winter series of outdoor hour challenges Archives

Posted on February 13, 2019 by Barb — Leave a comment

Our Winter Cattail Observations

We can’t get too close to our winter cattails because they’re in a pond surrounded by icy waters. But, we saw them from a distance as we took a nice winter walk along the river and then down around the bend.

In the summer the pond is lined with pretty, sheltering willows and the cattails are growing from the edge out to the middle “island”. Often we can spy mallards and Canada goose in the water but there’s no sign of those birds right now. Instead, the pond is a frozen spot with some tracks zig zagging from side to side. We’ve seen coyotes, otters, signs of a beaver, and even a mountain lion in this area so it’s hard to say who is walking around on the frozen surface.

It’s never too late to start your own year-long cattail study, even if you didn’t start it back in autumn. Pick up here and join us! Click the graphic below to go to the original winter study challenge here on the Handbook of Nature Study. Click here for the Autumn Cattail Outdoor Hour Challenge.

Although the winter season is coming to a close, you may be able to squeeze in a few of the ideas from the winter ebook. Check out the list of winter nature study ideas by clicking above.

Posted on January 25, 2019 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Salty Experiments

Salt Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study Lesson 212, pages 753-754

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

In addition to the suggestions in the Handbook of Nature Study, you may wish to conduct this simple winter experiment to enhance your salt study.

If you have freezing temperatures in your area, conduct an experiment where you try to freeze salt water outdoors in your own backyard. Take two pie pans. Fill one with tap water and one with saltwater. Compare the time it takes for each to freeze.

Please note this challenge is found in the Winter Series ebook, included in the Ultimate Naturalist Library membership. Log into your membership and scroll down to the ebook download link.

Included in the ebook, there is a custom notebook page for this challenge.

Salt Experiments Printable Shown Above is Available to Members!

If your family is interested in conducting even more salt related experiments and you’re a member here on the Handbook of Nature Study, you can download the Salt printables shown above and use the pieces in your nature journal. This printable unit comes complete with instructions for four simple experiments using common household items.

Look for the printable in your Ultimate and Journey level memberships in the Misc. Category.

If you’re not currently a member, you can use the links above to learn more about the benefits of a membership here on the Handbook of Nature Study.

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

Posted on January 23, 2019 by Barb — Leave a comment

Winter Bark Patterns Hike

Even though it’s been cold, wet, snowy, and icy, we ventured out to the local state park to walk along the river. We didn’t get very far because with my new hips, I didn’t want to take a chance of slipping on the ice. But, it felt good to be out in the fresh air looking at trees once again. I miss my long river walks!

Winter is the perfect time to focus on tree bark and see the beauty of each tree’s particular bark. It reminded me of a number of years ago when we studied trees in our family and my son and I decided that not all tree bark is brown. In fact, my son noted that most tree bark is more gray than brown. In the case of our ponderosa pines, the bark is more reddish than brown.

As we were observing the bark of this ponderosa pine, we also noted the colorful and interesting lichen growing there. The bright green lichen is my favorite!

Just a reminder: Be open to nature topics in addition to the week’s subject when you’re taking your outdoor time. We started off looking at tree bark but didn’t pass by the opportunity to enjoy the lichen.

So did your family do a bark pattern study? It’s a simple nature study activity that you can do even in the winter time.

If you’re completing the Outdoor Hour Challenge for Winter Trees, you can add a bark pattern study along with that one. See the Winter Tree challenge here: Looking at Trees in Winter.

If you’re a member here on the Handbook of Nature Study, the notebook page shown above is available to use in your nature journal.

The benefits of having a membership here on the Handbook of Nature Study make it a great value for your homeschooling, nature-loving family. There are 21 ebooks available for downloading, over 120 printable notebook pages and activities, and 76 newsletters. New printables are added every month and there are 4 new ebooks set to publish in the next year.

If you would like to have nature study ideas and printables available for immediate downloading, please consider an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.

Use the discount code NATURE5 for $5 off an Ultimate membership.

Posted on January 18, 2019 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Learn About a Pine Tree

“At least one pine tree should be studied in the field. Any species will do, but the white pine is the most interesting….the leaves and cones may be studied in the schoolroom, each pupil having a specimen.”

Handbook of Nature Study, page 674

The wonderful thing about a pine tree study is that you can do it at any time of the year. Since they are evergreen, you can examine the needles even when there is snow on the ground. After that, look at the bark and find some cones too! Have a great time using the suggestions in the Outdoor Hour Challenge linked below and the lesson in the Handbook of Nature Study.

Winter Pine Tree Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study Lesson 185 pages 670-675

Check the Handbook of Nature Study index for other tree related challenges for winter.

From the Original Challenge: Simple Suggestions for Pine Tree Study:

What is the general shape of the pine tree?
Is there one central stem running straight up through the center of the tree to the top?
What color is the bark? Is the bark ridged or in scales?
Study the pine leaves. Why are they called needles? How many needles in the bundle?
Does it have a cone?

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

Winter Pine Tree Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study Lesson 185 pages 670-675

If you’re a member here on the Handbook of Nature Study, you can download the Bark Patterns Notebook Page and use it as part of your tree study.

A custom notebook page for this challenge is available in the Ultimate Naturalist Library membership in the Winter Ebook. Log into your membership and scroll down to the ebook download link.

Amazon.com links to tree books I own and love!

A Walk in the Boreal Forest

My Favorite Tree- Click over to see my entry for this awesome book that also includes a free printable!

Posted on January 11, 2019 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Winter Cattail Study

We started a yearlong study of cattails back in September and now’s the time to start thinking about making some winter observations of this interesting plant. We have a patch growing out along a pond near our home and we will be trekking over to take a look as soon as we have a sunny, warm day. We’ve had quite a bit of snow and the pond should be frozen so that should make it interesting.

Here’s a link to the Autumn Cattail Study if you’d like to take a look at that: Autumn Cattail Study using the Handbook of Nature Study.

Winter Cattail Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study pages 500-503

(See suggestion #7 for winter work.)

In addition to the ideas in the Handbook of Nature Study, you can make the following observations.

Observe the stems and any leaves that are left.
Are any of the cattail seed pods left intact? What does the “cattail” part of the plant look like now?
What are the conditions where the cattails are growing? Is there water, ice, or snow?
What color and shape are the leaves?
Can you pull some of the fuzz from the cattail and observe it more closely?
How do you think the seeds spread, by wind or water?
How crowded are the cattails growing together?

Link to the notebook page: Seasonal Cattail Notebook Page

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

Winter Cattail Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study pages 500-503

Please note this challenge is found in the Winter Series ebook found in the Ultimate Naturalist Library membership. Log into your membership and scroll down to the ebook download link. Included in the ebook, there is a custom notebook page for this challenge.

Posted on January 9, 2019 by Barb — 2 Comments

Our Winter Willow Observations-Buds, Galls, and Beavers

This was the week we made our winter willow observations. It’s been cold and snowy, but we put on our boots and hiked out to the willow we tied the string onto earlier in autumn. I’m glad we marked it with a string back in the autumn because right now all the willows look very similar.

Here’s a photo of the willow, leafless and bare except for a few straggly brown leaves.

Isn’t this color amazing? From a distance the willows are a rusty red but up close they are a bright orange. There are small buds just waiting to burst open once the season turns warmer.

It was exciting to find a rose shaped insect gall on a branch. I learned all about this interesting creation last year and it’s still thrilling to discover another one this season.

It looks like a wooden rose on the willow…so pretty.

It’s no surprise to us that the beavers have been harvesting branches from the willows since the autumn season. You can see the evidence of their work in the image above. This is just another chapter in our beaver story…I’ve grown to appreciate their part of the habitat and its changing development.

It’s never too late to start your own year-long willow study, even if you didn’t start it back in autumn. Pick up here and join us! Click the graphic below to go to the original winter study challenge here on the Handbook of Nature Study.

Perhaps you don’t have any willows to study in your neighborhood, but I invite you to take a look at the winter seasonal nature study ideas I’ve collected over the years. You may just find a topic that interests your family and you can get started with your own year-long study. Click the graphic below and see the complete list.

Winter Season Nature Study – Seasonal Ideas

Posted on January 4, 2019 by Barb — 2 Comments

New! Winter Willow Nature Study

This is the second in a series of willow studies that will guide you through a complete year of observing a local willow. The Autumn Willow Study featured the changing color of the foliage and the willow’s shape. Now, in the winter season, we will look at its twigs and buds.

Start Here: Willow Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study Lesson 179 (pages 651-655)

Pay particular attention to suggestions #2 and #12 in Lesson 179 for specific winter-related willow study ideas.

You may also wish to look for galls on your willow. They are shaped like little wooden roses and are created by an insect during the summer.

Activity: Tie a string on a twig attached to your willow. Observe and record in your nature journal the twig’s changes for a few months. You can see our autumn willow study here in this entry: Beginning a Year Long Willow Study.

Both Ultimate and Journey level members here on the Handbook of Nature Study have access to a new winter willow notebooking page for recording your winter observations. Look for it in your printable library.

If you want to become a member here on the Handbook of Nature Study, you can click the Join Us button for more details. Benefits include those shown above including access to ebooks, notebooking pages, archived newsletters, and new ebooks and printables published during your membership.

Posted on December 28, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

Winter Weather Study -Outdoor Hour Challenge

This week features an Outdoor Hour Challenge that everyone can complete no matter where you live! Take note of the weather using the suggestions in the winter weather nature study link below. This is a super easy and fun nature study topic that can be the start of a seasonal weather study.

Winter Weather Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study pages 808-814

Check the Handbook of Nature Study index for other weather related challenges for winter.

Do Some Comparisons

Did you make autumn weather observations? Do a little comparing to this season using the questions below.

How is the scene you observed this week different from the autumn scene?
How are the temperatures different?
Is there a difference in the number of hours of daylight?

Printable Notebook Page: My Seasonal Weather.

Use the notebook page above to create a record of your observations for your nature journal.

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

Winter Weather Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study pages 808-814

Posted on December 21, 2018January 29, 2022 by Barb — Leave a comment

Winter Sky and Stars – Learn Those Constellations

There is something timeless about studying the night sky. I know when our family would gaze up at the stars and the familiar constellations, we would feel connected to all those throughout human history that had looked up at essentially the same things: stars, planets, moon. It can be an awesome experience.

“After the polar constellations are learned, we are then ready for further study in the still earlier evenings of winter, when the clear atmosphere makes the stars seem more alive, more sparkling, and more beautiful than at any other period of the year.”
Handbook of Nature Study, page 823

In my opinion, the winter night sky tends to be more dazzling. Bundling up and getting outside in the evening takes effort but the rewards are huge. Use the information in the Handbook of Nature Study linked below in the winter sky study for a helping hand at getting started with the basics of a winter sky study.

Read the Outdoor Hour Challenge:

Winter Sky Study-Handbook of Nature Study Lesson 226-229 (pages 823-829)

Make a short list of constellations to look for during your winter sky study. Here are a couple of suggestions:

Our family decided to make sure we can find these four constellations in the winter sky:

Big Dipper (North Star as well)
Ursa Major
Cassiopeia
Orion (using Orion’s belt)

Makes sketches of each of the constellations in your nature journal to aid your memory.

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Posted on December 19, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

Our Family Winter Bird Study

Our winter bird study has included a lot of watching out the window at our feeders. They’ve been super busy with all the wintery weather, including snow that hasn’t melted and covers the landscape. I keep track of the birds in our feeders as part of Project Feederwatch and so far this season we had a good number of birds visit.

There are still a couple of winter migrants that haven’t made an appearance yet like the spotted towhee. We will keep our eyes open!

In particular, I’ve made a study of the chickadee, learning the difference between the mountain chickadee and the black-capped chickadee. There’s an easy way to distinguish them and I made a page in my nature journal to solidify the information in my brain.

Right now my interests have turned to learning more about bird migration. There’s an exhibit at the High Desert Museum in Bend, OR that features information about migration, called Animal Journeys. I have another month left on my membership there and I’m hoping my hips heal up enough that I can manage a quick visit there to take it all in.

Here’s an image my husband sent me of an eagle soaring over the river behind our house. What a treat!

That pretty much wraps up our winter bird study so far this season. I know we’ll be continuing to look for and learn about birds because that’s what we do here.

Bird nerds forever.

Bird tab image and link

Are you interested in seeing my picks for bird related books and field guides? Click over to my bird tab on the website.

Category: winter series of outdoor hour challenges

Our Winter Cattail Observations

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Salty Experiments

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

Salt Experiments Printable Shown Above is Available to Members!

Look for the printable in your Ultimate and Journey level memberships in the Misc. Category.

Winter Bark Patterns Hike

If you would like to have nature study ideas and printables available for immediate downloading, please consider an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Learn About a Pine Tree

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Winter Cattail Study

Our Winter Willow Observations-Buds, Galls, and Beavers

New! Winter Willow Nature Study

Winter Weather Study -Outdoor Hour Challenge

Winter Sky and Stars – Learn Those Constellations

Join the Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Nature Study Curriculum and Year Round Support

Connect With Our Homeschool Community On Social Media

Our Family Winter Bird Study

Bird nerds forever.

Outdoor Hour Challenges for families since 2008!