Use this bee balm herb nature study to learn all about how to grow this plant, its medicinal uses, its other names and more! Just one of a series in this herb homeschool nature study curriculum!
“The name ‘bee balm’ implies that the plant is attractive to bees. It is, but its long flower makes it less accessible to bees but easily accessible to hummingbirds.”
100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names
Outdoor Hour Challenge: Bee Balm Herb Nature Study
Read a little bit about bee balm using the links below.
Outdoor Hour Challenge! Please note that the challenge for cilantro is found in the sample for this curriculum. Your family is welcome to download the sample, use the suggestions for nature study, complete a notebook page for your nature journal, and perhaps even use the coloring page.
Get Your Outdoor Hour Challenge Curriculum Sample
Included in the new Herb Curriculum are eight brand new Outdoor Hour Challenges for you to complete as part of your nature study lessons with your children. These challenges are not based on information in the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock. You will be using internet links and field guides to glean information about each topic.
This 49-page digital ebook curriculum has 8 challenges and supplemental activities that will help you learn about some popular and common herbs you can easily grow in your garden.
There are multiple custom notebooking pages for each of the topics. You can choose from simple notebook pages or more advanced notebooking pages.
There are 6 coloring pages.
Here are the specific topics included in the Herb Nature Study Curriculum ebook:
Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support
Can you believe all of these herb homeschool resources you will find in membership? You will also find a continuing homeschool nature study series plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges for nature study 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!
This week we’ll be studying mint as part of the herb nature study series. This plant is an easy plant to grow for beginners and younger students.
Pictured above: Tricia’s family has several variety of volunteer, native mountain mint!
Outdoor Hour Challenge:Mint Herb Nature Study
Here are a few observation ideas for you to get started:
Note the mint’s square stalk and the opposite pair of aromatic leaves. Feel the stem. Crush the leaves between your fingers for a more intense scent. Does it smell like toothpaste?
Note the color and height of the stem.
Look at the leaves and observe the shape and veins. What is the texture of the leaf? Taste a few of the fresh leaves if possible.
Observe the flowers if they are present. What is their color and size? Do they have a fragrance? Did you see any insects on the plant or flowers? Bees, hover flies, and tachinid flies all are attracted to mint flowers.
Advanced Study: Grow and then study two kinds of mint. This link has a list of a variety of mints you could choose from: Mint Plant Varieties.
Remember that the rest of the challenge is available to members here on the Handbook of Nature Study.
Outdoor Hour Challenge! Please note that this challenge for cilantro is found in the sample for this ebook. Your family is welcome to download the sample, use the suggestions for nature study, complete a notebook page for your nature journal, and perhaps even use the coloring page.
Get Your Outdoor Hour Challenge Herb Nature Study eBook Sample
Included in the Herb Nature Study Homeschool Curriculum are eight Outdoor Hour Challenges for you to complete as part of your nature study lessons with your children. These challenges are not based on information in the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock. You’ll be using internet links and field guides to glean information about each topic.
There are 6 coloring pages.
This 49-page digital ebook curriculum has 8 challenges and supplemental activities that will help you learn about some popular and common herbs you can easily grow in your garden.
There are multiple custom notebooking pages for each of the topics. You can choose from simple notebook pages or more advanced notebooking pages.
Here are the specific topics included in this Herbs Curriculum:
Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support
Can you believe all of these herb homeschool resources you will find in membership? You will also find a continuing homeschool nature study series plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges for nature study 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!
Here we are at the start of another new series of nature study topics! For the next weeks, we’ll be studying common herbs that most families have used and may have access to in their gardens. Cilantro is one of my favorite culinary herbs, especially in Mexican food. It’s easy to grow, so look for it at your local garden nursery.
Cilantro Herb Nature Study
Brand New! Outdoor Hour Challenge! Please note that this challenge for cilantro is found in the sample for this ebook. Your family is welcome to download the sample, use the suggestions for nature study, complete a notebook page for your nature journal, and perhaps even use the coloring page.
Get Your Outdoor Hour Challenge Herb Nature Study eBook Sample
Here are some observation ideas from the Cilantro Herb Nature Study challenge
Observe your cilantro plant using all your senses.
Touch–Describe how the leaves feel? Is the stem stiff or bendable?
Fragrance–Smell the leaves. Crush a few leaves and note the difference in aroma. Do the flowers have a fragrance?
Sight-How tall is your plant? Note the shape of the leaves. Do you see any insects on your cilantro plant or flowers?
Taste-Rinse a few of the leaves and then taste them. It has been described as tasting “bright, lemony, or a little peppery”. What is your description of the taste?
Included in the Herb Nature Study Homeschool Curriculum are eight Outdoor Hour Challenges for you to complete as part of your nature study lessons with your children. These challenges are not based on information in the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock. You’ll be using internet links and field guides to glean information about each topic.
This 49-page digital ebook curriculum has 8 challenges and supplemental activities that will help you learn about some popular and common herbs you can easily grow in your garden.
There are multiple custom notebooking pages for each of the topics. You can choose from simple notebook pages or more advanced notebooking pages.
There are 6 coloring pages.
Here are the specific topics included in this Herbs Curriculum:
Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support
Can you believe all of these herb homeschool resources you will find in membership? You will also find a continuing homeschool nature study series plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges for nature study 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!
These 10 fabulous first day of summer nature study ideas are perfect for weaving in some family time outside together. A valuable part of any summer bucket list and it takes just a little effort on our part!
Summer time brings a more relaxed rhythm to most of our family life. That doesn’t mean we can’t still be including some outdoor nature study time with our children. It can be as simple as taking a walk and asking them to look for three interesting things or to take a picnic lunch outside to eat under your backyard tree.
10 Fabulous First Day of Summer Nature Study Ideas
Here are some fun First Day of Summer nature study ideas for you to keep in mind for next week. Be sure to mark your calendar!
2. First Day of Summer Flower Field Trip: Take a trip to your local garden nursery and let you child pick a plant to add to your backyard garden or patio container garden. After you plant your flower, sketch it into your nature journal along with the name of the flower and the date you planted it. You can combine this activity with thisGarden Flower Nursery Field Trip ideas and printable.
3. Twilight at the Zoo: Many zoos have an evening option during this time of year. Check their calendar of events to see if your zoo has a special event for the first day of summer.
4. First Day of Summer Photo Walk – take a camera outdoors and find some special First Day of Summer subjects, take a photo, print a few out, safely tuck them into your nature journal. You can combine this with the Summer Photo Challenge.
5. First Day of Summer notebook page – done after a nature walk, preferably under a shade tree with some fresh lemonade in hand.
6. Summer Insect Study – As the warm weather brings flowers you might find more insects flying around. It’s a great time to plan a summer insect nature study. There’s such a wealth of knowledge about insects in the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock. Using the lessons along with the Outdoor Hour Challenge will make you confident to tackle an insect nature study this summer. You won’t need to travel far to find an insect to learn about with your children!
7. The Homeschool Mom’s Charlotte Mason Summer Nature Study Guide – “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.
8. Summer Senses Nature Study – you do not need anything other than your five senses. We are going to take heed of what Charlotte Mason advised and we are going to allow our children to notice things by themselves.
9. Fascinating Fireflies or Moths Study – Fireflies are fascinating! In this study, learn if there is a pattern to the light flashing. Enjoy an up close fireflies and moths summer nature study. Explore even more summer nighttime nature studies!
10. Night Sky and Moon Gazing Activity – Take some time this next week to get outside at night and enjoy a beautiful night sky homeschool nature study. Allow plenty of time for your eyes to adjust to the darkness and just enjoy gazing up at the heavens. Use some of these suggestions to get started with some simple night sky observations.
More Summer Nature Studies
Find even more to discover and learn about this summer! Our summer series of Outdoor Hour Challenges included in membership. Explore ponds and lakes, meadows and fields, the seashore, the woodlands and so many beautiful summer topics!
Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support
Can you believe all of these summer homeschool resources you will find in membership? You will also find a continuing homeschool nature study series plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges for nature study 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!
The effort you put into creating outdoor space for creative play will be seen in your child’s happy face and heart. Time outdoors is essential to your child’s development. It is an investment in their mental and physical health.
“Indeed, research suggests that children, when left to their own devices, are drawn to the rough edges of such parks, the ravines and rocky inclines, the natural vegetation. A park may be neatly trimmed and landscaped, but the natural corners and edges where children once played can be lost in translation.” Last Child in the Woods, page 117
Last Child in the Woods is an important book and is on my summer reading list again. It is an easy read and each time I glean a few more points to apply to our family and refine my thinking about getting outdoors. Reaffirming my belief that all children need to be outdoors every day keeps me actively working on the Outdoor Hour Challenges and other related projects.
Being Drawn to the Edges: Outdoor Spacefor Creative Play
We are in the middle of planning a big front yard makeover and I have decided that for our family we will incorporate native plants, some rocky outcrops, and more shelter and food for the local wildlife. My boys are more interested in watching birds and animals than they are with a large expanse of grass. Our wild side has taught us this spring that we enjoyed observing the insects, flowers, and grasses more than we ever enjoyed the well manicured lawn.
Creating Outdoor Space for Creative Playfor Your Children
I once read a post written by a mom who had little by little converted her suburban backyard into a wild place for her children. Here are her ideas for creating outdoor space for creative play:
She brought in some rocks for lizards and insects to take shelter in.
She included a big log so the kids could watch the decomposition and the living creatures that lived in, under, and on the log.
She made a sand pile for digging with pails and shovels at the ready.
There were places to play in the hose and make mud.
It has always stuck with me that with a little effort on her part she offered a place with interesting and attractive edges for creative play even in a small backyard.
When my boys were young, we planted herbs, edible things like berries, and each child had their own garden box. We kept tree stumps for child size tables. We planted trees for climbing and swinging. On hot summer days we spread out blankets underneath the trees in the shade. Our current butterfly garden with its colorful flowers and bushes shelters not only insects but hummingbirds.
Allowing some room for exploring in our backyard has given us endless nature study opportunities as well as a place for the children to wander during their own time, to dream and play and wonder.
Look at the edges when creating outdoor space for creative play…..see if you can make some changes today.
Edit to add: I received a comment and some email about becoming a National Wildlife Federation Certified Habitat. We did that for our backyard some years ago and that is really what brought this sort of idea to my head in the very beginning. Now I am anxious to get started in the front yard.
Homeschool Nature Study Members enjoy a printable Wildlife Habitat Plan with the Requirements for a Certified Wildlife Habitat!
Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support
Can you believe all of these spring homeschool resources you will find in membership? You will also find a continuing homeschool nature study series plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges for nature study 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!
Enjoy a rosemary herb study and learn about this popular culinary herb in the mint family used in many common dishes. Use your senses to discover more during your outdoor hour!
In many areas, the rosemary herb is a particularly popular landscape plant that is drought resistant. It is also used for herbal sachets, soaps, creams and lotions.
RosemaryHerb Study: Outdoor Hour Challenge
Inside Preparation:
This evergreen perennial shrub has opposite, leathery, narrow needle-like leaves. The leaves are dark green on top and downy white on the bottom. There is a prominent vein that runs down the middle of the leaf. The stem is woody. The fragrance is pungent and slightly pine-like.
The blossoms are pale blue and about a half inch long.
Outdoor Time: Use Your Senses To Learn About the Rosemary Plant:
Observe your rosemary plant using all your senses.
Touch– What do the leaves feel like? How would you describe the stem? Is the stem square?
Fragrance- Smell the leaves. Crush some leaves and see if you can tell the difference. Do the flowers have a fragrance?
Sight– How tall is the plant? How wide is your plant? Use your best description for the colors, shapes and sizes for your rosemary.
Taste– Taste the fresh leaves and then bring in some leaves to dry. Does the dry rosemary taste differently than the fresh?
Are there insects in your rosemary? Common insects are the honeybee and the spittle bug. See my entry showing spittle bugs on my rosemary: Up Close Insect Observations.
Does the plant grow mostly upward or outward?
Follow Up Rosemary Study
Create a nature journal entry for your rosemary plant. For beginners, keep it simple and include a sketch of your rosemary plant and a caption. There is a notebook page for members here on Homeschool Nature Study: Herb Study-Rosemary.Look for it the Herbs Course in your membership.
Bring a sprig or two inside for your nature table. If you have a mortar and pestle, let your children grind up the rosemary and have them describe the fragrance.
Advanced Study for Older or High School Students
Create a nature journal page to record the many uses of rosemary. More advanced students can include a sketch of the stem, leaf, and flower. Here is a link for your research: Uses and Benefits of Rosemary.
Long Term Rosemary Project
Potted Rosemary can be a long term garden project for even a young child. Look for a small rosemary plant at your local garden nursery. Rosemary likes lots of sun so find a sunny windowsill if you are not planting it outdoors.
Rosemary can take a bit of snow but it doesn’t do well where it has long days of cold and/or freezing. Rosemary is usually grown from a cutting and not from seeds. Here is some information on growing rosemary from a cutting: How to Propagate Rosemary (with images).
Recipes With Rosemary to Try:
Grilled Bread with Rosemary Dipping Oil:This is amazing! Super simple and even if you don’t grill your bread but still dip it in the flavored oil it will be a treat.
This Herbs course in Homeschool Nature Study membership includes:
Outdoor Hour Challenge printable curriculum
Herb Study Planner Page
Resource and Supplies List
Herb Study Planning Page
Instructions For Using The Herbs Curriculum
Planting Herbs to Attract Insects
Herbs in a Child’s Garden
Herbs from Renee’s Garden
Notebook Pages: Regular and Advanced Versions
Coloring Pages
Outdoor Hour Challenges Included:
Cilantro
Basil
Bee Balm
Oregano
Dill
Thyme
Sage
Mint
Bonus: Rosemary
Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support
Can you believe all of these spring homeschool resources you will find in membership? You will also find a continuing homeschool nature study series plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges for nature study 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!
Creating an edible garden can make even the fussiest of kids happier! Tips for kids helping to grow edibles in the garden.
I think I forgot the sounds that come in open windows in the mornings and evenings. Winter requires the house to be shut up too much but with open windows I woke this morning to a an owl hooting in the neighbor’s tree.
“I’m awake! You Too!” he was calling.
What a great sound and it makes me wonder what all I have been missing closed up in the house for the winter.
This evening I am hearing crickets for the first time and the call of the tree frogs from across the street. It makes me happy to think we have reached the point where we can have open windows and doors to bring a little of nature back into our house. The mosquitoes are buzzing tonight too….found one in my bedroom and had to give him a swat. Now that I could do without.
We are busy working on weeding the garden walkways and preparing beds for seeds. This is a joyful, hopeful time. Our Garden and Garden Flowers Outdoor Hour Challenge courses include choosing and planting flower seeds and I thought our family might include that as part of our first challenge for the month of May. (With membership, you will have that challenge and corresponding notebook pages to go along with it.) There is much to learn about seeds as well.
Creating an Edible Garden: Gardening with Children
In the meantime, I thought I could share a little of the edibles in our garden landscaping. We try to mix edible plants with our flowers so we can harvest a little homegrown yummy-ness when the time comes. It also is such a treat to have a little handful of something each afternoon when we are outside…a couple of blueberries, a strawberry, or a grape popped in the mouth make even the fussiest of kids happier when they are helping to work in the garden. (You can read more of my tips for nature study and gardening with very young children).
The blueberry bushes really are not all that happy looking. They are all covered in fresh green leaves but I am needing to read up on what a blueberry needs to really get established. I seem to remember something about how they like a pine needle mulch.
Crop Plant: Growing Strawberries in Your Edible Garden
Mr. A’s strawberries are looking incredible and there are dozens of blossoms and little baby strawberries filling the box. These are an easy crop to get started and we purchased ever-bearing and June bearing plants so we will have a longer harvest. (There is a challenge for strawberries if you are interested.)
Pears Nature Study
We were very surprised to see so many blossoms on the pear tree this year. We had pruned it way back to keep it out of the neighbor’s yard and this seems to have been agreeable to the tree. We might get a dozen pears this year….well, we can hope for that.
Figs….does anyone really like figs? This tree was here when we moved in 25 years ago and we have tried to cut it down several times, just to have it grow back more lush than ever. We have finally come to grips with it and we share the fruits with those in our lives who enjoy them. The birds like them too so I guess it is worth the mess.
Crop Plant: Tomato Nature Study in Your Edible Garden
Tomato in a pot to cover the ugly stump….sounds like a good idea and if it doesn’t do well we can always move it. We also have seedless grapes planted there on the fence to shield the ugly propane tank from view when we are sitting on the back deck. They vines get so green and climb all over, producing little sweet bites to nibble when I am out in the back watering in the hot summer sun. (There is a challenge for tomatoes if you are interested.) Do you have a place for a tomato in a pot?
Bats Nature Study
Another reminder to us: Keep the back door closed in the evenings. This bat made its way INTO the house last week. The cat may have brought it inside but we aren’t entirely sure. We had a comedy act going on trying to get it to fly back outside. My boys ran and got the butterfly net and we were able to get him in the corner and inside the net.
He really calmed down and just hung in the net long enough for us to get a good look at him. We released him outside and he fly away so gracefully. (There is a challenge for bats if you are interested.)
We are ready to start doing some nature study and the boys have been discussing what subjects we will study for the month as part of the new format of the Outdoor Hour Challenge. Don’t forget you can pick from any of the topics: wildflowers, garden flowers, birds, and/or mammals. You can chose one from each category or stick with one topic and study four of them in a row. Please feel free to make the challenges work and build on interest you find with your children.
Gardening Projects for Kids – Gardening Projects for Kids by Whitney Cohen and John Fisher is much more than a “how to” garden book. It is more than suggestions for getting started with gardening with your children. It is in fact a book that encourages a gardening way of life..spending lots of time with your children in the outdoors in your backyard working and playing together. I love this message found throughout the book.
100+ Ideas to Use in Creating a Backyard Habitat – Here are 100+ ideas to use in creating your backyard habitat! This list is for all of us to use in creating a backyard habitat designed to attract birds, bees, and butterflies. I’ve heard from so many of my readers that they think their backyard space is boring or nothing out of the ordinary.
How to Create a Winter Garden with Shelter for Wildlife – Here are a few of the ways we keep our yard as a wildlife habitat in winter. We have structured our garden to help encourage wildlife to visit all year long. Create a Winter Garden and add shelter for wildlife with these easy and effective resources and tips.
Planting a Rainbow Book Activities: Flower Craft and Nature Game – This book is a fun way to introduce children to gardening. Each page has vibrant illustrations of bulbs and flowers. Children can see how different plants and flowers come in all different colors—-all the colors of the rainbow.
Best Tips for Starting Seeds for a Flower Garden – Growing plants from seeds is easy! Here are the best tips for starting seeds for a flower garden. If you are new to gardening and need some tips, I will give you some step-by-step instructions.
Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support
Can you believe all of these spring homeschool resources you will find in membership? You will also find a continuing homeschool nature study series plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges for nature study 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!
The benefits of outdoor fall activities for kids (and adults!) are truly endless! The crisp, cooler air and the brilliant blue sky (on sunny days) highlight all of the fall leaf color for us. Being outside does wonders for moods. And having an outdoor ‘laboratory’ for discovery is as simple as swinging open your backdoor.
The most important of all is making memories together as a family.
Outdoor Fall Activities for Kids
We have gathered our favorite, fun outdoor fall activities for kids. Enjoy these ideas and get outdoors!
“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
Fall Nature Study in Your Own Backyard
When the calendar flips to September you might be ready for an autumn or fall homeschool nature study in your own backyard. How about your part of the world? Are you feeling like autumn or is it lingering summer? Whatever your world looks like you can take a fall walk and discover some fall color…maybe not your leaves but look for berries, nuts, and weeds that are changing color.
This includes so many plans for fall nature study, nature journaling, Outdoor Hour Challenges and more!
Signs of Fall Outdoor Activities
Are you looking for ideas for some simple fall nature study ideas? Enjoy these ideas and pick those that get you excited to be outdoors this season with your children.
Kids’ Guide to Planting Bulbs in the Fall
You have heirloom bulbs given to you or your bulbs just arrived in the mail? Here is the best guide to planting bulbs in the fall.
Apples and Pumpkins Studies
When the air turns cooler and the leaves start to change color, it is always fun to learn more about apples and pumpkins!
Fall Outdoor Activities and Ideas for Preschoolers and Toddlers
Imagine making unforgettable memories with your children through outdoor play. Laughter, smiles, and a time of connecting as a family are only a few virtues of simply getting outside. Immersing ourselves outdoors with our children also cultivates relationships, encourages bonding, and nurtures our mental health. These 5 outdoor games are the very best to encourage a love of the outdoors and have fun!
This is a super fun leaf art nature walk activity that you can do today! After a nature walk, create these fun shapes with the treasures you find.
Field Trips and Day Hikes Near Home
Here are some simple tips for homeschool nature study field trips. You will find that building the habit of taking your nature study on the road is a great way to build memories together as a family.
Nature Walks
The idea of taking a nature walk is nothing new. However, the need for nature walks has never been more evident in our increasingly indoor, sedentary lives. Childhood used to be times of exploring outdoors for hours at a time, but in today’s world few children have the circumstances or incentive to get outside on their own. This is where involved parents can be of such value.
You can enjoy a simple fall bird study for your homeschool with Project Feederwatch! This is an activity that can help you learn more about your local birds in a way that is fun and useful to the community.
Fall Charlotte Mason Nature Study Guide for Moms – 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.
The Fall Homeschool – We hope you are enjoying the beginning of the school year while you put a few wise finishing touches on your plans for fall.
Fantastic Fall Art Lessons for Kids – Grab a slice of apple pie, some warm socks, bury your homeschooler in a pile of leaves or enjoy these fantastic fall art lessons together! Have we got a fall bucket list for you!
Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Fun Fall Outdoor Learning
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 prompts!
We make it easy with resources you can use at your own pace and on your own schedule. Or, you may choose to follow our annual nature study plans closely and have everything at your fingertips.
It is very important for those of us who take our children out into the woods for nature study to be able to recognize poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.
Where we live we have an abundance of poison oak and this time of the year it is actually very pretty and easy to identify. I know in other parts of the country there is poison ivy and poison sumac as well.
Identifying Poison Oak, Poison Ivy, and Poison Sumac
This video does a great job of explaining everything you should know before you take a walk in the woods and potentially come into contact with poison oak, poison ivy, or poison sumac. Knowledge is always a good thing.
Poison Oak First Aid Tips
My husband says that in his job as a wildland firefighter, they use Tecnu after any exposure. We are going to get some and have it on hand for those times we think we may have come into contact with poison oak. I would hate for you to unknowingly expose anyone to something potentially dangerous. On the other hand, don’t get too worried either.
Just remember the “leaves of three, let it be” rule and you should do a good job of avoiding contact.
We have had our share of poison oak rashes in our family and I think most of our exposure comes from our family pets. Don’t miss that part of the video.
Poison Oak Nature Study: Creepy Things Curriculum
Homeschool Nature Study members enjoy a course fills with fun topics to explore. In the Creepy Things curriculum, you can take a deep dive into Leaves of Three Awareness Study with Poison Oak. Filled with
resources
a printable information sheet
Outdoor Hour time suggestions
information on birds and animals that eat the poison plant and its berries
first aid information on exposure
notebooking pages for follow up journaling activities
Advanced studies: creating a nature journal about poisonous plants (includes a printable)
Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support
Can you believe all of these spring homeschool resources you will find in membership? You will also find a continuing homeschool nature study series plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges for nature study 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!
Watercolors For Outdoor Nature Journaling! These on the go tips will help you make the most of outdoor journaling – while hiking OR enjoying your backyard!
I have been sharing my hopes for a colorful “artist’s garden” to sit and sketch in over the summer. I am impatient for all my flowers to start growing but I was inspired this morning by my colorful blooming flowers on the back deck, waking to the sun and warmer temperatures totally lifts my mood and urges me to step outside.
Create a Colorful Artist’s Garden for Outdoor Sketching In Your Own Backyard
The hummingbirds were darting in and out of the feeders hanging from the eaves on the back of the house and the bees were buzzing among the flowers. It was peaceful. I brought my new favorite art supplies and my nature journal to do a quick sketch and watercolor. Honestly this page took me about twenty minutes start-to-finish, including deciding what to draw and finding a comfortable spot to sit.
Watercolor Quick Sketch in the Garden
I made a quick sketch with my Prismacolor marker and didn’t worry too much about exact proportions or numbers of petals. I think that is the difference between art and taking a photo….if you want an exact representation you really should just take a photo. I was going more for capturing my mood and the vibrant color.
Watercolors For Outdoor Nature Journaling: On the Go Tips
I used my little field box of watercolors. I shared this set of watercolors with some friends at a nature study presentation a few weeks ago and they were amazed at how small and light this little box is in real life.
Using a Field Box of Watercolors for Outdoor Nature Journaling on The Go
I am going to start carrying this in my daypack when I hike so I can add some quick color to my nature journal when I am out and about. It even includes a small brush and a vial to carry some water if you need it. (I rarely carry water for watercolors when I hike since I usually have a water bottle or there is a stream or creek to scoop up some water for my art.)
The paint colors are so vibrant! I filled in the sketch with some watercolors with a sort of “sketchy” style where I don’t worry too much about filling in the edges perfectly and if I color outside the lines that is okay too.
I came back with my Prismacolor marker and just outlined the petals again to sort of clean up the edges. I added a date and a caption to complete my page.
This is my first garden sketch in what I hope will lead to a whole book full of colorful sketches.
Field Nature Journaling Supplies
Here are the the supplies.
Koi WaterColors Pocket Field Sketch Box: The watercolors are a little pricey but the paints seem like they are going to go a long way….lots of color for a little amount of paint.
The Prismacolor marker set is one that I got awhile back. There is such a great variety in this little set and I have been using mine weekly and have yet to use any of them up.
More Nature Journaling and Flower Nature Studies for Your Homeschool
Best Tips for Starting Seeds for a Flower Garden – Growing plants from seeds is easy! Here are the best tips for starting seeds for a flower garden. If you are new to gardening and need some tips, I will give you some step-by-step instructions.
Easy Preschool Science Nature Journals – My daughters have their own paper bag nature journal. The inside pages have a place where they can draw what they have observed on our nature walk. This is a perfect nature craft for kids!
Watercolor vs Chalk Pastels: Art for Kids – Learn about watercolor vs chalk pastels in your homeschool art. Two artists share their favorite medium plus the pros and cons.
Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support
Can you believe all of these spring homeschool resources you will find in membership? You will also find a continuing homeschool nature study series plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges for nature study 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!
