Carpe Diem Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 I know this is probably a silly question but how do you have your kids nature journal? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaMere Academy Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 They have a bound 3 ring artist book with lines across the bottom half of the page only. We go on nature walks and bring our journals, so if they see something they can draw it right then...usually what happens (at least this year) is that we take photographs and most of our drawings are taken from the photographs later on. I like it because you can zoom in on the detail on the computer picture program. Anyway...we used to draw from the actual specimen only and my dd 9 still loves to do this. Sometimes we're just too busy walking and looking to stop and draw or there's no "safe" place to stop and draw...think fire ants. I only have one child who is really interested in it...we've kept journals for about 3 years off and on, mostly off. We're back doing it regular now but I have to tell my other children "today I want you to find one thing to draw in your nature journal" I don't want to force them, but it is part of our studies. If they really balk I just leave them alone. I don't know if I helped at all, you can click the link to our nature journal blog in my signature to see some samples of the children's drawings, you may have to go back a page or two to see them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kls126s Posted June 24, 2008 Share Posted June 24, 2008 You didn't mentioned how old your dc are, and I do think that makes a bit of a difference. I have youngers, so I'll give you my approach, FWIW... We do the Outdoor Hour Challenges... um... semi-regularly :glare: and I take pictures. Since they are younger, we spend more time talking and looking and just interacting. I try to be quiet and let them just look, like CM says, although I do point out things they haven't noticed or answer questions. Once we get home, I download the pics and let them choose one to draw from and print it for them. Once they are done drawing, I write their narration for them. We have used spiral bound sketchbooks and binders with sheet protectors. I really like the sketchbooks, but binders have the benefit of being expandable so you don't run out of room. Also, if they "mess up" a drawing, you just give them a new piece of paper and they go on. No tears over having to pull a page out of the sketchbook. We do it this way so that littles with short attention spans are enjoying being outside and then they can take their time drawing what we looked at and talking about it, looking it up in one of our guide books, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carpe Diem Posted June 24, 2008 Author Share Posted June 24, 2008 are 11 and 7. Thanks for the replies so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carpe Diem Posted June 25, 2008 Author Share Posted June 25, 2008 I've read the blog that was linked. It looks so interesting. I could probably spend hours digging around in there. I noticed a few names like Jessica at Trivium Academy. Anyway, how do I start with this? I saw the outdoor hour challenge and also a green hour challenge (I think that was what it was called but now I can't find it among all the links I clicked on). So, first I buy the book listed HNS. Then I look for the current challenge listed? Is that correct? Thanks for the great ideas. Any further help would be appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 We have only started formal nature study recently and we just make the time to go for a walk, take cameras and sketch books, and have fun. There was a bush fire near us a couple of months ago and we went last week to see the regrowth (Australia here, the bush loves fires! Fire is needed for many plants seeds to germinate), and we ended up spending 2 hours for our 30 minute nature walk. Just the act of getting out with the intention of noticing our surroundings- whether we draw or photograph or not- feels like a great thing to do, and we always see something of interest...usually many things. The fact we do this during school time, for my kids, who are older, is a thrill for them. I think the act of noticing and commenting on the surroundings in a way that is more focused than normal, is more the point, that drawing, myself, so drawing and taking photos are the icing on the cake here, and if we don't get to them, I don't feel the walk has been a waste. Just noticing the seasonal changes...for us, the winter rain brings wildflowers and it's such a buzz to take the time to just go and see what flower is out this week. I will have wonderful memories of this time in the bush with my kids, since we live in suburbia, and I am glad to be carving out the time in our busy week to do this with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kls126s Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 I've read the blog that was linked. It looks so interesting. I could probably spend hours digging around in there. I noticed a few names like Jessica at Trivium Academy. Anyway, how do I start with this? I saw the outdoor hour challenge and also a green hour challenge (I think that was what it was called but now I can't find it among all the links I clicked on). So, first I buy the book listed HNS. Then I look for the current challenge listed? Is that correct? Thanks for the great ideas. Any further help would be appreciated! HNS is Handbook of Nature Study - a comprehensive classic used by many. Outdoor Hour Challege is the same as Green Hour Challenge. Green Hour Challenge was the original name, but Barb had to change it due to some trademark issues or something. (More details here.) We just go to the blog each week and read the current challenge. Barb usually has a pdf you can print to look at a hard copy if that helps. Then we just go do it! Read the HNS pages for more background. My kids are younger, so I generally read that for my information and summarize for them. As they get older I'll read it together with them or have them read it on their own. We nature journal as I explained above. Let me know if you have other questions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaMere Academy Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 We also do the Outdoor Hour Challenges, I highly recommend them, they'll help you get started. Barb's blog is wonderful, I go there almost daily. I would buy HNS, maybe a guide or two for where you live, I have to use guides specifically for Florida along with HNS. Get a nature journal for you and the kids and take a walk! It's as easy as that to get started. I find the kids get more into it if they see me get excited and they're more likely to draw if I'm drawing. Nature studies are our focus this summer and we're having a great time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 We are using Barb's nature study as well. I started back at week one not that long ago. We have a very "natural" yard and it has truly helped me appreciate it. I downloaded the book (it is a large file!) and print only the pages Barb mentions. I also print out each nature study instructions from her blog. My ds and I have sketchbooks to do our drawings. Right now he is not so much into the drawings so I don't push him to do it. I sometimes give him a few words to write in it. They are a blast for us. We take about 15 minutes to do our walk every Wednesday morning. It truly helps our mornings start a little easier, when we were doing school full time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carpe Diem Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 I think I have a better understanding of this now. Thanks so much. I love reading all of your blogs, too. Maybe someday I will have one. Well first I need to get an avatar for this forum. That would be a start! Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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