Many people have asked if there is going to be a new nature study ebook posted for the first quarter of 2016. The answer is no…but there will be fresh ideas each Friday posted here on the blog for you to use with your family. I will be sharing those specific topics in this month’s newsletter and providing specific direction on how to complete the week’s nature study challenge as well as informing you which ebook from the archives the challenge is taken from.
This means if you are an Ultimate Naturalist member here on the blog or you have the ebooks from past year’s purchases, you will be able to pull those up on your computer and print the notebooking pages that go along with each week’s challenge.
January 2016 Challenges:
The four challenges are found here on the Handbook of Nature Study, three from the archives and one new one. I am pulling information and ideas from the Handbook of Nature Study book by Anna Botsford Comstock as well as the book, Discover Nature Close to Home by Elizabeth Lawlor. ISBN 9780811730778.
Pine Trees and Pine Cones
Winter Seeds
Squirrels
Starlings
Make sure you are subscribed here and you will get the January 2016 newsletter on the first of the month with a planning page to print and to use with the new challenge format.
This is going to be a lot of fun to revisit many of the old topics that so many new participants have never had a chance to use. Stay tuned for the first Friday in January and you will see how it is going to work!
Make sure to add your year-long study to your January or February nature study plans so you don’t forget!!!
If you are a member of the Ultimate or Journey levels here on the Handbook of Nature Study, you will find this ebook listed in your library after you log into your account. The ebook version available to members includes all of the notebook pages, coloring pages, and color images. I highly recommend purchasing a membership for all the added benefits for each and every challenge.
Here is a list of the specific challenges included in this ebook:
Rock Study – Feldspar
Star Study – Orion
Crystals
Fungi Study – Scarlet Cup (Saucer)
Bird Study – Flicker
Mammal Study – Cattle/Deer
Wildflower Study – Bloodroot
Garden Flower – Violets
Wildflower Study – Hepatica
Wildflower Study – Dutchman’s Breeches and Squirrel Corn
Garden Flowers – Bleeding Hearts
I am happy to announce the release of the long awaited Outdoor Hour Challenge Winter Nature Study Continues ebook! You are going to love the fresh new challenges to try in your family as you work your way through the weekly topics. I have been eager to start them as I put them together, gathering lots of fun videos and supporting resources to use along with the Handbook of Nature Study lessons.
Which edition of the Handbook of Nature Study do I need?
You will need to have a copy of the Handbook of Nature Study to use with the suggestions in the ebook. You can purchase a copy from Amazon.com or you can use an online version. The version of the Handbook of Nature Study I use is ISBN 0801493846.
Each week I will be sharing one of the challenges here on the blog which means you can follow along without a membership if you subscribe to my blog. You can subscribe by entering your email address in the subscription box at the top right of my website. After you enter your name, you will need to confirm your subscription by responding to the email that will come to your inbox.
Where Can I Get The New Ebook?
This ebook will not be sold separately but will be added to the Ultimate and Journey levelsof membership here on the Handbook of Nature Study.
If you are a member of the Ultimate or Journey levels here on the Handbook of Nature Study, you will find the ebook listed in your library after you log into your account. The ebook version available to members includes all of the notebook pages, coloring pages, and color images. I highly recommend purchasing a membership for all the added benefits for each and every challenge.
Outdoor Hour Challenge: We are at our last winter themed challenge for the season. Try some of these challenges or pick a mammal that lives in your neighborhood and look it up in the Handbook of Nature Study.
Printable Notebook Page My Mammal List:You can use this printable page instead of the running list notebook page if you wish to keep your mammal list by season. Reprint this page for every season and then compare your lists.
Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #1.Take a walk looking for signs of mammals and find two things to investigate further. Complete the notebook page from the ebook after you return home.
Outdoor Hour Challenge: This week take some time to observe your neighborhood birds and document in your nature journal a bird you have noticed during the winter at your birdfeeder or in your yard. This is such an enjoyable nature study topic for the whole family. View from your window if you need to and use some of the ideas in the following challenges:
Bird Themed Nature Table Ideas: Use some of the ideas in this printable to find items for your children to have access to on your family’s nature table.
Getting Started Suggestion: If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #5.Use the ideas in this challenge to start or continue your family’s list of birds observed. If you have the ebook, there is a printable notebook page in the back to keep track of your Running List.
Outdoor Hour Challenge: This could be the most challenging of all winter nature study topics…winter insects. Don’t give up before reading the challenges and some suggested activities.
You may wish to see one of our winter insect studies: Winter Insects. Special Activity:Insect Study Notebook Page
I am reposting the Insect Notebook Page for you to use with any insect your observe or research as part of this Outdoor Hour Challenge. Insect Study Notebook Page Printable
Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #7.Use the ideas in this challenge to start your own personalized field guide to your backyard and neighborhood. Keep it simple and start with a common insect to your area.
When you spend a lot of time outdoors during the winter months, you are bound to notice the various shapes and sizes of winter weeds. Maybe it the lack of other nature study subjects or the more subdued color palette of the winter landscape, but weeds are hard to miss.
These particular images were taken at Yosemite National Park during our last visit in January. The stalks are still standing tall and the fruits are still visible on many of the plants. I am pretty sure this is Common Cowparsnip.
What a lovely pattern found in the winter Cow Parsnip.
This set of images comes from our hike at Lake Tahoe last month. The winter weeds are clearly seen emerging from the snowy landscape.
This is a different plant and had far more seeds left attached to the stalks.
Rather pretty isn’t it? Focusing on winter weeds is one way to see the beauty even in the winter scene. I hope this encourages your own winter weed study…one that you can fit in while taking a short walk.
This week we are going to look at tree cones. Such a simple nature study that children love! Use the challenges listed below for ideas on getting started with your family’s cone study.
Printable Notebook Page – My Tree Cone Observations
Here is a simple notebook page to use with your challenge this week. Have some fun observing a tree cone and help your children make a record of their thoughts for their nature journal. I left the box large enough that you can adhere a photo of your cone if you don’t want to sketch.
Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, completeOutdoor Hour Challenge #6.Start a cone collection this week and complete the notebook page provided in the ebook if you desire. See this Pinterest board for display ideas: Nature Display.
I use is ISBN 0801493846.
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