Category: Getting Started

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Getting Started with the Outdoor Hour Challenge – 10 Year Anniversary

 

Getting Started Outdoor Hour Challenge ebook

I’m celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the Outdoor Hour Challenge this month! It’s hard to believe that it’s been a decade of sharing nature study with all of you here on my blog and getting to know so many families from around the world. It started off as a small community of nature-loving families who encouraged me to put my ideas into an easy to use ebook and look at where this has taken us!

Why not celebrate this milestone with a new edition of the original Getting Started ebook!

I’ve just finished updating and improving the original Getting Started with the Outdoor Hour Challenge ebook! The tried and true first ten challenges are all there but with updated links and some fresh resources for you to use with your family.

Here’s what you’ll get with the second edition of the Getting Started with the Outdoor Hour Challenge ebook:

  • The 10 original Outdoor Hour Challenges with custom notebook pages to use in your follow-up time.
  • 6 additional notebook pages that can be used with nature study topics and activities.
  • Tips for nature study, tips for using the Handbook of Nature Study, and nature journal ideas.
  • My “3 Steps to Better Nature Study” resource and printable, including information for more advanced nature study students.
  • My nature table resource explaining what a nature table is and its benefits.
  • Plus, seasonal nature walk printable notebook pages that you can use year after year.
  • See a sample here: Getting Started with the Outdoor Hour Challenge 2nd Edition

 

OHC10 Discount code

I’m adding this new ebook to every level of membership here on the Handbook of Nature Study!

This means that if you would like the new ebook and have a membership you can go directly to your account and it’s there for you to download and use right now!

If you need to purchase a membership, I’m offering a $5 discount for EVERY level!

Use the code: OHC10

Getting Started Ebook New Edition button 2

Amazing Deal >>>>>>> This means if you just want the new ebook,

you can use the discount code for the Discovery level membership

and receive the ebook and all 76 issues of the newsletter too for only $15!

 

Newsletter Index download

 Thank you to everyone who has made the last ten years a fun adventure learning about so many things in nature using the Handbook of Nature Study. I really hope this new edition of the ebook will help your family get outside and discover your local habitat with renewed interest!

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From the Archives: Struggling with Consistency and Focus

Nature+Study+Consistency+and+Focus+button.jpgStruggling With Consistency and Focus

From the Archives: This is one of my favorite posts for encouraging new and struggling families with their nature study plans. The thoughts expressed by one of my readers reflect a common struggle that many people have and email me about often.

The reader posed this dilemma:

She shared that she has a hard time focusing (on nature study), was easily distracted by really good ideas, and felt that she needed to cover academic subjects first while she had the children’s attention.

In this post from my archives, I address this situation with some practical advice using the Outdoor Hour Challenge (specifically challenges 1-3).

I invite you to click over and read the entry and see if you find something there that encourages you as the new school year begins or maybe something in the post will stimulate you to give nature study a chance.

Let me know if you have any questions or additional comments.

This is what I encourage you to remember if nothing else:

Nurture a love of the outdoors and the interesting things you find there with your children as they are growing up. Train their eyes to see what is there in front of them….stop and look and listen. These are skills that will make them happier people and better students in all areas.

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Outdoor Hour Challenge – Insects with a Magnifiying Lens

Outdoor-Hour-Challenge-Insects-with-a-Magnifying-Lens-@handbookofnaturestudy

Outdoor Hour Challenge
Insects with a Magnifying Lens

“In elementary grades, nature study deals with objects which the children can see with the naked eye. However, a lens is a help in almost all of this work because it is such a joy to the child to gaze at the wonders it reveals.”

Handbook of Nature Study, page 9

Let’s face it. Sometimes we need to add a little special interest into our nature time. We can be doing everything “right” by making time for outdoor exploring with our children but it can fall flat if the children get distracted. One of my secret weapons is a magnifying lens. Tuck the lens in with your nature study items when you go on a hike or even when exploring your own backyard. Pull the magnifier out if you see the attention of your children wandering. Model how to use the lens with something simple and then see if you can challenge your children to find an insect to view. Even better, for advanced students, challenge them to find an insect wing to observe up close.

You also may be interested in reading more ideas and suggestions for a Magnifying Lens Study that I wrote a for my readers.

Here is the original Outdoor Hour Challenge for a magnifying lens: Outdoor Hour Challenge #8 (from the Getting Started ebook). The ebook provides the challenge as shown above as well as custom notebook pages for your follow up nature journal if desired.

This challenge is found in the Getting Started ebook which is included in every level of membership.

Handbook of Nature Study Ultimate Naturalist Library

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Outdoor Hour Challenge – Small Square Bits

Outdoor Hour Challenge Small Square Small Bits @handbookofnaturestudy

Outdoor Hour Challenge
Small Square – Bits

How about we do a small square study this week? Pay close attention to your square and see if you can observe some lichen or moss. If you do, use the ideas in the March 2016 newsletter to complete a nature journal entry as well as your small square study.

Look for small bits of things in your square…challenge your child to look closely and to try to identify as many objects as possible.

Here is the original Outdoor Hour Challenge for a small square nature study: Outdoor Hour Challenge #9 (from the Getting Started ebook).

This challenge is found in the Getting Started ebook which is included in every level of membership. The ebook provides the challenge as shown above as well as custom notebook pages for your follow up nature journal if desired.

Handbook of Nature Study Ultimate Naturalist Library

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Outdoor Hour Challenge – Summer Queen Anne’s Lace

Just wanted to let you know that both Ultimate and Journey level members have new printables that were added today. They will be useful with next month’s challenges. Log into your membership and find the three new notebooking pages available now.

Summer Queen Annes Lace Study @handbookofnaturestudy

Outdoor Hour Challenge:

Take a wildflower walk this week and try to find some Queen Anne’s Lace to observe up close. Look alongside your roadways as you drive…we often see it growing along the shoulders of our local roads. Use the ideas in the original challenge (and the printable notebook page) to complete you Queen Anne’s Lace nature study.

Original Summer Queen Anne’s Lace Challenge

Printable Activity: Wildflower Photo Hunt

Use the free printable to guide your wildflower and weed hunt this week…or save the photo hunt for when you visit a natural area with wildflowers.

Printable Wildflower Photo Hunt Activity



Use discount code = discount5 to save $5 on your $10+ purchase at NotebookingPages.com

Getting Started Suggestion:

If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #8.  Use the suggestions in this challenge to look up close at any garden flowers or wildflowers you have in your yard or neighborhood. Follow up with the notebook page if you want to keep a record of your observations.

 

How do you get the new ebook? It is included in both the Ultimate Naturalist Library or the Journey level memberships!

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Outdoor Hour Challenge – Summer Cricket Study

Summer Cricket Study @handbookofnaturestudy

Outdoor Hour Challenge:

Have fun this week outside in the evenings looking for or listening for crickets. This is a great challenge to work on building your quiet time outside as you go on a cricket hunt. Don’t worry if you only get a few seconds of quiet from your younger children since listening and working quietly are skills they can build as they mature. Older children can be challenged to hunt quietly for a few minutes and they will be surprised by how much they hear when they do so. (You may find this entry helpful: December Senses Walk.)

Here is the original cricket challenge:
Summer Cricket Study

 

Special Activity: My Backyard at Night

My+Backyard+Nighttime+Study.jpg

Use this printable activity to record your backyard nighttime observations. Keep it fun!

My Backyard at Night

 

Getting Started Suggestion:

If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #4.  This week you can work on an insect focus. Start a list of summer insects that you observe in your yard or neighborhood. Keep your list in your nature journal and add to it during each season if you would like.

 

How can you get the new ebook? It will be loaded into the Ultimate Naturalist and Journey level memberships in August!

OHC Autumn Nature Study Continues Cover Button


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Outdoor Hour Challenge – Summer Evening Primrose Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge Evening Primrose @handbookofnaturestudy

Outdoor Hour Challenge:

Evening Primrose

This week’s challenge is to find some Evening Primrose to observe. When you click over to read this challenge, I invite you to view the images as well. Those images were taken on a hike along a familiar beach that was filled with Evening Primrose!

Summer Evening Primrose Nature Study

But, if you can’t find an this particular flower to study, make sure to pick another wildflower or night blooming flower that you have to observe and enjoy up close. This challenge includes quite a few suggestions that would apply to any flower you have on hand.

Special Activity: Pressing Flowers
Collect a few flowers during your outdoor time to press for your nature journal or other crafts. Here is the link to YouTube: Flower Press.

Or you can watch it here on the blog.

You can also view this page for more ideas: Using a Flower Press.

Getting Started Suggestion:

If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #2. You can help your children find words to describe their outdoor time hunting for flowers. Use the prompts in the challenge to create a simple nature journal entry that they can illustrate with markers or colored pencils.

Autumn nature study Continues Button Coming Soon

 


Please note that I am an Amazon.com affiliate.

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Outdoor Hour Challenge – Summer Tree Fun

Summer Tree Study @handbookofnaturestudy

Outdoor Hour Challenge: Summer Tree or a Continuing Year-Long Tree Study

Use the ideas in this challenge from the archives (Summer Series 2010) to take a look at a tree in the summer season: Summer Tree Observations. 

This challenge helps you use all of your senses to really get to know a tree in your yard or neighborhood.

Special Activity: Tree Projects

Four+Seasons+Tree+Project+button.jpg

Four Seasons Photo Project – Use the ideas and printables in this challenge to start or continue your Four Seasons Photo Project.

A Year Long Tree Study – This post includes lots of tree study ideas for each season.

Getting Started Suggestion:

If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #5. Take the opportunity this week/month to start a running list of trees in your local area. Keep a list in your nature journal or use the notebooking page in the ebook to get started with this long-term project (in the back of the ebook). 

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OHC Blog Carnival

You are welcome to submit any of you blog Outdoor Hour Challenge blog entries to the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival. Entries for the current month are due on 6/29/14.

Please note this entry includes Amazon affiliate links.

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Outdoor Hour Challenge – Mosquitoes

Summer Mosquito Study @handbookofnaturestudy
Outdoor Hour Challenge: Mosquitoes

“There is no better way to interest the pupils in mosquitoes than to place in an aquarium jar in the schoolroom a family of wrigglers from some pond or rain barrel.”

Handbook of Nature Study, page 414

You can find the original challenge from the Summer Series 2010 here: Summer Series #1 The World of Smell and Mosquitoes. If you have access to the ebook, you will find the Mosquito Study notebook page to use along with your observations.

Make sure to note that in the Follow-Up section of the challenge on the blog there is a link to a set of mosquito themed notebooking pages that you can download and print from the NotebookingFairy.com. (Thanks Jimmie!)

Don’t forget there is a Nature Journal Topper in this month’s newsletter that can be used to create a simple nature study experience related to the study of mosquitoes. (Note the newsletter is available to all subscribers and to those that are Ultimate or Journey level members.)

Mosquito coloring page @handbookofnaturestudy

Extra Activity: Mosquito Coloring Page

Print out this mosquito coloring page for your nature journal. Or you can use this line drawing as a model for your own nature journal drawing.

Getting Started Suggestion:

If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #8. Take a few minutes to go through this challenge and then take a close look at any insect (dead or alive) that you have on hand using a magnifying lens. Make sure to record your observations using the notebook provided in the ebook. 

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Outdoor Hour Challenge – Spring Ant Study

Ant Nature Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge:

Every day we pass by ants, not noticing them in their busy ways. This week try to slow down and look for some ants in your yard, perhaps under a rock, in a crack in the sidewalk, or on a plant. Find a way to make this fun for your children. Invite them to open their eyes and to look carefully.

Use the ideas in this challenge from the past to get you going: Spring Series #10: Ants.

You can also use the Nature Journal Topper from the May 2014 newsletter to inspire a fun ant related nature study and journal entry.

If you have access to the new printables as part of your membership to this site, there is a new printable sheet with Insect Nature Table and Learning Style ideas for you to print out.

Special Activity:

Make a model of an ant out of clay or Sculpey. Make sure to depict the three body parts of the ant: head, thorax, and abdomen. There is a great video to show you how to do this with clay and wire.

How to Build a Model of an Ant on YouTube.com

Getting Started Suggestion:

If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #3.  Use the suggestions in this challenge to make some ant observations and then follow up with a drawing activity for your nature journal. Here is a link to help with drawing an ant: How To Draw an Ant-Step by Step.

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OHC Blog Carnival

You are welcome to submit any of you blog Outdoor Hour Challenge blog entries to the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival. Entries for the current month are due on 5/30/14.