printable Archives

Posted on December 6, 2013 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – December Extraordinary in the Ordinary

Outdoor Hour Challenge
Extraordinary in the Ordinary – December Edition

Find the Extraordinary in the Ordinary I challenge you to find five ordinary things in your backyard or in your everyday life that you can study and learn something more about. Find something extraordinary in something you have come to think of as ordinary and usual, so usual that you may not even notice it anymore.

You may remember that we have done this challenge in the past two times. Please be inspired by both of these entries to complete your own extraordinary nature walk this month with your children.

Additional Printable Notebook Page

Notebook Page: Extraordinary in the Ordinary – December

Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #8. Take along a magnifying lens on your Extraordinary in the Ordinary walk. Find something to examine more closely…even ice, frost, water from a puddle, the bark of a tree, or snow. Find something to be amazed by and then complete the notebooking page in the ebook.

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – November World Nature Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge November World Observations

Outdoor Hour Challenge
November World Nature Observations

November is a transitional season month in our part of the world…not exactly autumn and not quite winter yet. Use this week’s outdoor time to create an impression of your November World…create word pictures and enjoy the time outside with your children.

You may want to use some of the ideas in these challenges:
November World 2010 – Familiar Spot
Signs of Autumn – Challenge and Notebook Page

November World Notebook Page
(from the November 2011 Newsletter)

Have some fun completing this challenge and then record your November World observations using this simple notebook page.

November World – Know Your Own Backyard Notebook Page

Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #2-Using Your Words. Create some lovely word pictures after your outdoor time for this challenge. Use the accompanying notebook page to record your words or use a blank journal page.

Note: This nature study challenge can be found in the Autumn 2010 ebook.

If you would like to own this ebook, it is part of the Ultimate Naturalist Library for members. You can find more details on how to get your own membership here: Join Us!

Ultimate Ebook Library @handbookofnaturestudy

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Barb — 1 Comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Woodpecker Bird Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge
Woodpecker Nature Study

Use the ideas in these challenges from the archives:
Black and White Birds – Woodpecker, Chickadee, Nuthatch, Towhee
Woodpeckers (2009)
Ideas for Creating a Bird Themed Nature Table (printable)

Bird Feet
Use some of your time this week to observe some bird feet. Any birds will do so get creative…do you have ducks at a park, chickens near-by, or birds at your feeder?

These notebooking pages for your nature journal are meant to help you go deeper in your study of bird feet. page one can be used by younger children and page two is meant for a more advanced study. Feel free to choose one to use now and one to use later if you need to.

Here are some links to help you get started:
Birds Legs and Feet – lots of great images to view and discuss
Fantastic Feet of Birds – more amazing and clearly illustrated bird feet
Advanced Study – Types of Bird Feet

Printable Bird Feed Grid and Advanced Study Notebook Pages

Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #4. Use the ideas in this challenge to start a focused study of birds. Use the accompanying notebook page to record your week’s outdoor time and then start a running list of birds you see this month or for a season.

Posted on September 27, 2013 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Signs of Autumn

Fall fun! It is time to really sink our teeth into some fall nature study and start looking for signs of fall. You can use any of the activities listed below to get your Outdoor Hour Challenge started this week.

Early Autumn Things To Do

Signs of Autumn – challenge and free printable notebook page
Newsletter Grid Study – Fall Fun (For Members: This is available in the September 2013 newsletter
Silent Autumn Nature Walk Notebook Page

Outdoor Hour Challenge Magnifying Lens Activity
(shared this yesterday)

Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #8-Using a Magnifying Lens. This is always a great challenge for children to complete…nature study tools make it so much more fun! Don’t forget to pull out the accompanying notebook page for your child to record their findings or they can use a blank page in their nature journal if they wish.

Posted on September 20, 2013 by Barb — 1 Comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Autumn Tree Nature Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge
Autumn Tree Nature Study

Use any of the Outdoor Hour Challenges below to complete an Autumn Tree Nature Study. Feel free to pick and choose any of the suggested activities that you think will fit your area and interests. Spend some time outdoors looking at trees with your children…see the beauty in this time of year!

Autumn Tree Study (2009) with free printable notebook page
Four Seasons Tree Photo Project with free printable notebook page
Autumn Tree Study (2008)
Autumn Leaves (2010)

Color Hunt Printable Cards

Use these color word cards to stimulate a fun nature study related activity. Challenge your child to find something of each color during your Outdoor Hour Challenge time. This can be part of your Autumn Tree Study or any other study you complete throughout the year.

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

Tree Poetry Printable from the Archives

Tree Poetry ideas with free printable activity (October 2012)

Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #7-Your Own Field Guide. Use the ideas in this challenge to start your own field guide pages using the trees in your yard or neighborhood. Add to your tree field guide from time to time and as the years go by you will have built a record of many trees right in your own yard! Use the accompanying notebook page to get started or a blank nature journal page for each tree.

Posted on September 13, 2013 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Autumn Cattail and Small Square Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge
Autumn Cattail Study with a Small Square Study Too!

Here is the original Autumn Cattail Nature Study Challenge from 2009.
Optional free notebook page in the Autumn 2009 Free Notebook Page
You could use this opportunity to make some Seasonal Pond Study observations and use the free printable to record your results.
Another idea is to use the Small Square Study-Living vs. Non-Living at your cattail habitat. This challenge includes a free printable notebook page.
Note for those that coming up on their spring season, you can use the Spring Cattail Study if you would like!

Additional Activity – Cattail Acrostic Poetry Activity

Just for fun, I have created an acrostic poetry notebook page for you to use to go along with your cattail study. For each letter in the word “cattail”, have your child write a word or phrase that describes the cattail. Use the box on the page for a sketch, a rubbing, or a photo. This is meant to be a fun way to extend your cattail study so you might offer to help your child or you can skip it until a future date.

Cattail Acrostic Poetry Printable Activity

Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started Ebook, you may wish to completeGetting Started – Challenge #9 Small Square Study. You can use the ideas in this challenge to complete a small square study at your cattail habitat. Use the accompanying notebook page to record your results.

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Posted on July 26, 2013 by Barb — 1 Comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Seasonal Cattail Nature Study and Printable

For this challenge, start a seasonal year-long study of cattails. This challenge from the archives will help your child learn the life cycle of the cattail in your neighborhood. Find a patch of cattails that you can observe in each season. Starting your study in the summer will be easy because they will be very recognizable.

See the suggested nature study ideas in this 2010 Challenge: Year-Long Cattail Study.

“It is an interesting process to take apart a cattail plant; the lower, shorter leaves surround the base of the plant, giving it size and strength. All the leaves have the same general shape, but vary in length. Each leaf consists of two parts; the free portion, which is long and narrow and flat toward its tapering tip but is bent into a trough as it nears the plant, and the lower portion, which clasps the plant entirely or partially, depending upon whether it is an outer or inner leaf.”
Handbook of Nature Study, page 500

Printable Notebook Page – Seasonal Cattail Nature Study

Use this notebook page to start your Year-Long Cattail Study with the summer season. Complete a new notebooking page in autumn, winter, and spring to see the complete life cycle of the cattail. You can also take photos of the cattails with your child and insert them into their nature journal.

Cattail Seasonal Nature Study Notebook Page

If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #10. Why not enjoy a picnic during your cattail outdoor hour? We have cattails at a local park and it would be fun to eat outside after making some cattail observations. Make it simple and fun….make some memories!

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge Goldfish Nature Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge
Goldfish Nature Study

This is a fun challenge for those of you who have aquarium goldfish. If you don’t have goldfish of your own, you can be creative and visit a local pet store and observe the goldfish there or you can even use the video below to get a taste of what goldfish are like. However you decide to use this challenge, I look forward to seeing your entries in the next blog carnival (see instructions at the end of this challenge).

Goldfish YouTube Video – Watch full screen!

Printable Goldfish Nature Study and Notebook Page

This two page printable will outline a study of goldfish using the Handbook of Nature Study. You can complete the study and then record your observations on the notebook page provided.

Handbook of Nature Study Goldfish Lesson and Notebook Page

If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #2. After your goldfish observations, use the directions in this challenge to help your child express their experience in words. Afterwards, record some of their words on the accompanying notebook page.

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 7/30/13.

Posted on July 5, 2013 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Fish Grid Nature Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge
Fish Grid Study (July Newsletter Printable)

Use the Fish Grid Study printable to start your fish nature study off, choosing just one or two ideas to complete with your children. Use your own aquarium fish, fish at a pet store, or fish at a local pond to learn more up close and personal.

Printable Copywork Page

This printable can be printed and used to learn the characteristics of a fish. If you would rather copy the list into your nature journal and then have your child illustrate the page that would be great too!

Fish Copywork Notebook Page from Handbook of Nature Study

Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #1. Use your outdoor time this week to enjoy a spot in your area where there are fish…a lake, a stream, a pond. Enjoy your time outside with your child and follow their lead in exploring this place. Follow up with the notebook page from the ebook.

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Weeds and Seeds Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge:
We are going to look for weed seeds this week….shouldn’t be too hard to do this time of the year in most areas. I took a walk last week and I noticed a lot of them along the trail. Take a few minutes to walk outside with your children and follow their lead. Point out some seeds and then challenge them to find some too. Keep it light and fun.

Special Activity:Weed Seeds
This week you can go on the hunt for weed seeds. Look for three different kinds of seeds and write about them in your nature journal. You can use this printable page if you have access to the Ultimate or Journey level membership here on the Handbook of Nature Study.

Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #9. Complete a Small Square Study as part of your Outdoor Hour time this week. Pick a place that has some weeds and look carefully at the ground underneath, observing and recording all that you can see.

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Category: printable