Creating leaf prints is simple and a lot of fun! Combine a nature walk, collecting a variety of leaves, and producing a beautiful leaf print.
Years ago, I created leaf prints using ink as suggested in the Handbook of Nature Study, although using stamp pad ink not kerosene as suggested in the book. I am creating leaf prints using leaves from my Oregon yard.
My children always wanted to collect leaves during your outdoor time and once we got home I wasn’t always sure how to use the leaves or display them. Creating leaf prints is a great way to extend your leaf collecting activity or any tree nature study.
Creating Leaf Prints
Tips and Suggestions for Getting Great Leaf Prints:
Put your ink on the backside of the leaf instead of the front for a more detailed print.
Making prints with ink will give you more detail than printing with paints.
Try both placing the paper over the inked leaf and pressing the leaf onto the paper. Experiment with a few leaves to see which method works best for you.
Use washable ink pads for easier clean up.
If your leaf is very dry or crumbly, you might try using paint instead of ink. Make sure not to press too hard when making the print.
Try making your prints on separate paper and then insert the paper into your nature journal. This will help resolve anxiety that you are going to mess up your nature journal if you don’t get a good print.
Creating Leaf Prints Nature Craft Tutorial In Homeschool Nature Study Membership
Victoria shares, “As autumn gets into full swing, what better way to mark the change of seasons than by creating leaf prints. We are heading into that period of Autumn where the leaves are on the cusp of igniting into rich shades of red and orange. Here in the UK we usually have about a week of vibrancy before one strong wind comes along and blows all the colour to the ground. So it is best to capture its beauty while we can.”
If your students are not excited about getting their hands dirty by creating leaf prints, print this Leaves Coloring Page. There are many different types of leaves on this page your student can color and then cut out to decorate their nature journal. You can read our Ultimate Guide to Nature Journaling for tips and ideas to fill up your nature journal this year.
More Leaf Activities For Kids
These will have you enjoying leaves in other ways too!
Make a Leaf Mask (Victoria shares another fun tutorial for members)
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!
Have you seen this book yet? If not, you probably should. For all nature-loving families and families who are interested in starting nature study, this is a must-read. Eryn has taken love of God, His creation, and nature study and blended them together in a way that is truly beautiful. And, speaking of beautiful, the inside and outside of this book are designed so beautifully! It is a treat for the eyes, as well as the mind.
Rooted In Wonder: An Overview
She starts out by reminding us that ultimately, nature should be drawing us to God, and that nature is a tool to help us know God. “Every time we read our children Scripture or take them outside and point them to their Creator matters. God sees a your labors, and he will not let them go to waste! ” p. 43 Time in nature is so powerful! It can only draw us to Him.
She takes us through a Biblical view of climate change, cultivating curiosity, a Biblical view of conservation, how seeing natures laws helps our children see truth, letting nature refresh our minds, screen time vs. nature, how spending time in nature helps “slow down time,” and much more.
Resources For Nature Study: Rooted In Wonder
I also loved how she gave practical and fun ideas to implement. She has ideas for Family Hibernation, and how to bring nature inside our homes! Since nature is so healing to our bodies and souls, why wouldn’t we bring in things like plants and fish ? At the end of each chapter she has ways to implement what has been talked about in that chapter. These ways are fun and practical.
Most of all, what I loved about this book, was the way she continually pointed us back to our Creator. Even the very rocks cry out. . .and she makes that so obvious through her words in these pages. One idea that I have been pondering was how much time Jesus spent outside while He was here on this earth. He was often meeting outside, sleeping outside, teaching outside, going to an outdoor place away to pray. . .
Family Nature Study: The Beauty Of Creation
In our culture, it is so easy to stay home and be entertained, but what if we show and share a different mindset to those around us? What if, through our love of nature, we can have more opportunities to point people to their Creator?
Through every hour we spend outside, we are giving our children and ourselves a gift. . .may we bring glory to His name and know Him better because we have done so.
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.
Amy Law is wife to Jeremy, and mom to three. They homeschool using Charlotte Mason’s principles, and love to spend lots of time in nature! You can often find them hiking the beautiful trails of their beloved Tennessee hills, while Amy attempts to capture the beauty of it all with her camera lens.
A trip to the beach can be a fun family time experience. When you add a few purposeful seashore observations, the trip can transform into beautiful long lasting memories. One summer we headed to the beach in Naples Florida. It wasn’t long snorkeling before many starfish suddenly started to make themselves known to us. A few of these creatures even swimming right into my husband’s gloved-hand. The boys were absolutely thrilled and it’s a memory they still bring up almost 10 years later.
That evening we discovered there are over 2,000 different species of starfish! All because we were on the look to discover something unique and different. I’m not against building sand castles and even taking a nap in the shade. I am pro-nap! But when we went on these excursions with purpose, eyes open, ready to observe the world around us – it made such a difference!
Seashore Observations for Nature Study Activities
Here are a few helpful tips to turn a beach trip into a Nature Study.
Go with an intention. Are you looking for shells? Animals? Crab hunting? Trash pick up? Have a purpose, but also be flexible. There were days when the boys only wanted to find a sand dollar. That’s a big ask on the east coast of Florida. Maybe instead of a specific shell, decide on a size or color. Maybe something living inside the shells.
Set Perimeters. The beach is a big place. Square off an area to observe. You can even assign each student a square area (usually drawn by my big toe), to dig, notice, and report any findings.
Use Back Up Help (curriculum!). It’s always helpful to have some back-up help with curriculum, field guides, books, etc. When we were using Apologia’s Swimming Creatures – there was always a purpose to go to the seashore.
Observe with Eyes Only. As pretty as some things are at the seashore, not everything should be touched. We learned this the hard way one trip when my youngest decided to step on a “squishy” jellyfish. As for that old myth, it’s a myth. Only rubbing alcohol got the sting out of those poor piggies.
Visit the Aquarium. Your local Aquarium offers vast amounts of seashore information! From plants, bugs, and animals you might not even notice at first glance. It’s great to see them at the aquarium and then be on the hunt for them in the wild!
Visit Different Seashores! We lived in Florida for 30 years, the east coast is much different than the west coast. I can also say upon our travels: Florida beaches are different from Cape Cod beaches. Florida beaches are much different from Costa Rica beaches. And Florida beaches definitely do not offer the monkey business like a Thailand beach!
Please pick up your trash – whichever beach you visit! The monkeys in Phuket are now becoming aggressive. We watched a group steal a woman’s bag off her back and rip open a can of Pringles.
Nature Study Member Worksheets: Ocean Study
We love to offer helpful free downloads to add to your nature studies. Here are a few new resources for your Seashore and Ocean Study.
Members can head over to their dashboard to print the SeaShells Coloring Page, Ocean Animals Matching Page, and older students can use the Ocean FoodChain Worksheet.
Ocean and Shell Nature Craft Activities
We are loving this cute Ocean Nature Craft. A great craft when learning about the Ocean Biome.
Ocean Biome Nature Craft
Seashell Nature Craft
Hot, summer weather means the bugs are all out busy pollinating, so let’s create some seashell watering stands to help cool them down. This craft only needs a few supplies and a little supervision for the little ones but overall it is an unbelievably simple craft to make. So head down to the beach and hunt for mussels and other pretty shells and let’s get crafting!
Perfect to go with the Seashells Coloring Page! Members, log in and head to your Nature Crafts course!
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 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.
There is something magical about a full moon that catches everyone’s attention. Although the moon is technically always “full”, it’s how we see it as to what name we give it. If we were to fly into space, the moon would be full. Yet on earth, it might appear as a lovely sliver, and so we call it a crescent. It’s not really the moon that changes shape but our view of it.
Moon Gazing Activities for Your Homeschool Nature Study
Moon gazing can be a fun activity for all ages. Students can track what time the moon rises, where it is spotted in the sky (north, south, east, or west), how full it looks (phases), and even what color it first shines.
Not sure of each moon phase? It’s easy to confuse a waxing gibbous from a waning gibbous. NASA’s website offers a detailed explanation of the moon’s phases, plus great photos of the moon!
Homeschool Nature Study Members can print the Oreo Moon Phases Worksheet from your dashboard and the new Moon Gazing Activity Sheet.
Ways to Observe the Moon
Some nights the moon feels like it’s about to crash into the front yard, unwilling to be missed. Other nights, it’s not as easy to spot. Here are a few ways to observe the moon, other than looking up. * Binoculars. As much as I love the kid-friendly unbreakable binoculars, they’re not really great at magnifying. Look for something with at least 7x magnification. * Telescope. Be sure to use this on any other night besides the full moon. The brightness of the full moon washes everything out and is just too bright for the telescope. * Apps – try SkySafari or Night Sky. Look for the free trial versions! * NASA. Go to the source of the original info. Both their website as well as their app. * Observatory & Planetariums. Google “observatory near me”. Take a field trip to learn about the moon.
Learn The Full Moon Names
The Farmer’s Almanac created this image and their website shares the “why” behind each name. Plus alternative names for each month. Many of the names are the English translation of the Native American names.
Study The Night Sky Ideas + Journal Page
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.
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 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.
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
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.
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 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.
My boys love to skip rocks. No matter if we’re by a lake, stream, or river – some stone is getting tossed into the water. It’s a contagious activity really. Who can make the most bounces. It truly comes down to finding the perfect rock. Our last day in the Grand Tetons, skipping rocks, one child decided to fill up his pockets with treasures rather than toss them away. The tactile child immediately noticed the rocks were much different than the rocks in Florida. I knew as soon as we arrived back home we’d be starting a Rocks and Minerals Unit Study.
Rocks and Minerals Study For Homeschool Science
Regardless of topic, always hit up your local library when creating a unit study! The library is a homeschool mom’s best friend(before we count up the late fines). Each child is assigned a job of finding one book to contribute to the current unit study topic. My boys are highly competitive so we always end up with more than one book each. We gathered many books, everyone carrying an arm load of information. Be sure to find more than one rock, mineral, gemstone, etc. identification guide and maybe a biography on a famous geologist, James Hutton is the “Father of Modern Geology”.
Start a Rock Collection
You can take a Nature Walk and find rocks in your backyard, but I decided to buy a rock set online. Veteran Homeschool Mom Tip: ask your homeschool friends if they have a rock collection or gem set. Once our set arrived I shared with a friend I purchased a box and of course she had three different sets on a shelf somewhere in her homeschool room. Don’t forget to ask your crystal loving friends too! I’m sure they have some quartz, tiger’s eye, and amethyst ready to be examined.
We were very pleased with the variety in our set and spent several days sorting them and trying to identify them. Some sets include a color sheet with names. I created my own sheets for identification and quizzes. Little learners can start by sorting rocks by color, shape, and size.
Free Rock Worksheets
Homeschool Nature Study Members can print My Rock Journal and Rock Types we created just for you. For older students who may have already studied rocks, print the Earth’s Layers Worksheet. You can download all these from your dashboard in your Rocks Course.
Rock Field Trip
After you’ve hit the library and loaded up on your own collection of rocks, be sure to plan a Rock Field Trip! We were visiting Minnesota and noticed a few great waterfalls to hike around. Read: Waterfalls & Creeks before you go. The family wanted to head north on a pretty drive up to Canada. We found an Amethyst Mine where we were able to hammer, chisel, and keep our own bucket of amethyst! Years later when we moved to Colorado we toured an active gold mine in the Rockies. It was such a great experience wearing hard hats and working the mine. You can find these interesting places with just a quick search online.
Keep an eye out on your next vacation. Veteran Homeschool Mom Tip: vacation is never truly just a vacation. We’re always learning! Check out the local things you can do for homeschool interests and build on what you learned at home. When we visited DC we spent days hitting the Smithsonian.
If you cannot visit a real or active mine – visit the museum! Geology became really exciting for us once we moved from sea level Florida to mile high Colorado.
Science Centers, Natural Museums, and Learning Centers are full of these wonderful stones. Google “rock exhibits near me“. You will be surprised how many traveling exhibits bring in such interesting gems.
We are incredibly lucky to be near the Denver Science & Nature Museum. They have a huge permanent display of rocks and gems. Plus the History Colorado Center, a museum in downtown Denver, shares the History of mining and tools (who doesn’t love learning about “The Widow Maker”), and offers fun hands-on explosive exhibits.
Rock Art
We believe all lessons should have some type of art component. We wrapped up our rock unit study by painting rocks and leaving them on trails for others to find. You might not be able to mine amethyst, but you can paint a rock purple! Or even yellow with a giant smile. Leave a rainbow behind for a special keepsake. We’ve noticed in our travels some small towns hide rocks along their main street shopping area. We really enjoyed swapping rocks in Winter Garden, Florida.
We hope you create a fun time learning with your students with these rocks and minerals unit study ideas. Are you a Homeschool Nature Study Member? If not join the community for tips, ideas, unit studies, and #outdoorhourchallenges.
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.
It is often the case that once our homeschooled children reach their teens, nature study is pushed aside. Perhaps we think that because our children are now in high school, learning should be more textbook based. But the opposite is true!
Don’t believe me?
This article has quotes from the Royal Geographical Society on the importance of field work in higher learning – that goes way above high school learning!
In fact, there are academic journals and papers written about the importance of learning in the field. You can see for yourself right here.
Highs School Science Doesn’t Have To Be All Textbooks
Here’s a thought for you.
If hands-on, experiential learning is no longer appropriate for our teens, then why are there lab work classes in high school?
Why do natural scientists and great wildlife film makers, and academic researches still head out into the field to observe nature?
Why do environmental and marine scientists still gather specimens, conduct experiments or spend months at a time out in nature studying the behaviour of all manner of animals?
The problem is not the continuation of nature studies in your homeschool. The problem is the manner in which it is presented.
Learning directly from nature and the environment is a primary source of learning. It’s observational, it’s experiential, it’s how esteemed naturalists and scientists still discover and learn.
Are you convinced yet?
The good news for you, for your children, and your homeschools is that:
You do not have to stop nature study lessons and your outdoor hour time just because you have hit high school! You just need to change the delivery.
On the contrary, please continue to spend this precious time learning outdoors because it is valuable and it is deemed necessary by many learned academics and naturalists.
Nature study in high school is one of the most perfect ‘labs’ available for experiencing and understanding high school science concepts so I urge to to dive deeper into your nature studies rather than dropping them out of your homeschools.
Studies Show Hands-on, Experiential Learning is More Effective
Many years ago, J. Dewey (1938) recognised the close connection between learning and experience. The question of how to efficiently bridge the gap is still occupying the attention of educational psychologists and researchers. (Kolb, 1984: Experiential Learning: Experience as the source of learning an development; Reigeluth & Carr-Chellman, 2009: Instructional-design theories and models: Building a common knowledge base – vol iii; and J.Roberts, 2018: The possibilities and limitations of experiential learning research in higher education).
I am currently finishing off my Masters degree in Pro Bono legal work – and it is entirely examined on reflections of hands-on legal work undertaken in law clinics.
Lawyers, medical professionals and many others have the textbooks but they also spend a great portion of their education getting hands-on experience and putting their head knowledge into practice. They move from the abstract to the concrete by actually DOING.
If educational psychologists and researchers recognise the value and spend hundreds of thousands of hours researching the importance of experiential learning – we really have every reason to keep up our hands-on nature studies throughout the high school years in our homeschools don’t you think?
Incorporating Nature Study Into High School Science
Okay, so we have now established that we have every reason (backed by those far more cerebral people) to continue our nature studies in our homeschools as we move into the high school years.
But HOW do we go from our carefree romps in nature to being a bit more purposful about it all?
Teenagers need to have a different sort of follow-up to their nature observations, something a bit more than just their nature journals – although don’t give this up!
They need to be more connected to their nature study by finding patterns and relationships between past experiences and new ones. Take what they already know and build on it with new observations so as to develop a real interest in knowing more.
Key: Teens need to find the answers to their own questions and then express those answers in a way that makes sense to them.
There are three steps to nature study success with teens. You should aim for these in your nature studies
Observation – encourage them to really see what they are looking at with direct and accurate observation.
Reasoning – understand why the thing is so and what it means.
Expression – their observations and reasonings should pique an interest in knowing more about the object.
Here is a real-life illustration of nature study with teens from Barb, the founder of Outdoor Hour Challenges:
My two boys and I regularly made visits to my dad’s pond together. When younger, they would go right to the business of scooping up water and critters and talking in excited voices about what they were finding. But once they reached the teen years, I noticed a different atmosphere, an attitude of “we’ve been here and done that”. I tried to remind myself that this was their normal teenage reaction to just about everything. They rarely appeared to be too excited on the outside. More often than not, they would later on relate the whole experience in a more favorable light to their dad or one of their siblings. Apparently, the outside of a teenager doesn’t accurately reflect the inside at all times.
So if you have older children and they appear to not be interested at first, don’t give up. It may be that they just aren’t showing it outwardly but inside the experiences are deeply affecting them. Don’t give up on the habit of nature study with your teens.
Barb McCoy – Founder of the Outdoor Hour Challenge
Enhancing a Nature Walk with Teens
Digital Photography: A love of the natural world does not come automatically for all children and sometimes we need to find a way to hook them into getting outdoors. Most of our children have a lot of screen time each week. Rarely are they without a device that has a camera function. Take advantage of this tool in enhancing your time outdoors!
Although there are advantages to taking a walk “unplugged”, there are distinct benefits to allowing your teens to take photos as part of their nature study time.
It slows them down.
Helps them focus and really see an object.
Everyday things in their own backyard can now be captured and viewed.
They can see the beauty.
They make their own connections.
Perfect for our teens…they are comfortable with the technology and love to share with their friends.
Nature Study and Studying Biology
Tricia, owner and editor of Homeschool Nature Study has given us a wonderful example of how her family’s Apologia biology studies complimented their homeschool nature studies.
Her family’s experience beautifully illustrates, in a very practical way, how you could approach high school biology in your homeschool. She has shared a full account in both these posts:
But to briefly summarize, you could take one of two approaches to homeschool nature study with high school biology. I must just say at this point that this same approach can be used with any of the Apologia science textbooks – or whatever textbook you use in your homeschool.
You can choose to start with the Homeschool Nature Study challenges and supplement them with a text; or
You can start with the text and supplement it with nature study.
Now, here is the hands-on exciting bit for your planning dear homeschool mama!
Not only that but she has added in supplementary books and biographies for you to use!
If you are using Apologia Biology in your homeschool this year, you now have a wonderful lesson plan for the entire course which includes the nature study challenges that you have loved and used in your homeschools!
More Resources for Nature Study In Your Homeschool
We are fortunate here at Homeschool Nature Study to have homeschool moms who have successfully traveled the high school homeschool road through all subjects including science and nature. All of these families have continued to use nature study and field work as a useful tool alongside their textbooks in their homeschools.
We have collated some high school specific nature and science posts and resources from the archives of all out websites (Curriculum Choice, Homeschool Nature Study and Your Best Homeschool). We pray that these will be a blessing to you and an encouragment to keep up your nature studies in the changing face of your homeschools.
We pray that this article gives those of you who are moving into your high school years the courage to stick with nature studies in your homeschool and to continue to experience the joy and blessing of hands-on, experiential learning.
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!
Using good nature study reference books and literature will be a huge help in nudging along the seeds of a love nature in your child. To help you find what you need when you need it, these are our best tips for organizing your nature library. As the seasons and years pass, they will dig deep into your nature library and become familiar with so many things.
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”
― Rachel Carson, Silent Spring
Creating a love of beauty in nature is something that develops over time with encouragement and nurturing. Each of us has a way of looking at things and learning to see an object in nature through someone else’s eyes will expand your own vision.
As you add to your library, you may wish to incorporate some of these ideas that have stood the test of time in my own nature library. I have more nature books than the average person, first because I love them all and second because I support my nature challenges with great information found in books.
Divide Nature Books into Categories on the Shelves and Then Try to Group Books by Topic
Field Guides
I love having a variety of guides all lined up on one shelf…or now it is actually two shelves.
Reference Books
These are books that are a little more scholarly and provide meaty information about a topic for nature journal pages. I have my Handbook of Nature Study on this shelf because it is a ‘go to” book for me.
Children’s Literature
I am a big collector of nature-related children’s literature. I try to group the literature by topic: garden, insects, ocean, etc.
Travel Guides and Hiking Books
These are used over and over as we explore different areas of the world both near by and far from home.
Coloring Books
I have quite a collection of coloring books that my children have used over the years and I still use as a basis for drawing in my own nature journal.
Series of Books
When there is a series of books from an author, I group them together so I can find them easily. Books in this category include the One Small Square series, the Discover Nature series, and the Golden Guides.
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!
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!
Homeschool Nature Study: New Member Resources
Homeschool Nature Study Members can print a few new resources added to your dashboard to go along with your insect studies! Print: My Spider Journal, Bug Scavenger Hunt, and My Bee Journal – these are perfect for younger learners.
Insect Observation Tips
It’s fun to observe the 6 & 8 legged creatures, but can feel scary for children. When studying insects be careful ! A few helpful tips:
Wear garden gloves.
Do not touch stinging or biting insects.
Use a net or container to observe insects and be sure to release them.
Turn on a light at night and observe the bugs that stop by.
Never catch a butterfly in a jar – they can damage their wings.
Find fireflies in meadows, yards, edges of forests, and around streams.
Ladybugs like forests, gardens, and weed patches.
Bees dislike the smell of peppermint and eucalyptus.
Always bring a sketch pad and draw what you find!
More Bug Activities And Resources
We have shared the buzz of these great resources! Be sure to read these posts for more ideas!
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Not yet a Member?! Spring has sprung and it’s the perfect time to incorporate Nature Study into your homeschool. We offer many tips, ideas, nature studies, worksheets & helpful downloads, plus encouragement along the way! Homeschool Nature Study is perfect for preschoolers, elementary, middle schoolers, and high schoolers! Yes – we believe Homeschool Nature Study works for ALL AGES. Join the community!
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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!
