Tag: Year-Long Cattail Study

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Year Long Nature Study Reminders – Winter


Seasonal Topics Reminders – Winter

Here are some ideas from year-long nature study topics we have done in the past:

Make sure to add your year-long study to your January or February nature study plans so you don’t forget!!!

 

Outdoor Hour Challenge Winter Nature Study Continues ebook

If you are a member of the Ultimate or Journey levels here on the Handbook of Nature Study, you will find this ebook listed in your library after you log into your account. The ebook version available to members includes all of the notebook pages, coloring pages, and color images. I highly recommend purchasing a membership for all the added benefits for each and every challenge.

Handbook of Nature Study Ultimate Naturalist Library

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Family Rock Study – Looking for Mica

Mica has been our rock seeking list for the past two years. Remember when I was trying to find, collect, and journal about all the rocks in the book Rocks, Fossils & Arrowheads ?

This was part of my Nature Study Goals in 2013.

Rock study book journal list

I wasn’t completely successful in 2013 and now in 2014 I finally pushed us to get out and find some mica close to home. It is actually muscovite which is abundant in California and in the county where I live. I can’t believe how much time I have spent looking into this rock. I am just not a confident rockhound.

Here is a glimpse into our mica rock study.

mica

So some sources said we have muscovite mica and some say mica schist. I am not completely sure what the difference is between the two (if any). I will just call it mica.

winter cattails

We visited our cattail site and took a look at the changes to the plants during the past few months.  You may wish to start or continue your own year-long cattail study. Make sure to mark your weekly planner for a date coming up soon.

bracket fungi 1

We were able to spy some cool bracket fungi.. a little late for our official bracket fungi study but still so very interesting.

bracket fungi 2

There was water collected in the top that was shaped like a cup.

Well, that was our mica rock walk and study. I am still trying to come up with a better way to identify rocks without taking hours and hours. Any suggestions are appreciated!

 

Just a note to all my faithful readers.

I will be sharing how my Nature Study Goals for 2014 turned out and posting my 2015 goals soon. Look for a printable for your to use to record you nature study goals here on the blog soon.

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Year-Long Study Reminders – Autumn Season

Year Long Nature Study Autumn Reminders @handbookofnaturestudy

Here are some ideas from year-long nature study topics we have done in the past:

You may wish to start a new year-long study this autumn using some of the ideas above. If you have a continuing year-long nature study project, don’t forget to put it on your calendar or you may forget to make your autumn observations. If you are using the new planning page from the newsletter, there is a box on each page to note the seasonal observations you wish to make during the month…we all need reminders!

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Summer Cattail Study – Our Cattail Spot

Summer Cattail Study 1

Summer Cattail Study- link to the current challenge

We made a trip to our cattail spot for our summer observations. We are in the middle of a drought in my part of California and I was sure that our cattail spot would be dry. I was right.

Summer Cattails (5)

There was no water at all in the pond for this summer observation. The cattail plants were still green but the ground was bone dry.

Summer Cattails (4)

The cattail flowers were really large and the soft parts were much longer than in previous years. What does that mean I wonder?

Summer Cattails (3)

I am estimating that if I was able to stand on the ground next to the cattails that they would be taller than I am…much more than 6 feet I think.

Compare the scene to spring.

Here is a link to our spring cattail observations and journal: Spring Cattail Observations.

Here is what it looked like then.

April 2014 Spring Cattail Observations

The area has filled in a lot since April but the water is all gone making it look very different. We shall now look forward to making some autumn observations.

Have you made your summer cattail observations?

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Outdoor Hour Challenge – Summer Cattail Study

Outdoor Hour Challenge Summer Cattail Study @handbookofnaturestudy

Outdoor Hour Challenge:

This week we are going to use our senses and do a little cattail observation! Make sure to click over to the original challenge to see the list in the Train Your Senses section to get some ideas for your family to try. Also in the challenge, make sure to read the lesson in the Handbook of Nature Study. If you already started a year-long cattail study, revisit your spring spot and note the changes.

Outdoor Hour Challenge Summer Series: Cattail Observations

Special Activity: Pond Study Grid and Bookmark Printable

As a bonus for this challenge I am including the Summer Pond Study notebook page and the Pond Study Grid from the August 2011 Newsletter!

Getting Started Suggestion:

If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #3.  This week you should take a trip to your cattail patch and make some drawings. You can use a blank page in your nature journal or use the notebook page included in the ebook.

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Year-Long Study Reminders – Summer Edition

Year Long Nature Study Summer Reminders

Seasonal Topics – Summer Reminders

Here are some ideas from year-long nature study topics we have done in the past:

You may wish to start a new year-long study this spring using some of the ideas above. If you have a continuing year-long nature study project, don’t forget to put it on your calendar or you may forget to make your autumn observations.

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Spring Cattail Observations and Journal Page

Spring Cattail Observations and Journal @handbookofnaturestudy

Our challenge from last week was to find and observe some spring cattails: Springtime Cattail Observations. We headed over to our local park where we had observed some fabulous cattails last year. Because of the drought, there are not as many as we had noticed during the summer of 2013 and they were much smaller than expected. We are going to mark our calendar to make some summer observations and compare our results.

April 2014 Spring Cattail Observations

There was enough water in the pond to see a beautiful reflection of the clouds and there were insects making little ripples and bubbles in the water. We estimated that the cattails were about three feet high and we will compare the height when we return this summer.

Cattail Fluff spring observations

When we took a closer look at the water’s edge, we saw an old cattail that had disintegrated into a soft pile of fluff. What a great find!

Spring Cattails Nature Topper Journal Page @handbookofnaturestudy

Using the Nature Journal Topper from the April 2014 newsletter, I created a nature journal page with some of my observations and a simple sketch.

Hopefully, your family will get a chance to find a place with cattails for your springtime observations. If you started a year-long study already, return to your cattail spot to make some comparisons for your nature journal.

Do you know where there are cattails in your area?

 

Handbook of Nature Study Ultimate Naturalist Library

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Outdoor Hour Challenge – Spring Cattail Observations

Outdoor Hour Challenge Spring Cattail Observations @handbookofnaturestudy

Outdoor Hour Challenge:

This is a classic springtime study here on the Outdoor Hour Challenge. Take a few minutes this week to think about where you might find some cattails to observe. If nothing else, take a walk at a local stream or pond to explore the springtime weather with your children.

Spring Cattail Observations: This challenge has some simple cattail observations to try with your family.

Spring Cattail Observations: You will find a free printable notebook page in this challenge.

Special Activity:Watercolor Activity


Take some time this week to pull out the watercolors to record your springtime cattail in your nature journal. Fun Suggestion: Use the water from your stream or pond to watercolor!

I searched on Pinterest for “watercolor cattails” and I found loads of inspiration to get started: Pinterest – Watercolor Cattails.

Getting Started Suggestion:

If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #2.   Take a walk and then discuss with your children what they enjoyed during their outdoor time. Help them find words to record in their nature journal or you can follow up with the accompanying notebook page from the ebook. Additional idea: While you are out during your outdoor time, find a wildflower, weed, or leaf to put into your flower press.

Handbook of Nature Study Ultimate Naturalist Library

Note: You can find the Getting Started ebook in all levels of membership here at the Handbook of Nature Study.

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Year-Long Nature Study Reminders – Spring


 
Seasonal Topics – Spring Reminders

Here are some ideas from year-long nature study topics we have done in the past:

You may wish to start a new year-long study this spring using some of the ideas above. If you have a continuing year-long nature study project, don’t forget to put it on your calendar or you may forget to make your spring observations.

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Year-Long Nature Study Reminders – Winter


Seasonal Topics Reminders – Winter

Here are some ideas from year-long nature study topics we have done in the past:

Make sure to add your year-long study to your January or February nature study plans so you don’t forget!!!

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