“Mrs. Comstock believed that the student found in such a study a fresh, spontaneous interest which was lacking in formal textbook science, and the phenomenal success of her work seems to prove that she was right. Moreover, nature-study as Mrs. Constock conceived it was an aesthetic experience as well as a discipline. It was an opening of the eyes to the individuality, the ingenuity, the personality of each of the unnoticed lifeforms about us. It meant a broadening of intellectual outlook, an expansion of sympathy, a fuller life.”
Handbook of Nature Study Publisher’s Foreword 1939
Textbooks are lacking.
Nature study leads to an opening of the eyes and a fuller life.
Which would you pick for your children? I think there is no question that nature study is a door, or perhaps a window, through which our children can gain a view of a fuller life. They really see what is there and can make close connections between themselves and the physical world. This link with the physical world can actually build a foundation for a more spiritual person as well. (Romans 1:20, Hebrews 3:4)
High school is not the time to drop a living books approach to science and a nature study approach to awakening the curiosity and wonder of the world we live in. Our family continues our adventure with nature study using the Handbook of Nature written by Anna Botsford Comstock.
More Nature Study With The OHC
Starting in September there will be a fresh new series of Outdoor Hour Challenges that will post every Friday. These challenges will be doors and windows into your own backyard and neighborhood. I will be offering them in a brand new ebook to be released on September 5, 2011. The first of the new series of challenges will be posted on September 9, 2011. Each challenge will be clearly explained and can compliment your autumn nature study. The ebook will contain notebook pages for each challenge and a number of coloring pages as well. If you like having everything ahead of time or you have worked through the previous series of Autumn Series 2010 and are ready for some new challenges, you will be interested in the new ebook: More Nature Study With The OHC.
What About the Monthly Newsletter?
I will continue to write the OHC Newsletters each month and they will be filled with ideas and articles to support your family’s nature study. The newsletter activities will complement the new ebook ideas perfectly and you will still find lots of free goodies to offer in your nature study. These will continue to be posted on the first of each month.
What About the Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival?
I have enjoyed having all the month’s nature study gathered in one place and I think it has been easier for participants as well. I will not be adding Mr. Linky to each challenge posted in the new series but you are welcome to enter as many of your nature study related posts to the carnival for an end of the month carnival. If you have any questions, please email me.
Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.