Newsletter Archives

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Barb — Leave a comment

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter – November 2016 Forest and Fungi

Please Note: If you are looking for the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival, I didn’t receive many entries so I will be sharing those links over the next month on my Facebook account. Sigh. I am guessing that blog carnivals in general have become a little outdated with the advent of social media. I love seeing what families are doing in their outdoor time so please feel free to share your links with me at any time either in a comment on the blog or in an email to me directly.
I also am a big fan of Instagram. You can follow me there- my Instagram name is outdoorhourchallenge. Use a #outdoorhourchallenge hashtag for me to pop over and view your images.

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

November 2016 – Forest and Fungi

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 for the current month’s newsletter.

This month’s newsletter link will be available only during the month of November so be sure to download it before 11/30/16.

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

Contents of this edition of the newsletter include:

This is a month for getting out in the forest! This edition of the newsletter will be full of ideas and inspiration for a forest walk and looking for fungi.
There is also a Monthly Planning Page for moms to organize November’s nature study. The simple ideas and suggestions will give you plenty to choose from as you go through your month.
Guest contributors for November are Shirley Ann Vels from Under An English Sky and Adriana Zoder from HomeschoolWays.com.
There are several printables for you to use including a mushroom shape notebook page and a maple tree study.
As usual, there are some of my favorite links and some inspiring images.

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

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.

Please click over and read the step by step instructions for using the Handbook of Nature Study and the Outdoor Hour Challenge in your nature study plans starting in September. Let me know if you have any questions.

As a parent, it is our responsibility and privilege to introduce the natural world to our children.

Posted on October 1, 2016 by Barb — 4 Comments

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter – October 2016 Weather Records

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

October 2016 – Weather – Keeping Records

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

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 for the current month’s newsletter.

This month’s newsletter link will be available only during the month of September so be sure to download it before 10/31/16.

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

Contents of this edition of the newsletter include:

Three weather and calendar related articles, two from contributors! (Shirley-Ann Vels and Lynn Seddon). My article includes a printable nature journal topper to get you started.
October planning page with this month’s Outdoor Hour Challenge links, nature journal ideas, field trip ideas, and more.
I have included an archive challenge: Outdoor Hour Challenge #10- Picnic. Use the ideas for some autumn outdoor time.
As always, some of my favorite links and some show and tell from my Instagram followers.

As a parent, it is our responsibility and privilege to introduce the natural world to our children.

Posted on September 1, 2016 by Barb — 2 Comments

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter – September 2016 Insect Homes

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

September 2016 – Insect Study: Insect Homes

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

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 for the current month’s newsletter.

This month’s newsletter link will be available only during the month of September so be sure to download it before 9/30/16.

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

Contents of this edition of the newsletter include:

This edition of the newsletter will focus mainly on insects and their homes. This is a more difficult topic but please don’t be intimidated. Read the newsletter for a variety of insect-related nature study ideas and lots of free printables.
This month I have reprinted from the More Nature Study Autumn ebook the Gall Dwellers Outdoor Hour Challenge. This will give you a real look at what a challenge in an ebook is like…please enjoy this freebie with your family when the opportunity arises.
September Nature Study Planning Page that gathers lots of ideas for this month’s nature study (including links to the four Friday OHC studies that will be coming up in September).
I wrote an article for this edition that includes the Insect Home Nature Journal Topper for you to use with your family.
Plus as a bonus, I am including the Insect Study Grid and Bookmark printable page from the archives.
Especially for younger students, I have included a coloring page for your insect study in this edition of the newsletter.

As you can see from the list above, I am back to a more full edition of the newsletter. I missed the freedom that having more pages allowed me to include a little of this and that to round out your nature study. Please let me know if there are things you would like to see in up-coming editions of the newsletter!

Posted on August 17, 2016 by Barb — Leave a comment

Step by Step Instructions for the Outdoor Hour Challenge as of September 2016

Here are some more detailed instructions for using the Outdoor Hour Challenge in your home for the up-coming school year. These are hopefully going to clear up any questions you have about how to proceed and what resources are needed and which ones are optional.

Specific Steps

Receive my monthly newsletter on the 1st of the month. The newsletter comes to email subscribers on the first of each month. You can subscribe HERE. When you subscribe in the middle of the month, you will receive the current newsletter link in your confirmation email.
In the newsletter, view the printable planner page for the four topics for the up-coming month. If the topic is from the archives, I provide the link to the challenge and the link to the ebook it is from if applicable. This way you can prepare for the challenges ahead of time if you wish.
Print out any activities you wish to complete with your family. Keep these handy!
To go more in depth, members will be using two ebooks for the autumn and winter seasons: More Nature Study Autumn and More Nature Study Winter. These two ebooks are included in the Ultimate Naturalist Library membership. Members can open those and print the coordinating notebook pages to use during the month. This is not required but would supplement the current month’s work.

You can use the free monthly newsletter along with the Handbook of Nature Study book for your nature study. Adding a membership gives you access to the Ultimate Naturalist Library’s ebooks and printables which provide members with even more in-depth studies each month.

Resources Needed:
1. Free Monthly Newsletter so you have the topic, the challenge ideas ahead of time, and the newsletter printables. Subscribe HERE.
2. Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock ISBN: 978-0801493843
3. Highly recommended: Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.
4. Highly recommended: Nature journal or nature notebook.

Those four things are going to allow you a lot of opportunities for relaxed nature study in your own backyard with simple follow up activities if desired.

Use the discount code NATURE5 to receive $5 off an Ultimate Naturalist Membership!

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Posted on July 1, 2016 by Barb — Leave a comment

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter July 2016 – Night Sky and Big Dipper

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

July 2016 – Night Sky and Big Dipper Study

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

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 May so be sure to download it before 7/31/16.

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

Contents of this edition of the newsletter include:

It is time for us to take a look at the nighttime sky, especially the Big Dipper. Use the ideas in this month’s newsletter to plan some astronomy related nature study with your children. I have created a chart of ideas for astronomy study and categorized them by learning style. This is going to help you choose appropriate activities for each of your children.
Contributions from Outdoor Hour Challenge participant- Tricia Hodges of Hodgepodge is sharing her Favorite Astronomy Resources!
July Nature Study Planning Page with field trip ideas, nature photo ideas, and a special 15 minute challenge for parents.
Big Dipper Study printable notebook page which can be used as a nature journal topper as well.

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!

Don’t forget that Ultimate Naturalist and Journey level members have access to the brand new Learning About Birds ebook!

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Posted on June 1, 2016 by Barb — Leave a comment

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter – June 2016 Insect Wings

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

June 2016 – Insect Wing Study

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

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 May so be sure to download it before 6/30/16.

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

Contents of this edition of the newsletter include:

This month the newsletter focuses on taking a closer look at insect wings. For many people, insects are a difficult topic of study so choosing to look at just one part may help get you over the initial fear of an insect study. Choose a butterfly, a month, or a dragonfly to view up close and just look at the wings!
Contributions from Outdoor Hour Challenge participants- Heather Woodie from Blog She Wrote. Heather has gathered many of her family’s best insect study information for you to view and be inspired by. Thanks Heather!
June Nature Study Planning Page with field trip ideas, nature photo ideas, and a special 15 minute challenge for parents.
Insect Wing Study printable notebook page which can be used as a nature journal topper as well.

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!

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Posted on May 1, 2016 by Barb — Leave a comment

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter – May 2016 Wildflowers

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

May 2016 – Wildflower Study

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

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 May so be sure to download it before 5/31/16.

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

Note: If you are following the Ambleside Online’s nature study rotation, this month’s newsletter is perfect for the theme: Garden Flowers and Weeds.

Contents of this edition of the newsletter include:

This month the newsletter focuses on a study of wildflowers. I have written an article sharing how to get started with an early spring wildflower study project.
Contributions from Outdoor Hour Challenge participants- Heather Woodie from Blog She Wrote. Heather is a wealth of information about so many aspects of nature study and I know you will enjoy her submission on wildflower study.
May Nature Study Planning Page with field trip ideas, nature photo ideas, and a special 15 minute challenge for parents.
As a bonus this month, I have included a fresh Wildflower and Weed Study Grid and a Wildflower Color Hunt printable for you to use with your family.
Wildflower Study printable notebook page which can be used as a nature journal topper as well.

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!

You may also wish to purchase a set of wildflower, weed, and garden flower notebooking pages from NotebookingPages.com. This set includes every flower in the Handbook of Nature Study and will be a set you can use for many years to come. Please note I am an affiliate for NotebookingPages.com and have used this product with my family and highly recommend them to you!

Use code discount5 to save $5 on any purchase $10 or more from the NotebookingPages.com Shop. (This does not include membership purchases.)

Posted on April 1, 2016 by Barb — Leave a comment

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter – April 2016 Garden Seeds

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

April 2016 – Garden Seeds

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

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 April so be sure to download it before 4/30/16.

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

Note: If you are following the Ambleside Online’s nature study rotation, this month’s newsletter is perfect for the theme: Garden Flowers and Weeds.

Contents of this edition of the newsletter include:

This edition of the newsletter features ideas, resources, and links to help you take a really close look at garden seeds.
Contributions from Outdoor Hour Challenge participants Paige Hudson and Shirley Ann Vels from Under An English Sky.
April Nature Study Planning Page with field trip ideas, nature photo ideas, and a special 15 minute challenge for parents.
Garden Seed Study printable notebook page which can be used as a nature journal topper as well.

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!

Renee’s Garden has provided me with my seeds again this year in exchange for my writing about my experiences with these wonderful seeds from a fantastic company. I love picking my year’s selections from their website which is both informative and beautiful. I have some seeds left from last year that I will be planting but here is my list from this year’s package!

French Masconette Bush Beans
Classic Slenderette Bush Beans
Raven Zucchini Squash
Pandorino Tomatos (grape tomato)
Bishop’s Lace
Cathedral Bells (vine)
Snow Sonata Cosmos
Double White Wonder Feverfew
Climbing Phoenix Nasturtiums
Grandmother’s Pincushion Scarbiosa
Sundancer Sunflowers
Mighty Lion Zinnias

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Barb — Leave a comment

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter – March 2016 Lichen and Moss

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

March 2016 – Lichen and Moss

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

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 March so be sure to download it before 3/31/16.

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

Contents of this edition of the newsletter include:

This edition of the newsletter features ideas, resources, and links to enhance any study of lichen and moss.
Contributions from Outdoor Hour Challenge participants Paige Hudson , Nadene from Practical Pages, and Alex from Life on an Island Studio.
March Nature Study Planning Page with field trip ideas, nature photo ideas, and a special 15 minute challenge for parents.
Lichen Study printable notebook page which can be used as a nature journal topper as well.

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!

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

November 2016 – Forest and Fungi

As a parent, it is our responsibility and privilege to introduce the natural world to our children.

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

October 2016 – Weather – Keeping Records

As a parent, it is our responsibility and privilege to introduce the natural world to our children.

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

September 2016 – Insect Study: Insect Homes

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

July 2016 – Night Sky and Big Dipper Study

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

June 2016 – Insect Wing Study

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

May 2016 – Wildflower Study

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

April 2016 – Garden Seeds

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter

March 2016 – Lichen and Moss

Outdoor Hour Challenges for families since 2008!