printable Archives

Posted on March 19, 2014 by Barb — Leave a comment

First Day of Spring Activities

March 20, 2014

Can you believe we are almost to the first day of spring for 2014? Our winter here in California was so warm and dry and it will be interesting to see how the spring season goes. Will it be warm? Will it rain at all? We will have to wait and see!

Take a few minutes on the first day of spring to record some weather related observations. You can use the printable notebook page below or you can record your observations right into your nature journal on its own page.

First Day of Spring Notebook Page – 2012

Have you had an unusual weather year so far?

I was thinking our family may start a daily record of the weather just to observe the statistics over time. We have done this in the past and it always proves to be a great way to focus some attention on weather as part of our nature study. This page can then go into a nature journal once completed for future reference. (See this entry: Dry December Leading Into a Dry January.)

Perhaps you are not seeing the start of spring just yet. I know many around the country have had record amounts of snow and long, long days of cold temperatures (like my son in New York).You can use the notebook page below to record any signs of spring.

Signs of Spring

I invite you to complete one of the ideas above and share your experiences with the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival. Make sure to send in your entries before 3/30/14.

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Winter Mammals

Outdoor Hour Challenge:
We are at our last winter themed challenge for the season. Try some of these challenges or pick a mammal that lives in your neighborhood and look it up in the Handbook of Nature Study.

Winter Mammals – Hibernation: Winter Wednesday ideas
Outdoor Hour Challenge – Winter Mammals: Look for tracks.

Printable Notebook Page
My Mammal List: You can use this printable page instead of the running list notebook page if you wish to keep your mammal list by season. Reprint this page for every season and then compare your lists.

Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #1. Take a walk looking for signs of mammals and find two things to investigate further. Complete the notebook page from the ebook after you return home.

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Barb — Leave a comment

Nature Journal Topper Printable – Getting Started

This month in the Handbook of Nature Study newsletter I created a brand new printable for helping your children start working in their very own nature journal.

The printable Nature Journal Toppers are a simple way to help a child get over the “blank page” fear by providing a simple prompt.

What is a Nature Journal Topper?
The prompts in the Nature Journal Topper will allow them to cut and then adhere a short nature study idea to the top of any page, then complete the suggestion in their own way. Sometimes the page will include a suggestion for a sketch, a photo, a list, or an observation.

I chose to start with the spring tree Nature Journal Toppers as well as the list prompt provided in the March 2014 newsletter. Allow your child to create a page that fits their style. I used watercolors to paint a background on my page but that is my personal style. I will fill in the page as the month goes by.

Your child can complete as many of the prompts each month as they wish. I am hoping that these Nature Journal Toppers will give you family a little help in encouraging even the most reluctant nature journaler.

I will be including this feature in the up-coming editions of the Handbook of Nature Study newsletter. Some families really enjoy the nature study grids from the newsletter so we may go back to those in the future.

I would enjoy hearing how using the Nature Journal Toppers help your family.

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Winter Insect Nature Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge:
This could be the most challenging of all winter nature study topics…winter insects. Don’t give up before reading the challenges and some suggested activities.

Winter Wednesday – Winter Insects
Gall Dwelling Insects

You may wish to see one of our winter insect studies: Winter Insects.

Special Activity:Insect Study Notebook Page

I am reposting the Insect Notebook Page for you to use with any insect your observe or research as part of this Outdoor Hour Challenge.
Insect Study Notebook Page Printable

Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #7. Use the ideas in this challenge to start your own personalized field guide to your backyard and neighborhood. Keep it simple and start with a common insect to your area.

Posted on February 14, 2014 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Winter Tree Cone Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge
Tree Cone Study

This week we are going to look at tree cones. Such a simple nature study that children love! Use the challenges listed below for ideas on getting started with your family’s cone study.

There are a couple challenges you can use for this nature study:
Winter Wednesday – Tree Cones from 2009
Pine Cones – Autumn #9 from 2010

You may also be interested in reading this entry from The Teachable Heart:
Autumn Series #9 – Pine Cones

Printable Notebook Page – My Tree Cone Observations
Here is a simple notebook page to use with your challenge this week. Have some fun observing a tree cone and help your children make a record of their thoughts for their nature journal. I left the box large enough that you can adhere a photo of your cone if you don’t want to sketch.

My Tree Cone – printable notebook page

Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, completeOutdoor Hour Challenge #6. Start a cone collection this week and complete the notebook page provided in the ebook if you desire. See this Pinterest board for display ideas: Nature Display.

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Barb — 4 Comments

Year-Long Milkweed Study – Complete!

Our last trip to Yosemite completed our four seasons visits and our year-long milkweed study. I was able to find some winter milkweed and capture a few images to share here on the blog.

If you are interested in seeing our Yosemite milkweed in the other seasons, click the links below.

If you would like to complete your own year-long milkweed study, you can see the original challenge with a free printable notebook page:
Seasonal Milkweed Study

Posted on January 24, 2014 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Winter Sky Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge:
This week try to spend even just a few minutes outside looking at the stars. Make it an event your child will remember by bundling up beforehand if necessary and then finishing off the evening with something warm to drink.

Use this challenge from the past to get started: Winter Sky Study. This blog entry includes some winter night sky links you may find helpful.

NOTE: Make sure to note that you don’t need the Discover Nature in Winter book to get outside and just take a look at the stars and/or moon this month. You also do not need a telescope to complete this challenge. Use your naked eyes or a pair of binoculars if you have those at home.

You may also be interested in the Year Long Big Dipper Study. This challenge includes a free printable notebook page to record your observations.

Special Activity:

After you Outdoor Hour time, spend a few minutes with your child and discuss what you observed outdoors in winter, perhaps even after your night sky observations. Have them come up with a question they would like answered about anything winter related and record their question on the notebook page above. Use the Handbook of Nature Study or other resources to answer their question within a week’s time. This process can be done every time your child has a question as they learn more about their own backyard and beyond.

Printable Winter Question Research Notebook Page

Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #2. Use this challenge to help your child find some words to go along with your winter sky study. The notebooking page that goes with this challenge has a place for words and a small sketch. I have found that as you do this challenge over and over, your child will build a large vocabulary of adjectives and an increased ability to see things in nature.

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Winter Color Nature Study

This week we are going to be completing the World of Color challenge from the Winter Wednesday ebook. This challenge invites you and your family to take a walk outdoors and find some color in your winter world. Even if you have to complete this challenge from your window, it will help train your eyes to see the bursts of color that are out there if you look carefully enough.

Original Challenge: The World of Color.
Don’t worry if you don’t have the Discover Nature in Winter book to use along with the challenge. Take the ideas listed in the blog post to complete a simple color hunt with your children and then follow up with an entry in your nature journal. The journal can be simply a list of colorful things you saw or a sketch of something your child found interesting. Make this a no-pressure challenge for your child.

There are a few other ideas in the ebook to try if you don’t want to go outside for this challenge.

Color Cards For Your Winter Color Study
Use these color word cards to stimulate a fun nature study related activity. See how many of the colors you can find during your winter color hunt.

TIPS: These cards can be printed on cardstock or cut and pasted to index cards. If you only have a black and white printer, have your children color the words or the border with markers before going outside.
Printable Color Word Cards

Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #1. This is the perfect challenge to just take a simple walk outdoors with your children as part of completing challenge #1. Make sure to follow up your outdoor time with a discussion to find out one or two things your child would like to know more about. Don’t worry that you won’t know the answers to any questions they may have…just take the opportunity to learn together using internet resources or a trip to the library.

Posted on December 27, 2013 by Barb — 2 Comments

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Winter Nature Table

Outdoor Hour Challenge
Winter Nature Table

Creating a nature table or nature display is an easy way to add a little nature study on days your weather is too cold or wet.

Here are some ideas from the past to inspire you. Make sure to see the printable ideas I shared below!

Bird Nature Table Ideas – with free printable ideas
Moss on Your Nature Table – images and ideas
5 Ways to Display Rocks on Your Nature Table
Table Top Garden and Garden Flower Ideas for Your Nature Table – with free printable ideas

Nature Table – Winter Ideas

Nature Table – Winter Ideas Printable

Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #6. Use the printable notebook page in this challenge to record some of the things you collect for your winter-themed nature table.

You may wish to follow my Pinterest – Nature Display board for additional ideas.

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – December World

Outdoor Hour Challenge
December World Observations

This challenge will help you appreciate your world during the month of December. This slowing down to make careful observations during December will help your child have something to compare with in each successive season. Learning the cycles of the natural world helps your child gain confidence by being about to distinguish the joys and blessings of each month of the year.

We have make careful observations in the past using the challenges listed below. If you would like an additional challenge, use the Shadows and Silhouettes activity below.

November World with free printable notebook page

December World Notebook Page

Additional Activity:
Shadows and Silhouettes

This really simple photo challenge can be accomplished at any time of the year. Before setting out for your outdoor time, sit with your children and discuss what a shadow and a silhouette are and how to find them. Allow them to take a photo of any shadows or silhouettes they observe during your nature walk. Print one or two of the photos for their nature journal.

Read my thoughts on using digital photography in nature study.
Complete a tree silhouette chalk pastel drawing using Hodgepodge Mom’s free tutorial.

Please note the links above are my Amazon.com affiliate links. I own, use, and highly recommend both books for your family.

You may wish to follow my Nature Study – Winter Pinterest Board

Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #2. Finding words to record in your nature journal after your walk outside is an easy way to remember the experience. Make sure to discuss the walk afterwards with your child and then help them complete the accompanying notebook page for this challenge.

Category: printable