angelmama1209 Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Anyone have any resources or ideas for doing nature Study in Florida? I've tried the Handbook of Nature Study and looked at lots of other sites and such, but we just don't have much of that stuff here. We go walk a trail at a local park, but it's always the same stuff. TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I found a really cool Guide to Florida Wildlife book at a local museum. I'll have to try and it so I can link it up for you. But maybe you can check a museum's gift shop near you. They are normally stocked with local goodies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I would be interested as well. We are in the Florida Keys and have lots of parks to rotate through, but it would be nice to have a Guide to Florida Wildlife already set up for you. The Florida's Fabulous Birds, Reptiles, etc. have been great, and we also use the Audubon Florida guide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Blue Springs State Park for the manatees! http://www.floridastateparks.org/bluespring/ Tibet-Butler Preserve near the Disney property has a lovely boardwalk, and the staff is terrific. They offer classes, too. http://my.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/pg_grp_sfwmd_landresources/pg_sfwmd_landresources_recopps_ul_tbpa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upward Journey Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Try books from University Press of Florida http://www.upf.com/seriesresult.asp?ser=wildfl http://www.upf.com/subjresults.asp?expres=equals&subj=21&subj2=&indexnum=0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maeintx Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 http://www.evergladesplan.org/education/learning.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynful Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 We are reading The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida. Some things are kind of boring, but you do learn a lot about the different habitats and areas of Florida. http://www.amazon.com/The-Young-Naturalists-Guide-Florida/dp/1561643777/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337008611&sr=8-1 Good luck, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmarango Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 We certainly have a boat load of lovebugs right now. You could easily do a summer insect study...beetles, butterflies, grasshoppers, flies, etc. The Florida's Fabulous series as mentioned by a pp is fabulous. :) If you can make it to Sanibel Island then you can have enough shells for hours of identification. Head to an area with alligators or go bird-watching. Or come to Gainesville and I will give you a personal tour of our Natural History Museum. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelmama1209 Posted May 14, 2012 Author Share Posted May 14, 2012 We certainly have a boat load of lovebugs right now. You could easily do a summer insect study...beetles, butterflies, grasshoppers, flies, etc. The Florida's Fabulous series as mentioned by a pp is fabulous. :) If you can make it to Sanibel Island then you can have enough shells for hours of identification. Head to an area with alligators or go bird-watching. Or come to Gainesville and I will give you a personal tour of our Natural History Museum. ;) We have several of the FF books already, what would be the best way to use them? And we're going camping at Sanibel in 2 weeks! We already have a boatload of shells, though because I went there every single summer until college. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegeyser Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Get a good Florida field guide. I am up in Jacksonville/North Florida area and teach nature study for our co-op. We meet at a church that is surrounded by pine flat woods (seems boring at first glance). We constantly have opportunities for nature. Here were our spring topics: 1. Carolina Jessamine Gallberry 2. Duck: Hooded Merganser 3. Trees: Baldcypress Sweetgum 4. Epiphytes: Deer Moss Ball Moss Spanish Moss 5. Reptiles: Gopher Turtle Florida Softshell Turtle 6. Dragonflies Blue Darner Common Green Darner 7. Sword Ferns Let me know if you are interested in our fall study. We had a FL theme for that semester and studied our state tree and other state nature symbols. You'll start to see more nature opportunities as you begin studying it. In Florida even the ditches are usually full of cattails, wildflowers, etc. And you shouldn't have a shortage of insects or spiders! You tube has been great too. We have enjoyed Green Deane's Eat the Weeds series. I think he is out past Live Oak somewhere. My co-teacher made jam out of American Beautyberry (fall study) for our class. It was a hit! HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof2:E&T Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 There is a reptile discovery center in Deland. I went on a field trip with my 7 yo daughter and we got to see them do venom extractions. Here is their website: http://www.reptilediscoverycenter.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in FL Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Catie Frates has a great ecology of Florida online class that lots of Florida folks and coops use. (She teaches at coops all over the state. The textbook she recommends is Priceless Florida and her website is http://www.catiefrates.com/middle_school_science.html. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelmama1209 Posted May 15, 2012 Author Share Posted May 15, 2012 Get a good Florida field guide. I am up in Jacksonville/North Florida area and teach nature study for our co-op. We meet at a church that is surrounded by pine flat woods (seems boring at first glance). We constantly have opportunities for nature. Here were our spring topics: 1. Carolina Jessamine Gallberry 2. Duck: Hooded Merganser 3. Trees: Baldcypress Sweetgum 4. Epiphytes: Deer Moss Ball Moss Spanish Moss 5. Reptiles: Gopher Turtle Florida Softshell Turtle 6. Dragonflies Blue Darner Common Green Darner 7. Sword Ferns Let me know if you are interested in our fall study. We had a FL theme for that semester and studied our state tree and other state nature symbols. You'll start to see more nature opportunities as you begin studying it. In Florida even the ditches are usually full of cattails, wildflowers, etc. And you shouldn't have a shortage of insects or spiders! You tube has been great too. We have enjoyed Green Deane's Eat the Weeds series. I think he is out past Live Oak somewhere. My co-teacher made jam out of American Beautyberry (fall study) for our class. It was a hit! HTH! really?!?! my kids LOVE finding beautyberries! i would love to see your fall study. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegeyser Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 FL-themed fall study: 1. PLANT: Palms 1.) Sabal Palmetto “Cabbage Palm†2.) Dwarf Palmetto 3.) Saw Palmetto 2. Lizard: 1.) Green Anole 2.) Florida Scrub Lizard 3.) Southeastern Five-lined Skink 3. TREE: Oaks 1.) Live Oak 2.) Water Oak 3.) Sandhill/Scrub Oak 4. BIRD: Mockingbird 5. ARTHROPOD: Scorpion 1.) Florida bark scorpion 2.) Hentz striped scorpion 3.) Guiana striped scorpion 6. PLANT: Pressing Wildflowers 7. PLANT: Beautyberry 8. MAMMAL: Manatee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegeyser Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 beautyberry jelly recipe: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmschooling Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 I found these to be pretty great sources of info. http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/species/ http://youngfloridanaturalistsguide.blogspot.com/2009/10/handbook-of-nature-study.html Here, click on teacher resources, nature & land, or other choice in the subject box. http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/publications/search.php?id=13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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