Outdoor Hour Challenge
Spring Bonus Challenge-Maple Trees
Inside Preparation Work:
Read in the Handbook of Nature Study pages 628-634. Pay special attention to the section on page 629 where it talks about how maple trees change in the spring. Also on page 634 there are specific suggestions for spring observations of a maple tree.
Please do not worry if you do not have a maple tree to observe and perhaps instead you would like to complete the Signs of Spring Challenge from last week or you can download the Spring Nature Walk sheet from my daughter’s Hearts and Trees blog.
Outdoor Hour Time:
If you have a maple tree, spend some time making springtime observations. The Handbook of Nature Study suggests looking for the leaves and blossoms. On page 629 of the Handbook there is a photo of the sugar maple blossoms.
If you do not have a maple to observe, spend some time looking at any tree that perhaps has some buds forming or a tree that is just beginning to leaf out.
Follow-Up Time:
You can use the Maple Tree Study page provided below for your follow-up activity or you can sketch your maple tree right into your nature journal. The best way to follow up any maple tree study is to eat something with real maple syrup.
Spring Themed Ebooks Available – click the cover image to read more.
our backyard maple tree is a special one. Thanks for prompting us to spend a bit of time on it! We also really enjoyed the spring walk page from your daughter. Appreciate your handy resources!
We’re fortunate to have many maples in our yard, but I must confess, this is the first time I have ever “dissected” a maple bud! I love how homeschooling teaches the mamas as much as the kids.
We’re loving these pages, it makes it so much more likely we’ll get out and actually DO the nature study when I have a focused topic in mind. Thanks so much!