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The Complete Guide To Apple and Pumpkin Nature Study Ideas for Your Homeschool

When the air turns cooler and the leaves start to change color, it is always fun to learn more about apples and pumpkins! Enjoy this ultimate guide of fun apple and pumpkin nature study ideas for your homeschool.

When the air turns cooler and the leaves start to change color, it is always fun to learn more about apples and pumpkins! Enjoy this ultimate guide of fun apple and pumpkin nature study ideas for your homeschool.

5 Apple Homeschool Nature Study Ideas

All things apple – what a fun, fall topic to learn about!

“The apple is a nutritious fruit, wholesome and easily digested. The varieties of apple differ in shape, size, color, texture, and flavor. A perfect apple has no bruise upon it and no wormholes in it. “

Handbook of Nature Study, page 669
  • Compare the outside of the apples: color, size, stems, blemishes.
  • Compare the skins: thickness, texture.
  • Compare cut apples: core size, seeds, shape, flavor, crispness
  • Visit an apple farm and view apples on trees (and sample doughnuts and apple pies!)
  • Have a picnic under an apple tree!
visit an apple orchard for your homeschool nature study

For even more ideas plus a FULL Outdoor Hour Challenge on apples, join Homeschool Nature Study membership!

More Apple Nature Study Fun

Here are a few more fun apple study ideas!

visit a pumpkin farm for your homeschool nature study!

5 Pumpkin Homeschool Nature Study Ideas

Get started with your pumpkin nature study with these simple ideas:

  • Sketch or describe the pumpkin leaf.
  • Thump your pumpkin and describe the sound.
  • Observe the creases on the outside of the pumpkin.
  • Can you tell which way your pumpkin sat on the ground when it was growing?
  • Cut your pumpkin open and view the seeds. Sketch the arrangement in your journal.
Enjoy this ultimate guide of fun apple and pumpkin nature study ideas for your homeschool. Perfect for all ages.

More Pumpkin Nature Studies Perfect for Homeschool

For 10 more ideas plus a FULL Outdoor Hour Challenge on Pumpkins, a Pumpkin Farm Notebook page and more, join Homeschool Nature Study membership!

Enjoy this ultimate guide of fun apple and pumpkin nature study ideas for your homeschool. Perfect for all ages.

Favorite Pumpkin Recipes to Enjoy

Handbook of Nature Study website founder Barb McCoy shares these favorites!

Tricia’s Easy Pumpkin Recipes:

When the air turns cooler and the leaves start to change color, it is always fun to learn more about apples and pumpkins! Enjoy this ultimate guide of fun apple and pumpkin nature study ideas for your homeschool.

More Fall Homeschool Nature Study Fun!

Keep the apple and pumpkin nature study fun going with these resources for all ages:

Tricia and her family fell in love with the Handbook of Nature Study and the accompanying Outdoor Hour Challenges early in their homeschooling. The simplicity and ease of the weekly outdoor hour challenges brought joy to their homeschool and opened their eyes to the world right out their own back door! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at You ARE an ARTiST and Your Best Homeschool plus her favorite curricula at The Curriculum Choice.

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Squirrel Nature Study: Activities And Lessons For Kids

squirrel Nature study

Tree squirrels are some of the most entertaining critters to inhabit our neighborhoods. This Outdoor Hour Challenge will help you and your little squirrel hunters observe local squirrels more closely as you note their behavior and features. Squirrels are not shy so you should be able to spot them and make some observations with ease. Enjoy this Squirrel Nature Study by taking along a pair of binoculars to get a closer look!

Observe squirrels in your neighborhood and enjoy the Squirrel Nature Study. Be sure to bring a long a pair of binoculars.

Squirrel Nature Study

Squirrel Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study Lesson #57

Archive Outdoor Hour Challenge – Click the link above to take you to the original challenge.

“The squirrel’s legs are short because he is essentially a climber rather than a runner; the hips are very strong, which insures his power as a jumper, and his leaps are truly remarkable.”

“The squirrel has two pairs of gnawing teeth which are very long and strong, as in all rodents, and he needs to keep busy gnawing hard things with them, or they will grow so long that he cannot use them at all and will starve to death.”

squirrel Nature study

“During the winter, the red squirrel does not remain at home except in the coldest weather, when he lies cozily with his tail wrapped around him like a fur neck-piece to keep him warm.”

Handbook of Nature Study, pages 234 and 235

Make sure to click the link below to read the entire Outdoor Hour Challenge with helpful links, nature study ideas, printable notebooking pages, and suggested follow-up activities.

Squirrel Nature Study – Handbook of Nature Study Lesson #57

Observe squirrels in your neighborhood and enjoy the Squirrel Nature Study. Be sure to bring a long a pair of binoculars.

Homeschool Nature Study Membership

It’s a great time to join Homeschool Nature Study! We offer a multitude of science activities, hands-on learning ideas, seasonal nature studies, crafts, free resources for all ages – join the #outdoorhourchallenge community and enhance your homeschool science lessons!

By Barb McCoy, founder of the Outdoor Hour Challenges with The Handbook of Nature Study. Updated and new resources added by Stef Layton.

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Autumn Pear Study: Fun Facts For Kids

When fall rolls around we usually celebrate all things apple and pumpkin, but what about pears?! Autumn Pear Study is one of the Outdoor Hour Challenges that does not specifically have a lesson in the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock. Therefore, we’re happy to share fun fruity facts!

This autumn, enjoy this pear study and fun facts. Members can download the Fruits and Vegetables Sorting Worksheet.

Pears: Fruit or Vegetable ?

Pears are a sweet buttery fruit. Generally shaped like a bell, or oval, pears have greenish colored skin some varieties are red. Pears are high in dietary fiber and can be eaten raw or baked. In the states, we are most familiar with the Bartlett Pear. This image from USA Pears with harvest times is helpful.

This autumn, enjoy this pear study and fun facts. Members can download the Fruits and Vegetables Sorting Worksheet.

Fruit or Vegetable Sorting Worksheet

The characteristics of all fruits include: developing from a flower, most fruits contain seeds, and fruits are typically sweet while vegetables are savory. Homeschool Nature Study Members can download the Fruits and Vegetables Sorting Worksheet for younger learners.

This autumn, enjoy this pear study and fun facts. Members can download the Fruits and Vegetables Sorting Worksheet.

Autumn Pear Study Fun Facts

Did you know pears date back to Ancient Greece? Homer described them as “gifts from the gods“.

Romans planted pears throughout Europe developing 50 different varieties.

Pears in the United States are grown in Washington and Oregon.

Pears are part of the rose family. The Rose family is called Rosaceae.

Pear wood is a hard, reddish, fine-grained hardwood that’s often used for making musical instruments, like the lute and guitar.

In Chinese tradition, a common remedy for chronic coughs and asthma involves steaming an Asian pear with a tablespoon of sugar.

“And a partridge in a pear tree”, We all know the first line from The Twelve Days of Christmas. The partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on the first day of Christmas. Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge, a bird that will die to protect its young.

More Fall Studies

Looking for more Fall Studies to include in your Nature Study time? Click an image below.

Homeschool Nature Study Membership

Undeniably, now is a great time to join Homeschool Nature Study! We offer a multitude of science activities, hands-on learning ideas, seasonal nature studies, crafts, free resources for all ages – join the #outdoorhourchallenge community and enhance your homeschool science lessons!

Stef Layton Bio

Stef started homeschooling her boys in 2008. She quickly adopted a hands-on learning homeschool style and graduated her oldest tactile learner in 2021. Then she started the Hands-On Learning column in Homeschooling Today magazine. The Laytons currently reside in the foothills of Colorado where Stef also teaches yoga. The family loves to hike trails, stand-up paddle board, and chase sunsets. Stef shares travel and homeschool tips on IG at @LaytonAdventures.

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Fall Leaf Activities For Kids: Nature Study For Learning And Fun

These fall leaf activities for kids are a perfect way to study nature throughout the season. Easy to implement and enjoyable for the entire family, this study has options for all ages.

“Make the lesson an investigation and make the pupils feel that they are investigators…The ‘leading thought’ embodies some of the points which should be in the teacher’s mind while giving the lesson; it should not be read or declared to the pupils…The outlines for observations herein given by no means cover all of the observations possible; they are meant to suggest to the teacher observations of her own, rather than to be followed slavishly…If the questions do not inspire the child to investigate, they are useless.”

Handbook of Nature Study, page 23

photo by Amy Law


Fall Leaf Study – Close Up Investigation

Inside Nature Study Preparation Work:

Leaf Study Outdoor Hour Time:

  • Spend your Outdoor Hour time in your own backyard or neighborhood.
  • Look at the various kinds of leaves and have your child point out several that capture their interest.
  • Choose four or five leaves to collect and bring home to look at with the magnifying lens.

Follow-Up Activity for Fall Nature Study:

  • Use the hand lens to make careful observations of your leaves. One at a time have your child describe what he sees as he looks at the leaf carefully. Record your results in your nature journal (or use the notebook page in the ebook).

Advanced and High School Leaf Studies

  • Advanced Follow-Up: Use this LINK and scroll down to the section, “Taking a Closer Look At Plant Cells”. Make your own leaf slides to look at under your microscope. Members – Use the Leaf Morphology page and the notebook page to complete your study.
  • Advanced Follow-Up: Read this article on Wikipedia: Leaf. Read this page that illustrates Leaf Margins and Shapes (love this page with the clear images).

Activities for Pressing Leaves and Leaf Nature Study

Press your leaves to add to your nature journal at a future date. You can watch my YouTube video to learn how to do this with simple household items.

Creating Leaf Prints Nature Activity

How to Make Leaf Rubbings

The Ultimate Guide to Fall Leaf Activities for Your Homeschool

Make beautiful Leaf Prints with Victoria in Homeschool Nature Study Nature Crafts course!

Fall Nature Study Crafts for Kids - Activities for Learning and Fun!

Fall Garland Craft

Autumn is in full swing with rusty leaves and seeds galore, so let us bring in some of the season’s beauty with this Autumn garland.

An Example of a Family Fall Leaf Study for All Ages

Tricia’s shares their family-style fall leaf study up close investigation!

Our leaf studies started when the first leaves started to change. We enjoyed the fall colors with a local trip to Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield Park. We’ve awed each week at the maple at church, watching it turn every beautiful shade from green to yellow to red.

A family-style up close study of fall leaves on homeschool field trips!

One Saturday, we traveled to the next state over to the highest point. We walked and we slowed to soak in the colors.

And earlier this week, we drove about 20 minutes down the road, where we climbed rocks as big as boats under a canopy of colors.

While we’ve been oohing and aahing this whole month at leaves, we didn’t stop to marvel closely at design until we took the Up-Close Leaf Study Challenge with The Handbook of Nature Study Outdoor Hour Challenges.

And while gorgeous leaves had gathered on the kitchen table now and then in an arrangement, Friday morning Middle Girl and I went out early for the very purpose of gathering a variety. Maple, poplar, river birch, oak leaf hydrangea, mimosa.

And while we were out, she spotted our spider.

It had just started to make a new web, using part of the pink string someone had tied.

With our notebook pages at the ready, we hit a problem. Where is the magnifying glass? We couldn’t even find the little plastic one kept in the outside playhouse. *Sigh* “I know!” Middle Girl said, “There’s an app for your iPhone. And I think it’s free.” After a quick search, we downloaded Magnifying Glass with Light and we were in business!

Looking first at a larva on the mimosa leaves…

…Then each choosing a leaf to study up close.

Matching the margins. I heard, “what is venation?” So we looked closely at the veins in each leaf, comparing.

The two youngest girls sketched their leaves up close. Love this notebook page!

Eldest boy compared four different leaves, referencing the shape & arrangement, margins and venation page. That’s when he said, while sketching each leaf…

“That’s the most fun leaf study I’ve ever done.” ~ 12-year-old

Middle Girl discovered you can turn the ‘lens’ around and look at yourself up close!

Technology and nature study.

For the record, we did find our little, plastic magnifying lens (after our study).

As a bonus, we copied some of our favorite leaf colors for our nature journals.

There are many fun art and nature journal ideas for trees and leaves listed below as well!

So many things we discovered by taking the time to look up close! Thanks to an October of beautiful fall colors and Handbook of Nature Study.

Leaf Resources for Homeschool Nature Study Members

Members have all of these leaf studies to enjoy!

  • Outline the Shape + Leaf Coloring Page
  • Leaf Masks Nature Craft Activity
  • Learning Leaf Parts
  • Fall Leaf Study Grid
  • Under the Fallen Leaves Autumn Fun
  • Fall Color Walk with Printable Color Cards
  • Learning About Leaves Outdoor Hour Challenge
  • Seasonal Tree Autumn Comparisons
  • Outdoor Mom – September and October

You will find hundreds of homeschool nature studies plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges in our Homeschool Nature Study membership. There are 25+ continuing courses with matching Outdoor Hour curriculum that will bring the Handbook of Nature Study to life in your homeschool! In addition, there is an interactive monthly calendar with daily nature study prompt – all at your fingertips!

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

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Fall Charlotte Mason Nature Study: The Homeschool Mom’s Guide

This comprehensive guide to Fall Charlotte Mason Nature Study includes activities and resources for family learning.

As August gives way to September and summer slowly slips away to allow autumn to wrap us up in its brilliant display of color, mother turns her attention to planning her fall homeschool.

Fall Charlotte Mason Nature Study

In our Charlotte Mason homeschools, autumn is a time of fresh starts, fresh plans and new hope for the forthcoming year.

This comprehensive guide to Fall Charlotte Mason Nature Study includes activities and resources for family learning.

As the season shifts and the days begin to draw in, it seems natural to start our plans by considering our fall nature studies. Nature study intertwines beautifully with other areas of study such as art appreciation, poetry, geography and science. It also gifts the humble homemaker ample opportunity and inspiration to cultivate an atmosphere of coziness within her home(school).

Apples, cider, crisp leaves, corn mazes, frost and cold air are all part of the season and simply beg to be explored, studied and brought indoors!

Activities For Fall Nature Study In Your Homeschool

Tree and Leaf Studies Perfect for Fall

I think we all agree that you simply cannot embrace all that fall is without planning a seasonal tree and leaf study. Autumn days are filled with colored leaves, falling leaves, raking leaves, and jumping into great big piles of fallen leaves. Have a look at some of our wonderful tree and leaf studies from our archives and from our own personal blogs:

This comprehensive guide to Fall Charlotte Mason Nature Study includes activities and resources for family learning.

Downloadable Resources

Pumpkins and Apples for Fall Charlotte Mason Nature Study

As the pumpkins ripen in the fields and the apples in the orchards, local farmers open up their farms to the public providing the perfect opportunity to plan a ‘pumpkin and apple homeschool’ week. Enjoy a trip out to the farm and pick out a few pumpkins and basket of apples. Then come home and bake a pumpkin or apple pie and enjoy reading some seasonal read-aloud books as you learn more about these delightful seasonal fruits.

This comprehensive guide to Fall Charlotte Mason Nature Study includes activities and resources for family learning.

Fall Fungi

“In times of old, not only was it believed that toads sat on them (toadstools), but that fairies danced upon them and used them for umbrellas. The poisonous qualities of some species made them also a natural ingredient of the witch’s cauldron. But science, in these days, brings revelation concerning these mysterious plants which are far more wonderful than the web which superstition wove about them in the days of yore.”

Anna Botsford Comstock, Handbook of Nature Study, page 714
This comprehensive guide to Fall Charlotte Mason Nature Study includes activities and resources for family learning.

As can be seen from the excerpt from the Handbook of Nature Study that we have long held the view that mushrooms are rather mysterious, enchanting and quite fascinating. We can also agree that most of us regard mushrooms and toadstools with suspicion and caution, and for good reason. There are many poisonous mushrooms out there, and some of them are deadly. Names such as ‘death cap’, ‘destroying angel’ and ‘funeral bell’, warn us to steer clear!

One of our favourite fall activities in our homeschool is to go on a fungus spotting walk through out local woodlands. There is something quite atmospheric and wonderful about walking through a woodland in autumn all wrapped up in our hand knits and kicking through fallen leaves as we hunt for fungi and mushrooms.

Here are a few posts to get you started as well as some lovely free downloadable spotter sheets for you to take with you.

plant pot mushrooms nature craft

Downloadable resources

Keeping a Nature Journal This Fall

We all know that Charlotte Mason encouraged her students to keep a Nature Notebook or Nature Diary. These notebooks were inscribed with fine prose and illustrated in delicate watercolours.

According to Charlotte’s recommendations, all illustrations should include captions: the Latin name of the specimen, it it’s available, as well as the familiar name. A flower and bird list can be kept at the back of the Notebook, as well as other lists which may interest the individual child such as fungi, insects, trees etc.

These notebooks should be considered a part of a living education where the child’s relationship with nature can be expressed within its pages. Try to avoid criticism, unless it is to give helpful suggestions.

Anna Botsford Comstock said of notebooks, “of whatever quality, are precious beyond price to their owners. And why not? For the represent what cannot be bought or sold – personal experience in the happy world of outdoors.”

The Nature Notebook is a way for our children (and us) to connect better with nature and to learn its patterns. If you have not dipped your toes into the world of nature journaling, I would encourage you to dive in this fall. You do not need to invest in expensive art supplies, just grab a blank notebook, some pencils and get out there. You can purchase an inexpensive field watercolor set of paints in the coming weeks but for now I would encourage you to just take the leap and do a quick sketch of what you can see before you. Don’t judge your drawing, you are not an artist yet. You are a scientist, simply recording what you see in this moment of time.

Here are some helpful links for your adventure in nature journaling.

Below are some additional Charlotte Mason resources for your homeschool. We hope that you have a wonderful fall season of exploring and learning outdoors.

Additional Charlotte Mason Resources For Your Homeschool

Endless Access to Outdoor Hour Curriculum in Homeschool Nature Study Membership

We are sure that this fall Charlotte Mason nature study guide will keep you very busy however, we would encourage you to join the Homeschool Nature Study membership. With our membership you will have Homeschool Nature Study resources at your fingertips and can incorporate nature study at your family’s own pace.

You can choose guided or independent nature study with the membership monthly calendar prompts and printables.

We have monthly, quarterly and annual homeschool nature study memberships and you will enjoy endless access to everything including our exclusive Nature Craft Course, Nature Journaling Course and The Outdoor Mom Course!

Be Inspired. Be Encouraged. Get Outdoors!

An image showing the full collection of Nature Study courses

Connect With Our Homeschool Community On Social Media

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!

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Homeschool Nature Study for Teens: Tips For Learning And Fun

Is nature study still relevant for your homeschooled teen? Yes! It plays a crucial role in developing observation skills and much more…

Nature Study Doesn’t Have To End In The Teen Years!

Trust me! I have homeschooled two teens and I have grappled with the temptation to throw aside nature study and the arts in favor of a more bookish education. I even succumbed to the temptation once for a couple of weeks, but it just didn’t sit well in my soul or with the Charlotte Mason ethos that we had lived by for so many years.

I’m pleased to say that I came to my senses. I chose to trust that Charlotte Mason built her career on and reinstated our Friday nature studies.

Now that I have navigated through our high school years and both my daughters graduated our homeschool and their respective university courses, I can speak from a place of experience, understanding and knowledge and confidently tell you that nature study doesn’t have to end in the teen years!

Is nature study still relevant for your homeschooled teen? Yes! It plays a crucial role in developing observation skills and much more...

Charlotte Mason believed that education should be broad and balanced, incorporating not just the academic but also the artistic and natural worlds. Nature study, plays a crucial role in developing observation skills, appreciation for the environment, and a sense of wonder.

Warning! You may want to bookmark this post as it is packed with high school nature study resources!

The Importance of Nature Study in High School

Before I give you some tips for homeschool nature study for teens, I want to touch on the importance of nature study in your homeschool high school…

Nature Study Enhances Scientific Understanding

  • Field Work Integration: Nature study offers practical fieldwork opportunities, which are essential in subjects like biology, ecology, and environmental science. High school students can engage in hands-on experiences that textbooks alone cannot provide.
  • Observational Skills: Regular nature study hones students’ abilities to observe, record and analyze natural phenomena, which are key skills in scientific research.

Nature Study Fosters Critical Thinking and Creativity:

  • Interdisciplinary Learning: Nature study naturally integrates with other subjects such as art (through nature journaling and drawing), poetry (writing inspired by nature), and geography (understanding ecosystems and landscapes).
  • Problem-solving: Encountering the real-world issues in nature, such as ecological changes or conservation challenges, encourages students to think critically and develop problem-solving skills.
Is nature study still relevant for your homeschooled teen? Yes! It plays a crucial role in developing observation skills and much more...

Nature Study Promotes Mental and Physical Well-being:

  • Stress Relief: Spending time in nature has been shown to reduce stress and improve mental health, which is particularly beneficial during the often-stressful high school years.
  • Physical Activity: Engaging in outdoor activities promotes physical health and provides a healthy break from screen time and indoor study.

Nature Study Encourages Lifelong Learning and Appreciation for Nature:

  • Sustainable Living: Developing a deep connection and understanding of nature fosters a sense of stewardship and responsibility toward the environment.
  • Continuous Curiosity: Nature study encourages a lifelong habit of curiosity and learning, as the natural world is ever-changing and endlessly fascinating.

Tips For Homeschool Nature Study Specifically With Teens

If you’ve momentarily set aside nature study and are considering reintegration, here are some practical tips to help your teen get back into nature study:

Tip 1: Schedule Nature Study Days

Designate specific days or times each week dedicated to nature study, ensuring it remains a consistent part of your curriculum. For our family we had always reserved Fridays for our nature and arts study. It was always a day to look forward to after a week of academic learning and it was a great way to kick off the weekend!

Is nature study still relevant for your homeschooled teen? Yes! It plays a crucial role in developing observation skills and much more...

Tip 2: Incorporate Technology in Your Nature Study for Teens

Use apps and online resources to enhance nature study, such as identifying species, tracking weather patterns, or participating in citizen science projects. It could even be a simple as using digital photography or videography!

Tip 3: Field Trips and Nature Walks

Regularly plan outings to local parks, nature reserves, or botanical gardens to provide diverse and rich experiences. There are around 63 national parks in the United States. Visit as many of them as you can. Observe the flora, fauna, wildlife, insects, and birds that you see in each.

‘We have a wealth of posts in the archives to help you get the most of your national park’s nature study. Here are just a few to get you going:’

Tip 4: Nature Journaling

Encourage students to keep detailed journals of their observations, including sketches, notes, and reflections, which integrates art and writing skills. Here are a few posts from our archives on keeping a nature journal:

Cross-Curricular nature study projects for homeschool and how to incorporate them

Tip 5: Cross-curricular Projects

Design projects that combine nature study with other subjects, such as writing research papers on local wildlife, creating ecological maps, or developing conservation plans.

Conservation projects can be a fantastic way for teens to learn about nature whilst taking part in a project. Here are some ideas:

  • Participate in The Great Backyard Bird Count
  • Volunteer as a sea turtle nest parent
  • Clean up waterways, beaches and woodlands.
  • Plant trees
  • Build nesting boxes for birds, squirrels, or bats.
  • Volunteer at a zoo or aquarium. This a great opportunity to learn about creatures that most of us will never see on a typical nature walk.
  • Animal rescue or rehab centres – look for volunteer opportunities at a local animal rescue or rehab center.
  • Camping or caving – both of these activities provide for an opportunity to see nature from a unique perspective. Caving may provide opportunities to watch creatures such as bats. Camping will have you observing all sorts of flora and fauna by day, and stargazing by night!
  • Visit botanical gardens or butterfly houses. Bring along your nature diaries and a picnic to make for a fun day out.

Additional Resources for Homeschool Nature Study

It is important to encourage your teen to pursue their own interests in nature. Remember, “Education is the science of relations”

~ Charlotte Mason

We want our teens to form deep connections with the world around them. We must therefore provide an environment in which our teens can ask questions and learn how to find and recognise clues to the answers they seek.

To wrap up this post on homeschool nature study for teens, I am leaving you some additional nature study resources that you can delve into. Homeschool Nature Study has a wealth of resources for your nature studies in our archives so we hope that you will spend some time exploring and finding something that may be of assistance as you navigate your homeschool high school years.

Join the Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Nature Study Curriculum and Year Round Support

There are so many benefits to joining. You will access our full range of curriculum, our interactive learning calendar as well as a brand new homeschool nature study challenge post each week!

An image showing the full collection of Nature Study courses

Connect With Our Homeschool Community On Social Media

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!

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Fun Owl Nature Study Ideas

These fun owl nature study ideas include live owl cams, owl pellet dissection, bird field guides and more to help you learn more about these fascinating and beautiful birds!

Who Cooks For You? A favorite unit study for my boys, Owls! I believe it was the fun of getting to stay up late to listen for owls and call out into the backyard, Who Cooks For You, the Barred Owl “hoot”. I’ve compiled a few Fun Owl Nature Study Ideas if you do not have owls in your neck of the woods.

Fun Owl Nature Study Ideas

These fun owl nature study ideas include live owl cams, owl pellet dissection, bird field guides and more to help you learn more about these fascinating and beautiful birds!

Owl Live Cams

For many of us, we rarely have the opportunity to watch owls. Primarily because owls are nocturnal. So I greatly appreciate Owl Live Cams, hosted by the Owl Research Institute. These cams offer many different species of owls to watch from the comfort of your home. They offer at least 5 live cams, some areas are not active year round.

Owl Pellet Dissection

We have dissected owl pellets more times than I’d like to remember the smell of them. But this is such a fun science experiment. We have done this as a group project through our science co-op, a field trip activity at our local Nature Center, and an at-home purchase. Using the Scientific Method you can guess what you will find in each pellet and then carefully pull them apart discovering bones and fur. Don’t forget to discuss new words with younger students like: carnivore, digestion and regurgitation, etc.

Homeschool Nature Study Members can print both Herbivore or Carnivore Worksheet for younger students and the Owl Pellet Dissection worksheet (following the Scientific Method) for older students.

Bird Field Guides for Owl Nature Study

Did you know, there are about 250 owl species? We enjoyed taking a day to flip through owl books and Birds of Prey Field Guides. You can take a moment to read our Top Picks for Field Guides. Field Guides are usually available at your library if you’re not ready to invest in one just yet.

These fun owl nature study ideas include live owl cams, owl pellet dissection, bird field guides and more to help you learn more about these fascinating and beautiful birds!

Watch Famous Owls

Hedwig, Errol, Pidgwidgeon … my boys were Harry Potter fans and this series loved to show off many different types of owls. We would pause the screen and then try to identify which type of owl we were seeing. The Owl Research Institute offers a page on their website for Owl Identification. This was quite fun, however not something I would recommend during a busy homeschool day! If you’re not a Harry Potter fan, kid-friendly owl movies: Legend of the Guardians, The Owls of Ga’Hoole, Winnie the Pooh, Sword in the Stone, Sleeping Beauty, etc.

Owl Art

What fun to paint a Little Owl In A Tree, with Nana? These owl masterpieces make for such fun decorations, especially around Halloween. If your children do not like to start from scratch – you can print the bird themed scripture verses – and color in the owl coloring page from Your Best Homeschool. Chat about wisdom.

Did you know owls and wisdom go back to Greek Mythology? Athena, the goddess of wisdom, was often represented with an owl.

Other Bird Nature Study Ideas

We have enjoyed studying birds throughout the seasons thanks to Homeschool Nature Study! Here are a few more posts about different types of birds and great resources to use in your homeschool.

Homeschool Nature Study Membership

It’s a great time to join Homeschool Nature Study! We offer a multitude of science activities, hands-on learning ideas, seasonal nature studies, crafts, free resources for all ages – join the #outdoorhourchallenge community and enhance your homeschool science lessons!

Stef Layton Bio

Stef started homeschooling her boys in 2008. She quickly adopted a hands-on learning homeschool style and graduated her oldest tactile learner in 2021. Stef started the Hands-On Learning column in Homeschooling Today magazine. The Laytons currently reside in the foothills of Colorado where Stef also teaches yoga. The family loves to hike trails, stand-up paddle board, and chase sunsets. Stef shares travel and homeschool tips on IG at @LaytonAdventures.

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Top Picks for Field Guides for Homeschool Nature Study

Building a library of field guides for your reference shelves is something that you can do as you work through the Outdoor Hour Challenges or as part of creating a homeschool library. These are our carefully selected, top picks for field guides for homeschool nature study.

You don’t need to in-vest a lot of money all at one time but choose a topic of interest and search out a good field guide as you can afford it. It is an investment in your family’s growing interest in nature study that will enrich your life for many years to come.

These are our carefully selected, top picks for field guides for homeschool nature study. Includes options for all ages.

What is a Nature Study Field Guide?


First of all, what is a field guide? A field guide is a book that helps you identify wildlife like plants and animals or other objects you find in nature like rocks or weather phenomenon. It is usually created to cover a specific region or area of the world. The guide usually has photos or illustrations of the object along with descriptions of the subject that help the reader identify it. Field guides are usually arranged to group subjects by color, shape, or habitat. Each guide will have introductory pages to explain how that particular field guide is organized.

Find out more about The Handbook of Nature Study book!

Three Field Guides To Use Alongside The Handbook of Nature Study


Our collection of field guides has grown year by year. I will share three choices that there are for field guides to use alongside the Handbook of Nature Study: Audubon Society Field Guides, Peterson Field Guides, and Golden Guides.

Audubon Society Field Guides

  • Actual photographs-glossy and in color
  • Separate section with thorough descriptions for identification
  • Vinyl cover for more durable wear or carrying in your day pack
  • Some topics available in Western or Eastern North American editions
  • My favorite: Birds

Peterson Field Guides

Read my full review of the Peterson Field Guides at The Curriculum Choice! Peterson Field Guides for Young Naturalists

  • Illustrations of typical specimens
  • Field marks for birds
  • Leaves, nuts, cones, needles shown for identification in the tree guide
  • My favorite: Trees

Golden Guides

  • Compact size and interesting to look at
  • Illustrations in color
  • More than a field guide with help in getting the most out of each study
  • My favorite: Pond Life

More Nature Themed Books to Enjoy

Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story is a beautiful picture book biography about the author of The Handbook of Nature Study. Anna Botsford Comstock was passionate about children getting out of the classroom and into nature to learn first hand about our beautiful world.

A Nature Themed Book List for Easy Summer Learning – Over the years, our family has built a nature themed library of our favorite and most useful resources. There are picture books featuring the natural world, fiction with a nature theme, and non-fiction reference and activity filled books. Even now with my children all grown and on their own, I use this nature library for my own benefit and enjoyment.

Using the Public Library to Enhance Your Nature Study – You don’t need to spend lots of money building a library of nature literature. Using the public library as a source of books is easy and fun.

Favorite Nature Books for Your Homeschool Nature Studies at The Curriculum Choice – This collection of nature books I’m sharing with you not only includes many of our favorites, but many favorites of the Curriculum Choice Authors.

Homeschool Nature Study members have access to two resources to complement your nature book fun! Members enjoy a Nature Book Report Printable which is a wonderful follow up to your reading. There is also a Nature Book Project list to help you purposefully add nature books to your homeschool learning.

Living Science Beyond the Books – Every parent hopes their child receives a solid science education. This is the case whether our children are homeschooled or attending a traditional school. Many parents, including myself, know we received very little “real” science education growing up and when it comes time to teaching or supporting science learning in our children, we tend to feel slightly inadequate. This doesn’t need to be the case!

Planting a Rainbow Book Activities – After many, many days of grey, dreary weather–we needed a change! So for this week I checked out Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert.

Birds, Nests and Eggs – The book Birds, Nests, and Eggs is the perfect beginner’s book for homeschool nature study. It’s also a wonderful take along guide that features many of the common birds that we see in our yards and neighborhoods.

These are our carefully selected, top picks for field guides for homeschool nature study. Includes options for all ages.

The Outdoor Hour Challenges Bring The Handbook of Nature Study to Life in Your Homeschool!

For even more homeschool nature study ideas for all seasons, join us in Homeschool Nature Study membership! You’ll receive new ideas each and every week that require little or no prep – all bringing the Handbook of Nature Study to life in your homeschool!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

by Barb McCoy, founder of the Outdoor Hour Challenges.

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Picture Books in Nature Study: A Parent’s Guide

Picture books in nature study work well for all ages. This guide has everything you need to get started.

Picture books in nature study work well for all ages. This guide has everything you need to get started.

Photo by Amy Law

Reading books is at the root of most of our learning, and nature study is no exception. When we first started homeschooling my children were just six and nine years old and reading aloud was part of our nature study. Three years later my children and I still enjoy reading books to enhance our nature studies.

Field guides are important to have on hand for identification and information, but I also think there’s a place for books meant to be read cover-to-cover. Picture books provide us with beautiful photos or artwork, information presented at a child’s level, and sometimes even a story interwoven with the facts. Reading nature-themed literature isn’t a substitute for time spent outside in nature, but it can be a wonderful addition to direct observation and experience.

Picture books in nature study work well for all ages. This guide has everything you need to get started.

What Are The Benefits of Reading Picture Books in Coordination With Our Nature Studies?

  1. In books you can learn about things that would be very difficult to observe in nature, like the migration of monarch butterflies or how bees dance to show where to find nectar.
  2. Pictures and information in a book can encourage you to look for things in nature, like animal tracks or leaf and bud scale scars on tree branches.
  3. Books can help bring new understand about things that seem common. For instance, seeing seeds traveling on our dog’s fur we have a sense of amazement when we remember that is how plants can spread to a new area!

Nature Book Recommendations

Sometimes I look up a specific nature study topic, and I might even request one through inter-library loan. Other times we peruse the nonfiction section and grab a book that looks interesting. Keep in mind that some books may not be in the nonfiction section—we’ve found some wonderful nature-themed books in the beginning reader and picture book section of our library.


We regularly utilize series like The Magic School Bus or authors like Gail Gibbons or Seymour Simon.

We also enjoy these series that offer books at various reading levels:

  • Let’s Read and Find Out
  • National Geographic Kids Readers
  • DK Readers
  • Blastoff Readers: Backyard Wildlife
  • Bookworms’ Guess Who? series.

You can accomplish two goals at once when your early reader practices with nature-themed books!

Nature Study Books to Enjoy In Your Homeschool

Here are some specific books we’ve enjoyed:

  • Outside and Inside Trees by Sandra Markle
  • Animal Tracks by Arthur Dorros
  • Planting the Wild Garden by Kathryn O. Galbraith
  • The Cloud Book by Tomie de Paola
  • All About Owls by Jim Arnosky
  • Chipmunk at Hollow Tree Lane by Victoria Sherrow

More Nature Picture Books

Planting a Rainbow Book Activities – After reading the book, my daughter worked on a color-matching game and did a flower craft.

Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story is a beautiful picture book biography about the author of The Handbook of Nature Study. Anna Botsford Comstock was passionate about children getting out of the classroom and into nature to learn first hand about our beautiful world.

Charlotte Mason Picture Book biography: The Teacher Who Revealed Worlds of Wonder

Picture books in nature study work well for all ages. This guide has everything you need to get started.

The Outdoor Hour Challenges Bring The Handbook of Nature Study to Life in Your Homeschool!

For even more homeschool nature study ideas for all seasons, join us in Homeschool Nature Study membership! You’ll receive new ideas each and every week that require little or no prep – all bringing the Handbook of Nature Study to life in your homeschool!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

Heidi homeschools her two children in Maine using an eclectic mix including Charlotte Mason’s ideas, quality literature and hands-on learning. She strives to show her children that learning is an exciting, life long adventure. She shares their experiences on her blog, Home Schoolroom.

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The Homeschool Mom’s Charlotte Mason Summer Nature Study Guide

Our Charlotte Mason Summer Nature Study Guide is perfect for this time of year.

Are you dreaming of summer yet? Soon we will be winding down our homeschools and taking advantage of the warm summer days ahead of us. Weeks of picnics and walks, weeks of sunshine and warmth. Lovely!

Closing the doors to our schoolrooms brings a time of rest for all of us, and of consolidation. The break from regular studies seems to help the children’s brains to consolidate what they have learnt and cement tricky concepts that they struggled with, for I often found that when we returned to studies in the autumn, they can tackle these things with ease.

Let's tuck into an array of learning opportunities with this homeschool mom's Charlotte Mason Summer Nature Study Guide.

But as we know, learning does not stop in the school room. For life and the great outdoors remains the best classroom. Summer is a time that I like to really focus on my children’s education in a different way.

Opportunities For Charlotte Mason Summer Nature Study

I like to place before them a smorgasbord of opportunities. Things like visiting galleries, museums, camping, and spending as much time outdoors and visiting as many different ecosystem’s as possible.

“On fine days when it is warm enough to sit out with wraps, why not take tea and breakfast, everything but a hot dinner, be served out of doors? For we are an overwrought generation, running to nerves as a cabbage runs to seed; and every hour spend in the open is a clear gain, tending to the increase of brain power and bodily vigor, and to the lengthening of life itself. They who know what it is to have fevered skin and throbbing brain deliciously soothed by the cool touch of the air are inclined to make a new rule of life, Never be within doors when you can rightly be without.

Charlotte Mason – The Original Homeschool Series.

I found it rather interesting from the quote above that Charlotte Mason spoke of the symptoms of stress being so prevalent in her own Victorian society. She speaks of them being an ‘overwrought generation’, just as are we today. She knew the remedy for overwrought nerves.

It’s a secret that many of us share but perhaps you don’t yet know it. Well I’ll let you in on the secret…its spending time outdoors. Nature has a calming and healing affect on our mental well being.

And so this summer, let us make it a practice of giving ourselves and our children plenty of purposeful time outdoors

The Charlotte Mason Approach: Where to Begin

Charlotte Mason says that a good starting place is for meals to be taken al fresco. Why? Because they are joyous and there is “nothing like gladness for converting meat and drink into healthy blood and tissue“.

Imagine every meal being one that is joyous and an event to be stored up in our childrens’ memories. I love Charlotte Mason’s sentiment on alfresco eating:

The Charlotte Mason approach: where to begin

Now that seems to me to be as good as reason as any for making this summer one to strive to have as many meals al fresco as possible. I love the thought that decisions I take today will stand my children in good stead far into the future.

Picture Painting

Some of my most precious, vivid, and lasting memories of my happy childhood shared with my parents and siblings, are of times we spent outdoors together. I clearly remember one particular day hiking out in the mountains. We found a natural pool in a clearing surrounded by trees. The sun was beating down, we were hot from our walk.

We decided to take a swim in the cool, clear water. Afterwards I lay down on a large warm rock at the side of the pool to dry. I remember closing my eyes and being overwhelmed by the peace and tranquility of my surroundings. The warm sunshine, the sound of the birds and my family talking and laughing. The feel of the gentle breeze drying the cold water droplets from my skin. When I opened my eyes, the sight of trees stretching up into the blue sky that was littered with fluffy white clouds slowly moving across the skyscape.

Charlotte Mason picture painting

The impact of that day and its lasting memory had a profound affect on me. So much so, that my lovely mother bought a poster of the mountains and forests with a scripture verse, so that I could hang it in my room as a wonderful reminder.

The truth is, I didn’t need a poster to recall each and every detail my surroundings because I had taken in every feature and detail of that landscape that I could narrate it perfectly to you today had we the time and space for me to do so rather than a short post to write about it.

Charlotte Mason calls this ‘picture painting’. Here is how it is done:

  • Get the children to look well at a patch of landscape, then shut their eyes and narrate the picture before them (are seeing a correlation here to picture study?)
  • If any part of it is blurred, they need to look again.
  • When they have a perfect image before their eyes, let them narrate what they see in great detail.

When we engage all our senses: Seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, coupled with a joyous atmosphere and yes, good wholesome food, we are doing more for our children’s education than any expensive textbook ever can.

Heading Outdoors

Are you beginning to see how we can continue our summer nature studies Charlotte Mason style? So this summer we are going to do much ‘sight-seeing’, ‘picture painting’ and ‘al fresco’ dining as we can. Try and include as many different ecosystems as possible.

I recommend getting out into the country in the meadows and farm-lands, a visit to the beach, a river, the mountains and a woodland. I’ll give you ideas for each setting but first, lets get our field haversack/backpack’s prepped for our summer studies.

Pack Up Your Haversack

When you go out on field work you will need to take your collecting apparatus with you.

  • A haversack/backpack for each child
  • pond net
  • trowel
  • collecting jar (to collect insect and water creatures)
  • basket (to collect plant specimens)
  • scissors
  • field note book and pencil

In addition to this field kit, your little naturalists will most certainly appreciate a lovely picnic, plenty of water and of course, sun hats and sun screen. Read this Outdoor Hour Challenge (OHC) post on planning your picnic.

Let's tuck into an array of learning opportunities with this homeschool mom's Charlotte Mason Summer Nature Study Guide.

Now that we have covered all the basics, lets focus our summer exploration and nature studies and walks.

I have collated a collection of posts from my own blog as well as from the archives that will hopefully inspire you to just get outdoors this summer and explore these different habitats and biomes. You may find that one day you are simply enjoying being outdoors together and other days may lend themselves for a more in depth exploration/study.

If you are planning on traveling at all this summer then be sure to read our Nature Study and Summer Travel post from the archives for some great tips on how to prepare.

Whatever you decide to do, above all, please just enjoy creating memories of long summer days spent outdoors.

A Seaside Walk: Perfect for Summer Nature Study

Have you ever looked down into the sea on a clear, still day from the side of a boat – as you cross over the rocks below? Imagine yourself looking down into this watery picture. You might see anemones opened up with their tentacle-like petals waving as waves rush in over the rocks.

Or perhaps you will see a starfish or a sea-urchin crawling along the bottom of the rock pool, or a crab rush under a rock the moment it sees your shadow.

There is no end to the delights that the seashore can offer up. It may be a bit of a drive for some but if you can, plan for a fun beach day-trip to explore this amazing habitat.

Charlotte Mason Summer Guide to Exploring the Seashore

Be inspired by these posts from the archives.

Summertime Stroll in the Meadows and Fields

In early summer-time there is more sunshine and we see that the grass is growing long in the fields. Let us lie in the grass of a field and keep very quite. What happens in this grassy jungle?

We shall see many different kinds of grasses and many common wildflowers and weeds. Insects and other little creatures often make their homes here.

Do you see any patches of bubbly white stuff which sticks to grass stalks? We call them “cuckoo spit” but it’s not made by the cuckoo bird. Have look at a post from our archives to find out just what it is!

Exploring the meadows and fields Charlotte Mason nature study guide

Be inspired by these posts from the archives.

A Wander Through the Woodland

Who can resist a woodland walk! Woodlands always seem so magical don’t they? To be surrounded by great towering trees, to explore the delicate mosses and lichens, some of which look like pixie caps on stalks.

What plants can you find? What creatures can you spot. Can you hear the woodpecker drilling?

Or wouldn’t it be fun to collect pinecones and acorns from the woodland floor to make fir-cone birds and people? Or perhaps collect different leaves and make leaf-prints.

The woodland has so much to offer that it would certainly make for a lovely afternoon out.

Exploring the woodlands in your homeschool Charlotte Mason style

Be inspired by these posts from the archives.

Summertime Walk by the Pond, River, or Lake

When last did you wade into a shallow stream and turn up some of the stones on the stream bed? If you do so, you may find some interesting creatures on or under them.

You may find caddis worms, which are not really worms at all. They are larvae of the caddis fly and the build little homes for themselves out of tiny stones or little sticks or hollow stems. The river or pond will provide hours of exploration fun for children.

Make sure you go armed with a net and some collection jars for this visit!

Exploring rivers, ponds and lakes Charlotte Mason nature study guide

Be inspired by these posts from the archives.

Outdoor Hour Challenges Are Perfect For Charlotte Mason Summer Nature Study

Rather than give you formalized Outdoor Hour Challenges, we hope that guide provides you with an inspired springboard of ideas for your own summer nature adventures that Charlotte Mason would have approved of.

Be Inspired, Be Encouraged and Get Outdoors!