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Posted on November 19, 2012 by Barb — 1 Comment

Looking For Signs of a Squirrel – Our Rodent Nature Study

Squirrel nature study happens quite frequently at our house. We tend to have squirrels that are not shy about making themselves at home in our birdfeeders and in our trees, especially the walnut tree. I knew we had a squirrel challenge to complete this month so I have been waiting for one to come along to observe. Wouldn’t you know it? We could hear them chattering up in the tree a few times over the past few weeks but we have not actually seen our resident squirrels.

Our Outdoor Time
Kona and I completed this squirrel challenge on our own today…it was a drizzly, gray day. Kona is the squirrel hunter in our family and she will chase them along the fence line and watch them from the base of the tree. She loves a good squirrel chase. Today though there was no squirrel around.

We made use of our time by trying to find some signs of squirrels. We found quite a few walnut shells which are dead giveaway. We looked up in the tree but we couldn’t see any squirrels up there. We made our way around to the side of the house and the birdfeeder where the squirrels sometimes sit and munch on seeds. No squirrels today.

We then went around the side of the house and we saw some tracks in the mud. I think they are cat tracks.

One last tree to check out…nope, no squirrels today.

Well, we didn’t see a squirrel to observe but we ended up really enjoying our time outside. I gathered a colorful leaf bouquet, watched a flock of finches in the feeder (post to come), and we got some fresh air before it really started to rain. Successful….yes!

I did pull out the field guide and look up squirrels and read through the pages. Mr. B and I will be keeping our eyes out for squirrels as the month goes by and once the leaves are all down for the season I know we will be able to see more clearly when we hear the squirrels chattering.

Don’t forget you can study any rodent this month and there is a free printable notebook page for you to use with your Handbook
of Nature Study.Rodents included in the Handbook of Nature Study are the muskrat, house mouse, woodchuck, red squirrel, and the chipmunk.

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Barb — 3 Comments

Autumn Season: Cottonwood Tree

Tree study brings such a greater understanding of the cycles of life in our own backyards as we watch the changes, growth, and means of reproducing in each tree we focus on. We learn more about the animals and other creatures that live in the tree, on the tree, and use the tree for shelter or food. It gives us a way to measure time and to anticipate the coming changes.

Learning one tree at a time is an easy way to ease into nature study if you haven’t done so yet. Let your child pick a tree in your yard or neighborhood. Even if you live in a big city you can find a tree that you walk past on a regular basis, perhaps at the library, post office, or grocery store. You can make it a casual study or more in-depth and even just finding out the name of a tree can be enough to get you started.

Here are the trees we have done a formal study of since starting this project:
Oak Tree 2007-2008
Sweet Gum 2008-2009
Tulip Tree 2010-2011
Birch Tree 2011-2012

Now we are continuing our study of the Cottonwood tree that we started back in July 2012: For the Love of Trees. We do not have a cottonwood in our yard but there are a few around town that we have noticed. We picked a particular tree back in July and we decided to revisit it now that the season has changed.

Autumn 2012 – Cottonwood

Our cottonwood has just begun to change color and drop its leaves. I drive past this tree every week or so and I think it will be fun for us to watch and see when it looses all its leaves as the season marches on.

Here are a few of the leaves and their color. As a sidenote, now that I know what a cottonwood tree looks like and the shape of the leaves, I am seeing more and more of them as we go about our travels in our area. I can also tell by the way the leaves blow and shimmer on the trees.

We didn’t see any birds or other animals in our tree. There wasn’t any “cotton” around this time to observe. I did collect a few leaves to press and a few to add to our nature table which is getting quite crowded. I think I need to sort through and see if I can take off a few things.

Now we will be anxious to complete our study for the winter season and see what changes there are in our cottonwood. You are always welcome to join in with a year-long tree study of your own: See this entry for some ideas on how to get started: For the Love of Trees or this Four Seasons Tree Photo Project.

I am submitting this entry to the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival and if you have any entries you would like to submit, you can send them to this email address: charlottemasonblogs@gmail.com. The official blog carnival site is not working so you will need to send them directly to this email.

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Barb — 4 Comments

She Who Opens Her Heart to Nature Study

“Out in this, God’s beautiful world, there is everything waiting to heal lacerated nerves, to strengthen tired muscles, to please and content the soul that is torn to shreds with duty and care….nature study is not a trouble; it is a sweet, fresh breath of air…She who opens her eyes and her heart nature-ward even once a week finds nature study….a delight and an abiding joy.”
Handbook of Nature Study, Anna Botsford-Comstock

I was having a terrible day. Nothing was going right and I was in a very foul mood. My teenage son noticed my frustrations and suggested we take a mid-day, middle of the week hike to the river. It was a hot September day and the sun was blazing down and the last thing I thought I wanted to do was to go outside. He reminded me that I always feel better after getting some fresh air so I jumped in the car with Mr. A and Kona dog, still quite grumpy.

We chatted a bit on the way to the river but I continued feeling the effects of working too much and having some looming deadlines. As we rounded the bend and pulled into the parking lot, I realized that I was actually starting to feel bit better. We hiked down the familiar trail to the river through oaks and pines, smelling the hot oak leaves in the baking noontime sun. I could hear the river now as it traveled over the rocks and past the gravel shore. Kona heard it too and she got very excited. Swimming in the river is one of her favorite things to do. It wasn’t long before she had found a stick for us to throw in the water for her to retrieve…her favorite game of all.

We found a spot to sit and dip our feet in, watch the water roll by, and soak in some sunshine and fresh air.

I was feeling much better by now.

Before long the boy and the dog were off exploring this and that as I enjoyed the view.

The color of the rocks in the sparkling water.
The fresh smell of the air as it comes over the river.
The freezing cold temperature of the river water.
Birds flying overhead, along the water, and between the trees. I glimpsed a woodpecker and heard a crow.
The lapping of the water on the rocks.
Slippery moss at the water’s edge.

I was glad for the reminder from my teen. Yes, even I need to be reminded of the healing and refreshing aspects of just getting outside and breathing the air. I took a photo to remind me of this day, spending time with Mr. A, knowing that he soon will not be around to remind me to get outside even when I don’t feel like it and the weather is hot or cold or wet or whatever.

Just get outside for a few minutes if you are having a bad day. You will find your smile again too.

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Barb — 2 Comments

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Mammal Grid Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge:
This week we will be using the Mammal Study Grid from the November 2012 Newsletter. Print the grid out, cut it to include in your nature journal, and then take a few minutes during your week to complete some of the suggested activities. If you haven’t subscribed to the blog yet, you can do so now and you will receive the newsletter link in the next entry.

Suggested Activity:
This week’s extra is a YouTube recording with a catchy little song about mammals.
If you don’t see the YouTube player you may need to click this link: Mammal Song.

Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own this ebook, this week’s challenge would correspond nicely with Outdoor Hour Challenge #4. Start a focus study of mammals this month and see how many mammals you can find to learn more about in your local area. You can use the notebook page provided in the ebook for each mammal you study.

If you need an explanation of how the Outdoor Hour Challenge is going to work from this day forward, please read this entry:
Nature Study Using the Outdoor Hour Challenge – How to Steps and Explanation.

Hearts and Trees Mammal Lapbook Kit

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Barb — 4 Comments

Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival-October Tree Edition

Did you have a good month of tree study? Our family had a full month enjoying our trees and having an idea of what to look for each week helped focus our eyes to notice things that might have been missed otherwise. Oaks were the tree of the month for us and we found the variety interesting, identifying several kinds for our nature journals. We made plans to continue our tree study into next month because we need to still observe our cottonwood (the subject of our year-long tree study).

Thank you to everyone who took the time to email me about the new Outdoor Hour Challenge format and letting me know how well it is working in your family. What a great community of nature study lovers we have in our midst! Take a few minutes to check out this rich and full carnival….spread some cheer by leaving a few comments as you read the entries.

Shirley Ann says, “Yes, we hug trees.”

Oaks and Acorns
Shirley Ann from Under An English Sky gives the account of their tree study this month: OHC-The Oak. As usual, she does a wonderful job of weaving her nature study into their week’s activities. I love seeing how joyful their nature study is.

Cristy from Crafty Cristy shares how their Observation of Acorns developed and the reflections she has made about tree study after completing some of the tree grid ideas.

Lisa from What We Do has submitted their Oak Tree Study for the carnival. They observed and identified the galls on the leaves as well….great job!

Rachel from All Things Bright and Beautiful shares their study of Tree Pests (or bad bugs as her daughter calls them). They did a wonderful job learning about insects that affect trees including the acorn weevil. I learned a lot from the study.

Amy at Hope is the Word writes about their Oak Tree Study and shares it with the carnival for this edition.They did a lunch time study and found some mighty tall oaks to observe along with the acorns and leaves.

Sara from Garner Goings On shares her oak study entry: Growing in Knowledge of Oaks and Acorns. What a wonderful glimpse into their oak study and their growing acorn collection for each oak they identified this month. Don’t miss seeing their notebook pages where they recorded their findings.

Our local reservoir is getting low but it made for a beautiful reflection of the autumn tree landscape.

Tree Grid Study
Cristy from Crafty Cristy submits their October Grid Study! One of the grid activities was to count the trees you can see from your window. Her son counted 115 trees! Don’t miss seeing some more of their tree activities in this entry.

Check out Robin’s laminated leaf in her journal: Nature Journal Leaf Study.

Robin from Academia put together a post of some of their tree grid activities: A Look At Trees. Check out Tabbi’s four tree part images…love the roots!

Tricia shares How to Frame Your Days With Nature Study. In this entry she shows how scattering short periods of outdoor time throughout your day can make nature study a part of your regular routine. Using some of the tools in the monthly newsletter, including using things like the tree grid study, help her children to enjoy their outdoor time even more.

Melissa from Tending the Home Fires joins the carnival this month with her entry: Outdoor Hour Nature Study-Tree Grid Study. They have been doing the grid activities and this entry shows some of their highlights. What a great family nature study!

Jen from Snowfall Academy shares their entry: Fall Nature Study. Catch a glimpse into their autumn world and read how they are working at keeping a balance between structure and freedom in their outings.

Sarah from GranWood Explorers has given a thorough account of their October Outdoor Hour-Focusing on Trees for the carnival. Check out their list of trees and don’t miss the photo of the beech tree! Glorious!

Carol from Journey and Destination has submitted her October Nature Notebook entry for you to enjoy. Take a look at two trees they had the chance to observe and then enjoy the bird images too!

Virginia from Livin’ Lovin’ and Learnin’ put together a beautiful image filled entry sharing their tree study in The Beauty of Trees. They also are sharing their Trees-A Focus on Leaves and a Bit on Seeds in this edition of the carnival. I invite you to read how she is using her children’s interests to keep the study of trees going and her plans for the future too.

Virginia from Livin’ Lovin’ and Learnin’ also shares their November-The Grid: Trees entry with the carnival. She shows how their family is using the nature study grid from the newsletter to encourage some independent nature study.

Tree Poetry
Heidi from Home Schoolroom has submitted their Kicking off Our Focus on Trees With Poetry entry. They each took a different idea from the challenge and made some wonderful entries for the journals. Her daughter even completed a lovely cinquain!

Seasonal Tree
Shirley Ann from Under An English Sky submits their OHC Seasonal Tree Study for this edition of the carnival. You will be interested to see how to measure the height of a tree and the width of the crown using instructions that she provides in her entry. Thanks!

Kim from Homepiecing has joined this edition of the carnival with their Maple Tree entry. They have a glorious maple in their yard that they observed up close and recorded in their nature journals.

Nicole from Journey to Excellence writes up their seasonal tree entry for autumn: Which Tree is Yours? They each picked a tree at their park and they will following its changes throughout the year.

Potpourri
Michelle from Following Footprints has written up their Outdoor Hour Challenge #7 featuring a study of chickens using the Handbook of Nature Study with her little ones. What a great job they did on this challenge! Don’t miss reading their entry and seeing their journals too. They also completed Outdoor Hour Challenge #8 – What a treat to read! I think it will encourage you too.

Cristy from Crafty Cristy substituted a study of goldenrod for the Queen Anne’s Lace…what a wonderful study! You can read all about it here: In the Wonderful Days of Goldenrod. (She includes a poem that you may like to use in your nature journals.)

Anne from Harvest Moon at Home has submitted their Goldfinches/Yellow Birds Outdoor Hour Challenge for you to enjoy. What an informative entry for such a pretty bird that many of us have in our backyards! Anne has also completed their Blue Jays and Bluebirds entry as part of the the OHC. Don’t miss seeing their nature journals too!

Martha from Sunrise to Sunset sent me her photo of some giant ant hills in Garner, Texas. Wow!

Kris from On The Eighth Day shares their Ant Study (September Newsletter Topic). Wow! They have some really big ant hills to observe. I learned about something we don’t have here in our part of the world.

Kim from A Child’s Garden writes about their Signs of Autumn while on a trip to the apple orchard. It looks like they enjoyed their nature study and their delicious apples. (My favorite apple is a Fuji!)

Jamie from See Jamie Blog has written a wonderful reflection on their vacation nature study: Nature Study on Tybee Island. She shares how unstructured nature study has become a part of their everyday life and the enjoyment it has added to their family.

Angie from Petra School has submitted their One Small Square-Low Tide entry for you to enjoy. They found so many interesting things revealed for this period of time. Don’t miss seeing her images of low tide creatures and their nature journals too.

Bethany from Little Homeschool Blessings share their Autumn Cattail Study. Looks like a great start to a year of observations. Brings back memories of our family’s cattail study from a few years ago. Fun!

Don’t forget to share your blog entries with the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival. All entries done in November are eligible for the next edition. The deadline for entries is 11/29/12 and you can send them directly to me: harmonyfinearts@yahoo.com or submit them at the blog carnival site (link on the sidebar of my blog).

Also, tomorrow’s post will have the November Newsletter download link in the footer so make sure to subscribe now to receive it first thing in your inbox! You can subscribe on the sidebar of my blog.

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Barb — 6 Comments

Poetry in Your Nature Journal – Autumn Trees and Weeds

“Come, little leaves,” said the wind one day,
“Come over the meadows with me, and play;
Put on your dresses of red and gold;
Summer is gone, and the days grow cold”
-from Songs of Autumn

I love Google Books…you can find so many wonderful books that are in the public domain to use in your homeschooling and nature study. I have had one ebook downloaded and on my desktop just waiting to use with our nature journals…and to share with you.

Nature in Verse by Mary Lovejoy is a whole year’s worth of poetry organized by seasons. Whether you read these aloud or use them as copy work in your nature journals, this downloadable ebook is a gem.

Another one you may like to download is Nature Study in Elementary Schools: Myths, Stories, and Poems.

Poetry is another way to use the words you find as you spend your time outdoors. Not everyone likes to take a stab at poetry but if it is your interest or you are a linguistic learner (or your child is a linguistic learner), it is fun to listen to poetry and to play with words. See last week’s challenge for more ideas on using poetry in your nature journal.

We attempted to write some poems for our nature journal but it just didn’t happen this week. We did have fun manipulating words and it was sort of a silly time for the two of us…I cherish those times with my son just as much as any poem we could have written.

Just the act of slowing down and gathering words, giving our children more words to describe their outdoor experiences, and then taking time to share word pictures is a gift they will carry with them into their adulthood.

“The habit of storing mental images can’t be overrated. It can comfort us and refresh us. Even in our busiest times, we can stop and take a mini-vacation in our own piece of nature to be refreshed and gladdened by ‘the silence and calm of things that can’t speak or feel.’…..anyone who tries hard to really see can have it, and parents can train their children to do this.”
Charlotte Mason, volume 1 page 50

Sometimes I just like to record words that come to mind and after they are written in my nature journal they end up sounding like poetry…free form style. Some people collect items for a nature table and some of us like to collect images and words to remember an experience.

This week we found some thistles during a walk with the Kona dog. They always look so pretty but I know that if I touch them they are rather dry, hard, and the thorns will give a good poke. We took some photos and then I drew some autumn thistles in my nature journal along with some words. My words record the experience of seeing some goldfinches hanging upside down to glean some seeds from the thistles. How do they do that without getting stuck by the thorns? They seemed very happy and content as they enjoyed the thistle seed meal.

So whether you actually write a poem or just play with words in your journal, I encourage you to give it a try. Start with a simple sketch and then perhaps a word or two to express your feelings about the subject. Remember that a journal is a personal expression for you and your child….no need for perfection.

“As soon as a child is old enough, he should keep his own nature notebook for his enjoyment. Every day’s walk will give something interesting to add–three squirrels playing in a tree, a blue jay flying across a field, a caterpillar crawling up a bush, a snail eating a cabbage leaf, a spider suddenly dropping from a thread to the ground, where he found ivy and how it was growing and what plants were growing with it, and how ivy manages to climb.” Charlotte Mason in Modern English, volume 1 page 54

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Barb — 3 Comments

Apple Time – Delicious Nature Study

The best part of autumn is taking in the fruits of the season. Apples, apples, apples, and more apples. We visited the apple orchard (which has much more than apples this time of the year) and enjoyed some freshly pressed apple cider, apple doughnuts, and picking out quite a few apples to take home.

Yes, I said apple doughnuts. I don’t usually eat doughnuts but this time of year it is a tradition that I like to indulge in with my men. I eat one and they have two or three. Crumb, cinnamon sugar, glaze??? They are all delicious.

In every plant, and bird and insect there is a life-history to be learned more interesting than any story, and I would urge parents to make themselves acquainted with these life-histories by obtaining and studying some of the many admirable books on Natural History which abound in the present day. They will then be enabled to pass on the information in happy talks with their children till they become eager little naturalists, loving the book of nature and seeing in it, not only endless things to admire and wonder at, but evidences, on all sides, of the works of an all-wise and kind Creator, Who has so marvelously fitted each living thing to fill its appointed place in creation and fulfill the duties assigned to it as a part of a great harmonious whole.
Parent’s Review Volume 11, 1900, pgs. 578-584

How much more do we enjoy our apples knowing their life history from twigs and buds in the winter, to leaves and blossoms in the spring, and then fulling enjoying the taste that arrives in a neat little package in the autumn.

It is a wonderful story for children to learn and appreciate.

Applesauce was next on the apple menu…homemade from apples we gleaned from a friend’s orchard. Now we have some jars to enjoy over the next few weeks. Yum!

There are several apple related studies here on the Handbook of Nature Study:
Apple Trees
Spring Apple Blossom
Apples

Posted on August 13, 2012 by Barb — 21 Comments

Hearts and Trees Art, Nature, and Handicraft Kits – Bubbles and Lavender

My daughter and I have partnered to create a new edition of her Hearts and Trees Art, Nature, and Handicraft kits. The theme of the current kit is Bubbles and Lavender which was fun to work with!

With Hearts and Trees Kits you receive simple to use instructions and supplies to complete a variety of projects and activities. In this Bubbles and Lavender kit, I was able to pull together a complete nature study unit on lavender with follow up activities, including a sample of lavender from my own garden and a set of custom nature journal pages to supplement the study. Because lavender is not in the Handbook of Nature Study, I wrote up an informational page in the style of the Outdoor Hour Challenge and it is included in the kit for you to use as a reference.

After your lavender study, one of the sewing projects is to make a lavender sachet using the sample lavender included in the kit. There is another sewing project in the kit where your children can design and create a felt bracelet.

The other handicraft activities include making a bubble wand and a foam pendant.

For the artist study, we chose a bubble themed painting and a 4″ by 6″ print is included with the kit for your family to view and enjoy. There are follow-up notebooking pages for the artist and painting which use a link to download a pdf with additional prints or to view them on your computer. There is even watercolor paper included to make your very own bubble painting! We also included instructions and a notebook page on learning to write in bubble letters which is a fun skill for everyone.

For a complete list of the contents and supplies included in the Bubbles and Lavender Kit from Hearts and Trees, please click over to the entry on my daughter’s blog. You will find complete details for purchasing this edition.
These kits are not just for homeschoolers and there are many families that use them afterschool and on the weekends.
The kits are designed for children ages 6 and up and there will be some activities that require adult supervision.
Hearts and Trees kits include small parts so be careful when using them around younger siblings.
We have an ample supply of kits on hand but they go fast and then they will be gone.

We expect to release the next kit in October and we are working on the idea of featuring trains, prairie animals, and pioneer themed handicrafts.

Read a review of a previous Hearts and Trees Kit on The Curriculum Choice.
You also may like to read Heather’s post about a previous kit on her blog: Blog She Wrote.

As a promotion of our new Hearts and Trees Bubbles and Lavender Kit, we would love to give one away to a reader of the Handbook of Nature Study. Leave a comment for one chance to win and then if you share by blogging, tweeting, or sharing on Facebook, leave me another comment with the link to where you shared and you can earn a second entry. If you want to purchase the kit and then you win the giveaway, we will refund your money so don’t wait if you are going to want this kit. See the Rafflecopter gadget for details and deadlines.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Barb — 1 Comment

Monsoon Moisture – Our Summer Weather Study

I captured this image of the clouds at sunset last night coming in off the lake. Gorgeous!

Summer in our part of Northern California is HOT and DRY!

But, occasionally we get the weather phenomenon called “monsoon moisture” which really means that the storms come from the Gulf of California and are tropical in nature, reaching up into the mountains of Northern California with moisture and thunderstorms. (That is my very non-technical explanation of monsoon moisture.) We are going to be using this topic as the advanced study portion of the Summer Weather Challenge.

Monsoon Moisture in the eastern Sierra Nevada at Mono Lake 2006

When this happens, we see quite an interesting buffet of weather activity:
1. Scattered afternoon thunderstorms
2. Down pours of rain
3. Gusty high winds
4. Beautiful clouds (especially at sunset)
5. Increased fire danger because of the chance of dry lightning (no rain)

After an monsoon weather event, the air is sticky with warm moist air. The plants and trees are refreshed, the dry leaves swept away, and the air just smells so nice and fresh.

Monsoon Moisture – Bodie State Park, Eastern Sierra Nevada 2006. We got very wet in the rainstorm that came shortly after taking this photo!

We had such an even last night which will give us an account to share as part of the Summer Weather Challenge in the More Nature Study series. It was really hot at bedtime so we decided to sleep out on the back deck under the stars. It started off fairly innocently with a few wisps of clouds slowly moving across the sky blocking out the stars. Then the wind started to gust and the first flashes of lightning came quickly one after the other. The rumble of the thunder was in the distance. No problem my husband said…he thought it was just going to be a dry lightning event where there is no rain associated with the storm.

Boy, was he wrong!

By 11 PM the lightning, thunder, wind, and rain hit with full force. The wind chimes were ringing constantly and we decided we better give up the idea of sleeping outside. This kind of weather is fairly normal for our area in the summer and we have a couple of these storms usually in July or August. What turned this into an unusual event was the length of the storm. We still were having lightning, thunder, wind, and rain until at least 4 AM. It was a restless night for all of us as we kept getting up to peer out the windows and doors at the awesome display of power in this storm.

The garden still had plenty of beautiful flowers for a bouquet this morning.

The power went out for a short time but all in all there was little other inconvenience from the storm. Today the sun rose and warmed the air and made us all feel welcome. The windows were opened and the fans turned on to drive away the humidity a bit.

Right on time for our Summer Weather Challenge!

Here are a few of our other summer weather entries:
Summer Weather 2011 – Can You Say HOT?
Summer Weather Sunrise/Sunset Observations 2010

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