High School Nature Study?

[Bee Happy]

What do you recommend for a teen that still wants to do nature study with her younger siblings? Can I give credit for this some way? Include it in her Biology grade? She'll do it whether I can credit it or not, but wondered if there were any other teens that still did nature study out there.

[JennW in SoCal]

What do you recommend for a teen that still wants to do nature study with her younger siblings? Can I give credit for this some way? Include it in her Biology grade? She'll do it whether I can credit it or not, but wondered if there were any other teens that still did nature study out there.

 

Nan can tell you more about this, but there is a Nature Study course for high schoolers through Mother of Divine Grace which looks very good and can be quite secular. I never used it but had it bookmarked for years.

 

Cornell University, through Project Feeder Watch has an ornithology course which homeschoolers can use -- it may be more than your dd wants. But nature studies can be part of biology, art and English courses.

 

My ds became an avid bird watcher through participating in Project Feeder Watch, a "citizen science" activity that runs from November through April, I believe. There are also similar bee counts and urban bird count citizen science activities -- where non-scientists report their counts and observations. All if it is wonderful for a high schooler.

[Bee Happy]

Nan can tell you more about this, but there is a Nature Study course for high schoolers through Mother of Divine Grace which looks very good and can be quite secular. I never used it but had it bookmarked for years.

 

Cornell University, through Project Feeder Watch has an ornithology course which homeschoolers can use -- it may be more than your dd wants. But nature studies can be part of biology, art and English courses.

 

My ds became an avid bird watcher through participating in Project Feeder Watch, a "citizen science" activity that runs from November through April, I believe. There are also similar bee counts and urban bird count citizen science activities -- where non-scientists report their counts and observations. All if it is wonderful for a high schooler.

 

Thank you so much!

[Chrysalis Academy]

Ecology, maybe?

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

I would add in something like this

http://www.howgreatthouart.com/products/111.html

or maybe

http://www.amazon.com/Keeping-Nature-Journal-Discover-Seeing/dp/1580174930/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340969527&sr=1-1&keywords=nature+journal

In other words, have her create a very well done nature journal. Insist on labeling not only the common names but locate the scientific name.

A well created nature journal such as the above could earn an art credit.

 

To add to your science credit or even earn one:

Maybe she could be in charge of specific nature study ideas. We always have at least one nature study project going. Have her keep detailed records and a lab book...make it very scientific.

Do a detailed study of a particular nature site. Detailing the flora and fauna, seasonal happenings, anything dealing with the area. Do research on her findings, even come up with a thesis statement and spend the year investigating to find out if her statement is true, then write a paper on her findings.

Create a brochure for a nature trail. Maybe even talk with park services or whomever cares for the trails. See if they would mind if your dd makes markers to identify trees and other natural things along the trail. Make a guide to go with it. Even volenteer to help care for a trail.

[TravelingChris]

I think my dd would love to do something like this. THanks for the suggestions. My dd will have a lot of science on her transcript but she is always up for doing more.

[Bee Happy]

Great ideas!