Outdoor Hour Challenge
Johnny Darter, Sunfish, and Common Shiner
Inside Preparation Work:
- Read in the Handbook of Nature Study:
- Lesson #39 (pages 154-155) on the shiner fish. Youtube: https://youtu.be/e3uRRo2YKcc
- Lesson #42 (pages 162-165) on the sunfish or pumpkinseed fish. Youtube: https://youtu.be/IgeOK60J8ng
- Lesson #43 (pages166-168) on the Johnny darter fish. Youtube: https://youtu.be/1yDRu2661KA
- For this challenge, make drawings of each fish with captions as a means of preparing for your outdoor time. Drawing each fish carefully will allow time to focus on the shapes and sizes of each fish so you can more readily identify them in the future. Use the images in this ebook to help you draw each fish.
- Additional fish activity: Use the fish grid study in this ebook for some fish fun.
Outdoor Hour Time:
- Take a trip to a nearby stream, river, or lake to create an opportunity to look for fish Take along a little fish net to use to scoop up water and maybe a fish to observe. Some families may prefer to take a fishing trip to complete this challenge, perhaps catching one of the subjects for closer observation.
- Make sure to keep your eyes out for any nature study subject that may come your way. Take a photo or write a few notes and then research the subject when you get home or at your local library.
Follow-Up Activity:
- Create a follow-up nature journal for one or all three of the fish in this study. Use the notebook pages provided in the ebook or create your own page in your nature journal.
- Advanced study: Use the information on these websites to complete a fish study for each fish in this challenge.
- Common shiner: Missouri Dept. of Conservation.
- Sunfish (pumpkinseed): Ohio Division of Wildlife.
- Johnny darter: Lake Superior Streams
- Advanced study: Research the term “lateral line” and complete a nature journal page Or the notebook page in this ebook explaining what it is and then create a sketch to illustrate .
If you want to purchase the Summer Nature Study Continues ebook so you can follow along with all the notebooking pages, coloring pages, and subject images, you can join the Ultimate or Journey Membership Levels. See the Join Us page for complete information. Also, you can view the Summer Nature Study Continues – New Ebook announcement page for more details.
