Category: trees

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Autumn Willow Tree Nature Study and Printable

Autumn is a wonderful time of year for discovery, picnics, and tree studies! We created an Autumn Willow Tree Printable for you to enjoy before winter settles.

Enjoy the Autumn Willow Nature Study and printables for sketching, sharing, and learning about trees this fall.

What is a Willow Tree?

Did you know there are more than 200 different species of willow trees? But all willows have a few things in common: abundant watery bark sap, which is heavily charged with salicylic acid, soft, usually pliant tough wood, slender branches, and large fibrous often stoloniferous roots – which means they grow along the ground.

Willow wood is used to make baskets, furniture, toys, and fishing nets. The wood is too soft for lumber, but it is popular for wickerwork. In ancient times, people chewed willow bark to treat fevers and rheumatic pains. The bark contains salicylic acid, which is the basis for modern aspirin.

Enjoy the Autumn Willow Nature Study and free printables for sketching, sharing, and learning about trees this fall.

Autumn Willow Nature Study and Printable for Members

If you do not live near Willow Trees, print the Under the Fallen Leaves worksheet.

Autumn Willow Tree notebooking page: Use this page to record your autumn willow observations. This can be the start of a year long/four seasons study of willows for your family. I will be reminding you each season to make some notes about your willow tree.

Under the Fallen Leaves notebooking page: Take a few minutes to look under the leaves in your yard or a near-by park. What do you see there? Create a sketch and describe what you saw, felt, and smelled during your outdoor time.

Pine Trees and Pine Cones Nature Study

More pine trees in your neck of the woods? Enjoy this Pine Trees & Pine Cones Nature Study.

More Fall Homeschool Nature Study Fun!

Keep the apple and pumpkin nature study fun going with these resources for all ages:

Join the Homeschool Nature Study Membership

There are so many benefits to joining. You will access our full range of curriculum, our interactive learning calendar as well as a brand new homeschool nature study challenge post each week!

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership!

Original post written by Barb 2018, updated by Stef Layton 2024.

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Autumn Pear Study: Fun Facts For Kids

When fall rolls around we usually celebrate all things apple and pumpkin, but what about pears?! Autumn Pear Study is one of the Outdoor Hour Challenges that does not specifically have a lesson in the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock. Therefore, we’re happy to share fun fruity facts!

This autumn, enjoy this pear study and fun facts. Members can download the Fruits and Vegetables Sorting Worksheet.

Pears: Fruit or Vegetable ?

Pears are a sweet buttery fruit. Generally shaped like a bell, or oval, pears have greenish colored skin some varieties are red. Pears are high in dietary fiber and can be eaten raw or baked. In the states, we are most familiar with the Bartlett Pear. This image from USA Pears with harvest times is helpful.

This autumn, enjoy this pear study and fun facts. Members can download the Fruits and Vegetables Sorting Worksheet.

Fruit or Vegetable Sorting Worksheet

The characteristics of all fruits include: developing from a flower, most fruits contain seeds, and fruits are typically sweet while vegetables are savory. Homeschool Nature Study Members can download the Fruits and Vegetables Sorting Worksheet for younger learners.

This autumn, enjoy this pear study and fun facts. Members can download the Fruits and Vegetables Sorting Worksheet.

Autumn Pear Study Fun Facts

Did you know pears date back to Ancient Greece? Homer described them as “gifts from the gods“.

Romans planted pears throughout Europe developing 50 different varieties.

Pears in the United States are grown in Washington and Oregon.

Pears are part of the rose family. The Rose family is called Rosaceae.

Pear wood is a hard, reddish, fine-grained hardwood that’s often used for making musical instruments, like the lute and guitar.

In Chinese tradition, a common remedy for chronic coughs and asthma involves steaming an Asian pear with a tablespoon of sugar.

“And a partridge in a pear tree”, We all know the first line from The Twelve Days of Christmas. The partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on the first day of Christmas. Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge, a bird that will die to protect its young.

More Fall Studies

Looking for more Fall Studies to include in your Nature Study time? Click an image below.

Homeschool Nature Study Membership

Undeniably, now is a great time to join Homeschool Nature Study! We offer a multitude of science activities, hands-on learning ideas, seasonal nature studies, crafts, free resources for all ages – join the #outdoorhourchallenge community and enhance your homeschool science lessons!

Stef Layton Bio

Stef started homeschooling her boys in 2008. She quickly adopted a hands-on learning homeschool style and graduated her oldest tactile learner in 2021. Then she started the Hands-On Learning column in Homeschooling Today magazine. The Laytons currently reside in the foothills of Colorado where Stef also teaches yoga. The family loves to hike trails, stand-up paddle board, and chase sunsets. Stef shares travel and homeschool tips on IG at @LaytonAdventures.

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Creating Leaf Prints: A Nature Activity For Kids

Creating leaf prints is simple and a lot of fun! Combine a nature walk, collecting a variety of leaves, and producing a beautiful leaf print.

Years ago, I created leaf prints using ink as suggested in the Handbook of Nature Study, although using stamp pad ink not kerosene as suggested in the book.  I am creating leaf prints using leaves from my Oregon yard.

Creating leaf prints is simple and a lot of fun! Combine a nature walk, collecting a variety of leaves, and producing a beautiful leaf print.

My children always wanted to collect leaves during your outdoor time and once we got home I wasn’t always sure how to use the leaves or display them. Creating leaf prints is a great way to extend your leaf collecting activity or any tree nature study.

Creating leaf prints is simple and a lot of fun! Combine a nature walk, collecting a variety of leaves, and producing a beautiful leaf print.

Creating Leaf Prints

Tips and Suggestions for Getting Great Leaf Prints:

Put your ink on the backside of the leaf instead of the front for a more detailed print.

Making prints with ink will give you more detail than printing with paints.

Try both placing the paper over the inked leaf and pressing the leaf onto the paper. Experiment with a few leaves to see which method works best for you.

Use washable ink pads for easier clean up.

If your leaf is very dry or crumbly, you might try using paint instead of ink. Make sure not to press too hard when making the print.

Creating leaf prints is simple and a lot of fun! Combine a nature walk, collecting a variety of leaves, and producing a beautiful leaf print.

Try making your prints on separate paper and then insert the paper into your nature journal. This will help resolve anxiety that you are going to mess up your nature journal if you don’t get a good print.

Creating Leaf Prints Nature Craft Tutorial In Homeschool Nature Study Membership

Victoria shares, “As autumn gets into full swing, what better way to mark the change of seasons than by creating leaf prints. We are heading into that period of Autumn where the leaves are on the cusp of igniting into rich shades of red and orange. Here in the UK we usually have about a week of vibrancy before one strong wind comes along and blows all the colour to the ground. So it is best to capture its beauty while we can.”

If your students are not excited about getting their hands dirty by creating leaf prints, print this Leaves Coloring Page. There are many different types of leaves on this page your student can color and then cut out to decorate their nature journal. You can read our Ultimate Guide to Nature Journaling for tips and ideas to fill up your nature journal this year.

More Leaf Activities For Kids

These will have you enjoying leaves in other ways too!

How to make a leaf mask

The Outdoor Hour Challenges Bring The Handbook of Nature Study to Life in Your Homeschool!

For even more homeschool nature study ideas for all seasons, 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!

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

By Barb McCoy, founder of the Outdoor Hour Challenges with The Handbook of Nature Study. Updated and new resources added by Stef Layton.

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Delightful Dogwood Tree Nature Study for Your Homeschool

This dogwood tree nature study is a wonderful addition to your spring homeschool. Enjoy time outdoors as a family and learn together.

“But when spring comes, these bud scales change their duties, and by rapid growth become four beautiful white or pinkish bracts which we call the dogwood flower.”

– Handbook of Nature Study
This dogwood tree nature study is a wonderful addition to your spring homeschool. Enjoy time outdoors as a family and learn together.

Dogwood Nature Study to Enjoy Indoors

This dogwood tree nature study is a wonderful addition to your spring homeschool. Enjoy time outdoors as a family and learn together.

Your Dogwood Nature Study Outdoor Hour

  • Enjoy your outdoor time for this challenge looking for blooming trees. Spend a few minutes observing the colors of the blooms and look for any insect visitors. If appropriate, gather a leaf and a blossom to sketch in your nature journal.
  •  This is the perfect time to begin a year-long tree study. For ideas on how to get started, see this entry: Year-Long Tree Study.
  • If you have a dogwood to view up close, use a few of the lesson ideas to make careful observations. Look at the bark, the flowers, and the arrangement of the flowers on the branches.
  • Advanced study: Bring along your sketching supplies and sketch or watercolor the bracts and flowers.
This dogwood tree nature study is a wonderful addition to your spring homeschool. Enjoy time outdoors as a family and learn together.
Dogwood Tree Art Lesson at Your Best Homeschool

Follow Up Dogwood Nature Study Journaling Activities

  • Take a few minutes to sketch your tree, the flower, the leaf, the bark, or fruit of your tree. You can use this website’s images as a reference for your drawing: Identifying Dogwood Trees (They call the bracts “petals” but otherwise this is a very good page.) Homeschool Nature Study Members: There is a notebook page and two coloring pages included in the ebook curriculum for your dogwood study. There is also a notebook page for any flowering tree.
  • Advanced study: Complete a nature journal entry for your dogwood or other blooming tree. Homeschool Nature Study members: There is a notebook page to complete using a field guide or the internet.
  • Advanced study: Pick a tree from your local area and do additional research. Record your findings in your nature journal.
dogwood art lesson

Dogwood Sketching with Chalk Pastels

We had been noticing the dogwood blossoms for a full week as we went back and forth, in and out of the neighborhood and thought it was time to take an up close look. It was time for a dogwood nature study and chalk pastel sketches.

This dogwood tree nature study is a wonderful addition to your spring homeschool. Enjoy time outdoors as a family and learn together.

Additional Dogwood Nature Study For Your Homeschool:

Handbook of Nature Study for your homeschool

Outdoor Hour Challenge by founder, Barbara McCoy. Additional resources by Tricia. 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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A Winter Tree Study For Your Homeschool

Enjoy a beautiful winter tree study for your homeschool. Learn about evergreen trees as part of your winter season nature studies and make beautiful memories together this Christmas!

Enjoy an evergreen winter tree study for your homeschool as part of your winter season nature studies and make beautiful memories together this Christmas!

The Beauty of The Season With Evergreen Trees

As we approach Christmas, one of the evergreen trees, the spruce, becomes an important symbol in our Christmas celebrations and winter traditions.

But just why have evergreen trees, be they spruce, pine or fir, become such an intrinsic part of Christmas? What are all of the types of Christmas trees? A little peek through time reveals some interesting facts about this winter tree.

A Christmas Tree for The Animals event! Enjoy an evergreen winter tree study for your homeschool as part of your winter season nature studies and make beautiful memories together this Christmas!

A Christmas Tree for the Animals – An Event for the Whole Family!

Receive the full Spruce Tree study filled with fun learning by Outdoor Hour Challenge hostess, Shirley Vels. Sign up for our special Christmas Tree for the Animals Event! Spruce Tree Nature Study included!

  • Sign up below and receive the replay of this wonderful holiday event!


Sign Up To Attend Live or for Replay

Get access to attend live and to enjoy the replay of the event – Plus accompanying resources

    Plus a wonderful tutorial on decorating an outdoor tree for the animals, a craft creating an outdoor ornament for your tree, O Christmas Tree hymn study and accompanying composer study too! Joyful Art, Nature and Music for Your Christmas Homeschool

    Winter Tree Nature Study For Kids

    There are so many ways to enjoy a winter tree study with your family. Here are a few options you can use for your homeschool:

    Enjoy an evergreen winter tree study for your homeschool as part of your winter season nature studies and make beautiful memories together this Christmas!

    Pine Trees and Pine Cones

    Let’s jump into exploring pine trees and pine cones in nature! This homeschool nature study has everything you need to start learning about pine trees and pine cones. This Outdoor Hour Challenge is based on the Winter Wednesday curriculum which is available to our members but you can follow along regardless using this post as a bit of a guide. In the Winter Wednesday curriculum you will have access to notebooking pages and a host more ideas and links.

    Hemlock Tree

    This dense and graceful tree with its drooping branches of soft needles casts such a heavy shadow that not much can live beneath it. This is a Homeschool Nature Study membership tree study and is also available the Autumn Outdoor Hour Challenge curriculum.

    Winter Tree Silhouettes

    We are going to be on the lookout for interesting winter tree silhouettes in our own yard and neighbourhood.

    Winter Tree Twigs

    A fun Homeschool Nature Study membership Outdoor Hour Challenge that includes forcing blooms from a winter tree twig.

    Enjoy an evergreen winter tree study for your homeschool as part of your winter season nature studies and make beautiful memories together this Christmas!

    Winter Tree Study

    Use these simple suggestions from The Handbook of Nature Study and spend a few minutes outside or observing a winter tree or evergreen through a window.

    My Tree is a Living World

    What a fun way to learn about the trees for each season. Such a simple homeschool nature study with beautiful results. This printable for members is a fun way to observe then record all of the living things you observe in your tree.

    Red and Green Homeschool Nature Study

    Red and Green Outdoor Hour Challenge – this is a fun way to notice red and green in nature. Get started with these ideas.

    Enjoy an evergreen winter tree study for your homeschool as part of your winter season nature studies and make beautiful memories together this Christmas!

    Additional Resources For Winter Nature Study

    In Homeschool Nature Study membership, you can also find a study of the Hemlock Tree in the Autumn course and Evergreens in My Yard study and journal page in the Trees course. Each season includes a new tree study.

    Here are a few more resources you will love:

    Winter is such a wonderful time for homeschool nature study! Won’t you join us? In Homeschool Nature Study membership, each challenge gives you step by step instructions to get started with simple weekly nature study ideas whatever season you are in! This may just be what your homeschool week needs.

    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 Pine Trees and Pine Cones

    This homeschool nature study has everything you need to start learning about pine trees and pine cones. This Outdoor Hour Challenge is based on the Winter Wednesday curriculum which is available to our members but you can follow along regardless using this post as a bit of a guide. In the Winter Wednesday curriculum you will have access to notebooking pages and a host more ideas and links.

    Let’s jump into exploring pine trees and pine cones in nature…

    This homeschool nature study has what you need to start learning about pine trees and pine cones. Then head outdoors to gather some cones!

    This challenge was originally written using the Discover Nature in Winter book which you can grab fairly inexpensively off Amazon in Kindle format. However, I will give you alternatives using the Handbook of Nature Study (this is a link to the free online version if you do not have a copy to hand just yet) too.

    Homeschool Nature Study: Pine Trees and Pine Cones

    Let’s kick off our studies with a quick Youtube video on pine cones.

    Outdoor Hour Challenge for Your Homeschool

    1. Read chapter five in Discover Nature in Winter. Once again, this chapter covers more than just cedar trees in its information and activities. As you read the chapter, keep your pen in hand to jot down ideas that come to you as you read the information and the suggested activities.

    If you are using the Handbook of Nature Study begin by reading the introductory pages of the pine tree on pages 670-674. Bear this information in mind as you head out for your nature walk. You do not need to bombard your children with information, instead, you will be able to answer their questions and direct their observations.

    2. Since this chapter really covers a variety of evergreens, our family will be focusing on our local evergreens as part of this week’s activity. We will be completing two activities to go along with this chapter, one a short term project and one a long term project.

    Cone Collection on page 96 (short term)
    Tree Community on page 97 (long term)

    The Homeschool Pine Cone Collection Activity

    For the cone collection, we will be gathering and comparing cones from different evergreens. I love the idea on the top of page 97 to pick a cone and write a description of it in your nature journal. Then you share the description with someone else and they have to figure out which cone you described. Love it!

    The Tree Community Activity for Your Homeschool

    For the tree community activity, we will be using our backyard sequoia to develop an ongoing list of creatures that use the tree as part of their community. This activity suggests keeping track of when certain birds and animals frequent the tree to see patterns. See page 98 for a sample chart.

    Suggested Activities If You Do Not Have A Copy of Discover Nature in Winter

    I know that there are homeschool families that are following along without the book but this week’s nature study is one you can complete very easily. Here are some suggestions.

    1. Observe and compare the bark of two trees in your yard.
    2. Pick a tree you can see from your window and observe any birds or animals that visit over the next week.
    3. Collect cones and compare them in your nature journal. See if you can find the seeds inside the cone.

    Pine Trees and Pine Cones From the Handbook of Nature Study

    Lesson 185 – The Pine – page674-675

    • Find a pine tree on your walk and look at it’s shape. Observations 1 -3 of the lesson will guide you on what to look for
    • Gather up some pine leaves. Observation 4 provides guidance on your observations
    • Collect as many cones as you can to take home. It would be lovely it you could find some closed and some open. Observations 5-6 in the Handbook of Nature Study will give you ideas on what you are looking for.
    This homeschool nature study has what you need to start learning about pine trees and pine cones. Then head outdoors to gather some cones!

    If you are just getting started in homeschool nature study, be sure to grab our free Getting Started in the Outdoor Challenges Guide!

    Join the Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support

    There are so many benefits to joining. You will access our full range of curriculum, our interactive learning calendar as well as a brand new homeschool nature study challenge post each week!

    Join the Homeschool Nature Study membership Now
    An image showing the full collection of Nature Study courses

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    Homeschool Nature Study the Gentle Way

    Wondering how to enjoy homeschool nature study the gentle way? Here are some simple steps to get you started. No special equipment needed!

    I don’t look at outdoor time and nature study as one more homeschool subject I need to plan and be ready for, I just let it unfold. If your children want to learn more about something they find while outdoors, gradually teach them to look things up for themselves in a good field guide or on your next trip to the library.

    If you observe and identify one tree per year, over the course of your child’s education, you will have learned about 12 different trees! I don’t know about you but I have a hard time just listing 12 trees by name. So if your child has become acquainted with 12 trees, they are far better off than many of us.

    Homeschool Nature Study the Gentle Way

    My suggestion: Study one tree, one bird, and one insect per school year.

    Take it slowly.

    Wondering how to enjoy homeschool nature study the gentle way? Here are some simple steps to get you started. No special equipment needed!
    photo by Amy Law

    How to Enjoy Homeschool Nature Study in Simple Steps

    Find one tree in your yard that you can study for a whole term.

    • Find out what kind of tree it is.
    • Make rubbings of the leaves and bark.
    • Does it drop its leaves or does it stay green year round?
    • Does it have any birds in it? Any insect holes? Hollows for critters?
    • Can you climb up into it and see what the view is?
    • Can you lay under your tree and watch the branches move in the breeze?
    • Does it have blossoms, fruit, cones, seeds, or other objects to study?
    • Do you see a nest in the tree?
    • Is the trunk straight, crooked, twisted, rough, or smooth?
    • Do the leaves or needles smell good? How about the bark?
    • Watch and observe and narrate one thing at a time you will find that it is really not so hard. If you feel like recording the experience, put something on paper.

    Nature study the gentle way. Slowly, gradually, gently….it works.

    Nature Study in Your Own Backyard – Studying One Tree

    So I decided to follow my own advice and I went out and found a tree in my yard that I was interested in learning about. Turns out that after examining the leaves and the trunk of the tree, I discovered my tree is an Interior Live Oak. I know there are several varieties of oaks in my yard but I have never taken the time to identify them as any particular oak. My oak has leaves with pointy edges and they are glossy on both sides. It also has pointy acorns.

    While I was examining the trunk I discovered that one side of it has *lots* of woodpecker holes drilled into it. I have walked by this particular tree hundreds of times but have failed to notice the holes. Amazing….now I will on the watch to see if I can see the woodpecker that makes the holes.

    I used a tree identification guide and my new tree field guide to help me. This whole process, including taking the photos, only took a few minutes. I plan on watching my oak to see if there are any other things that I can learn about it.

    So you can enjoy nature study the gentle way, the Getting Started ebook is available in every level of membership here on Homeschool Nature Study.

    Join the Homeschool Nature Study Membership Today!
    Wondering how to enjoy homeschool nature study the gentle way? Here are some simple steps to get you started. No special equipment needed!

    This post first published by Barb May 2008 and Photo by Erin Vincent

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    Do You Know 6 Trees?

    Do You Know 6 Trees?

    From the Newsletter Archives (February 2017)

    “Children should also become familiar with trees at an early age. They should pick about six in the winter when the leaves are gone, perhaps an elm, a maple, a beech, etc., and watch them during the year.”
    Charlotte Mason, volume 1, page 52

    Winter has arrived for most of us and with this season comes the challenge of getting outside to look for things to observe with our children. The trees that are covered in leaves in the summer are now barren and leafless. For many years this was a time that I was unable to determine a tree’s identification. But now with fresh eyes, I have learned to distinguish individual trees by their silhouettes. Each tree has a distinct pattern of growing that makes it even easier to identify during the winter months.

    tree cones snow winter

    Many of us are surprised to learn that a tree in the thick of winter is not really lifeless. It may appear at first glance to be uninteresting in its winter state. Don’t be fooled! There are many things that we can discover about a tree during this barren season.

    • Start with the tree’s trunk and branches. Stand back and take a good look at the way it grows and where the branches are located. Look at the way each branch grows: up, out, curved, straight?
    • Look at the bark on the tree trunk and try to determine its color, texture, and any distinguishing marks or patterns.
    • Look at the tree’s outline against the winter sky.
    • Look at the tree’s buds. These will be at the tips of the twigs or branches. If all you do is make note of the size, shape, and color of the buds, you’ll have some valuable information about the tree.

    Lodgepole pine nature journal

    Can you distinguish the difference between neighborhood trees? Start with just two trees and try to make as many comparisons as you can just focusing on the tree silhouette, tree bark, and buds.

    When you get home, pull out your tree guide and see if you can use the information you observed to identify your trees. As time goes by, work your way up to six trees as suggested by Charlotte Mason. This can be a long term project that you tackle every winter.

    Six Trees Project notebook page

    Journey and Ultimate Naturalist Library members have a 6 Trees Project notebook page printable in their libraries. In this simple ongoing project, your child should observe and photograph six different trees and use the notebook pages as a follow up with facts and photos.

     

    Join Us Ultimate Naturalist June 2020 

    This activity was originally published in the February 2017 newsletter. You can find all of the archived newsletters in your member’s library.

    Newsletter Index download

    Please note these are Amazon affiliate links to books that I have purchased and used with my family. They are very helpful for any winter tree studies.

     

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    Outdoor Hour Challenge- Bristlecone Pine Nature Study

    The bristlecone pine is a truly unique and amazing tree for a variety of reasons. For this challenge you will more than likely be using links and images to glean the interesting facts about the bristlecone pine rather than observing it up close in person.

    Great Basin (38) Bristlecone Wheeler Peak hike_original

    Our family was able to hike to the bristlecone pines in Great Basin National Park a few years ago (see my account in this entry: Great Basin National Park). It took some effort but it was one that left an impression on us, the sense of time and the history that the trees have lived through. It also taught us that even in the harshest of environments, life can survive. What a metaphor for us right now!

    Outdoor Hour Challenge Bristlecone Pine Nature Study

    Use these these links to learn a little about the bristlecone pine:

    See the High Desert ebook for more bristlecone pine nature study ideas and printables!

    Please note that I will not be posting the complete challenge here on the blog but you will find the detailed challenge in the High Desert ebook that is available both in the Ultimate Naturalist and Journey level memberships. Sign into your account and download the ebook for the details, more links, and notebook pages.

    High Desert Ebook cover graphic

    If you don’t have a membership yet, you can click the graphic above and join today for immediate access to the 26 ebooks and so much more! Remember that all levels, even the Discovery level membership, include access to all of the archived newsletters!

    Topics in this ebook include:

    • Bitterbrush
    • Sagebrush
    • Greater sage-grouse
    • Succulents
    • Mountain Lion
    • Coyote
    • Pocket Gopher
    • Bristlecone Pine
    • Elk
    • Turkey Vulture
    • Juniper
    • Snowberry
    • Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel
    • River Otter

    Join Us Ultimate Naturalist June 2020