Nature Study for Pencil Phobic Child (almost 11yrs)

[Pam B]

:lol: So, we're trying really hard to do a nature study this year. I really want it in depth and fun- enjoyable. However, my youngest son, soon to be 11 yrs old, wants nothing to do with drawing or writing. I know there has been discussion of picture taking instead on here, but is there any other options? I don't mind if he does nature study via photography, but I'm wanting something else at least to add a little variation.

Thank you so much!

[Pippen]

Someone here mentioned a Carson Zorb digital magnifier and since I didn't think I could justify a good quality microscope I got one. I think it's a very cool tool...until I used it to look at my skin and then it got scary. ;)

 

http://www.amazon.com/Carson-Digital-Microscope-Optical-Safari/dp/B001GIDW2S/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1271445398&sr=8-4

 

There's a youtube video about it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7Ij8URBdZA

[Just Robyn]

Is it just pencils? What about painting? I think the CM recommendation is to bring a sample home (rather than journaling while you're still in nature) and use watercolors. That's what Levinson said at the Cincinnati convention anyhow.

[Pam B]

Is it just pencils? QUOTE]

 

No, it's not, it's everything. No pens, pencils, markers, paints, crayons, all that stuff. Says it hates it and it makes his hand hurt.

[Pam B]

Someone here mentioned a Carson Zorb digital magnifier and since I didn't think I could justify a good quality microscope I got one. I think it's a very cool tool...until I used it to look at my skin and then it got scary. ;)

 

 

 

:lol::lol:

[Pam B]

Someone here mentioned a Carson Zorb digital magnifier and since I didn't think I could justify a good quality microscope I got one. I think it's a very cool tool...until I used it to look at my skin and then it got scary. ;)

 

http://www.amazon.com/Carson-Digital-Microscope-Optical-Safari/dp/B001GIDW2S/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1271445398&sr=8-4

 

There's a youtube video about it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7Ij8URBdZA

 

 

Does this take batteries- can you take it outside?

[Just Robyn]

He could use a video camera, then he wouldn't have to write either. He could just talk about what he's looking at etc. and maybe learn about video editing.

 

ETA: The Carson Zorb thing takes pictures, right? Maybe he could make a nature blog.

Edited April 17, 2010 by crstarlette

[PeterPan]

My dd is the same way, which is a whole other discussion as to WHY. (I switched her over to a fountain pen this year and am working on things this summer to build shoulder and hand strength.) But anyways, no, the CM-style nature notebooks don't fly around here, even though we LOVE nature, nature walks, etc. Pictures? Why? We have tons of field guides and we just DO it. We take walks and collect things, then look them up. I got a Brock magiscope so she could look at things (objects, etc.) under it. She's forever collecting things and looking them up. It's spring, so this is a good time to take walks and identify wildflowers as they come up. We usually mark in our guide books the date and location when we see something. That's not too much writing, but still informative. Now would be a good time to study clouds. It's a good time to garden, weed the flower beds, dig up things, etc. Mushrooms are coming up now. My dd just picked a bunch of morels last night. We have tadpoles in the pond doing their thing, so that would be something else to look for. Sometimes they're in puddles even.

 

Feel free to ditch the CM-stuff and that obligation to have some formal output. You can enjoy nature just fine without it. :)

[AudreyTN]

Says it hates it and it makes his hand hurt.

 

What about finger painting?

 

Or a nature collection? Flatten and laminate leaves, flowers, etc...

[Pam B]

hmm. These are interesting ideas. I'll have to see what ds thinks!! :)

[Sebastian (a lady)]

What about a family nature study blog.

 

Each entry could have a couple pictures and captions or a narration of what was observed?

 

That would remove the handwriting mechanics from the writing process and give a more immediate result.

 

The Handbook of Nature Study blog even has frequent nature study challenges where other bloggers can include links to their blog posts.

 

If you keep this focused on nature study rather than personal updates and keep names as pseudonyms, I think that this would be a safe enough supervised outlet.

[EKS]

How about photography/film with narration?

[Kirch]

Would he be willing to take pictures and/or collect samples and then type journal entries or information about the samples when he gets home?

[Pam B]

I've thought about the blogging, as well as the collecting- I'm just nervous! As for the collecting- Last time I did it- I ended up with a laminated moldy flower! :lol:

 

Blogging............ Hmmmmmmmmmm.... I think he would like this.. a lot.

 

Any preferred free sites?

[momof2jb]

Hi,

 

We have a nature notebook that we do imprints, shading, drying, pressing, and just about anything else with nature. That was how we started then I started requiring labels on things and then it just kind of blossomed into the kids sketching, taking pictures and what have. Just keep it simple. Get out your handbook and read about what you see and find - then talk about it.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Serena

[helena]

If you want it to be in depth maybe you could focus on one subject per month. That way you can break up any writing or drawing into smaller quantities, and focus on reading, exploring, and collecting.

For example if you wanted to focus on birds you could read a book (like There's an Owl in the Shower?), and some information type books, Do activities like measuring out various wing spans and labeling them on the wall, dissect owl pellets, find a local bird sanctuary and spend the month bird watching, invest in a bird identiflyer. build a bird feeder or a bird house. Experiment with different seeds and see which birds it attracts. Watch a good documentary on birds...

 

 

Have you seen these?

http://www.the-private-eye.com/html/materials/desksets/kits.html#wiab

The World in a Box is so much fun. There is no pressure to these things, you simply glue in your treasures as you find them. We've had ours for 2 years now, sometimes months will go by before one of the kids will glue something in. The other day one of my daughters come home with a lovely cracked blue egg. We glued some good felt into the bottom of the container and mounted it in. It looks beautiful. Some kids really enjoy this finding and mounting of specimen type stuff. And it's very creative in it's own way. The loupe (with lanyard) is a fun enhancement to nature walks.http://www.the-private-eye.com/html/materials/MATmenu.html#loupes. You have to scroll down a little to see them.

 

Writing can easily be covered in other subjects, why add it to this? If you want him to memorize facts, names and classifications, that could be done in other ways, even by quick daily reviews of nature posters. http://www.nature-watch.com/arachnids-laminated-poster-p-953.html?cPath=142_153'>http://www.nature-watch.com/arachnids-laminated-poster-p-953.html?cPath=142_153'>http://www.nature-watch.com/arachnids-laminated-poster-p-953.html?cPath=142_153'>http://www.nature-watch.com/arachnids-laminated-poster-p-953.html?cPath=142_153

 

To make the most of outings, I'm learning how helpful it is to first visit the web-sites of the places we go. Here are a few examples of places we've been:

Huntington Gardens, http://www.huntington.org/huntingtonlibrary.aspx?id=824&linkidentifier=id&itemid=824

Local community center where fossils are being dug up:http://www.ci.laguna-hills.ca.us/depts/commsvcs/fossil/default.asp This way the kids have a little backround, and all of the information doesn't get lost in the fun of running around.

 

Have you considered starting a garden, a compost, a terrarium, ant farm, butterfly farm etc?

 

Here are some fun place to look at nature studies products:

http://www.acornnaturalists.com/

http://www.nature-watch.com/

http://www.montessoriservices.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=105_3320

Edited April 18, 2010 by helena

[Pippen]

Does this take batteries- can you take it outside?

 

It would have to hook into a laptop for use outside.

[Pippen]

Have you seen these?

http://www.the-private-eye.com/html/materials/desksets/kits.html#wiab

The World in a Box is so much fun.

 

Thanks for posting this!! We have a short nature/ecology unit scheduled for the end of the year and I think I'll order this as it can do double duty as a fair project.

[Pam B]

Wow, I looked at those sites. Great ideas! I already went to the store and bought some tiny containers for the stuff they bring home. :) Yeah! I'm so excited! Thank you all for the great ideas!