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Spectacular Night Sky Nature Study Ideas for Your Homeschool

Take some time this next week to get outside at night and enjoy a beautiful night sky homeschool nature study. Allow plenty of time for your eyes to adjust to the darkness and just enjoy gazing up at the heavens. Use some of these suggestions to get started with some simple night sky observations.

Take some time this next week to get outside at night and enjoy a beautiful night sky homeschool nature study. Allow plenty of time for your eyes to adjust to the darkness and just enjoy gazing up at the heavens. Use some of these suggestions to get started with some simple night sky observations.

Spectacular Night Sky Nature Study Ideas for Your Homeschool


Outdoor Hour Challenge
Night Sky Study

Record your night sky observations using this free printable. Barb McCoy created it so you can get two simple journal pages from one sheet of paper. Print the page, cut it in half, and then staple at the top to make a Night Sky Journal. Print several pages if you want to create a larger journal.

Night Sky Journal Printable


Night Sky Journal Printable Notebook Page

Please fill out the form, below, to receive your free night sky journal page!

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    Stargazing: Perseids Meteor Shower Homeschool Ideas

    If you aren’t familiar with the Perseid Meteor Shower, it is one of the brightest and longest-lasting meteor showers. And, it happens in August, so it’s usually easy to view because the weather is warm, and the sky is likely to be reasonably clear. 

    Barb McCoy, founder of the Outdoor Hour Challenges, shares some Perseids Meteor Shower encouragement and a journal page:

    Last weekend I visited with a friend who is also a nature lover. She and I talked about the night sky for a long time and how much joy it brings to us to view the magnificent canvas of stars each night. We shared stories of past experiences with viewing meteor showers and agreed that it is something to make time for even if it is late at night.

    Our family was able to view the Perseid meteor shower over the last few nights…it doesn’t disappoint! As soon as it is dark you can view a few “shooting stars” so don’t think you have to keep your kids up too late. It is more spectacular later in the night but just getting your children aware of what is out there is worth the effort.

    We also looked up the next full moon for August and marked it on our calendar. We noted last night’s sunset and the time in our area..planning on checking it a few more times later in the month.

    Take some time this next week to get outside at night and enjoy a beautiful night sky homeschool nature study. Allow plenty of time for your eyes to adjust to the darkness and just enjoy gazing up at the heavens. Use some of these suggestions to get started with some simple night sky observations.

    My nature journal entry is a work in progress and as the month goes by I will add more of my thoughts to the box I made on the bottom of the page.

    Getting Started in Nature Study Suggestion


    If you already own the Getting Started in Homeschool Nature Study ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #4.

    *Note: the free Getting Started book has the first three challenges. Members enjoy all 10 Outdoor Hour Challenges.

    Have a short discussion with your child about which aspect of the night sky they are most interested in and focus on that as long as they are interested…could be a week or the whole month.

    Some night sky nature study ideas are:

    • stars
    • planets
    • meteors
    • or the moon

    Complete the notebook page from the Getting Started ebook if you want a more formal record of your study. 

    Moon phases homeschool nature study

    More Hands On Night Sky Homeschool Nature Study

    You might also like these fun ways to learn about the night sky:

    For even more homeschool nature study ideas, 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!

    Enjoy the outdoors at night with your children. If you have early risers, you can even enjoy some time then. It is a special time to share together.

    Take some time this next week to get outside at night and enjoy a beautiful night sky homeschool nature study. Allow plenty of time for your eyes to adjust to the darkness and just enjoy gazing up at the heavens. Use some of these suggestions to get started with some simple night sky observations.

    Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

    Tricia and her family fell in love with the Handbook of Nature Study and the accompanying Outdoor Hour Challenges early in their homeschooling. The simplicity and ease of the weekly outdoor hour challenges brought joy to their homeschool and opened their eyes to the world right out their own back door! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at You ARE an ARTiST and Your Best Homeschool plus her favorite curricula at The Curriculum Choice.

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    5 Ways to Use Your Magnifying Lens in Homeschool Nature Study

    Looking for ways to encourage your child to explore things in nature? Using a magnifying lens in homeschool nature study is not only fun for children but it helps them see more clearly the wonderful world of objects we have all around us. Try one of the ideas below to help your child get started making careful observations of natural items.

    Looking for ways to encourage your child to explore things in nature? Using a magnifying lens in homeschool nature study is not only fun for children but it helps them see more clearly the wonderful world of objects we have all around us. Try one of the ideas below to help your child get started making careful observations of natural items.
    photo by Amy Law

    5 Ways to Use Your Magnifying Lens in Homeschool Nature Study

    “Adults should realize the the most valuable thing children can learn is what they discover themselves about the world they live in. Once they experience first-hand the wonder of nature, they will want to make nature observation a life-long habit.”

    Charlotte Mason, Volume 1, page 61

    #1 – Nature Station With a Magnifying Lens


    Create a magnifying glass station with natural items either indoors or outdoors. Collect a few things to have on hand to start but them encourage your child to find a few of their own while outdoors playing or during a nature walk.

    Looking for ways to encourage your child to explore things in nature? Using a magnifying lens in homeschool nature study is not only fun for children but it helps them see more clearly the wonderful world of objects we have all around us. Try one of the ideas below to help your child get started making careful observations of natural items.

    #2 – Square Foot Nature Study


    Use your magnifying lens in homeschool for a square foot study. There are plenty of ideas here on my blog to help you get started. You can follow-up with this entry: Small Square Study-Living vs. Non-Living.

    Examine Insects with a Magnifying Lens

    #3 – Examine Insects With a Magnifying Lens

    Collect a few insects to examine close up with your magnifying lens. Look for dead insects in window sills, in the garden, or in spider webs. If you can capture a live insect and put it in a clear container, use the magnifying lens to get a closer look. Have your child observe closely the wings, the legs, the antennae, or the eyes of insects using a magnifying lens. Another tip is to place the insect on a mirror and then you can see the underside easily.

    Looking for ways to encourage your child to explore things in nature? Using a magnifying lens in homeschool nature study is not only fun for children but it helps them see more clearly the wonderful world of objects we have all around us. Try one of the ideas below to help your child get started making careful observations of natural items.

    #4 – Create a New Level of Tree Homeschool Nature Study

    As part of a tree study, use your magnifying lens to examine the bark, the leaves, and the cones or acorns of a tree in your yard or neighborhood. You can also use the magnifying lens to compare two trees with careful observations.

    For more ideas to use with your magnifying lens and my recommendations for products, you can see my Squidoo Lens: Best Magnifying Lens Plans and Activities.

    Outdoor Hour Challenge Homeschool Nature Study Lens Activity

    #5 – Use the Outdoor Hour Challenge Homeschool Nature Study Magnifying Lens Activity

    Discover the wonder of ordinary objects using this magnifying lens in homeschool nature study activity. Use the suggestions on the page to spark some ideas for objects to collect and observe. There is a place to record a few sketches and some follow-up thoughts if your child is interested in keeping a record of their magnifying lens activity.

    Homeschool Nature Study Activities

    Find this activity in Challenge 8 Getting Started in Homeschool Nature Study Guide available in membership and HERE.

    A magnifying lens in homeschool nature study is fun and helps children see more clearly the wonderful world of objects we have all around us.
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    Homeschool Nature Study: Keeping Weather Records

    The simple act of keeping weather records in our homeschool will keep us in touch with our natural world and build an appreciation for the science behind common folklore and traditions.

    Do we personally need to keep track of the weather? Probably not. We could just rely on a weather app or the television meteorologist. Many people live, work, and play indoors in climate-controlled environments. They live as if the weather has little effect on their daily lives.

    The simple act of keeping weather records in our homeschool will keep us in touch with our natural world and build an appreciation for the science behind common folklore and traditions.

    Keeping Weather Records is Homeschool Science

    Keeping weather records has not only been a pastime for thousands of years, but it has also been essential to predicting the weather and its effects on everyday life. What should we wear? When should we travel? Is it time to plant our garden? We make many of our decisions based on the weather and its patterns and cycles.

    Do you eagerly look forward to Groundhog Day each February? Many of us are curious to see if the groundhog will see his shadow, indicating another six weeks of winter or not. Turns out he is not a great predictor of spring.

    Keeping weather records in our homeschool will build an appreciation for the science behind common folklore and traditions and keep us in touch with nature.

    Tradition, Science and Common Weather Expressions

    Have you heard any of the weather folklore that people have historically used to predict the weather? Read about the science of these expressions in the Almanac.

    • Red skies at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.
    • If there is a halo around the sun (or moon), then we can expect rain quite soon.
    • Dew on the grass, no rain will come to pass.

    All these sayings are based on observations over time. When we take note of the weather and the patterns created over time, ideally writing the details down, the relationships between what we see out the window and what is coming soon becomes clearer. The record does not need to be elaborate or take much time. Our family has a clipboard with a weather chart and pencil on our front table near the window. Not every day, but often, we note the weather conditions.

    weather course in homeschool nature study membership

    Ideas for Keeping Weather Records

    • Use a weather chart – a simple chart for recording data is included in Homeschool Nature Study membership.
    • Note the weather on a wall calendar
    • Create a book of firsts – keep track of the first rain, first snow, first frost, etc.

    Keep some weather records this season and see if your family can find some patterns and connections between the observations made and predicting the weather.

    Keeping weather records in our homeschool will build an appreciation for the science behind common folklore and traditions and keep us in touch with nature.

    Join The Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support

    Find all the Outdoor Hour Challenges for homeschool nature study in our Homeschool Nature Study membership. There are 25+ continuing courses with matching Outdoor Hour curriculum that will bring the Handbook of Nature Study to life in your homeschool! In addition, there is an interactive monthly calendar with daily nature study prompt – all at your fingertips!

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    Turtle Nature Study for Your Homeschool

    Learn about pond life, pondweed and a pond habitat with this fun turtle nature study for your homeschool. Includes activities for learning about tortoises and microscopic pond life too.

    Turtle Nature Study Inside Preparation Work

    Learn about pond life, pondweed and a pond habitat with this fun turtle nature study for homeschool. Includes activities for tortoises and microscopic pond life.
    • Read in the Handbook of Nature Study about Turtles on pages 204-209 (Lesson 52). Also read about Pondweed on pages 498-500 (Lesson 130).
    • Homeschool Nature Study Members: Use the Pond Study Cross-section Notebook page in your Pond Course as a way to generate interest for this challenge. You can complete the page during your outdoor time if you would like.
    • Advanced Study: View and read in the Handbook of Nature Study pages 400-403 (Lesson 102). Use this information as you make your observations at your local pond. Here is another idea for the field: Guide to Pond Dipping. I also found this excellent resource for identifying things you find when you scoop your pond water: Simple Guide to Small and Microscopic Pond Life.

    Pond Homeschool Nature Study Outdoor Hour Time

    • Look for opportunities to spend your outdoor hour time at a pond. Ponds are a center of many nature study opportunities. Let your child lead your pond time (with your careful supervision).
    • Use the ideas from the lessons in the Handbook of Nature Study to observe closely any turtles or pondweed that you find. Make sure to keep an eye out for anything of interest that you can follow up with in the Handbook of Nature Study.
    Learn about pond life, pondweed and a pond habitat with this fun turtle nature study for homeschool. Includes activities for tortoises and microscopic pond life.

    Turtle and Pond Follow-Up Homeschool Activities

    • Follow-up with any interest that you found during your pond study. Use the Handbook of Nature Study as a reference for any additional subjects that came up. Make a nature journal entry for your turtle or pondweed.
    • Homeschool Nature Study Members: Find a Pond Life Study on page three of your Pond Course and accompanying Pond Outdoor Hour Challenge Curriculum.
    • Advanced Study: You can research individual turtles for you nature journal. Use this website for more information: Turtles and Tortoises of the United States.
    • Advanced Study: Use the information from the Wetlands/Ponds video and create your own pond life images. You can record any pond dwellers in your nature journal. Ebook Users: There is also an additional notebook page in the ebook to use if you have more to record.

    Additional links:

    Learn about pond life, pondweed and a pond habitat with this fun turtle nature study for homeschool. Includes activities for tortoises and microscopic pond life.

    Homeschool Nature Study Membership for the Whole Family

    Can you believe all of these turtle and pond resources you will find in membership? You will also find a continuing homeschool nature study series plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges for nature study in our Homeschool Nature Study membership. There are 25+ continuing courses with matching Outdoor Hour curriculum that will bring the Handbook of Nature Study to life in your homeschool! In addition, there is an interactive monthly calendar with daily nature study prompt – all at your fingertips!

    – By Barb July 2012, updated by Tricia March 2022

    Learn about pond life, pondweed and a pond habitat with this fun turtle nature study for homeschool. Includes activities for studying microscopic pond life.
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    Outdoor Hour Challenge – Winter Weed Nature Study

    Outdoor Hour Challenge – Winter Weed Nature Study

    Winter weeds are a quick and easy nature study topic that you can complete in your yard or neighborhood, or at a local park or alongside a road (be watchful of traffic). Spend a few minutes this week to take notice of any weeds you may have, searching for seeds or signs of animals feeding nearby.

    Beloved by homeschool families worldwide, this study focuses on the Handbook of Nature Study and winter weeds this week.

    Easy And Engaging Homeschool Nature Study

    You can use these links for some specific Winter Homeschool Nature Study ideas:

    Beloved by homeschool families worldwide, this study focuses on the Handbook of Nature Study and winter weeds this week.

    Getting Started With The Outdoor Hour Challenge In Your Homeschool Nature Study


    Download your free copy of our Getting Started ebook and complete challenge #6. You may wish to make a list of weeds you observed in winter and then check the list during the summer to see if you can add some more entries.   

    Join The Homeschool Nature Study Membership For Support All Year Long

    An image showing the full collection of Nature Study courses

    Connect With Our Homeschool Community On Social Media

    Did you enjoy this Outdoor Hour Challenge? Be sure to tag us on Instagram @outdoorhourchallenge and use the hashtag #outdoorhourchallenge so we can see and comment!

    This week’s Outdoor Hour Challenge is from the Winter Wednesday Course and Curriculum.

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    Homeschool High School Nature Study Ideas

    These homeschool high school nature study ideas are meant to encourage your family to consider continuing with some natural science even in the teen years.

    These homeschool high school nature study ideas are meant to encourage your family to consider continuing with some natural science even in the teen years. We want to encourage you to include nature study in your high school plans. Our family kept regular times to be outdoors together exploring and observing nature in our own backyard and neighborhood.

    Mr. B’s Nicaraguan butterfly

    The tone of nature study changes during the teen years and as they find what interests them and develop that interest you can see how this is a life-long passion that will grow as they do. My grown children still surprise me with photos of things they see while on their own adventures…sharing things they know I will enjoy seeing. During Mr. B’s recent trip to Nicaragua, he captured images of a butterfly and a bird for me…sharing them like souvenirs when he came home.

    Homeschool Nature Study Ideas For Teens

    Mr. A sent me a photo of a snake from his New York hike. I don’t know that I am anxious for them to share snakes with me but it is something he is interested in knowing more about. He has a completely different habitat to explore in New York and with all the experience we had here as he was going through his teens using the internet and field guides to identify things, I know he will be learning so much about the plants, animals, birds, and reptiles of his new area.

    These homeschool high school nature study ideas are meant to encourage your family to consider continuing with some natural science even in the teen years.

    Honestly, as my children are getting older, they are having to dig deeper to find something they are interested in learning about but the desire is still there. I am feeling the need to spend even more time with them outdoors as they reach their teen and teen+ years, stepping up the observations and learning.

    These homeschool high school nature study ideas are meant to encourage your family to consider continuing with some natural science even in the teen years.

    Charlotte Mason Style Exam Questions for Homeschool High School

    Several of the courses included in Homeschool Nature Study membership include Charlotte Mason style exam questions for advanced students. Author Barb McCoy says, “This series has proved to be a huge success in our family, helping to bring nature study up to a level for my teens. Also, I saw families with large age ranges of children completing the challenges together, each on their own level and enjoying it.”

    Include Nature Study in Your High School Plans

    Gradually I have learned the value in allowing some leeway in the high school nature study topics we learn more about because I can see the growth in my sons’ love for and connection to the world they live in. I hear their appreciation for the complex system of life that was created for us to enjoy and benefit from.

    By Barb November 2013. Updated by Tricia January 2022.

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    Outdoor Hour Challenge – Winter Tree Silhouettes Homeschool Nature Study

    Outdoor Hour Challenge – Winter Tree Silhouettes

    This week we are going to be on the lookout for interesting tree silhouettes in our own yard and neighbourhood. Here is the link to the previous challenge: Winter Wednesday – Tree Silhouettes

    Outdoor Hour Challenge Winter Tree Silhouettes

    In this challenge, be sure to look for the list of four ideas to use when completing this challenge with your children. You can also work on your Winter Tree Study and your Four Seasons Tree Study.

    Homeschool Nature Study: Outdoor Hour Challenge

    Special Activity: My Tree is a Living World
    This may be a great week to revisit this activity:
    My Tree is a Living World

    Outdoor Hour Challenge Winter Tree Silhouettes

    You might also like to see how Tricia’s family enjoyed this winter tree silhouettes challenge. They did a blind contour drawing. They also noticed how paying attention to winter tree silhouettes made them notice the backyard birds!

    Getting Started With The Outdoor Hour Challenge In Your Homeschool

    Getting Started Suggestion:
    If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #4. Use the ideas in the challenge to start a focused study of trees with your children. Use the accompanying notebook page to record your outdoor time and your focus area.   

    It is simple to get started. We will show you how. Grab this free Homeschool Nature Study Guide and discover the joys of nature study in your homeschool.

    If you do not own the Getting Started in the Outdoor Hour Challenges guide then hop on over to our shop and grab your free copy! We would love to have you join our membership for full access to the new year’s nature study plans as well as access to the curriculum with detailed lesson plans for each weekly challenge.

    Homeschool Nature Study Membership - Bring the Handbook of Nature Study to Life in Your Homeschool

    Join Our Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Helpful Tips Year Round

    An image showing the full collection of Nature Study courses

    Connect With Our Homeschool Community On Social Media

    Did you enjoy this Outdoor Hour Challenge? Be sure to tag us on Instagram @outdoorhourchallenge and use the hashtag #outdoorhourchallenge so we can see and comment!

    In addition to this winter tree silhouette challenge, our nature study homeschool members enjoy so much more! Membership includes three sets of Winter Handbook of Nature Study curriculum, additional nature study resources and ideas plus a calendar FULL of easy, daily nature study prompts. This Week’s Outdoor Hour Challenge comes from:

    Handbook of Nature Study - An Outdoor Hour Homeschool Curriculum - Winter Wednesdays
    Outdoor Hour Challenge Winter Tree Silhouettes

    Did you enjoy this Outdoor Hour Challenge Winter Tree Silhouettes? Be sure to tag @outdoorhourchallenge on Instagram and use the hashtag #outdoorhourchallenge so we can see and comment!

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    What’s In Your November World?

    What’s In Your November World?

    It’s easy to dismiss the November world as cold and dark, even barren. But I guarantee that if you take a short walk outside with your children, you’ll realize there are still plenty of things to capture your attention. deschutes river nov 2021 (2)

    We took a hike this past weekend and it actually snowed on us during our adventure. Even then, we were able to hear a flock of grosbeaks up in the treetops, see colorful lichen on the trees, and some amazing mushrooms pushing their way up out of the ground.

    deschutes river nov 2021 (1)

    The deciduous trees here are fairly leafless already, but there was an abundance of leaves on the ground that we could stop and observe. I put a couple of leaves in my pocket so I could paint them in my nature journal once we arrived home.

    I admit that it was cold, and the weather wasn’t the most inviting. We could have easily not taken our hike. Am I glad we made the effort? Yes!

    Here’s my suggestion for you this month:

    Push yourself to get outside and take note of your own November world. Even if you only get out for a few minutes, you’ll more than likely find something to note in your nature journal.

    Please see the link below for a more detailed challenge for November. There’s even a printable notebook page for you to use with your family.

    Enjoy!

    Outdoor Hour Challenge November World Observations

    You can read the original Outdoor Hour Challenge here: November World.

    November+World+Know+Your+Own+Backyard+Notebook+Page.jpg

    Printable: November World – Know Your Own Backyard Notebook Page

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    August 2021 Nature Study Plans – Outdoor Hour Challenge

    August 2021 Nature Study Plans – Outdoor Hour Challenge

    We are finishing off the summer with the rest of the herb Outdoor Hour Challenges! I think that sounds like a perfect way to observe some interesting plants and enjoy a little deliciousness at the same time.

    Herb Nature Study ebook cover graphic

     

    August 6, 2021 – Dill Herb Study

    August 13, 2021 – Thyme Herb Study

    August 20, 2021 – Lemongrass Herb Study

    August 27, 2021 – Mint Herb Study

    Redwood Forest Habitat Notebook Page

    My Nature Walk senses notebook page

    Snake Field Guide Notebook Page

    Last Days of Summer notebook page 2021.pubNew Printables in the Members Library

    Redwood Forest Habitat Notebook Page: Have you visited or are you dreaming of a redwood forest visit? This notebook page will give you a place to record your observations.

    My Summer Nature Walk Notebook Page: After your nature walk, follow up by recording what you noted with your senses.

    Last Days of Summer 2021 Grid Page: I can’t believe we are at the end of summer already! Use this grid from the archives to stimulate a little nature study before the season is over.

    Snake Field Guide Notebook Page: Use this notebook page to record your snake observations or to keep track of your snake research.

    Printables for Members Button

    Click the graphic above to view the complete list of printables available as part of an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.

    August 2021 nature planner page

    Members also have access to the Nature Planner pages in their library. Print out this month’s page and use it to stimulate your weekly nature study time.

    Join Us Ultimate Naturalist June 2020If you would like to have access to the member’s printables and the newsletter archive, I invite you to join with an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership. Your membership will be valid for one year from the date of purchase. Click the graphic above to see the many benefits of an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.

    Herb Nature Study ebook cover graphic

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    July 2021 Nature Study Plans – Outdoor Hour Challenge

    July 2021 Nature Study Plans – Outdoor Hour Challenge

    This is the month many of my readers have been waiting for! I know that it has been a long time coming, but we are going to finally be working through the series of Outdoor Hour Challenges for herbs!

    Herb Nature Study ebook cover graphic

    We have one last wildflower study and then we are off to use our senses to learn about some more familiar herbs grown in our gardens. I think you whole family will enjoy learning about the benefits and uses of the herbs. It is not too late to pick up some of the herbs at your garden nursery and grow a few in pots. You can create your own little herb “lab” for your nature study this summer.

    7/2/2021 –Forget-Me-Nots Nature Study (last wildflower challenge)

    7/9/2021 – Cilantro Nature Study

    7/16/2021 – Basil Nature Study

    7/23/2021 – Bee Balm Nature Study

    7/30/21 – Oregano Nature Study

    My Nature Walk senses notebook page

    Butterflies of Summer Notebook Page

    New Printables in the Members Library

    Butterflies of Summer Notebook Page: What could go better with a study of garden herbs? I think making some butterfly observations would be a perfect complement to your herb study. 

    My Nature Walk Notebook Page: Use your senses to create some summertime memories this month. Take a nature walk, perhaps in the early morning or the evening. Then create a notebook page for your nature journal using the new page in the Member’s Library.

    Printables for Members Button

    Click the graphic above to view the complete list of printables available as part of an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.

     

    July 2021 nature planner page

    Members also have access to the Nature Planner pages in their library. Print out this month’s page and use it to stimulate your weekly nature study time.

    Join Us Ultimate Naturalist June 2020If you would like to have access to the member’s printables and the newsletter archive, I invite you to join with an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership. Your membership will be valid for one year from the date of purchase. Click the graphic above to see the many benefits of an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.

    Herb Nature Study ebook cover graphic