Look for catbirds but make note of any birds that you see during your outdoor time. Have your child use as many descriptive words as possible if you happen to observe a bird. If they are new to bird study, make sure to give them some vocabulary like beak, tail, wing, feathers, etc.

Follow-Up Activity:

Create a nature journal entry for the catbird or any other bird you studied this week. Have your child recall the sound of the catbird (use the link in the preparation section if necessary). Have them describe the catbird’s song and call. Do they think it sounds like a cat?
If your family can provide a birdbath, set one up within sight of a window for observation. Keep the birdbath filled and then watch to see if you get any visitors like the catbird. Keep a list of birds you observe in your birdbath.
Advanced study: Compare the catbird with the mockingbird.

If you want to purchase the Autumn Nature Study 2015 ebook so you can follow along with all the notebooking pages, coloring pages, and subject images, you can join the Ultimate or Journey Membership Levels. See the Join Us page for complete information. Also, you can view the Autumn Nature Study 2015 announcement page for more details.

Posted on October 19, 2015 by Barb — Leave a comment

Planning Monthly Nature Study

Last month I shared how to plan a nature study course for a year. This time I want to show you how to use the monthly ideas shared in the Handbook of Nature Study newsletter and each Friday here on the blog and make a monthly nature study plan. If you are a member here on the Handbook of Nature Study, there is a set of planning pages available in the printables section of your membership.

Customize Your Monthly Nature Study Plans

Think of all the ideas as ingredients. There are many options for your nature study recipe. Pick the ones that suit your family and your taste. Add them to the planner page and use that as a way to remind you of your options for the month. Don’t feel like you need to complete all the things you list on the planner page….I don’t. But, creating the list will make it more likely I will accomplish something during the month. Celebrate the things you are able to share with your family and look at this as a life long journey, taking one month at a time.

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter – Download and print the newsletter each month. Read through the ideas presented and pick a few to put on your monthly planning page. Make sure to look on the planning page for nature photo ideas, nature table suggestions, and nature journal topics to jot down on your monthly planning page.
Ebooks- If you are following along with the Friday posts, pick one or two to include on your monthly planning page. (The month’s Friday topics are found on the planning page in the newsletter.)
Archives– You are welcome to pick an ebook from the library and pull challenges from there. Write the ebook title and the challenge title on your planning page.
Seasonal ideas- Use the seasonal ideas from the tab at the top of the website to find one or two seasonal ideas to pick from for your family.
Once a Month Nature Journal Idea – use the idea in the post to create a nature journal page for any of the items listed above.
Printables- If you are a member here on the Handbook of Nature Study, check out the printables in your library for additional ideas to include on your monthly planner.

Does that overwhelm you? Here is an alternative that will be simple to try!

As an alternative, download the newsletter planning page and print the planning page out (usually it is the second page of the newsletter). Add ideas to the page that you would like to include for your monthly nature study time. Again, don’t feel like you need to do everything but use the planning page as a way to stimulate some nature study during your month.

Any more questions!

I hope this helps answer the frequently asked question about nature study planning for your family. Let me know if you have any other questions that I can answer in future posts!

Posted on October 16, 2015 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Field Horsetail

Outdoor Hour Challenge
Field Horsetail

Inside Preparation Work:

Read pages 706-709 (Lesson #196) in the Handbook of Nature Study. Make sure to read the lesson information for the fertile and the sterile plants.
Look at this link for a distribution map to see if you have field horsetail in your are: USDA. I also recommend this concise description and the clear images on this page: Field Horsetail.
Advanced study: Read about the uses of this plant: Field Horsetail—Herbal Uses. Please note I do not recommend eating any plants. I am sharing the link for information only.

Outdoor Hour Time:

During your outdoor time, look for the field horsetail which this time of year is very different than in the spring. Take note of any patches of field horsetail you find so you can look for its emergence in the spring along with the spores and green stems instead of leaves.
For this challenge, use the field horsetail to complete the lesson ideas for the “sterile plant” as found in the Handbook of Nature Study. This is the perfect time to study the plant’s sterile branches along with its roots if possible.
If you don’t have any field horsetail to observe, find another autumn weed to take note of along with its seeds. You can use this time to compare the way some plants use seeds to reproduce and some plants grow from the rootstock.

Follow-Up Activity:

Create a nature journal entry for the field horsetail or any other plant you found interesting. Make sure to include a short caption that explains how the field horsetail reproduces and is different than a seed bearing plant.
Advanced Study: Draw the complete life cycle of the field horsetail plant, labeling the plant’s parts and the time of year.

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Posted on October 14, 2015 by Barb — Leave a comment

Nature Goals 2015 – 3rd Quarter Update

Another quarter has come and gone….a few more of my nature study goals have been met. The summer season is my favorite season for getting outside and exploring but now that autumn has arrived I really need to get busy with the remaining goals on my list. I think this is the beauty of having a goal list since it reminds you of your intentions and keeps them fresh in your mind. I have my goal list in my planning binder and now I have some items penciled in on my calendar.

You can read my original post here: Nature Study Goals 2015

Goals Update

1. Yosemite Photo Project: This was a big fail. I took two trips to Yosemite during this quarter and I did NOT manage to take the book with me that outlined my plans for the project. It is a very good thing that I can roll this over into next year.

2. Visit one new state park: Accomplished this one!!! We visited Sugar Pine Point State Park and had a picnic and did some hiking. I just realized I have never created an entry about this trip…it is now on the schedule for an up-coming post.

3. Visit one new national park: Accomplished during the second quarter – Zion National Park.

4. Visit a bird refuge: This is going to happen in this last quarter of the year so stay tuned!

5. Take one new hike: We have picked a hike and now that it is autumn we will give it a try. (#37 in the book-Codfish Falls on the American River).

6. Read ten nature-related books this year: So far so good with nine books read and one more to go!

7. Rock project: We had plans to work on this one but we had to cancel our trip due to the wildfires here in California.

8. Create one nature journal entry each month: Yes! Using the Once a Month Nature Journal ideas, I have been able to create at least one page a month.

How are your nature study goals coming along for 2015? Do you need to create a list?

You might like to read the Planning Nature Study for the Year post from last month for some ideas to get you started.

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Cockroach

Outdoor Hour Challenge
Insect Study – Cockroach

Inside Preparation Work:

Read pages 350-351 (Lesson #83) in the Handbook of Nature Study.
This is a helpful page that you can read with your children and download any of the pdf identification cards you desire to include in your nature journal: Cockroaches.
Advanced study: Here is a National Geographic video about the cockroach. Just be warned it may be hard for some people to watch. I suggest previewing this video!

Outdoor Hour Time:

Go on an insect hunt! Look for any insect to observe and compare to a cockroach.
Observation Ideas: Look at the shape and size of your insect. Look at the antennae. Look at the eyes. Look at the wings.

Follow-Up Activity:

If you had a cockroach to observe, use the lesson observation suggestions from the Handbook of Nature Study to create a nature journal page.
Advanced study: Research incomplete metamorphosis. Create a nature journal page that records your findings.
Advanced study: Research the insect order blattodea. Pick two insects in this order and compare them in your nature journal. There is a notebook page in the ebook for recording your data.

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Posted on October 7, 2015 by Barb — Leave a comment

National Audubon Society – First Field Guide Reptiles Review

There is a book that I have found very helpful in my study of reptiles. Yes, it is a children’s book but it is just what I need. There are so many helpful aspects to this particular book that I wanted to recommend it to you and your family. It is available on Amazon.com only as a used book from third parties but I don’t think it will disappoint you even in used condition.

Here is my affiliate link: National Audubon Society First Field Guide Reptiles

A few things I like about this book:

For advanced students: Naming reptiles with order, family, genus, and species. Talks about scientific names and many common names for same thing.
Clear images for each reptile in the book, with look alikes and related species noted right on the side of the page.
Maps are clear and understandable.
Simple explanations about where reptiles live. (pages 38-39)
Specific ideas for how to find reptiles in llate spring, summer, early fall. Helpful tips are including like keep sun at your back and look for reptiles basking on sunny parts. (pages 44-45)
There is a helpful index.

If you would like to have a wonderful reptile reference book for your nature study shelf and library, this is one that I highly recommend.

Still time to join us this month with our newsletter focus on reptiles.

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Barb — 2 Comments

Outdoor Mom’s Journal – October Edition

: My September Collage: Beautiful coneflowers from a visit to a botanical garden. My swallow bird study nature journal entry. Smoke from the large and destructive wildfire we experienced here in California. A new variety of apple from our apple farm visit.

Charlotte Mason said, “Some children are born naturalists, but even those who weren’t were born with natural curiosity about the world should be encouraged to observe nature. Most children are influenced by the opinions of those around them and if their parents don’t care about nature, or are disgusted by little creatures, they will pick up that attitude and all the wonders of nature will pass them by.”

I think I was born a naturalist. I know a few fellow naturalists in my real life and I see them here through the lens of my blog. Perhaps you have one in your home.

I try to feed that love of the natural world as much as I can fit it into my busy life….it is a balm and a balance to our very fast-paced, technologically focused world.

Most inspiring this month was my butterfly observations in my own front yard. I spent quite a bit of time sitting quietly waiting for a butterfly to stop flying around and land for a photo. I was rewarded for my effort.
I wondered about how the migrating birds know when to come back. I saw the appearance of my juncos and sparrows. They arrived at our feeders just as we got our first measurable rain since last spring.
I am anticipating and dreaming about a soon to happen trip to Connecticut. We are hoping for fall color and good weather for hiking. Time will tell.

Two photos I want to share!

This is one of my morning glories that I have growing in a pot on my back deck. It is so amazing when it firsts opens up….just like a paper flower! It is truly a glorious flower.

This is something else from a pot on my back deck. Tomato hornworms that completely ate my tomato plant pretty much in a night. I check this plant everyday and somehow missed them until I saw their telltale droppings on the deck around the plant. I left them for the birds to deal with. It’s kind of late in the season to hope that the plant revives but I can always have hope. It is hard to believe that these caterpillars eventually turn into beautiful sphinx moths.

It was a great month….looking forward to finding the autumn gifts in October.

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 August.

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…

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.

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Barb — 2 Comments

October 2015 Printables for Members

I’m really trying to encourage you to go a little deeper in your reptile study using the brand new reptile reproduction notebook that has been added to the membership library. Also, it isn’t too late to take a brook or stream walk this season using this mini grid notebook page. Print one for each member of your family and take a walk sometime soon!

Remember the Ultimate and Discovery levels of membership receive access to all of the monthly printables.

Reptile Reproduction Notebook Page – perfect for more advanced students who are taking their reptile study to a higher level.

Brook and Stream Mini Grid Notebook Page and Activity – print one for each member of your family and use it to have some fun at a local brook or stream.

These new printables are in your membership library if you are a member of the Ultimate Naturalist or Journey level memberships. You need to log into your account and then check the “Other Releases” section for brand new printables to enjoy along with the Outdoor Hour Challenges in 2015. Currently there are 36+ printables in the members library in addition to the ebooks and newsletters.

Be Inspired! Be Encouraged! Get Outdoors!

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Barb — Leave a comment

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter – October 2015 Reptiles

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

October 2015 – Reptiles

When I was preparing ideas for this newsletter, my husband and I were up in the mountains on a camping trip. One afternoon on a hike, we happened to encounter a snake on the trail. Well, apparently I almost stepped right on him without noticing. My husband saw him and shouted a warning to me. I screamed and jumped up and promptly ran further along the trail. Then, I calmed down, gathered my wits and went back to see the snake…a mountain garter snake. He had stopped just off the side, near a log. His amazing coloring blends in and provides such protection in the rugged habitat. We snapped a few images and decided to leave him in peace, probably searching for his next meal.

As always, my initial reaction to a snake encounter is fear but then it turns to admiration upon closer inspection.

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.

If you don’t receive the separate email with the download link, you probably aren’t subscribed to the blog yet. This will take less than a minute to do if you follow the steps below.

If you are a subscriber and you haven’t received your newsletter email yet, check your SPAM inbox. Some subscribers have found the email buried in SPAM inbox.

If you need to subscribe:

You will need to go to the Handbook of Nature Study, look to the top right corner for the box to type in your preferred email address, and then confirm the email that comes to your email inbox.
Once you subscribe, you will receive a thank you email from me with the download link.

This month’s newsletter link will be available only during the month of October so be sure to download it before 10/31/15.

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:

Reptile nature study tips and resources in the form of links to the Handbook of Nature Study website, contributor’s links, and Pinterest. This month’s featured contributors are Heather Woodie from Blog She Wrote and Alex from Life on a Canadian Island.
October Nature Study Planning Page printable – don’t miss the little extras I have added this month like nature photo ideas, field trip ideas, and a special 15 minute challenge for parents.
I have written an article entitled, Learning About Local Reptiles, where I encourage you to learn more about reptiles using your own personal style.
Reptile Study Notebook Page – This page includes a prompt at the top to help your family go more deeply into a leaf study this month or in the months to come. It can also be used as a nature journal topper if you want to cut and paste the prompt into your own nature journal.

Members: You may also wish to download the April 2013 Newsletter from the archives. You will find additional articles, printables, and links to support your tree nature study. Note: All levels of membership here on the Handbook of Nature Study include all back issues of the newsletter.

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. There is a reptile related notebook page that has been created to go along with this month’s newsletter theme. Look for it in the printables section of your membership.

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!

Author: Barb

Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park – Tips and Images

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Catbird

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Field Horsetail

Nature Goals 2015 – 3rd Quarter Update

How are your nature study goals coming along for 2015? Do you need to create a list?

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Cockroach

National Audubon Society – First Field Guide Reptiles Review

Still time to join us this month with our newsletter focus on reptiles.

Outdoor Mom’s Journal – October Edition

Outdoor Mom’s Journal

October 2015 Printables for Members

Remember the Ultimate and Discovery levels of membership receive access to all of the monthly printables.

Be Inspired! Be Encouraged! Get Outdoors!

Outdoor Hour Challenges for families since 2008!