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Can You Add Nature Study To Your Homeschool High School Transcript?

Let’s talk about nature study and your homeschool high school transcript.

As your homeschooled teen moves into the high school years, you may be wondering how to document your nature studies. If so, then you may want to bookmark this post!

Having homeschooled my daughters using the Charlotte Mason method of learning and maintaining that way of learning throughout their entire schooling career. You may be wondering how you can continue to include subjects such as nature study and what it may look like on your high school transcript.

Can you add nature study to your homeschool high school transcript? Yes! Read our comprehensive guide to get you started.

I will say at the outset that the key to compiling a comprehensive transcript is by deploying meticulous record keeping skills. I would advise getting your teen into the habit of recording the time spent on nature study (or any practical application activity) and what it was that they covered. This encourages your student to start taking an active role in his/her education. In this post, I share the approach we took in our own homeschool in documenting nature study in our high school transcript.

Your Homeschool High School Transcript: The Basics

Creating a high school transcript for your homeschooled teen involves recording and presenting their academic achievements in a clear, organized manner. Since homeschooling allows for greater flexibility than traditional schooling, you have the opportunity to customize the transcript to reflect your teen’s unique learning experiences and achievements. Here’s how to go about it:

1. Basic Structure of the Transcript

  • Student Information: Include the student’s full name, date of birth, and contact information. You might also include a student ID number if applicable.
  • School Information: List your homeschool’s name (you can create one if you don’t already have a name), address, and contact information.
  • Transcript Title: Clearly state “High School Transcript” at the top of the document.
  • Dates of Attendance: Specify the years your teen attended high school (e.g., 2020-2024).

2. Course Listings and Credits

  • Course Names: List each course your teen completed. You can be more descriptive than traditional schools, reflecting the specific focus or approach of the course (e.g., instead of just “Biology,” you could write “Advanced Biology with Lab Focus on Genetics”).
  • Credits Earned: Assign credits to each course, typically based on the amount of time spent. In the U.S., one credit usually represents one year of study in a subject. You can adjust this if your homeschool follows a different system.
  • Grades: Record the grades earned for each course. You have the flexibility to use letter grades, percentages, or even descriptive assessments (though letter grades are most commonly recognized).

3. Customizing with Flexibility

  • Course Descriptions: Unlike traditional transcripts, you can include brief descriptions of each course to provide context. For example, “World History: A study of global events from the Renaissance to the present, with a focus on cultural interactions and primary source analysis.”
  • Unconventional Learning: If your teen engaged in non-traditional learning experiences (e.g., internships, travel-based learning, independent projects), these can be listed as courses or electives. For instance, “Photography: A self-directed study culminating in a portfolio and a community exhibition.”
  • Specialized Subjects: If your teen pursued specialized or niche subjects, include them. For example, “Environmental Science: An in-depth exploration of local ecosystems, including hands-on fieldwork and a final research paper.”

4. GPA Calculation

  • Grading Scale: Clearly outline the grading scale you used (e.g., A = 90-100, B = 80-89, etc.).
  • Weighted vs. Unweighted GPA: Decide whether to use a weighted GPA (which gives extra points for advanced courses) or an unweighted GPA. Calculate the GPA based on the grades and credits earned.

5. Additional Sections

  • Extracurricular Activities: Include a section for extracurricular activities, highlighting your teen’s involvement in clubs, sports, volunteer work, or hobbies.
  • Standardized Test Scores: If applicable, list standardized test scores (e.g. SAT).
  • Awards and Honors: Mention any awards, recognitions, or scholarships your teen has received.

6. Finalizing the Transcript

  • Signature and Date: At the bottom of the transcript, include a line for your signature and the date. This signifies that you verify the accuracy of the transcript.
  • Seal or Logo: If you want to make the transcript look more official, consider creating a simple seal or logo for your homeschool.
Can you add nature study to your homeschool high school transcript? Yes! Read our comprehensive guide to get you started.

Tips for Flexibility and Descriptiveness

  • Tailored Learning: Emphasize how the curriculum was tailored to your teen’s interests and strengths.
  • Interdisciplinary Courses: If your teen’s studies crossed traditional subject boundaries, create interdisciplinary course titles that reflect this.
  • Narrative Evaluations: Consider adding brief narrative evaluations or comments for each course or a summary at the end of the transcript to provide more insight into your teen’s performance and growth.

Creating a homeschool transcript allows you to showcase your teen’s education in a way that is personalized, thorough, and reflective of their unique educational journey. By being flexible and descriptive, you can ensure that the transcript effectively communicates your teen’s academic achievements and readiness for their next steps, whether that be college, vocational training, or entering the workforce.

Can you add nature study to your homeschool high school transcript? The answer is a resounding yes!

How to Account for Nature Study In Your High School Transcript With Examples!

Accounting for nature study in a high school transcript is a great way to highlight the hands-on, experiential learning that often occurs in a homeschool setting. Nature study can be integrated into various subjects or listed as a standalone course, depending on how it’s approached in your homeschool curriculum. Here are some ways to incorporate nature study into a high school transcript, along with examples of how to describe the learning:

1. Biology Credit

  • Course Title: “Biology with Emphasis on Ecology and Field Studies”
  • Description: “A comprehensive biology course with a focus on ecological systems, species identification, and the study of local flora and fauna through regular fieldwork. Students conducted independent research projects on ecosystem dynamics and prepared detailed field journals.”
  • Credit: 1 Credit (Lab Science)

2. Integrated Science Credit

  • Course Title: “Integrated Environmental Science”
  • Description: “An interdisciplinary study combining biology, chemistry, and earth science with a focus on environmental systems. Students explored topics such as soil composition, water quality, and plant biology, supported by regular nature hikes and lab work involving data collection and analysis.”
  • Credit: 1 Credit (Science)

3. Elective Credit

  • Course Title: “Nature Study and Outdoor Education”
  • Description: “A hands-on elective focusing on the observation and study of natural environments. Students engaged in activities such as bird watching, plant identification, and wildlife tracking, with an emphasis on developing skills in journaling, sketching, and outdoor survival techniques.”
  • Credit: 0.5 to 1 Credit (Elective)

4. Environmental Science Credit

  • Course Title: “Environmental Science: Field Ecology”
  • Description: “An in-depth exploration of ecosystems, conservation, and environmental stewardship. Coursework included field trips to various ecosystems, such as wetlands and forests, where students conducted species inventories and assessed the impact of human activity on natural habitats.”
  • Credit: 1 Credit (Lab Science)

5. Physical Education Credit

  • Course Title: “Outdoor Adventure and Fitness”
  • Description: “A physical education course that combined fitness with outdoor skills, including hiking, orienteering, and survival skills. Students also participated in activities like rock climbing and canoeing, while learning about the physical and mental health benefits of regular interaction with nature.”
  • Credit: 0.5 to 1 Credit (Physical Education)

6. Art Credit (Interdisciplinary Approach)

  • Course Title: “Nature and Art: A Creative Study”
  • Description: “An art course focused on nature as a source of inspiration. Students created detailed botanical illustrations, landscape paintings, and nature-inspired sculptures. The course also included lessons on the history of nature in art, with visits to local parks and gardens for on-site sketching.”
  • Credit: 0.5 to 1 Credit (Art)

7. Independent Study or Capstone Project

  • Course Title: “Independent Study: Ecology and Conservation”
  • Description: “A student-led research project focused on local conservation efforts, including habitat restoration and species preservation. The study involved regular fieldwork, collaboration with local environmental organizations, and the creation of a final report and presentation on findings.”
  • Credit: 0.5 to 1 Credit (Elective/Science)

Tips for Describing Nature Study on a High School Transcript

  • Be Specific: When describing the course, focus on the specific skills and knowledge your teen gained. For example, rather than just “plant identification,” you might say “identification of over 50 native plant species and their ecological roles.”
  • Highlight Hands-On Experience: Nature study often involves practical, hands-on learning. Mention field trips, outdoor labs, or independent research projects.
  • Interdisciplinary Learning: If nature study crossed over into multiple subjects, make that clear in the course title and description. This can show the depth and breadth of the learning experience.
  • Use Professional Terminology: Incorporate relevant scientific terms where appropriate to give the course a more academic tone.

By thoughtfully integrating nature study into your teen’s transcript, you can provide a clear and compelling account of their engagement with the natural world, highlighting both their academic and personal growth.

More Resources for High School Nature Study In Your Homeschool

Can you add nature study to your homeschool high school transcript? Yes! Read our comprehensive guide to get you started.

For more support you may be interested in our Nature Study Credit Planner and Tracker above. Simply sign up below to get your free record keeping sheet.

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    Options for high school and advanced learners included in Homeschool Nature Study membership!

    We hope that this post has been useful to our homeschooling high school families. Please do let us know in the comments if you would like us to cover any other homeschool high school nature study topics or let us know if you have any questions.

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    Homeschool Nature Study for Teens: Tips For Learning And Fun

    Is nature study still relevant for your homeschooled teen? Yes! It plays a crucial role in developing observation skills and much more…

    Nature Study Doesn’t Have To End In The Teen Years!

    Trust me! I have homeschooled two teens and I have grappled with the temptation to throw aside nature study and the arts in favor of a more bookish education. I even succumbed to the temptation once for a couple of weeks, but it just didn’t sit well in my soul or with the Charlotte Mason ethos that we had lived by for so many years.

    I’m pleased to say that I came to my senses. I chose to trust that Charlotte Mason built her career on and reinstated our Friday nature studies.

    Now that I have navigated through our high school years and both my daughters graduated our homeschool and their respective university courses, I can speak from a place of experience, understanding and knowledge and confidently tell you that nature study doesn’t have to end in the teen years!

    Is nature study still relevant for your homeschooled teen? Yes! It plays a crucial role in developing observation skills and much more...

    Charlotte Mason believed that education should be broad and balanced, incorporating not just the academic but also the artistic and natural worlds. Nature study, plays a crucial role in developing observation skills, appreciation for the environment, and a sense of wonder.

    Warning! You may want to bookmark this post as it is packed with high school nature study resources!

    The Importance of Nature Study in High School

    Before I give you some tips for homeschool nature study for teens, I want to touch on the importance of nature study in your homeschool high school…

    Nature Study Enhances Scientific Understanding

    • Field Work Integration: Nature study offers practical fieldwork opportunities, which are essential in subjects like biology, ecology, and environmental science. High school students can engage in hands-on experiences that textbooks alone cannot provide.
    • Observational Skills: Regular nature study hones students’ abilities to observe, record and analyze natural phenomena, which are key skills in scientific research.

    Nature Study Fosters Critical Thinking and Creativity:

    • Interdisciplinary Learning: Nature study naturally integrates with other subjects such as art (through nature journaling and drawing), poetry (writing inspired by nature), and geography (understanding ecosystems and landscapes).
    • Problem-solving: Encountering the real-world issues in nature, such as ecological changes or conservation challenges, encourages students to think critically and develop problem-solving skills.
    Is nature study still relevant for your homeschooled teen? Yes! It plays a crucial role in developing observation skills and much more...

    Nature Study Promotes Mental and Physical Well-being:

    • Stress Relief: Spending time in nature has been shown to reduce stress and improve mental health, which is particularly beneficial during the often-stressful high school years.
    • Physical Activity: Engaging in outdoor activities promotes physical health and provides a healthy break from screen time and indoor study.

    Nature Study Encourages Lifelong Learning and Appreciation for Nature:

    • Sustainable Living: Developing a deep connection and understanding of nature fosters a sense of stewardship and responsibility toward the environment.
    • Continuous Curiosity: Nature study encourages a lifelong habit of curiosity and learning, as the natural world is ever-changing and endlessly fascinating.

    Tips For Homeschool Nature Study Specifically With Teens

    If you’ve momentarily set aside nature study and are considering reintegration, here are some practical tips to help your teen get back into nature study:

    Tip 1: Schedule Nature Study Days

    Designate specific days or times each week dedicated to nature study, ensuring it remains a consistent part of your curriculum. For our family we had always reserved Fridays for our nature and arts study. It was always a day to look forward to after a week of academic learning and it was a great way to kick off the weekend!

    Is nature study still relevant for your homeschooled teen? Yes! It plays a crucial role in developing observation skills and much more...

    Tip 2: Incorporate Technology in Your Nature Study for Teens

    Use apps and online resources to enhance nature study, such as identifying species, tracking weather patterns, or participating in citizen science projects. It could even be a simple as using digital photography or videography!

    Tip 3: Field Trips and Nature Walks

    Regularly plan outings to local parks, nature reserves, or botanical gardens to provide diverse and rich experiences. There are around 63 national parks in the United States. Visit as many of them as you can. Observe the flora, fauna, wildlife, insects, and birds that you see in each.

    ‘We have a wealth of posts in the archives to help you get the most of your national park’s nature study. Here are just a few to get you going:’

    Tip 4: Nature Journaling

    Encourage students to keep detailed journals of their observations, including sketches, notes, and reflections, which integrates art and writing skills. Here are a few posts from our archives on keeping a nature journal:

    Cross-Curricular nature study projects for homeschool and how to incorporate them

    Tip 5: Cross-curricular Projects

    Design projects that combine nature study with other subjects, such as writing research papers on local wildlife, creating ecological maps, or developing conservation plans.

    Conservation projects can be a fantastic way for teens to learn about nature whilst taking part in a project. Here are some ideas:

    • Participate in The Great Backyard Bird Count
    • Volunteer as a sea turtle nest parent
    • Clean up waterways, beaches and woodlands.
    • Plant trees
    • Build nesting boxes for birds, squirrels, or bats.
    • Volunteer at a zoo or aquarium. This a great opportunity to learn about creatures that most of us will never see on a typical nature walk.
    • Animal rescue or rehab centres – look for volunteer opportunities at a local animal rescue or rehab center.
    • Camping or caving – both of these activities provide for an opportunity to see nature from a unique perspective. Caving may provide opportunities to watch creatures such as bats. Camping will have you observing all sorts of flora and fauna by day, and stargazing by night!
    • Visit botanical gardens or butterfly houses. Bring along your nature diaries and a picnic to make for a fun day out.

    Additional Resources for Homeschool Nature Study

    It is important to encourage your teen to pursue their own interests in nature. Remember, “Education is the science of relations”

    ~ Charlotte Mason

    We want our teens to form deep connections with the world around them. We must therefore provide an environment in which our teens can ask questions and learn how to find and recognise clues to the answers they seek.

    To wrap up this post on homeschool nature study for teens, I am leaving you some additional nature study resources that you can delve into. Homeschool Nature Study has a wealth of resources for your nature studies in our archives so we hope that you will spend some time exploring and finding something that may be of assistance as you navigate your homeschool high school years.

    Join the Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Nature Study Curriculum and Year Round Support

    There are so many benefits to joining. You will access our full range of curriculum, our interactive learning calendar as well as a brand new homeschool nature study challenge post each week!

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    Nature Study And High School Science: A Complete Guide

    It is often the case that once our homeschooled children reach their teens, nature study is pushed aside. Perhaps we think that because our children are now in high school, learning should be more textbook based. But the opposite is true!

    This article has quotes from the Royal Geographical Society on the importance of field work in higher learning – that goes way above high school learning!

    In fact, there are academic journals and papers written about the importance of learning in the field. You can see for yourself right here.

    Highs School Science Doesn’t Have To Be All Textbooks

    If hands-on, experiential learning is no longer appropriate for our teens, then why are there lab work classes in high school?

    Why do natural scientists and great wildlife film makers, and academic researches still head out into the field to observe nature?

    Why do environmental and marine scientists still gather specimens, conduct experiments or spend months at a time out in nature studying the behaviour of all manner of animals?

    The problem is not the continuation of nature studies in your homeschool. The problem is the manner in which it is presented.

    Learning directly from nature and the environment is a primary source of learning. It’s observational, it’s experiential, it’s how esteemed naturalists and scientists still discover and learn.

    Are you convinced yet?

    The good news for you, for your children, and your homeschools is that:

    On the contrary, please continue to spend this precious time learning outdoors because it is valuable and it is deemed necessary by many learned academics and naturalists.

    Nature study in high school is one of the most perfect ‘labs’ available for experiencing and understanding high school science concepts so I urge to to dive deeper into your nature studies rather than dropping them out of your homeschools.

    Studies Show Hands-on, Experiential Learning is More Effective

    Many years ago, J. Dewey (1938) recognised the close connection between learning and experience. The question of how to efficiently bridge the gap is still occupying the attention of educational psychologists and researchers. (Kolb, 1984: Experiential Learning: Experience as the source of learning an development; Reigeluth & Carr-Chellman, 2009: Instructional-design theories and models: Building a common knowledge base – vol iii; and J.Roberts, 2018: The possibilities and limitations of experiential learning research in higher education).

    I am currently finishing off my Masters degree in Pro Bono legal work – and it is entirely examined on reflections of hands-on legal work undertaken in law clinics.

    Lawyers, medical professionals and many others have the textbooks but they also spend a great portion of their education getting hands-on experience and putting their head knowledge into practice. They move from the abstract to the concrete by actually DOING.

    If educational psychologists and researchers recognise the value and spend hundreds of thousands of hours researching the importance of experiential learning – we really have every reason to keep up our hands-on nature studies throughout the high school years in our homeschools don’t you think?

    Incorporating Nature Study Into High School Science

    Okay, so we have now established that we have every reason (backed by those far more cerebral people) to continue our nature studies in our homeschools as we move into the high school years.

    But HOW do we go from our carefree romps in nature to being a bit more purposful about it all?

    Teenagers need to have a different sort of follow-up to their nature observations, something a bit more than just their nature journals – although don’t give this up!

    They need to be more connected to their nature study by finding patterns and relationships between past experiences and new ones. Take what they already know and build on it with new observations so as to develop a real interest in knowing more.

    Key: Teens need to find the answers to their own questions and then express those answers in a way that makes sense to them.

    There are three steps to nature study success with teens. You should aim for these in your nature studies

    1. Observation – encourage them to really see what they are looking at with direct and accurate observation.
    2. Reasoning – understand why the thing is so and what it means.
    3. Expression – their observations and reasonings should pique an interest in knowing more about the object.

    Here is a real-life illustration of nature study with teens from Barb, the founder of Outdoor Hour Challenges:

    My two boys and I regularly made visits to my dad’s pond together.  When younger, they would go right to the business of scooping up water and critters and talking in excited voices about what they were finding. But once they reached the teen years, I noticed a different atmosphere, an attitude of “we’ve been here and done that”. I tried to remind myself that this was their normal teenage reaction to just about everything. They rarely appeared to be too excited on the outside. More often than not, they would later on relate the whole experience in a more favorable light to their dad or one of their siblings. Apparently, the outside of a teenager doesn’t accurately reflect the inside at all times.

    So if you have older children and they appear to not be interested at first, don’t give up. It may be that they just aren’t showing it outwardly but inside the experiences are deeply affecting them. Don’t give up on the habit of nature study with your teens.

    Barb McCoy – Founder of the Outdoor Hour Challenge

    Enhancing a Nature Walk with Teens

    Digital Photography: A love of the natural world does not come automatically for all children and sometimes we need to find a way to hook them into getting outdoors. Most of our children have a lot of screen time each week. Rarely are they without a device that has a camera function. Take advantage of this tool in enhancing your time outdoors!

    Although there are advantages to taking a walk “unplugged”, there are distinct benefits to allowing your teens to take photos as part of their nature study time.

    • It slows them down.
    • Helps them focus and really see an object.
    • Everyday things in their own backyard can now be captured and viewed.
    • They can see the beauty.
    • They make their own connections.
    • Perfect for our teens…they are comfortable with the technology and love to share with their friends.

    Nature Study and Studying Biology

    Tricia, owner and editor of Homeschool Nature Study has given us a wonderful example of how her family’s Apologia biology studies complimented their homeschool nature studies.

    Her family’s experience beautifully illustrates, in a very practical way, how you could approach high school biology in your homeschool. She has shared a full account in both these posts:

    But to briefly summarize, you could take one of two approaches to homeschool nature study with high school biology. I must just say at this point that this same approach can be used with any of the Apologia science textbooks – or whatever textbook you use in your homeschool.

    1. You can choose to start with the Homeschool Nature Study challenges and supplement them with a text; or
    2. You can start with the text and supplement it with nature study.

    Go over to Tricia’s post How Nature Study Enriches High School Biology In Your Homeschool. You will see that she has matched up the Outdoor Hour Challenges with the textbooks chapters.

    Not only that but she has added in supplementary books and biographies for you to use!

    If you are using Apologia Biology in your homeschool this year, you now have a wonderful lesson plan for the entire course which includes the nature study challenges that you have loved and used in your homeschools!

    More Resources for Nature Study In Your Homeschool

    We are fortunate here at Homeschool Nature Study to have homeschool moms who have successfully traveled the high school homeschool road through all subjects including science and nature. All of these families have continued to use nature study and field work as a useful tool alongside their textbooks in their homeschools.

    We have collated some high school specific nature and science posts and resources from the archives of all out websites (Curriculum Choice, Homeschool Nature Study and Your Best Homeschool). We pray that these will be a blessing to you and an encouragment to keep up your nature studies in the changing face of your homeschools.

    Charlotte Mason Exam Questions for homeschooling high school - Wondering how your high school homeschooler can continue nature study in a way that is compatible with high school science?

    From the Archives

    Apolgia Biology Curriculum Reviews

    The Big Question:


    We pray that this article gives those of you who are moving into your high school years the courage to stick with nature studies in your homeschool and to continue to experience the joy and blessing of hands-on, experiential learning.

    Handbook of Nature Study high school studies

    The Outdoor Hour Challenges Bring The Handbook of Nature Study to Life in Your Homeschool!

    For even more homeschool nature study ideas for all seasons, 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!

    Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!