When the calendar flips to September you might be ready for an autumn or fall homeschool nature study in your own backyard. How about your part of the world? Are you feeling like autumn or is it lingering summer? Whatever your world looks like you can take a fall walk and discover some fall color…maybe not your leaves but look for berries, nuts, and weeds that are changing color.
The Benefits of Nature Study in the Fall
The benefits of fall nature study seem to be endless! The most important of all is making memories together as a family. The crisp, cooler air and the brilliant blue sky (on sunny days) highlight all of the fall leaf color for us. Being outside does wonders for moods. And having an outdoor ‘laboratory’ for discovery is as simple as swinging open your backdoor.
The fall Outdoor Hour Challenges are among our very favorites. My children and I have wonderful memories of looking for not only different leaf color but leaf shapes. With the cooler weather, we tend to take nature walks even more.
Plus, a fall homeschool nature study gives an opportunity for all ages to learn as little or as much as they would like to.
Fall Nature Study Lesson Plans
We have Outdoor Hour Challenge Homeschool Nature Study Curriculum filled with weeks of fall nature study plans! You can also take a look at this sampling of the resources we have for you to enjoy simple, fall homeschool nature study in your own backyard.
- Seasonal Tree Observations Outdoor Hour Challenge
- Fall Color Walk with Printable Color Cards in membership (great for your youngest adventurers)
- How to Make Leaf Rubbings (video)
- Tips for Drawing Leaves
- Learn Why Leaves Change Color
- Advanced studies on the chemistry of leaves
- Plus apples, pumpkins, bats, turkeys and more!
Fall Notebooking Pages For Your Homeschool
There are so many easy printable pages in Homeschool Nature Study membership for quick and fun nature walks!
- Access to a Fall Leaf Nature Study Grid for printing (you can place in your journal and ‘check off’ scavenger hunt style. Includes a bookmark for coloring in the colors of the fall leaves near you)
- Autumn nature study journal pages for each Outdoor Hour Challenge
- Autumn coloring pages
- Under the Fallen Leaves notebooking page
- Autumn Changes in Your Own Backyard
- Learning About Leaves – with journal page
- Autumn Weather Tracking chart printable
- Signs of Autumn Notebook Page
- Printable Fall Series Field Notebook
And SO much more! (with more topics coming!)
Fall Forest Biome Nature Craft Activity
Our resident illustrator, Victoria Vels, shares, “Autumn is on the horizon with the yellowing of leaves signalling chilly weather to come, so lets create this forest floor biome to celebrate. In this tutorial I will show you how to layer watercolours to create depth as well as texture using a stippling technique. So grab your paints, download the free printable I have created and let’s get crafting!”
Fall Garland Craft Activity
Autumn is in full swing with rusty leaves and seeds galore, so let us bring in some of the season’s beauty with this Autumn garland.
Members enjoy this craft in the Nature Crafts course!
More Homeschool Nature Study for Your Fall Learning
- A Seasonal Tree Study with Art
- Getting Started in Homeschool Nature Study
- 99 Homeschool Nature Study Ideas to Get Your Family Outdoors
- Field Trips and Day Hikes Near Home
- Homeschool Nature Walks: The Benefits of Nature Study
- The Fall Homeschool
- The Ultimate Guide to Fun Apple and Pumpkin Nature Study for Your Homeschool
- Homeschool Fall Leaf Studies and Activities for All Ages
- Bats Nature Study: Mammals
- Entertaining Pumpkin Activities Your Child Will Love!
Join Us For Fall Homeschool Nature Study
We’ve heard from families that they were reluctant to start a nature study plan, stating that they thought it would restrict their freedom to focus on one topic. But, they found that having a focus each week actually helped them to stay regular at getting outside and it helped them be better at taking a few minutes to learn about an object they encountered, even if it wasn’t the original aim for getting outdoors.
We make it easy with resources you can use at your own pace and on your own schedule. Or, you may choose to follow our annual nature study plans closely and have everything at your fingertips.
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.