Tag: spring nature study

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First Day of Spring: Simple Ways to Study Nature in Your Homeschool

We are excited to get started on this first day of spring with simple ways to study nature and a fresh set of homeschool nature study ideas. It hardly seems possible that we are at the beginning of another spring season but here we go! We look forward to another season of encouraging nature study. Have fun and get outdoors with your children!

First Day of Spring: Simple Ways to Study Nature in Your Homeschool

Inside Preparation Work
1. If you have not read pages 23-24 (How to Use This Book) in the Handbook of Nature Study, please read it now. In addition, read the section on The Field Excursion on page 15. Highlight interesting sections as reminders.
2. Prepare your children for your outdoor time by explaining the purpose. For this challenge, use the ideas from Outdoor Hour Challenge #2—Using Your Words in our FREE Getting Started Homeschool Nature Study Guide which is take a short walk in your yard or neighborhood and then come back inside and record words to describe your experience.

We are excited to get started on this first day of spring with simple ways to study nature and a fresh set of homeschool nature study ideas.

Spring Splendor Nature Walk Ideas

Homeschool Nature Study Members: Before beginning this series of challenges, use the Spring Splendor Notebook Page (Challenge on page 8 of your Spring Nature Study Curriculum and notebook page linked there as well) to build enthusiasm for the spring series of nature study. Keep the page in the front of your nature journal as a reminder of the three questions you hope to answer and the three activities you hope to accomplish.

Outdoor Hour Homeschool Nature Study Time

1. Enjoy some time outdoors this week as part of this challenge, including a few minutes of quiet observation if possible. Observe what early spring looks like in your neighborhood. Use all your senses. If you have young children, taking a walk and enjoying the season is the main point. You can work on adding words as your child gains confidence in nature study.
2. Homeschool Nature Study Members: Use the Spring Nature Walk Worksheet notebook page if you want more structure to your time outdoors.
3. Collect an item to sketch into your nature journal, perhaps a leaf or a flower.
4. Advanced Study: Take photos of spring flowers, birds, trees, leaves, or other objects you see during your outdoor time. Try taking photos from different angles and up close.

Follow-Up Activity

1. Use the Spring Splendor notebook page (Homeschool Nature Study Members) or your nature journal to record your time outdoors, including the prompts for descriptive words. You can brainstorm words with your children if they have trouble. Sketch or watercolor your spring scene in your nature journal or onto your notebook page.
2. Advanced Follow-Up: Make a slideshow with the images you took of your spring splendor walk. You can also print the images and include them in your nature journal.
3. Homeschool Nature Study Members: Optional coloring pages: Spring Woods 1 and Spring Woods 2.

We are excited to get started on this first day of spring with simple ways to study nature and a fresh set of homeschool nature study ideas.

More Spring Homeschool Nature Study

You might also like these simple ways to study nature in your homeschool!

Outdoor Hour Challenges with Homeschool Nature Study

If you enjoy any of these first day of spring nature study ideas, please share with us! Take a photo, share on social media and tag @outdoorhourchallenge on Instagram and use the hashtag #outdoorhourchallenge – we would love to see and to comment!

John Muir quote

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!

Find Out More About Nature Study Membership Here!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

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Guide to Spring Nature Study in Your Homeschool

Spring is a wonderful beginning, so take advantage of the opportunity and season with this guide to spring nature study in your homeschool.

Getting outside with our children can be the sanity saving activity we all need. As spring approaches, have you considered adding a little nature study into your weekly routine? I’ve heard from families that they were reluctant to start a nature study plan, stating that they thought it would restrict their freedom to focus on one topic. But, they found that having a focus each week actually helped them to stay regular at getting outside and it helped them be better at taking a few minutes to learn about an object they encountered, even if it wasn’t the original aim for getting outdoors.

Guide to Spring Nature Study in Your Homeschool

Here are some ideas from year-long nature study topics that we have hosted with the Outdoor Hour Challenge. All of these are available in Homeschool Nature Study Membership.

  • Spring Weather Observations
  • Spring Splendor Walk – spring nature walk scavenger hunt
  • Signs of Spring – Outdoor Hour Challenge
  • Spring Bird Observations
  • Seasonal Cattail Study
  • Seasonal Milkweed Study
  • Year-Long Pond Study
  • Year-Long Queen Anne’s Lace Study
  • Burdock Study – start a year-long study

You may wish to start a new year-long study this spring using some of the ideas above.

Spring is a wonderful beginning, so take advantage of the opportunity and season with this guide to spring nature study in your homeschool.

The key is to make a regular habit of getting outside and taking note of things that interest your family. You can even enjoy spring nature study in your homeschool with multiple ages.

Spring is a fantastic time to start a season of nature study. Please see the offerings listed below along with their specific topics. Consider working through a course in our membership or you can pick and choose subjects from any of the courses. Without a lot of extra effort, you can customize your spring nature study by picking your favorite topics from any of the courses listed. Or you can follow the wonderful Nature Study Plan that your Outdoor Hour Challenge hostess, Shirley Ann Vels, has put together for you. There is a brand new Outdoor Hour Challenge for our members each Friday!

Spring Handbook of Nature Study Curriculum

Spring With Handbook of Nature Study Curriculum

Did you know this course also contains art and music appreciation? Here is a sampling of the Outdoor Hour Challenges you will find.

  • Spring Peepers
  • Jack in the Pulpit
  • Yellow Ladies Slipper/Yellow Adder’s Tongue
  • Trillium
  • Bluets
  • May Apple
  • Newt
  • Petunias
  • Geranium
  • Nasturtiums
  • Black Swallowtail
  • Crayfish
  • Mountain Laurel
nature journaling

More Nature Study Outdoor Hour Challenges – Spring Splendor Handbook of Nature Study Curriculum

  • Spring Splendor Walk
  • Buds, Catkins, and Blossoms
  • Spring Birds – Robin
  • Spring Wildflowers – Buttercups and Poppies
  • Spring Mammal – Goats
  • Spring Tree – Dogwood
  • Ferns
  • Vines – Sweet Pea, Dodder, or Hedge Bindweed
  • Garden Snails
  • Blue Flag Iris
Handbook of Nature Study book for homeschool nature study
More on The Handbook of Nature Study book here.

Spring Series Course and Outdoor Hour Challenges for Your Homeschool

  • Signs of Spring-Bonus challenge
  • Maple Tree Observation Sheet
  • #1 Year-Long Tree Study
  • #2 Spring Weather Observations
  • #3 Spring Bird Study
  • #4 Spring Wildflower Study-Dandelions
  • #5 Spring Cattail Observations
  • #6 Apple Tree Study
  • #7 Cats
  • #8 Snakes
  • #9 Earthworms
  • #10 Ants
Garden Handbook of Nature Study curriculum

The Garden Flower and Plant Course and Handbook of Nature Study Curriculum for Homeschool

  • #12 Focus on Garden Flowers – Seeds
  • #13 Garden Flowers – Flower Parts
  • #14 Garden Flowers – Pressing Flowers
  • #15 Garden Flowers – How To Draw A Flower
  • #16 Garden Flowers – Sunflowers
  • #17 Garden Flowers – Collecting Leaves
  • #18 Garden Flowers – Pollen
  • #19 Garden Flowers – Seeds and Germination
  • #29 Sunflowers
  • #30 Weeds and Seeds
Creating a spring nature table is very simple and allows so much room for creativity as you are able to add whatever you want to it.

How To Create a Spring Nature Table

Spring is slowly making itself known in our barren gardens, so let’s celebrate this new life by setting up a spring nature table. Pull out your favourite nature study books, clear some space on a table and gather together your collected nature items.

Creating a nature table is very simple and allows so much room for creativity as you are able to add whatever you want to it. You could switch it up weekly inline with what you are studying that week or dedicate it to each season and fill it as we progress through the months. The possibilities are truly endless!

Members will find this lesson in the Spring Course in Homeschool Nature Study Membership.

spring art celebration

Spring Homeschool Nature Study with Art

A fun way to expand your homeschool nature studies is with art! You will love this Spring Art Celebration with a theme of All Things Bright and Beautiful, All Creatures Great and Small. Our sister site has a host of lovely spring art activities for you!

Spring is a wonderful beginning, so take advantage of the opportunity and season with this guide to spring nature study in your homeschool.

Spring Nature Study With Art and Music Appreciation

You will have a complete plan at your fingertips for your spring nature study, art appreciation, and music study. You will need to have the Handbook of Nature Study in order to complete the nature study challenges. All of the art prints are included in the ebook and there are links to viewing them online as well. There are three featured composers and their music are offered on one CD: Classical Music Start-Up Kit Volume Two. You can choose to purchase this CD for convenience or use the online links to listen to the music suggested in the music appreciation plans. We have aimed to keep these challenges and studies as simple as possible with very few additional resources needed.

Join the Homeschool Nature Study Membership NOW for All of These Spring Nature Studies!

Won’t you join us for spring nature study?