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Posted on January 6, 2020 by Barb — 4 Comments

Read About My Nature Study Goals 2020

I started thinking on my new nature study goals about a month ago when I was in the thick of packing up my mother-in-law’s belongings so she could move to Oregon to be nearer to us. It brought into focus for me what is truly important in my life and what brings me happiness and contentment. It was clear that “things” are not my focus but rather making memories, keeping a sense of adventure about the world, and continuing to learn about the creation that I see in my everyday life.

With that experience and insight fresh in my mind, I made a new list of nature study goals for 2020.

Keep a nature journal.
Add to our backyard habitat. We are thinking of adding a water feature!
Take local hikes.
Make notes in my field guides. I love it when I turn to a page in my field guide and I’ve written the date of an observation or a location of a sighting.
Continue to participate in Project Feederwatch and the Great Backyard Bird Count.
Visit a new national park

Please note these are Amazon affiliate links to products I own and love.

Posted on January 3, 2020 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – January World Nature Study

This week we are going to ease back into our nature study routine with an easy activity from the January 2012 newsletter. If you have any level of membership here on the Handbook of Nature Study, you can access that newsletter in your library. You will need to log into your account, scroll down to the newsletter section, then look for January 2012.

Open the newsletter and look at page 9. You can print a copy of this page for each of your children. Cut out the study grid and adhere it into your nature journal. Use the prompts to make observations about your January habitat and other simple nature-related activities.

You can learn more about how to creatively use the study grid in this entry:

Using Printables From the HNS Newsletter.

If you don’t have a membership yet, you can click the graphic above and join today for immediate access to the 24 ebooks and so much more! Remember that all levels, even the Discovery level membership, includes access to all of the archived newsletters!

Click the button above to see a complete list of newsletters available and their contents.

Posted on December 31, 2019 by Barb — Leave a comment

Nature Goals -End of the Year Recap

Goal: the result or achievement toward which effort is directed; aim; end.

Well, here we are at the end of another year. 2019 started off with my being extremely hopeful about the prospect of getting outside on my two new hips. I was determined to be strong enough to hike some new trails and to spend a lot of time outdoors.

Then our family situation changed rapidly and it took a rather large chunk of my time and energy. Both sets of our aging parents required us to help them downsize and move out of their homes and into different living situations. We struggled through hospice, strokes, deaths, and moves across state lines.

This was not part of my vision for 2019 at all.

But, because I know it helps us to stay balanced emotionally, we made time to be outdoors when we had the opportunity. I kept my nature goals in mind and made tentative plans each month to go somewhere new and experience the refreshing powers of the outdoors. Those plans didn’t always pan out but it helped to keep them in front of us.

Looking at the definition of a goal I realized that I was indeed working with effort towards an aim or an end. The aim was to use the Outdoor Hour Challenges to learn more about my local habitat, to keep a detailed record of my nature observations, and to keep on hiking/kayaking as much as we could.

I think we achieved most of those goals.

In addition, I visited a new national park and rode my bike far more than I have in the last decade.

I’m choosing to look at the positives of keeping my nature goals, forgetting the perfectionist tendency to focus on what I didn’t accomplish in 2019. I will start again in 2020 with fresh goals and hopefully a little smoother ride through spring and summer than I had in 2019.

Posted on December 30, 2019 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Mom – December 2019

Outdoor Mom – December 2019

Winter Sets In

I’m not sure how it got to be the end of December already, but here we are with a new year staring us in the face. The year 2019 has been a year of family upheaval, interspersed with short stretches of calm and space where my husband and I could get outside to enjoy Central Oregon. We forced ourselves this month to go outdoors even when the temperatures were at freezing or a little below. The key to being outside in the cold air is to be properly attired. Over the last three winters we’ve learned how to layer up to keep out the freezing winds and snowflakes.

During our outdoor time this month we went…

This month our snow started falling and the winter landscape came into view. The mountains in the distance glistened on sunny days with their snow caps. Our back pasture leading down to the river was covered in snow with only the tallest summer grasses still visible with brown stalks and drooping seed heads.

The most inspiring thing we experienced was…

The river has started to ice over and we can see small animal tracks on top of the ice where they crossed from one side to the other.

I also really enjoy the sunrises at this time of the year because of the way the light creates deep shadows and the sky is a kaleidoscope of pastel colors.

I added nature journal pages about…

I’ve been working on catching up in my nature journal. I have several pages started but not completed that record things I want to remember. In my nature journal, I try to record the sweetness of each season by listing the birds we observe, the mammal visitors we encounter and the highlights of special hikes or our travels. I’m currently working on pages for my trip to Acadia National Park, the coyote we see frequently outside our back fence and the mushrooms from our local autumn hikes.

Plans for Winter 2020

I’m planning on a new nature journal for 2020 that will combine daily and monthly observations. I will share about that sometime in January.

Also, my husband and I both decided we need new snowshoes to inspire us to get out on the local trails this winter.

Want to join in the Outdoor Mom post?

Answer all or just one of the prompts in a blog entry on your own blog or right here on my blog in a comment. If you answer on your blog, make sure to leave me a link in a comment so that I can pop over and read your responses.

During our outdoor time this month we went…
The most inspiring thing we experienced was…
Our outdoor time made us ask (or wonder about)…
In the garden, we are planning/planting/harvesting…
I added nature journal pages about…
I am reading…
I am dreaming about…
One last image…

Posted on December 28, 2019 by Barb — Leave a comment

New Ebook! Bird Set #1

New Ebook is Now Available to Members!

This is going to be an exciting addition to the Ultimate Naturalist Library membership! This new ebook has nine new Outdoor Hour Challenges featuring some of North America’s most interesting birds!

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. Plus, there are alternate study ideas for most of the challenges presented in this series of bird nature study lessons.

This 30 page digital ebook has 9 challenges and supplemental activities.
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 9 coloring pages.
Sample: Print an ebook sample here: Ooutdoor Hour Challenge Bird Set 1 Sample

Here are the specific topics included in this ebook:
American White Pelican
Trumpeter Swan
Wilson’s Snipe
Great Egret
Sandhill Crane
Clark’s Nutcracker
American Dipper
Horned Lark
Black-billed Magpie

How do you get the new Creepy Things ebook?

Members of the Ultimate Naturalist and Journey levels have access to the new ebook in their library. You need to click the “Members Area” button at the top of the website, sign into your account, and the ebook is there to download and save for your family to use when desired.

If you don’t have a membership yet, I’m offering a $5 off discount code that will be good towards your Ultimate Naturalist membership.

Discount Code: OHC10

Posted on December 27, 2019November 20, 2024 by Barb — Leave a comment

Winter Berries Nature Study

During the winter months many shrubs and trees have winter berries, providing a splash of color to an otherwise drab landscape. Winter berries also provide fruits that are visible food source for wildlife.

Bundle up for a winter hike and then paint, draw, or just observe any animals in the area feeding on these berries.

Different Types of Winter Berries

Many winter berries are red, orange, and yellow. There are several different types of Winter Berries, including: Beautyberry, Cotoneaster, Crabapple, Winterberry, Inkberry, Common Snowberry, Red Chokeberry, and American Cranberry bush.

Winter Berries Outdoor Hour Challenge

Members can access the Autumn Outdoor Hour Challenge Curriculum (pages 66 and 67). The member outdoor hour challenge is here when logged in: Homeschool Nature Study – Winter Berries.

Posted on December 24, 2019 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge -Mica Rock Study

This week is a great indoor nature study opportunity if you’re experiencing some winter weather like we are in Central Oregon. After reading the lesson in the Handbook of Nature Study, use the links in the original challenge to learn even more about mica.

If you don’t have mica to observe, you can do an alternate rock study for any rock you may have on hand. Use a field guide or a book from the library to learn more about your rock. Look in your Member’s library for an abundance of rock study alternative ideas like printables, notebook pages, and newsletters.

Use this link to the challenges in the archives:

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Mica Rock Study (from the Autumn Nature Study Continues ebook)

This challenge is found in the Autumn Nature Study Continues ebook found in the Ultimate and Journey level memberships here on the Handbook of Nature Study. You can print the notebooking pages and the coloring page included in the ebook to supplement your nature study this week.

If you don’t have a membership yet, you can click the graphic above and join today for immediate access to the 23 ebooks and so much more!

Posted on December 18, 2019 by Barb — Leave a comment

Winter Nature Study Ebooks – Discount Code!

Winter Nature Study with the Outdoor Hour Challenge

The first day of winter is coming upon us quickly! As I look out my window at the snowy landscape and the snow softly falling in my yard, it looks like winter here in Central Oregon.

The Ultimate Naturalist Library has four winter themed ebooks with forty Outdoor Hour Challenges for your family to use for winter nature study inspiration. Most of the challenges can be adapted to fit your circumstances and many of the topics are covered in the Handbook of Nature Study. The ebooks have simple follow up activities and nature journal ideas to complement the winter nature study ideas.

If you’re new to the Outdoor Hour Challenge, you can find all four of the ebooks in the Ultimate Naturalist Library membership. (See below for a discount code to use with your purchase!)

I’ll list the winter themed ebooks below and if you want to click over to see the specific topics covered, you can easily do that by clicking the book title.

Winter Nature Study Ebooks Available

For a complete list of winter season nature study topics, you can click the winter tab at the top of the website.

Use the discount code WINTERFUN for $5 off your Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.

If you’d like to have access to all of the winter ebooks, you’ll find them in the Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.

In addition to the winter books, there are 19 additional nature study ebooks in this membership.

Posted on December 13, 2019 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge -Autumn Constellation Study

For this challenge, pick a clear evening to go out and look at the night sky. Bundle up and realize that it will probably be a quick look at the stars unless you have a very motivated student. Do the preparation work beforehand so you’ll have a particular constellation in mind. Keep it fun and aim to introduce the idea of nighttime nature study to your family.

Run back inside and have some hot cocoa and talk about what you saw during your Outdoor Hour time.

Use this link to the challenges in the archives:

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Fall Constellation Study (from the Autumn Nature Study Continues ebook)

This challenge is part of the Autumn Nature Study Continues ebook, found in the Ultimate and Journey level memberships here on the Handbook of Nature Study. You can print the notebooking pages and the coloring page included in the ebook to supplement your nature study this week.

If you don’t have a membership yet, you can click the graphic above and join today for immediate access to the 23 ebooks and so much more!

Posted on December 9, 2019 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge: January through August 2020 Plans

If you haven’t joined us for our weekly nature study yet this year, it’s not too late to jump in with the rest of the year’s plan!

We’ll be starting a new series of nature study lessons from the Forest Fun ebook on January 17, 2020.

Topics will include: bear, porcupine, raven, skunk cabbage, California quail, moose, rabbitbrush, azalea, and Western tanager.

I’m super excited to be offering these topics that are not covered in the Handbook of Nature Study, but are subjects that many of us observe during our nature study outings and during our vacations.

After we finish up the Forest Fun ebook, we’ll move on to another completely new (soon to be published) ebook that features topics from the High Desert.

Topics include: mountain lion, coyote, elk, pocket gopher, golden mantled ground squirrel, river otter, sagebrush, bitterbrush, snowberry, succulents, greater sage grouse, turkey vulture, juniper tree, and the bristlecone pine.

Our year will finish off with the Creepy Things series of nature study topics. This newly released ebook includes fascinating studies of the banana slug, tarantula, black widow, scorpion, leech, muskrat, sphinx moth, cicada, millipede, and poison oak.

I’m inviting you to join us as members here on the Handbook of Nature Study which will give you access to all of these brand new nature study topics in addition to the archives of past ebooks, newsletters, nature planner pages, and growing list of printables available.

Use the discount code NATURE5 when you purchase your Ultimate Naturalist membership and you’ll receive $5 off your purchase.

Your membership will start the date of purchase and will be valid for one complete year from that time. This will include all of the upcoming ebooks and monthly printables released during that 12 month period.

I hope you are going to join us for nature study!