Family Insect Grid Nature Study

“The teacher of nature study, like the teacher of any subject, will deny himself much if he does not go to the literature of the subject for help in his work. But there is an especial danger in such help on this subject. So soon as one takes to the book instead of to nature for questions that nature could easily answer, he loses the spirit of the work. One must be careful, therefore, to ask many questions of things themselves under the open sky, and to read with patience in nature’s book.”
The Study of Nature by Samuel C. Schmucker 1908

• Using the Handbook of Nature Study monthly grid study activities helps us to “read with patience in nature’s book”.
• Almost every single task gets us outside with a little bit of focus but yet it is open ended. All ages can participate.

• We never feel inclined to complete the whole grid at once but we read the tasks ahead of time just in case while we are going about our regular daily business we see something that relates to the grid study.
• I also love that it makes a quick and easy start to a nature journal page where we can record some of our observations.

I printed our Insect Study Grids out in black and white, adding watercolor to jazz it up a bit.

So have you been able to use the grid to help your study of insects this month? I encourage you to give it a try and enjoy this relaxed form of nature study.

Happy insect hunting!