This is the March Newsletter edition of the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival and it is packed with lots of early spring nature study goodness! As the weather warms and we return to our regular outdoor time, I am inspired by all of the families who participate and share their family nature study. What a wonderful community of people from all around the world!
As a special treat I would like to showcase Tricia’s entry here at the beginning of the carnival. She and her family have put together an inspiring post: The Gift of Nature Study. Their words and images truly show the power of everyday, over the long term benefits of nature study with the whole family involved. Thanks Tricia for sharing this glimpse into your family with readers of the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival.
 |
| Hodgepodge Family Pansy Study |
Moon Names
Jen is joining the carnival with two entries done with her little ones: Nature Study- A Robin and Moon Shadow, Moon Shadow. Jen shows us how to gently get started with nature study as your children begin to show an interest. It is always nice to see new faces in the carnival. 🙂
 |
| Compass Outdoor Hour Challenge – Petra School |
Magnets/Compass
Angie from Petra School has written up the account of their Magnet/Compass Study…complete with friends along. I love to see how they make the learning meaningful and fun at the same time. Wish I could have been there! (Image included above.)
More magnet work was done by Zonnah (Zonnah’s Addictions) and her son. You can read and see their video: Magnets. Love the concentration her little guy is showing as he thinks about the properties of magnetism.
Cristy shares on her blog Crafty Cristy the account of their month long Outdoor Hour Challenge-Moon Study. She and her young children made many observations of their night sky and made some wonderful connections and memories. Excellent!
Spring Nature Journals – Under an English Sky
Spring Flowers and Pansy Study
Shirley Anne from Under an English Sky shares their Early Spring Flower entry featuring their crocus and nature journals. Beautiful! (You can see their journal pages above.)
Catherine from Grace to Abide (another UK Outdoor Hour Challenge participant) has written and contributed a two most colorful entries: Beginning Our Focus on Garden Flowers and Flower Parts. What a beautiful display of flowers and she outlines their up-coming garden plans as part of their nature study.
Angie from Petra School submits their Pansies in the Storm entry with carnival readers.This entry shows the many layers of nature study possible with families who have different ages of children. Excellent job on persevering until they saw the “face” in the pansy bloom.
Dorina from Out Side Blue writes about their Planting Pansies and Painting Crocuses for this edition of the carnival. She and her daughters enjoyed an almost-spring day of nature study in their New York City home. Beautiful!
Desiree from Our Homeschool Notebook put together their Nature Study: Pansies entry for us all to enjoy. This was a rich study starting with a neighborhood walk, studying pansies they purchased at the garden center, a close-up study of the pansy face, and then a nature journal. The images in this entry tell the story.
Jen from Snowfall Academy shares their pansy study from their French city apartment: How We Do Nature Study. What a delight to see their journal, poem, and early spring flowers. Thanks for joining the carnival!
Amy from Hope is the Word shares their Spring Flower Study and Art. What a wonderfully full study they had and I think their artwork is lovely. Thank you so much for sharing your pansy study.
Barbara from Schoolhouse on the Prairie wants to share their Dancing in the Daffodils post with carnival readers. They made an enjoyable study of daffodils as an alternative to the pansy study. Excellent choice!
 |
| Anole in My Shoe – HodgePodge |
Spring Splendor Walk
Tricia from Hodgepodge has put together a visual entry you are going to enjoy! Noticing Spring is a collection of their early spring images. (Image of the anole in the shoe is from their entry!)
Shirley Anne from Under An English Sky has shared their early spring walk: Spring Splendor. I love the way she started off with a plan but then followed her daughters’ interests…frogs!
 |
| Spring in the Woods – Snake! Across the Page |
Janet write about their Spring Woods on her blog Across the Page. Do not miss their beautiful images and all the interesting things they discovered on this early spring day. Amazing!
Desiree from Singing in the Rain shares their early Spring Splendor walk. They saw a snake too! You can view their wonderful spring images in this entry as well. Thanks for the glimpse into your neighborhood spring.
Dorina from Out Side Blue has shared their blustery Spring Splendor Walk. What beautiful blossoms!
Potpourri
Jennifer from The Mason Family has submitted their Outdoor Hour Challenge #2 for carnival readers. She has declared, “We would enjoy nature and not hurry. We would explore what interested us.” Amen to that. Jennifer also shares their Outdoor Hour Challenge #3 with the carnival this time. They are really enjoying their spring time weather. Thanks for sharing Jennifer.
Barb (Our Oklahoma Day) shares their Outdoor Hour Challenge #3 which includes a look into how they are beginning their nature journals with little ones. It is a joy to me to read how families are still joining the Outdoor Hour Challenge and gaining the confidence to make nature study a regular activity. Pure joy.
Makita from Academia Celestia writes about their Quartz – Nature Study for this edition of the carnival. They did some extra research to answer a question and followed up with some nature journal entries. (I agree…rocks are hard to draw!) Their family also did a follow-up study on a gall they had seen during a trip. You will be interested to see findings: Lime Nail Galls Nature Study.
Kris from On the 8th Day shares their Twiggy Update with carnival readers. She has learned to expect the unexpected.
Lacey from So Every Day has contributed the lovely account of the Outdoor Hour Challenge #10 – Picnic. She shares how they even included a little poetry writing as part of their nature journals this time. Inspiring.
Janet from Across the Page has submitted their Red-Tail Observation entry for the carnival. Their family has decided to build on the interest shown after watching the live webcam of a red-tail nesting at Cornell University. Wonderful entry showing their journals too!
Leslie from Two Cowgirls writes about their gorgeous spring day Tree Study. They took a walk as a family down by a creek and took time to gather some twigs and do some sketching.
Kristin from Broom and Crown shares their exciting Butterfly Watching entry.
Don’t forget to share your Spring Splendor blog entries with the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival. All entries done in April are eligible for the next edition. The deadline for entries is 4/29/12 and you can send them directly to me: harmonyfinearts@yahoo.com.
Pure delight! Thank you for putting this together for your OHC community each month. It’s so encouraging to see what every else is doing.