Autumn Series Archives

Posted on November 2, 2018 by Barb — 2 Comments

Autumn Weeds: Milkweed, Thistle, Teasel, Burdock, Queen Anne’s Lace

This week’s Outdoor Hour Challenge allows you to pick from a list of the autumn weed studies already in the archives here on the Handbook of Nature Study. Pick one of the weeds and then mark your planner to revisit this weed in all four seasons to experience its full life cycle. Make sure to read the lesson in the Handbook of Nature Study as noted below for specific weed observation suggestions.

Autumn Weeds – Handbook of Nature Study

Autumn Milkweed – Lesson 148

Autumn Thistle – Lesson 141

Autumn Teasel – Lesson 147

Autumn Burdock – Lesson 142

Autumn Queen Anne’s Lace – Lesson 128

Make sure to click the links above to read the entire Outdoor Hour Challenge with helpful links, nature study ideas, printable notebooking pages, and suggested follow-up activities.

Additional Links

Queen Anne’s Lace Autumn Study: Here is a link to one of our autumn weed studies.

Autumn Nature Journal Examples: Take a look at some of my autumn nature journal pages, including an autumn thistle page.

If you’re a member of the Ultimate Naturalist Library, you have access to the following ebooks with notebooking pages for each of the autumn weed studies listed below.

Autumn Milkweed – More Nature Study Autumn

Autumn Thistle – More Nature Study Autumn

Autumn Teasel – Autumn Nature Study Continues

Autumn Burdock – Autumn Nature Study Continues

Autumn Queen Anne’s Lace – Autumn 2010

This Outdoor Hour Challenge is part of the 2018-2019 Plan here on the Handbook of Nature Study. We’ll be using the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock to discover new things about the world around us. Join us each Friday for a different nature study topic. Make sure to subscribe to this blog to receive the weekly challenge right in your email box.

If you want to become a member here on the Handbook of Nature Study, you can click the Join Us button for more details. Benefits include those shown above including access to ebooks, notebooking pages, archived newsletters, and new ebooks and printables published during your membership.

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

Oaks and Acorns – California Visit

Oaks have a fragrance when the leaves are warm that conjures up memories of all the summers spent living in California. It’s an earthy smell that reminds me of hiking along trails beneath the oak forest canopy.

Dave Moore walking under the oaks — Walking with my son – 2012

Oaks can create a wonderful protective archway and I love to stand underneath and peek up through the leaves to the sky. Along a familiar trail, the oaks create an arching leafy roof that filters the sunlight and I remember watching my boys run ahead of me on this trail, blond heads disappearing around the corner.

This week we camped under the oaks at a friend’s house in California. I relished the time to wander the property to see his magnificent oak trees.

The crunching of dried oak leaves was a familiar trail sound as we walk along looking for acorns, none to be found this day. Perhaps it’s early in the season or maybe this year won’t be a “good” year for an acorn crop. Hint: If you dig around in the leaf litter under the tree, you may find a few of last year’s acorns not gathered by the squirrels or scrub jays.

We compared two different oaks growing at our campsite, the California black oak and the interior live oak. The leaves are very different in size and shape. The California black oak is a large tree with fairly good size leaves. The interior live oak has small, sharply toothed leaves.

This entry includes Amazon affiliate links to products I own and love!

I used the Peterson field guide to trees to figure out what kind of oak trees created each type of leaf. This guide is one of my favorites because of the detailed illustrations of not only the leaf, but also the bud and acorn. This makes it easier to distinguish which oak we are studying. Look for it on Amazon and note there is an eastern and western version for trees.

This day I was reminded that when you study oaks there are many other related studies you could work on at the same time: lichen, moss, mistletoe, woodpeckers, squirrels, and even lizards. Try to take it all in and see your tree as a living world.

See this entry for a free printable: My Tree is a Living World.

Make sure to read the original Oak Tree Outdoor Hour Challenge with a free notebook page: OHC Oaks and Acorns.

Posted on October 10, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

Immersing Ourselves in Autumn Trees

Immersing Ourselves in Autumn Trees

The change of the season from summer to autumn is noticed by the changing of the air and the bursting forth of colors in the deciduous trees. You can’t help but revel in the oranges, burgundies, and yellows of autumn leaves!

Did you get outside and take note of your neighborhood trees?

Our road is lined by mostly evergreens but a few of us are lucky enough to have aspens on our property to enjoy. We’ve been watching our trees, anticipating a change in color as the nights have turned colder, hoping the cold snap will give us a colorful display.

Our aspens haven’t disappointed us and they make me think of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Autumn Serenade. Glorious!

Aside from the leaves, I really love the bark on the trunks of the aspens. But, for autumn we will focus on the leaves and then take a look at the trunks in the winter.

Are you starting a yearlong tree study?

Link to the printable and the Four Seasons tree study.

See the original Autumn Tree Study from the archives of the Outdoor Hour Challenges: Autumn Tree Study.

Amazon.com links to tree books I own and love!

A Walk in the Boreal Forest (includes a discussion of aspen trees)

My Favorite Tree- Click over to see my entry for this awesome book that also includes a free printable!

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Autumn Tree 2018

Autumn Tree Nature Study

There’s no better way to begin your autumn nature study than with a look at the deciduous trees in your neighborhood. This week, read in the Handbook of Nature Study about autumn trees and then use the suggestions in the lesson to help your family take a good look at a tree.

Autumn Tree Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study Lesson 172 (pages 622-624)

Archive Outdoor Hour Challenge – Click the link above to take you to the original challenge.

Make sure to click the link below to read the entire Outdoor Hour Challenge with helpful links, nature study ideas, printable notebooking pages, and suggested follow-up activities.

Autumn Tree Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study Lesson 172 (pages 622-624)

Use this printable notebook page to record your seasonal tree notes and a sketch. Be sure to note on your planning calendar a reminder to create a page in each of the seasons!

Four Seasons Tree Photo Project – This is another awesome tree entry with loads of ideas for a yearlong study of trees along with a printable activity.

Additional Autumn Tree Ideas

Watercolor Leaf Tutorial and Video – In this post from the archives, I share how to use watercolor crayons to create a beautiful autumn leaf painting.

Autumn Tree Observations Extraordinaire – One of my all time favorite fall tree excursions with my family. Quaking aspens!

Posted on September 21, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

Autumn Weather Nature Study

Autumn Weather Nature Study

This week we’re going to do the first of our seasonal weather observations using the Handbook of Nature Study. Make sure to read the pages noted below in the Handbook of Nature Study under the section “How to Keep a Daily Weather Map”. There are more pages in the Handbook devoted to weather but this section will give you detailed suggestions for observing and then recording the weather with your children.

Autumn Weather Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study Pages 806-807

Archive Outdoor Hour Challenge – Click the link above to take you to the original challenge.

“Few schools are able to have a working barometer, but observations of temperature and sky should be made in every school.”

Let us make it a daily habit to give a thought to weather conditions, the wind directions; the presence or absence of dew during the hours of evening, night, or early morning…”

Handbook of Nature Study, page 806

Make sure to click the link below to read the entire Outdoor Hour Challenge with helpful links, nature study ideas, printable notebooking pages, and suggested follow-up activities.

Autumn Weather Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study Pages 806-807

Use this chart to record your weather statistics.

Link to chart: Weather Record Chart

Link to notebook page: My Seasonal Weather

Use this printable notebook page to record your seasonal weather observations. Be sure to note on your planning calendar a reminder to create a page in each of the seasons!

Observing the weather does not need to be complicated and even looking out the window to note the sky conditions will build an appreciation and connection between what your children observe and the weather.

A complete list of printables currently available to members can be viewed here:

Handbook of Nature Study Printables for Members List

Note this is an Amazon affiliate link to a product I own and love.

Posted on September 18, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

Seasonal Nature Study – Autumn Reminders

Seasonal Nature Study – Autumn Reminders

For families that are not following along with the Outdoor Hour Challenges, you may wish to still complete some autumn season observations. These activities take a few minutes, usually include a lesson in the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock, and create an opportunity to learn a little bit about your habitat in a simple and relaxed way.

Here is a list of ideas to get you started with a year-long study in a variety of topics.

Year-Long Big Dipper Study – with free printable
Seasonal Cattail Study – with free printable
Seasonal Milkweed Study – with free printable notebook page
Year-Long Pond Study – with a free printable notebook page
Year-Long Queen Anne’s Lace Study and a free printable notebook page
Seasonal Autumn Tree Study – with free activity and notebook page
Year-Long Thistle Study
Teasel Study – start a year-long teasel study

Maybe you just want a quick autumn nature study idea this week to use with your children. Why not try the Signs of Autumn nature study activity?

You can download the notebooking page and read the suggested activity here in this entry from my archives: Signs of Autumn.

Most of my readers that responded to my question about their favorite season for nature study, responded that autumn was the best time for them to be outdoors. I would love to help you with your nature study plans with the long list of Outdoor Hour Challenges found in any of my autumn ebooks. You can read more about those topics by clicking over and reading this entry: Autumn Nature Study Ebooks

Posted on September 12, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

Goldenrod Nature Study – Summer Wildflower

Goldenrod was the topic from last week’s Outdoor Hour Challenge. Who knew that such a common yellow flower could not only be prettier up close, but also fascinating as a wildflower? Using Lesson 132 in the Handbook of Nature Study, I gleaned a few new interesting facts that helped me appreciate our local goldenrod so much more.

In the Handbook of Nature Study, Anna Botsford Comstock says not to worry about identifying a particular goldenrod if you do observe some in your neighborhood because there are just so many different varieties. I attempted to nail down our goldenrod and decided it’s probably Western goldenrod or Euthamia occidentalis.

The problem here in my local area is that the rabbitbrush is blooming at the same time and it’s also a very yellow low growing plant that you could easily mistake for goldenrod. (See this entry from a few years ago where I made the same mistake: Goldenrod Afternoon.)

But now I know to look for the different leaves and flower shapes, but I do have to look carefully when I’m driving by a field to decide which flower it is that’s blooming.

I’m lucky enough right now to have a goldenrod plant growing in my front rock garden. I almost weeded it out earlier in the summer but now I’m glad I left it to grow! I enjoy seeing it from the window and I hope that it spreads a little to add some yellow flashes of color to my landscape.

The Handbook of Nature Study encourages us in our nature study to look for insects that can be found on the goldenrod. So far, I’ve only seen a few stray bees.

If you missed the Outdoor Hour Challenge last week and would like to give it a try, here’s the link: Goldenrod Nature Study – Autumn Walk and Observations.

Look for the free notebooking page for this nature study linked in that entry!

I used these field guides in addition to the Handbook of Nature Study to learn more about my goldenrod.

I’ve written two wildflower nature study ebooks that you may be interested in using with your family. They are both in the Ultimate and Journey level memberships here on the Handbook of Nature Study.

Join us each Friday for a different nature study idea!

Posted on September 7, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

Goldenrod Nature Study – Autumn Walk and Observations

Goldenrod Nature Study – Autumn Walk and Observations

Goldenrod Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study Lesson #132

Archive Outdoor Hour Challenge – Click the link above to take you to the original challenge.

Goldenrod is a showy yellow wildflower that is included in the Handbook of Nature Study. There are many varieties of goldenrod all over North America, so you may have some in your local area. This is the perfect beginner’s nature study that starts with a pretty flower and a super interesting lesson in the Handbook of Nature Study.

Anna Botsford Comstock encourages us to engage our child’s imagination as we hunt for “golden cities” in our neighborhoods and to look for insects. This makes it a subject that appeals to a wide range of children as they take a look to see if they can discover this flower and possibly some creatures to observe. Make sure to read the pages in the Handbook of Nature Study that will help you build an interest for this week’s topic.

Make sure to click the link below to read the entire Outdoor Hour Challenge with links, ideas, free notebooking pages, and suggested follow-up activities.

Goldenrod Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study Lesson #132

This Outdoor Hour Challenge is part of the 2018-2019 Plan here on the Handbook of Nature Study. We will be using the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock to discover new things about the world around us. Join us each Friday for a different nature study topic. Make sure to subscribe to this blog to receive the weekly challenge right in your email box.

Note this is an Amazon affiliate link to a product that I have used and loved for many,many years.

Posted on August 27, 2018 by Barb — 3 Comments

Autumn Nature Study Ebooks

Autumn Nature Study with the Outdoor Hour Challenge

We’re facing a change of the season here in a few weeks.

I realize many of you have purchased some of the past autumn nature study ebooks here on the Handbook of Nature Study. Have you thought of working through a series again starting next month? My family has completed many of these challenges more than once and we always learn something new!

If you’re new to the Outdoor Hour Challenge, you can find all five of the ebooks in the Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.

I’ll list the autumn themed ebooks below and if you want to click over to see the specific topics covered, you can easily do that by clicking the book title.

I’d love for you to find something here to inspire a whole lot of autumn nature study. Last week in my giveaway, I think the vast majority of people who entered responded that they LOVE autumn nature study the best. Well, use the Outdoor Hour Challenges to take your nature study to the next level with easy to follow ideas and simple follow-up activities.

Autumn Nature Study Ebooks Available

1) Autumn 2009

2) Autumn 2010

3) Autumn Nature Study Continues

4) More Nature Study – Autumn

5) Autumn 2015

For a complete list of autumn season nature study topics, you can click the Autumn tab at the top of the website.

Some of our favorite autumn nature studies are listed below. Take a look and be inspired!

I’d love to hear about your favorite autumn nature study topic that you anticipate completing this year.

If you’d like to have access to all of the autumn ebooks, you’ll find them all in the Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.

In addition to the autumn books, there are 21 additional nature study ebooks in this membership.

Watch for my autumn nature study on Instagram.

Posted on August 6, 2018 by Barb — 34 Comments

Outdoor Hour Challenge 2018-2019 Plans

Outdoor Hour Challenge

September 2018 through August 2019

Plans and Instructions

As we start another year of nature study together, I want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to see the year’s plans all in one place. This plan was made with Handbook of Nature Study members in mind but it will also be very accessible to non-members who would like to join us.

Outdoor Hour Challenge September 2018 – August 2019 for Members

Get the Year Plan in a PDF: Subscribe to the Ultimate Naturalist Library, Journey, or Discovery level membership: This membership will give you access to a detailed schedule for the entire year. You’ll have a printable plan that shows dates and specific topics that will be considered every Friday. This makes your planning super easy!

Winter Nature Study Series

Garden Flowers and Plants

Summer Nature Study Continues

Download the Ebooks: Ultimate Naturalist Members will have access to the three ebooks needed for the year’s nature study plans.

Click the covers below to go to more information for each ebook. Check your files to see if you own these ebooks already!

Note: There is no separate ebook for the autumn season. We’ll be using the free notebook page bundle from 2009 that is available to everyone under the Autumn tab on the blog.

Download the Notebook Page Bundle: In addition to receiving the year’s plan in a pdf to download, Ultimate and Journey level members will also have access to a new Notebook Page Bundle printable that includes EVERY notebooking page needed for the entire year’s plan. This 78 page bundle can be printed for each student in your family. The Parent’s edition of the Notebook Page Bundle includes an index of challenges AND chart that shows the nature topics and corresponding pages in the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock.

I’m super excited about this new Notebook Page Bundle! This has been a much requested item and I’m happy to make this a part of the Ultimate and Journey level memberships. Note: These are not new notebook pages, but for convenience they’re the pages from the ebooks gathered into one file for you to print and use with your family. This saves you time and energy as you plan and then complete your nature study!

Do You Want to Join Us?

Here’s what you need to do!

Purchase a membership here on the Handbook of Nature Study. Remember that if you want access to all the ebooks and other resources you will need an Ultimate Naturalist Membership.
Download the ebooks.
Download the Notebook Page Bundle (both a student version and a parent’s version are available).
Download the September 2018 through August 2019 plan.
Subscribe to the Handbook of Nature Study blog for reminders each Friday.

This can be your best year ever for nature study!

Click Below to Get Started!

Use the discount code: Nature4U for $5 off an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership. Code Expires 8/18/18.

If you can’t purchase a membership at this time, you can still follow along by subscribing to the blog and each week’s Outdoor Hour Challenge will come right to your email inbox.

We’re so proud to have been chosen as a top Elementary Science curriculum by readers at Practical Homeschooling. I hope you’ll think about using our nature study ideas in your family with the confidence that families from around the world are happy with their results!

How would you like to enter a giveaway for an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership?

You can enter below! I will be giving away three memberships!

Giveaway ends on Friday, August 10, 2018 at 11 PM.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Category: Autumn Series

Autumn Weeds: Milkweed, Thistle, Teasel, Burdock, Queen Anne’s Lace

Oaks and Acorns – California Visit

Immersing Ourselves in Autumn Trees

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Autumn Tree 2018

Autumn Weather Nature Study

Seasonal Nature Study – Autumn Reminders

Goldenrod Nature Study – Summer Wildflower

Goldenrod Nature Study – Autumn Walk and Observations

Autumn Nature Study Ebooks

Autumn Nature Study with the Outdoor Hour Challenge

Outdoor Hour Challenge 2018-2019 Plans

This can be your best year ever for nature study!

How would you like to enter a giveaway for an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership?

Outdoor Hour Challenges for families since 2008!