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If not Comstock Nature Study then what?


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I was browsing a thread where a lot of posters said they were disappointed in Comstock's Nature Study, which is on my to buy list for next year. So tell me what's better?

 

When you say people are dissapointed, do you mean the book itself, or the website that uses her book?

 

http://handbookofnaturestudy.blogspot.ca/

 

I'm thinking of informally using the blog (and therefor the book). I have the book and I don't think I'd ever just wing it from that. I also would like to get either paper or app version of Audubon field guides.

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I mostly use field guides for my area for nature study. However, where the Comstock guide excels is in its lovely conversational descriptions of flora and fauna. These are harder to come by in modern books. I recommend setting aside a day to visit your local bookstore (if you have a good one) and then to plant yourself in front of your computer to do an Amazon search for your area. Look for individual books on insects, mammals, trees, wildflowers, etc. Read the reviews and buy the ones that have a tone you enjoy. I have a wonderful older book called The Curious Naturalist that has a great conversational tone somewhat similar to Comstock but that is out of print as well. The books by Clara Dillingham Pierson are good, as are many other older books. I do love the pictures in newer books though.

 

I am still unpacking all of our school books but if I see anymore I can recommend as I finish up, I will post again.

 

ETA: I found Naturally Curious when I looked for The Curious Naturalist. If I lived in New England, I would snatch this book up in a heartbeat! Beautiful, well-written nature books are out there. Field guides are good, and you need them. But when you're looking for something to replace Comstock, find books by nature writers, people who are writing about the subject because they love nature! Dry descriptions will not do to replace that tome.

Edited by Alte Veste Academy
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But when you're looking for something to replace Comstock, find books by nature writers, people who are writing about the subject because they love nature! Dry descriptions will not do to replace that tome.

Thank you that is what I was wondering, we have lots of field guide but I was interested in something more CM

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I love love love the HBNS with the Outdoor Hour Challenge. I have also used the HBNS as a basis for many other lessons not covered in the OHC. It isn't a workbook, nor a field guide, in my opinion. I just talk about different topics and my kids sketch what we discuss in their nature journals and then we go outside and apply what we have learned. I have observed many more things than I would have without using it.

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You can download Comstock's Nature Study for free if you want to check it out for yourself: http://archive.org/details/handbookofnature002506mbp.

 

The NaturExplorer units look cool to me. I've been slowly buying them to use next year. I plan on doing a huge nature study year to go along with Animals and their Worlds Gr. 1 that we are using in September.

Edited by teeniebeenie6
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