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Posted on September 21, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

Autumn Weather Nature Study

Autumn Weather Nature Study

This week we’re going to do the first of our seasonal weather observations using the Handbook of Nature Study. Make sure to read the pages noted below in the Handbook of Nature Study under the section “How to Keep a Daily Weather Map”. There are more pages in the Handbook devoted to weather but this section will give you detailed suggestions for observing and then recording the weather with your children.

Autumn Weather Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study Pages 806-807

Archive Outdoor Hour Challenge – Click the link above to take you to the original challenge.

“Few schools are able to have a working barometer, but observations of temperature and sky should be made in every school.”

Let us make it a daily habit to give a thought to weather conditions, the wind directions; the presence or absence of dew during the hours of evening, night, or early morning…”

Handbook of Nature Study, page 806

Make sure to click the link below to read the entire Outdoor Hour Challenge with helpful links, nature study ideas, printable notebooking pages, and suggested follow-up activities.

Autumn Weather Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study Pages 806-807

Use this chart to record your weather statistics.

Link to chart: Weather Record Chart

Link to notebook page: My Seasonal Weather

Use this printable notebook page to record your seasonal weather observations. Be sure to note on your planning calendar a reminder to create a page in each of the seasons!

Observing the weather does not need to be complicated and even looking out the window to note the sky conditions will build an appreciation and connection between what your children observe and the weather.

A complete list of printables currently available to members can be viewed here:

Handbook of Nature Study Printables for Members List

This Outdoor Hour Challenge is part of the 2018-2019 Plan here on the Handbook of Nature Study. We’ll be using the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock to discover new things about the world around us. Join us each Friday for a different nature study topic. Make sure to subscribe to this blog to receive the weekly challenge right in your email box.

Note this is an Amazon affiliate link to a product I own and love.

Posted on September 18, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

Seasonal Nature Study – Autumn Reminders

Seasonal Nature Study – Autumn Reminders

For families that are not following along with the Outdoor Hour Challenges, you may wish to still complete some autumn season observations. These activities take a few minutes, usually include a lesson in the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock, and create an opportunity to learn a little bit about your habitat in a simple and relaxed way.

Here is a list of ideas to get you started with a year-long study in a variety of topics.

Year-Long Big Dipper Study – with free printable
Seasonal Cattail Study – with free printable
Seasonal Milkweed Study – with free printable notebook page
Year-Long Pond Study – with a free printable notebook page
Year-Long Queen Anne’s Lace Study and a free printable notebook page
Seasonal Autumn Tree Study – with free activity and notebook page
Year-Long Thistle Study
Teasel Study – start a year-long teasel study

Maybe you just want a quick autumn nature study idea this week to use with your children. Why not try the Signs of Autumn nature study activity?

You can download the notebooking page and read the suggested activity here in this entry from my archives: Signs of Autumn.

Most of my readers that responded to my question about their favorite season for nature study, responded that autumn was the best time for them to be outdoors. I would love to help you with your nature study plans with the long list of Outdoor Hour Challenges found in any of my autumn ebooks. You can read more about those topics by clicking over and reading this entry: Autumn Nature Study Ebooks

Posted on August 20, 2018 by Barb — 1 Comment

Pond Life – 4 Seasons Activity

Handbook of Nature Study

Nature Book Club – August

Seasonal Pond Study with Printables

The theme of the link-up for August is Water – River, Stream, Pond. I decided to share one of the books that we used for our study of local ponds. This compact book is a terrific source of information for all ages. It’s detailed enough for an older student to use as a reference and it has colorful illustrations that will capture the interest of younger students.

Here’s the book I’m featuring: Pond Life – A Golden Guide

You can look for it at your public library or it’s available from Amazon (note that I’m an Amazon affiliate and there are affiliate links in this entry).

You can use this as a reference book or field guide during your pond study. Or, read a few pages a week over a longer period and learn about pond life in preparation for a future pond study. There are sections for plant life and animal life in this book, including birds, reptiles, fish, and mammals. In addition, there are simple illustrations for really small things you might collect in pond water, looking at them up close with a magnifying lens or microscope.

We have owned and read this book several times during our homeschool studies. I’ve kept it in our nature library even now as a quick way to learn more about things we see in our own pond/stream.

Nature Journal Page (shown above) Printable Link

“Almost any of the fishes found in a brook or pond may be kept in an aquarium for a few days of observation in the schoolroom. A large water pail or a bucket does very well if there is no glass aquarium. ”
Handbook of Nature Study, page 145

Seasonal Pond Study with Printables

Use this notebook page to record your pond study observations and then revisit your pond in each season to compare plants, insects, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians.
Printable Seasonal Pond Study Notebook Page

Pond Study and Pond Grid

As a bonus, I’m including the Summer Pond Study notebook page and the Pond Study Grid from the August 2011 Newsletter!

Additional Links

Here’s another idea for the field: Guide to Pond Dipping(YouTube video). 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.

Make sure to subscribe to my blog to follow along with our weekly nature study activities.

Note: This post is part of a monthly series of posts I’m writing as part of a fantastic group of nature loving women who I’m linking up with on the 20^th of each month. There’s a topic of the month and we’ll all share a book and activity that goes along with that theme. Use the linky tool below to share your own nature walk related links this month too.

Check out these other links for more nature walk ideas from Nature Book Club Co-Hosts!

Sensory Bin and Observation Notebooking Page from Jenny at Faith & Good Works
Pond Life Printable Pack from Emily at Table Life Blog
Aquatic Science Studies: 10 Activities for Teens from Eva at Eva Varga
Above and Below a Pond Unit Study and Lapbook from Tina at Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus
Online Book Study about water cycle from Dachelle at Hide the Chocolate
STEAM Challenge – Does Water Ever Flow Up? from Erika at The Playful Scholar
Who Was?® What Was?® Where Is?® Book Series: Where is the Mississippi River? from Sharla at Minnesota Country Girl

Past Month’s Themes:

Posted on August 6, 2018 by Barb — 34 Comments

Outdoor Hour Challenge 2018-2019 Plans

Outdoor Hour Challenge

September 2018 through August 2019

Plans and Instructions

As we start another year of nature study together, I want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to see the year’s plans all in one place. This plan was made with Handbook of Nature Study members in mind but it will also be very accessible to non-members who would like to join us.

Outdoor Hour Challenge September 2018 – August 2019 for Members

Get the Year Plan in a PDF: Subscribe to the Ultimate Naturalist Library, Journey, or Discovery level membership: This membership will give you access to a detailed schedule for the entire year. You’ll have a printable plan that shows dates and specific topics that will be considered every Friday. This makes your planning super easy!

Winter Nature Study Series

Garden Flowers and Plants

Summer Nature Study Continues

Download the Ebooks: Ultimate Naturalist Members will have access to the three ebooks needed for the year’s nature study plans.

Click the covers below to go to more information for each ebook. Check your files to see if you own these ebooks already!

Note: There is no separate ebook for the autumn season. We’ll be using the free notebook page bundle from 2009 that is available to everyone under the Autumn tab on the blog.

Download the Notebook Page Bundle: In addition to receiving the year’s plan in a pdf to download, Ultimate and Journey level members will also have access to a new Notebook Page Bundle printable that includes EVERY notebooking page needed for the entire year’s plan. This 78 page bundle can be printed for each student in your family. The Parent’s edition of the Notebook Page Bundle includes an index of challenges AND chart that shows the nature topics and corresponding pages in the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock.

I’m super excited about this new Notebook Page Bundle! This has been a much requested item and I’m happy to make this a part of the Ultimate and Journey level memberships. Note: These are not new notebook pages, but for convenience they’re the pages from the ebooks gathered into one file for you to print and use with your family. This saves you time and energy as you plan and then complete your nature study!

Do You Want to Join Us?

Here’s what you need to do!

Purchase a membership here on the Handbook of Nature Study. Remember that if you want access to all the ebooks and other resources you will need an Ultimate Naturalist Membership.
Download the ebooks.
Download the Notebook Page Bundle (both a student version and a parent’s version are available).
Download the September 2018 through August 2019 plan.
Subscribe to the Handbook of Nature Study blog for reminders each Friday.

This can be your best year ever for nature study!

Click Below to Get Started!

Use the discount code: Nature4U for $5 off an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership. Code Expires 8/18/18.

If you can’t purchase a membership at this time, you can still follow along by subscribing to the blog and each week’s Outdoor Hour Challenge will come right to your email inbox.

We’re so proud to have been chosen as a top Elementary Science curriculum by readers at Practical Homeschooling. I hope you’ll think about using our nature study ideas in your family with the confidence that families from around the world are happy with their results!

How would you like to enter a giveaway for an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership?

You can enter below! I will be giving away three memberships!

Giveaway ends on Friday, August 10, 2018 at 11 PM.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted on July 31, 2018 by Barb — 1 Comment

August Planning Page and Printables

August 2018 Nature Planning Page – Print Your Copy Here!

Download your copy here: August 2018 Nature Planning Page

In addition, I’ve created three new printables for you to use this month as well.

Seashore Observations: This is an exciting new printable activity that you can take with you to the beach. It helps your family through making some observations and then a scavenger hunt!

Rattlesnake Notebook Pages: This set of three notebooking pages will give you a spot in your nature journal to record what you learn and/or observe with rattlesnakes.

Eagle Notebook Page: Here’s another page in our on-going bird series for the eagle. We’ve seen so many eagles this summer that it just has to be featured on one of my nature journal pages. I invite you to do the research and then look for eagles soon!

Print a complete list of printables available in the Ultimate and Journey level memberships by clicking the button above.

Posted on June 30, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

July Planner Page and Printables

July 2018 Nature Study Planning Page

Download your copy here: July 2018 Planning Page

The month of July is typically hot, sometimes too hot for a lengthy nature study session during the afternoon hours. But, using the ideas linked on the planner page, you may find a perfect summer time routine that includes fifteen minutes of nature study using the Outdoor Hour Challenges. Keep it simple and carve out the time to be with your children as you explore your yard and neighborhood during July.

In addition, I’ve created a few new printables for you to use this month as well. These are available to Ultimate and Journey level members.

Tree Study Notebook Pages: These beautiful pages are perfect for using after your study of the sequoia, aspen, birch, and spruce trees.

Note: I will be creating more tree pages in the future. If you have a particular tree you would like featured on a notebooking page, let me know in an email or comment and I will add it to my “to do list”.

Nut Study Notebook Page: This is a simple and fun way to pull some nature study into your daily life. Take the time to research your favorite nuts and then make a record of it for your nature journal.

Print a complete list of printables available in the Ultimate and Journey level memberships by clicking the button above

Posted on June 22, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge

Summer Queen Anne’s Lace – Begin a Year Long Study!

From the Archives and from the Summer nature Study ebook

Summer and Queen Anne’s Lace just seem to go hand in hand. Although to most of us this is a common roadside wildflower, it has such charm and beauty that I look forward to its appearance each year. I haven’t spotted any on my property yet, but you know I have my eye out for it so we can enjoy it here in Oregon just as much as we did in California.

During this summer challenge, as linked in the archive post above, you’ll be using your senses of sight, smell, and touch to learn more about Queen Anne’s Lace (or wild carrot). Since this plant is not a true native plant to most of us, your family can decide whether you consider it a weed or a wildflower. Some states list it as a noxious weed.

Advanced Study: You can read an interesting article here about the topic of wildflower versus noxious weed: Problem Plants.

Here’s a free printable notebook page for you to use after your summer study!

Queen Anne’s Lace Seasonal Observation Notebook Page

Join us for this exciting series of nature study topics as we work through the

Summer Nature Study – Using Your Senses ebook.

This ebook is found in the Ultimate level membership for you to download and use with your family. If you would like to gain access to this ebook, you can purchase a membership now and have instant access.

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

June Planner and Printables

June 2018 Nature Planning Page – Print Your Copy Here!

What an exciting month of nature study we all have ahead of us! This is the perfect time to be outdoors and to share these experiences with our children. The ideas are mostly suggested for evening nature study times but you can easily adapt them to fit your schedule.

When I lived in California, it was hot during the middle part of the day. In fact, many days were just too hot to even attempt to get the kids outdoors. But, we found the perfect time was in the evening after dinner, when it was still light out but cooling off. Many insects and animals feel the same way and will only be found out at sundown.

I invite you to use this month’s planning sheet to remind you to give these nature study ideas a try.

Please note there are additional nature study ideas listed on the planning page for you to use if you have access to the newsletter library. (Right now use the discount code OHC10 for $5 off any membership here on the Handbook of Nature Study.)

Download your copy here: June 2018 Planning Page

In addition, I’ve created a few new printables for members to use this month as well.

Shore Birds Notebook Pages: This set of notebook pages features 7 birds for you to learn about and look for during your summer travels.
Tide Pool Habitat Notebook Page: Are you visiting a tide pool this month? Use this page to record your observations
5 Senses at Sunset Notebook Page: This is such a great page for everyone to use after your evening nature outings. There are places for writing, drawing, and for recording your observations using your senses.

Print a complete list of printables available in the Ultimate and Journey level memberships by clicking the button above.

To become a member, click on the Join Us link at the top of the website.

Posted on May 25, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Moth Nature Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge

Summer Moth Nature Study

From the Archives and from the Summer Nature Study ebook

This is an exciting nature study challenge! Use the suggestions in the archived post above to get started with your own moth study.

This is a nature study idea that’s as easy as turning on an outside light in the evening! The moths will come to you!

Moths are so much like butterflies in their variety and beauty. Don’t miss this special opportunity to be prepared for your next moth experience that will happen over the next season.

Use the free downloadable notebook pages for insects found in this entry: Ant Nature Study.

Join us for this exciting series of nature study topics as we work through the Summer Nature Study – Using Your Senses ebook.

Posted on April 30, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

May 2018 Planning Page and Printables

May 2018 Nature Planning Page – Print Your Copy Here!

This month we are beginning with a new series of Outdoor Hour Challenges from the Summer Nature Study ebook. These challenges incorporate using your senses alongside observing nature in your neighborhood. All children should develop the ability to use all their senses when making careful observations. Focusing on these skills during nature study is a natural way to take their learning to a new level in a fun way.

New May Printable: This month there’s a fun new printable Farmers Market activity in the Members Library. Look for it in the “garden” section of your membership!

Download your copy here: May 2018 Planning Page

Members have access to lots of great printables including this month’s Farmers Market Scavenger Hunt printable.

Print a complete list by clicking the button above.

Category: printable

Autumn Weather Nature Study

Seasonal Nature Study – Autumn Reminders

Pond Life – 4 Seasons Activity

Outdoor Hour Challenge 2018-2019 Plans

This can be your best year ever for nature study!

How would you like to enter a giveaway for an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership?

August Planning Page and Printables

Download your copy here: August 2018 Nature Planning Page

In addition, I’ve created three new printables for you to use this month as well.

July Planner Page and Printables

Download your copy here: July 2018 Planning Page

Outdoor Hour Challenge

Outdoor Hour Challenge

Summer Queen Anne’s Lace – Begin a Year Long Study!

June Planner and Printables

To become a member, click on the Join Us link at the top of the website.

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Moth Nature Study

May 2018 Planning Page and Printables

Outdoor Hour Challenges for families since 2008!