Outdoor Hour Challenge
Plans for October 2017 to August 2018
The academic school year is drawing ever closer and with it will be some changes here on the Handbook of Nature Study. Since my move to Oregon last spring, I have barely kept my head above water as far as writing new challenges, keeping up with blog posts, and creating a monthly newsletter. It is not a good feeling.
I want to bring some joy and passion back to my work here so I’ve made some hard decisions.
Things to Note
- I will no longer be creating a monthly newsletter. This will free up my time to write more about what I am learning and experiencing here in my new Central Oregon home. I realize that most of what I’m doing in my monthly newsletter can easily be shared in blog posts so the content will still be there for readers but not in the form of a newsletter.
- There will continue to be 2-3 new printables per month for members. Those printables are usually either a notebook pages or activity that can be found in the Ultimate and Journey level membership libraries.
- I have one new ebook in the works for spring 2018 and possibly another one for summer 2018.
Nature Study Plans for October 2017 to August 2018 – Ebooks to Be Used from the Ultimate Naturalist Library
Note: I am going to list the ebooks that will be the basis for the next year’s nature study here on the Handbook of Nature Study. It is advantageous but not necessary to have access to the ebooks. The ebooks contain custom printables (notebook pages and coloring pages) that will enhance your nature study but you can just as easily complete a page in your own blank nature journal.
October 2017 to December 2017 – We are going to use the Autumn Nature Study ebook plans from 2010. Many of you have not worked through this ebook in the past and I am anxious to complete these challenges again in my new habitat. You can find all of the challenges listed on this page: Autumn Nature Study. Scroll down and you will see the specific topics for the Friday challenges during this period of time.
This series of Outdoor Hour Challenges was written to help your family learn more about each topic by using comparisons. I explain how to make comparisons and then use a Venn Diagram to help see the topic more in detail. (Venn Diagram instructions and printable included in the ebook.)
January 2018 to February 2018 – I’m super excited to use the ideas in the Winter Wednesday series here in my new Central Oregon home. These cold weather and winter related challenges are going to help all of us get to know more about our winter world.
March 2018 to April 2018 – Outdoor Hour Challenge Learning About Birds from 2016. Let’s use the bird challenges this spring to learn more about the birds in our yards and neighborhoods.
May 2018 to June 2018 – Summer Nature Study – Using Your Senses from 2010. We are going to be using eight of the challenges from this ebook. It is going to be a lot of fun to revisit so many of these older challenges once again.
July and August 2018 – Outdoor Hour Challenges – Getting Started ebook! This is the ebook that started the whole thing around here. I would love for newbies and veterans to join us working through the first ten nature study challenges before the next school year starts.
So there you have the plan for the year to come! I became very excited as I made these plans and I hope you will consider joining us for all or part of the nature study journey this time around. As always, make these plans work for your family by adding or subtracting things to customize your experience.
If you have any questions, you can comment here on the blog or send me a direct email: harmonyfinearts@yahoo.com
Just as a sidenote: I miss the community we had built here using the blog carnival and Mr. Linky system from times past. I yearn to hear from families once in awhile to know how your nature study is going. It fuels me! So, if you have a moment over the next few months, shoot me an email or leave a comment. I love to hear your stories from your nature study time.
You can follow me on Instagram (Outdoorhourchallenge) to see my day to day nature study photos. I follow many of the OHC families so share your Instagram name and I will pop over and check your images out too!
Use the discount code NATURE5 to receive $5 off an Ultimate Naturalist Membership!
Barb, I think that your plans for the next year are fantastic! There are a wealth of challenges that deserve to be looked at again. I for one am very excited about it as I’ve been feeling for a while that I would like to re-visit the archives. Thanks for all your hard work, you are, as always, an inspiration.
Hugs from across the pond…
Hugs back at you!
Personally the blog carnival was too hard to remember to submit pics or posts. I thinking a weekly linky party would be the most advantageous either Wednesday or Friday. You could pick a broad topic or post specific ideas ahead of time that people could then know what to share. Sad that the newsletter is gone but I think I have a year’s worth saved. I always have good intentions of doing nature study but my children can be very fickle about it.
I have had little success with people submitting posts for the carnival and for a link up. I personally am sad about that but instead I have chosen to keep things encouraging and if ever anyone wants to share a link in a comment or email me a link for me to share in an entry or on Facebook…I am willing to do that. Read the newsletter entry this week for more of my thoughts on that topic. I hope you can create some time for your family to get outdoors and do some nature study this season. Let me know if I can encourage you in any way. Thanks for the comment.
I am excited about nature study for the next few months. Thanks for all that you do.
I love the Autumn challenges because I tend to slow down in the summer and they always get me excited to get going again and motivated to get outside more while it is so beautiful out and about.
I look forward to spending more time outdoors with our kids!
Living in Arizona , the December Challenge is what I would love to do.
My plan is to do nature study with my grandchildren. So excited!
I would love to do more horse study. I’m excited to see it’s a topic.
I’m looking forward to doing the leaf study – my 6yo really struggles with freehand sketching, so bringing leaves inside and drawing them at the table, or rubbing them, is a lot easier for him. We are still really struggling to get a nature study routine in place – but I hope that as the weather cools off and the garden winds down, we’ll be able to get our whole school routine solidified, including the fun stuff like nature study! In the meantime, he’s learning lots about snapping beans and peeling tomatoes! Thanks for all you do – I’m excited to find all the wonderful resources you have on your website from years past – which is definitely the silver lining of you quitting with the monthly newsletter. I never would have explored your website like this without that change. Our family definitely appreciates all your hard work! Thanks again.
Being in Florida it is hard to notice the first days of Fall. With your website and eBook series my daughters will be using the Birds worksheets. We look forward to Pine cones, Geese and Ducks, and Horses. I think your Nature Study pages are very instructional to me as a home school teacher.
I can’t wait to do the tree/leaves challenge. Fall is my favorite time of year!