Need some nature journal ideas

[NorCalMom]

Would you please share how you and your dc have created nature journals? What types of notebooks do you use? How do you make them up...what do you include? I've seen some ready-to-go journals in catalogs, but I'm sure that you creative moms out there have done a lot better. We would be creating one for both dd and ds (he can't be left out:)).

 

Thanks,

[wheezie]

:lurk5: Can't wait to see the replies!:001_smile:

[NorCalMom]

Bumping for morning crew!

[starlashine]

Have not REALLY started yet, but I have aquired Handbook of Nature Study, Keeping a Nature Journal, and some Moleskine notebooks. To start I think we are going to be collecting at least one thing per walk, hopefully 30 min walk two times a week. We will draw said item and look in Handbook of Nature Study and the internet for more info. I am going to slowly pick up some specific nature guides as I become more aware of what his interests are in nature and what is around the area. Also got handheld microscope and bug jar because I thought they would be fun for him. HTH

[Dayle in Guatemala]

Would you please share how you and your dc have created nature journals? What types of notebooks do you use? How do you make them up...what do you include? I've seen some ready-to-go journals in catalogs, but I'm sure that you creative moms out there have done a lot better. We would be creating one for both dd and ds (he can't be left out:)).

 

Thanks,

 

 

I just used the spiral bound scrapbooks (the smaller ones) from Wal-mart or local craft store. These work great because they're blank and the pages are thick. They aren't too expensive and we use one per year, roughly. I let them decorate the covers with magazine cutouts and drawings. Then they pack them into their backpacks which go into the car to go with us everywhere. Here's what's in their backpacks:

 

1. Their nature journals.:001_smile:

 

2. Good pencils and erasers with a good sharpener. Also really nice color pencils.

 

3. Scissors, ruler, flower/leaf press, glue stick, double-sided tape, mounting tape

 

4. Water bottle, small jars for specimens!, envelopes

 

I also carry one that has a magnifying glass, field guides, our cell phone, a digital camera, bandaids, antibacterial wipes, triple antibiotic ointment, bug spray, and sun block.

 

We hike to a spot and set up. They all can draw what they wish, good books for this are: Keeping a Nature Journal by Clare Walker Leslie and Charles E. Roth, and Drawing Nature by Stanley Maltzman.

 

I require that they put the date and weather information on the page. They also have to put the location and something about the area we are in (is there a pond? What kind of wildlife have we seen? What kind of plant life is there? That kind of stuff!)

 

On days we can't get out, we look through and add poetry or Bible verses that come to mind that work with that particular page. That's about it. We keep them with us because then we can draw at a whim if we happen to come across something cool. We've been glad for that when we were able to observe owls on the side of the road and bats swirling over an old chimney.

 

This is what we do. We try to do it every week, but, there are weeks that go by that it doesn't get done. That's what the digital camera is for. If we can't get outside, we look at pictures we've taken and scrapbook into our nature journals things we've taken pictures of.

 

Have fun!

[NorCalMom]

Thanks ladies! You've given me some ideas to get started.

[Julie in GA]

We also use spiral bound books, from JoAnn, or wherever I can get them cheaply. RRC also sells some sketchbooks for $1.75 or so, that we have used. The older the child, the higher-quality sketchbook they use.

 

I splurged on a nice wooden box of Prismacolor pencils from Timberdoodle (actually a very good price) and we use these only for school art projects & nature journals, so they have "special" status.

 

For the most part, our nature study is done in our own backyard. Examples of entries include:

 

-bugs found

-birds

-lizards

-leaves & trees (bark specimens, etc.)

-flowers

-things growing in the vegetable garden

-sky & weather

-general descriptions of weather and scenery (i.e., draw what you see in the backyard -- the "big picture")

 

My older dc are also allowed to roam the neighborhood for interesting specimens.

 

For things like birds & lizards, I let them use a digital camera to take a picture, and then draw from the image on the computer screen.

 

All entries must include the date & location (usually home for us), and preferable also include a description of the weather.

 

Here's an example of one of my ds's pages:

 

"Little Peep"

[NorCalMom]

Julie, thank you for sharing. Your son's journal entry is fabulous! I have some great ideas of what to do now.:001_smile:

[NewHomeSchoolMarm]

We went to the dollar store and purchased several unlined sketch books ($1.00 each...what a steal!!!)--which my girls just love. I let them draw anything they see outside, whenever they want and we just talk about it. My older dd I ask to write a caption for her drawings, where my younger dd just draws. I have saved them over the last two years and it is amazing to see the growth in my dd's books. I guess for us they have turned into sweet momentos.

[JaneNickerson]

I found this site to be very helpful:

http://www.handbookofnaturestudy.blogspot.com

 

I plan on attempting the "outdoor hour challenges" this summer and fall.

[Chris in VA]

I'm the ultimate cheapy--which you probably know if you've seen our timeline!:D

 

For dd8's nature notebook, we used an old (but clean) binder and plain white paper. Every time she wanted to make a page, we put it in a page protector (Got them from the dollar store!). She adds pressed flowers and leaves (press in a phone book), her drawings of what she sees, pictures she takes, and (rarely) nature copywork (taken from Bible verses, hymns, poems). Having the page protectors lets her slip in feathers, too.

 

I like separate pages rather than something bound because she's not afraid to make a mistake--she just makes a new page. Of course, the page protectors keep everything, even pastel drawings, very nice.

[NorCalMom]

Thank you everyone for all your responses. They're just great!

 

And Chris, I'm all about cheap!:D