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Posted on March 16, 2012 by Barb — 5 Comments

Nature Study – 3 Steps to a Better Experience

“The Field Lesson. When planning a field lesson, three points should be kept in mind:
First. The aim, to bring the children into sympathy or in touch with nature, through the study of that part of nature in which they have been interested.
Second. The conditions out of doors, where the children are at home, where they must have greater freedom than in the schoolroom, and where it is more difficult to keep them at definite work, and to hold their attention.
Third. The necessity of giving each child something definite to find out for himself, and of interesting the children so that each will try to find out the most and have the greatest number of discoveries to tell.” Nature Study and The Child, Charles B. Scott, 1900.

I am finding that for my high school aged son there needs to be a different sort of follow-up to our observations…more than just a nature journal. He is using his past experiences with nature study and making some connections. This has led me to going back to the internet to research more closely how nature study develops into upper level science. I am finding it fascinating. I am excited to share my findings and show how I am implementing the ideas learned with my son as we go along (see the printable below).

“But true science work does not stop with mere seeing, hearing, or feeling: it not only furnishes a mental picture as a basis for reasoning, but it includes an interpretation of what has been received through the senses.”
Nature Study for the Common Schools, Wilbur Samuel Jackman, 1891

This is the part of nature study I find most meaningful for my son. When he can take something he already knows and build on it with new information, he develops an interest. If I am merely telling him a fact, no matter how interesting the fact is, he is not as impressed. He needs to find the answers to his questions.

Pacific Madrone

“Adults should realize that the most valuable thing children can learn is what they discover themselves about the world they live in.” Charlotte Mason, volume 1 page 61

My research found that this pattern – observation, reasoning, expression – is nothing new or unique to nature study. This pattern is the process that all science is built upon. Watching my son work through the More Nature Study ebook challenges has brought this into focus for me. I wrote the challenges to include advanced study and just happened to present it in this three step pattern.

If you haven’t yet downloaded and read my Nature Study-Three Steps To A Better Experience, I invite you to now. It outlines in simple form how to build a lifetime habit of meaningful nature study.

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Barb — 4 Comments

Magnets, Compass, and Moon Nature Study in our Neighborhood

I am going to combine two of the Outdoor Hour Challenge nature studies from the More Nature Study Book 2 series since we have been working on them over the last few weeks a little at a time. The topics have provided plenty to talk about during our walks and rambles around the neighborhood.

Moon Names and Magnets and Compass

The compass directions were easy to determine in our yard after years of observation of sunrises and sunsets. We decided to test our sense of direction as we walked our regular trails and found a map of our local area to use as a starting point.

I will readily admit that I have a terrible sense of direction and live in a family of men who seem to never lose their way. This was a good exercise for me in particular. We would walk to a certain point and then try to determine north and south. We had the small map of the area in our pocket and we would check the actual direction after we made our guesses. I am happy to report that I have gained some skill in determining direction. 🙂

The moon has also been a subject of discussion and observation since it has been visible in the afternoons as well as in the evenings. Tonight it is HUGE in the twilight sky and we even saw Jupiter and Venus while we out there looking (opposite parts of the sky). You can read about them here: This Week’s Sky at a Glance.

Mr. B and I decided on our choice of names for the March full moon (instead of the official Full Worm Moon).

Radiant Moon (Mr. B’s choice)
Manzanita Moon (my choice)

The manzanita trees are bursting out in bloom over the last week so I picked that as the full moon name. The blossoms are so delicate and pick and almost look like ornaments that someone has strung on the branches.

Here is a photo from a previous year with a close-up of the delicate pink blossoms.

Do you want to know something? Even though it pains me sometimes to have a challenge to complete each week….keeping myself accountable on the blog…..I realize that if we didn’t have a focus of some sort we would miss out on some really wonderful and insightful discussions and time outdoors together. Even when we just complete the preparation and then the outdoor time with no real follow-up we are gaining something extra from our Outdoor Hour. If nothing else, it gives me an activity to enjoy alongside my teenage son.

We have one more challenge to go in the More Nature Study Book 2 series – Pansies! I am really looking forward to this last study of the season and I am planning on a watercolor project for me and hopefully Mr. B will join me.

I almost forgot to mention that we acquired some rare earth magnets for a project my husband is working on in the shop. We highly recommend these for advanced magnet work and for some awesome fun too. The men are trying to make a magnetic motor…a motor that runs continuously on magnetic power. It keeps them out of trouble. 🙂

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Barb — 9 Comments

Outdoor Hour Challenge-More Nature Study Book 3 Spring 2012

Spring is upon us and now is the time to get outdoors with our families and really observe the wonders of nature all around our neighborhoods. Whether you make this series of challenges a part of your homeschooling week or you are a family who will complete these challenges on the weekends, the simple nature study ideas you find in this ebook will give you the tools to get started. We are going to have fun exploring our neighborhoods for flowering trees, press flowers for our nature journals, learn about a garden critter, and so much more together with this season of nature study.

The sample linked below lists the topics covered in this new series but don’t be discouraged if you look at the list and think you don’t have that particular subject close at hand. There are suggested adaptations that will allow any family to complete this series of nature study activities in your own backyard or neighborhood.

The More Nature Study Book #3 challenges were written for families with children of all ages.You can keep it simple and enjoy your outdoor time with your little ones using the basic challenge. If you have older children or find your child is particularly interested in a certain topic, there are ways to increase the depth of each challenge by adding in additional notebook pages or further research using ideas and suggestions in the ebook.

Outdoor Hour Challenge:
More Nature Study Ebook #3 Spring 2012
Spring Splendor

Ten completely new challenges using the Handbook of Nature Study. See a list of topics and a sample challenge: More Nature Study Book 3 Spring Sample.
13 notebook pages and 11 coloring pages
17 additional Upper Level notebook pages for advanced or experienced students
10 Charlotte Mason style exam questions
Complete list of supplies needed (nothing fancy or expensive)
Detailed instructions for each challenge, including links (including YouTube videos) and printables
Nature journal suggestions and examples
All the challenges will coordinate with the March through May Outdoor Hour Challenge Newsletters
Alternate ideas to adapt the challenges to your local area
74 pages

This is a huge library of thirty spring themed nature study ideas with fifty notebook pages! Also, there are spring themed art and music appreciation ideas to complement your nature study.

Topics include:
Spring Weather (2) , Spring Tree (buds, catkins, and blossoms), Robin, Buttercups and Poppies, Ferns, Dogwood, Goats, Vines (Sweet peas, dodder, hedge bindweed), Garden snails, Iris, Spring Bird, Dandelions, Cattails, Apple Tree, Cats, Snakes, Earthworm, Ants, Seeds, Flower Parts, Pressing Flowers, Drawing Flowers, Leaf Parts, Pollen, Weeds, Sunflowers.

See the Spring Nature Study tab on my blog for additional specifics for each ebook and a sample.

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Posted on February 24, 2012 by Barb — 2 Comments

OHC More Nature Study – Magnets and Compass

More Nature Study Book #2
Magnets and Compass

“The first ideas to learn are that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Just by knowing this he’ll be able to tell in which direction nearby streets and buildings are from his house or town….Have him stand so that east is towards his right where the sun rises and west is towards his left, where the sun sets. Everything straight in front of him is north, everything behind him is south.” Charlotte Mason, volume 1 page 75

Inside Preparation Work:

Read in the Handbook of Nature Study pages 776-779 (Lesson 219 on the magnet). Use a highlighter or underline sections that you would like to share with your children. Suggested magnet activities: #1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7.
As a supplement to the lesson on the magnet, introduce your child to a compass. Start by teaching your child the four cardinal directions: North, East, South, and West. Show them that the compass will always point to magnetic north. Now explain that south will be in the opposite direction, east to the right, and west to the left. Suggested activities from Lesson 219: #12 and #13.
Watch these videos: How to Hold a Compass and Bill Nye on the Earth’s Magnetism.
Advanced suggestion: Make your own compass.

Outdoor Hour Time:

Spend your Outdoor Hour time in your own backyard or neighborhood. Take your magnet and compass outside with you. Let your child use the magnet to find things that are magnetic in your yard. (Make sure to keep magnets away from electronics.)
Take your compass outdoors and have your child find the four cardinal directions. Find landmarks for each direction. For example: north is the pine tree across the road from your house, south is the telephone pole on the next street, east is the neighbor’s flag pole, west is the mailbox.
Advanced suggestion: Observe the sunset to see the exact direction it sets during the winter. Make observations over the next month, record the results, and see how the direction changes over time. Use a compass to record the exact direction in degrees. Ebook users: Use the Sunset Observation notebook page to record your results and conclusions.

Follow-Up Activity:

Take a few minutes to ask your child what they learned about magnets and compasses. They may be satisfied with this challenge at this point and the best way to follow up is to use the skills you learned in the days to come. Use the vocabulary you learned (magnetic, north, south, east, west) as you complete future nature study or outdoor activities.
Your child may like to complete a notebook page recording their magnet and compass observations on notebook page or they could record their results in a nature journal. Optional: Use this Points of a Compass (Homeschool Share) activity for younger students if you wish.
Advanced follow-up: Use your compass skills to determine the orientation of your house. Make a map of your neighborhood and include a compass rose. (You can learn more about a compass rose HERE.) Use this information in the future by recognizing wind direction as you observe the weather. Wind is named for the direction it is coming from and not where it is blowing to. (Example: North winds are blowing from the north.)
Advanced follow-up: Map and Compass Basics-Azimuth and Navigation with a Compass.
Advanced follow-up: Have you read about Letterboxing or Geocaching? Both of these family activities can be fun ways to get outdoors and use your compass and map reading skills.

You can see how our family completed this challenge here in this entry:
Magnets, Compass, and Moon Names.

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Posted on February 20, 2012January 10, 2022 by Barb — 1 Comment

Gall Dwelling Insects – Our Winter Study

Our gall study has been going on for several months now and we have gathered quite a few different kinds of galls during our hikes. Some of the galls are really small but once we know what we are looking for we can look for the signs on the oaks. During the winter, the galls are more noticeable because there are far fewer leaves to deal with. Our local forest is a mix of evergreen and deciduous oaks so we still have plenty of leaves to check but not as many as the middle of summer.

I think the key to finding galls is to know what you are looking for. Check the links in the original challenge if you have any trouble getting started.

The California Gall Wasp is only 1/8″ to 1/4″ in size…far too small to probably ever be recognized or identified but we do know what their gall looks like. It is the big gall in the top image and you can clearly see the exit holes. Fascinating stuff.

We took time to observe the smaller galls under our microscope. It truly is a completely different world under the lens of a microscope. Amazing…even a hand lens will open that world up.

Empty Galls Image Credit: Christine Lynch Flickr

There is so much to learn about this topic, reaching into insect study and tree study.

Posted on February 10, 2012January 10, 2022 by Barb — 1 Comment

OHC More Nature Study Book 2 – Gall Dwelling Insects

More Nature Study Book #2
Winter Insect Study – Gall Dwellers

“There are many forms of gall dwellings, and they may grow upon the root, branch, leaf, blossom, or fruit.”
Handbook of Nature Study, page 335

Inside Preparation Work:

Read in the Handbook of Nature Study pages 335-337 (Lesson 39). Galls occur on a wide variety of plants, but the Handbook of Nature Study tells the story of galls on oaks, goldenrod, and the willow. The lesson also includes illustrations or images of actual galls and for this lesson it will be helpful for your children to know what to look for during their outdoor time. You can use this excellent visual resource to learn more what a variety of galls look like: Plant Galls. Interesting video of one kind of gall we have in California: Jumping Oak Galls.
Other trees and plants to observe for galls: rose bush, hickory, hackberry, maple, spruce, or poplar trees.
Refer to previous insect challenges: More Nature Study #2 Leaf-Miners or Winter Wednesday #7 Winter Insects.
Supplemental Information: Discover Nature: Close to Home has a chapter on galls that is excellent for children.

Outdoor Hour Time:

Spend fifteen minutes outdoors with your children, looking for signs of gall insects. Look at this challenge as a sort of “gall hunt” and encourage your children to use their observations skills.
Examine any galls you find. Use as many words as you can to describe the gall. (Ebook users: Some suggested words are found on the Gall Study notebook page.) Make sure to look for “exit holes”.
Alternate activity: Look for any signs of insects in your backyard or neighborhood

Follow-Up Activity:

Galls provide a way for certain insects to survive the winter. Use your follow-up time to have your children explain the life-cycle of the gall dweller or allow time for a nature journal to record their findings. Use the illustrations in the Handbook of Nature Study to help them draw a gall if possible.
Advanced Study: The formal name for the study of galls is “cecidology”. Read this link: Gall-Making Insects. Summarize the information with words or drawings.
Advanced Study: Record in your nature journal or on the ebook notebook page four different galls either from your outdoor experiences or from your research. Also, explain in your own words the life cycle of one of the gall insects featured on your notebook page (egg, gall forms, larva develops, adults, egg).
Advanced Study: Sketch a gall dwelling insect from your area. Write an account of its specific life cycle on the journal page in the ebook or in your nature journal.

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Outdoor Hour Challenge Winter Tree Silhouettes

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An image showing the full collection of Nature Study courses

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Did you enjoy this Outdoor Hour Challenge? Be sure to tag us on Instagram @outdoorhourchallenge and use the hashtag #outdoorhourchallenge so we can see and comment!

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Barb — 8 Comments

Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival- Nature Study Edition February 2012

Yes! We have a new Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival button! Click over to read about it at Fisher Academy International....she has the code for you to grab and the official announcement of the winning design and CurrClick prize!

Here we are in the middle of winter with its many splendors and wonders. Each season is something to savor…winter is the season that defines all other seasons. We look forward to the greening of spring, to the long days of summer, and to the colorful autumn hours spent readying for another winter. Charlotte Mason understood the value of nature study and I hope this carnival helps you in your family’s outdoor studies.

Thank you to all the participants!

Nature Study

Angie from Petra School starts us off with their family Twig Study (part of the Outdoor Hour Challenge from the month of January). This entry is packed with outdoor goodness…their time outdoors, their study, and then their nature journals. Excellent example of nature study with boys.

Nancy submits her Shakespeare and Starlings entry for you to enjoy. She has put together a very interesting post which ties these two topics together. I invite you to read and see for yourself!

Michelle from The Holistic Homeschooler shares their interesting outdoor nature study related entry: Field Trip-Air Potato Roundup. This is a new to me topic that you will find interesting.

Lanaya from Gore Family News gives us their Nature Study Lately post to read and enjoy. She shares their family’s nature study process…very nicely done!

Sarah from All That is Good has written and submitted her post Thinking Ahead to Nature Study for this edition of the carnival. Loads of information for you to glean from in this entry.

Barb from Harmony Art Mom (that’s me!) submits Nature Study For High School Students – Reflections. This entry shares some thoughts from the Handbook of Nature Study and some practical tips for your family to apply as the years go by.

Patti from School Days Scrapbook treats us to a glimpse into their icy world: Tracks and Trails. I invite you to visit her blog and enjoy her beautiful wintery images.

Martha from Sunrise to Sunset shares their Outdoor Time entry from their Texas nature study. They look like they are going to have an early spring.

Tammy from Aut-2B Home in Carolina has complied their nature study projects for the carnival. Read all about their nature study ideas in her entry, Nature Study in a Ginormous Room.

Leah from Home Grown Babies has put together a photo journal sort of entry as part of this nature study edition of the Charlotte Mason Carnival. I invite you to read her entry, I Love Days Like These.

Makita from Academic Celestia shares their Gall Nature Study with the carnival. She shares their large collection of galls…fascinating topic!

Other Charlotte Mason Related Topics

Tricia and her Middle Girl have started a series of acrylic paint tutorials. Be sure to check out their very first one: Cupcake-Acrylic Paint Tutorial. I love the color selection and the whimsy of this project. We all look forward to the next one.

Cindy from Our Westward Journey shares an Armor of God Object lesson with carnival readers this time around.

Michelle from The Holistic Homeschooler shares her very artistic daughter in her entry, Another Artist From My Home. What a treat!

Jimmie from Jimmie’s Collage has written a thoughtful post and she shares it with you in this edition of the carnival, Homeschooling is Like Exercise. This is a great analogy and I invite you to read the comments as well with some additional ideas to apply.

Leah from Home Grown Babies has put together a living math post for the carnival: Charlotte Mason Maths. She shares some great ideas.

Click for free nature study related printables:

1. Cindy from Our Journey Westward
2. Maureen from Spell Outloud
3. Jimmie from Jimmie’s Collage
4. Lauren from Mama’s Learning Corner
5. Amanda from Hearts and Trees

6. Barb from Handbook of Nature Study

You are welcome to submit any Charlotte Mason blog entry to the next carnival HERE.

Don’t forget the Great Backyard Bird Count on February 17-20, 2012!

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Barb — 5 Comments

OHC More Nature Study Book 2 – Twigs

Twigs in a Vase - Beginning our Twig Study

“Many times children are familiar with trees in spring, summer, and autumn but they have no knowledge of them in winter; yet trees in winter give much delight to those who know them as they do in summer. Oftentimes I have gone out on a winter day with my botany can and filled it with twigs for the pleasure that the colors and form gave me.
Home Nature-Study Course, Cornell University 1906

More Nature Study Book #2
Winter Tree Study – Twigs

Inside Preparation Work:
1. Read the Tree Study section staring on page 623 in the Handbook of Nature Study (Lesson 172). Pay special attention to #3 in the section on Winter Work. Take note of the lesson’s observation suggestions to keep during your nature study of winter twigs. You may wish to read the links in the follow-up activity and the additional links listed below before you go outdoors so you will be equipped with some vocabulary to use casually during your observations.
2. Optional reading if you have access to a willow tree: Read Lesson 179 in the Handbook of Nature Study (starting on page 654). Use the ideas in the lesson to study willow twigs and buds.

Advanced Study Option

Outdoor Hour Time:
1. Outdoor time this week should include a few minutes gathering twigs. Select twigs from three different trees to take indoors for closer observation. It would be helpful to know the names of the trees you collect your twigs from but not necessary. We came inside and marked each twig with little name tags This is primarily a challenge about comparing and contrasting twigs from various trees.
2. Advanced activity: Tie a string on a twig attached to a tree. Observe and record in your nature journal the twig’s changes for a few months.

Follow-Up Activity:
1. Use the questions from Lesson 172 to get your child started making observations for each of the three twigs you collected (or just one twig for younger children). Make sure to use your sense of sight, smell, and touch to make careful observations. Record your thoughts in your nature journal or on the notebook page (ebook users only).
2. Place your three twigs on a table. How are they different? Look at size, shape, arrangement of the buds, as well as the size or shape of the buds. Compare two buds on the same twig. Can you see the leaf scars where the leaf dropped off?
3. The main parts of the twig in winter are the buds, leaf scars, and lenticels. Sketch your twigs in your nature journal or on the notebook page, drawing everything you see and labeling the parts neatly.
4. Advanced follow-up: Complete the Twig Study notebook page (ebook users). Dissect a bud from your twig and then record your observations.

Additional Websites:

Twig vocabulary

Structure of a twig

You can view our twig study here: Winter Twigs – Training Our Eyes.

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Barb — 5 Comments

Winter Nature Study with the Outdoor Hour Challenge

Just For Your Information

For tax purposes, I am holding off the release of the new ebook until January 1, 2012. I promise it is ready and will be posted this weekend! I know that many of you are waiting for the release so you can start planning your term’s nature study so I appreciate your patience.

Here are the topics that will be posted started January 6, 2012:

Winter Wonder – winter weather/silent walk
Chickadee or other winter bird
Tree study – focusing on twigs and/or buds
Sheep with a focus on wool
Mullein or other winter weed observations
Galls and gall dwelling insects – signs of insects
Quartz study or starting a rock collection
Magnets and Compass
Moon names
Pansy or other early blooming flower

I have made them all easily adaptable to your neighborhood. Many of the challenges can be done inside if you are experiencing really cold weather. As always, the challenges encourage to actually get outside but I know this is not practical for many during the winter months. The ebook includes 28 notebooking pages this time and suggestions for older or advanced students for every challenge. We continue to take it to the next level!

Other Up-Coming Events
Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival – December Newsletter Edition: It is not too late to fit in a nature study and blog entry for this edition of the carnival. You can submit your links here: Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival. The deadline is 12/30/11 and the carnival will be posted 12/31/11.

Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter – The January edition will be available on 1/1/12. You need to be subscribed to this blog to receive the link to download the monthly newsletter. It takes a few seconds to enter your email address in the box on my sidebar and you will receive the link in the 1/1//12 email footer.

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Barb — 5 Comments

Handbook of Nature Study – December Bird List with Two New Birds!

December Bird List –
Our Family’s On-Going Record of Our Bird Sighting
A Life Project

We have had a busy and full month watching birds in our yard and as part of our December travels. Project Feederwatch has become a natural part of our weekly routine and helps us take a few minutes two days a week to count birds that come to our feeders. First a few interesting photos and then this month’s bird list!

First off, our sweet and fabulous White-breasted nuthatch resident…or at least one of the three that entertain us everyday with their acrobatics on our backyard tree trunks. Ups and downs and lots of pecking are observed as we watch out the window. They also have a very distinct bird sound that they make and we are alerted to look up when we are outside and they are present. If you click the link above and click the Pacific song, you will hear what our nuthatch sounds like (there is an Eastern song as well).

I had to zoom this one in and crop it to show you this cute little guy and his expression.

Our beloved California Towhee in the feeder….usually he scratches around under the feeder but today he showed up for pictures. Isn’t he interesting with his pink-orange rump and pink-orange around the eye? There is always a pair in the yard and they don’t ever stray very far from each other. We learned that the colored patch under the tail is called the “crissum”.

Here is the other half of the pair….up on the branch, waiting for a turn in the feeder. (Males and females look alike.)

Since we started participating in Project Feederwatch, we have seen three of these Spotted Towhees in the yard. They are strikingly beautiful birds and since they are not year-round residents we try to enjoy them while they are here.

I love the way this bird friend is clinging to the twig and posing. You can see the dried up blackberries on the vine that we left from the summer garden. The birds are seen frequently stopping by for a purple snack.

The Western bluebird enjoys a little bath this time in our front yard. I still get excited when he comes to visit. They usually come in a small bunch and then leave all at the same time. Lovely.

Here is the very best shot of the Anna’s Hummingbird at our feeder that I could capture to share. The flash accidentally went off but that really shows his beautiful ruby/pink/iridescent color. We have one or two at a time in the feeder these days, usually a male and a female. There might be more than two since the feeder is emptied frequently even at this time of the year.

In Our Yard – mostly at the feeders

Spotted towhee
Dark-eyed junco
House sparrow
White-crowned sparrow
Mourning dove
Western bluebird
Mockingbird
Western scrub jay
American robin
White-breasted nuthatch
California towhee
House finches
Lesser goldfinches
Anna’s hummingbird
Oak titmouse
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Acorn woodpecker

Out and About:

American crow
Northern flicker
California quail
Steller’s jay
Wild turkeys
Brewer’s blackbird
Pigeons
White-tailed kite ***New to our life list
Red-tail hawk
Barn swallow
Bewick’s wren ***New to our life list
Downy woodpecker – hanging on a tall weed (more on that later)

There is a wealth of birding information on the internet but I have not found a more homeschool-friendly site than the ones sponsored by Cornell University. I would love to encourage you all to subscribe to their homeschool blog (click the logo above to pop over there now).

You can also follow them on Facebook .
You can download their FREE Homeschool Guide to Project Feederwatch.
Of course, my favorite resource is their AllAboutBirds website which is a great tool for identifying and learning more about birds in your own neighborhood.

I would love for other families to join ours in watching your feeder birds. It is super easy and you just need to devote a few minutes a week to getting to know your feeder birds one bird at a time. Email me with any questions you have about the program.

So which bird photo did you like the most? I think I like the California towhee in the feeder the best since it is one that I have been trying to snap for awhile now.

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