Mommy22alyns Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 I'm "supposed" to do nature journaling as part of our science. I pretty much hate it, but I got the girls out last Wednesday and they got really into it. Soooo..... We have a pretty good sized backyard, but there aren't a lot of other outdoor spaces we could go and explore. Maybe one park that's not too far away. So how do you keep up variety when you're hitting the same one or two spots all the time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MathFour Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Instead of looking for variety in what they find, think about variety in the questions you ask about what they may find. Suppose on day 1 they find 6 things. Day 2 can be one new question to investigate about each of those 6 things (and then they can note any new things they find). There becomes an ongoing list of critters or plants they find and then another ongoing list of questions about those critters/plants. If the questions get interesting, they might want to google them. And NOW you've going some crazy science going on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Sit spot journalling. You pick a location, sit there for 20 minutes per day, and journal your observations. No talking, just quiet observation and writing. That way you see the seasons as they roll around, and critters get used to your presence and start to behave naturally nearby instead of hiding, and your observations of necessity become increasingly detailed. Sketching is good, also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 (edited) Phenology: the branch of biology that studies the relation between variations in climate and periodic biological phenomena, as the migration of birds or the flowering of plants. What is phenology? Beginning phenology with children September Phenology Recording worksheets Edited September 3, 2012 by Hunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 We set up a bird feeder in the backyard...I'm hoping to draw some nature in (and we can even watch birds from the comfort of our living room). :lol: We also added a few houseplants. ;) I'm not much for nature either. Another idea would be to draw the same tree (or area) throughout the seasons. We also try to study nature as it comes up...I'll often find a bug, seed, or flower when I'm taking the dog out. We have a nice state park nearby, but I don't like going without DH. We try to go a few times a year. Last month we all went to a botanical garden as well. It's not regular, but they still enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 (edited) I would do specific nature studies: Collect leaves from your trees and find the names of them, then go for a neighborhood walk and see if you can spot the same trees elsewhere, then another day look for different trees in the neighborhood. Look for acorns or seeds in yard then in neighborhood. Mushrooms. Lift a rock and see what you find. Make a bug trap. Do a monthly study of one area in the yard and note the difference. Take a pic each month and compare it to the other month pics. Bird watch. Bug watch. Look to the sky during the day and night. Map the stars you see each month. Note the rising and setting of the sun each week and note how the sun moves through the year. There is so much you can do in a back yard and neighborhood. Do not let the small size or lack of nature trails keep you from enjoying this free science curriculum. This January we are going to be making a nature journal on our neighborhood. We are going to record the names of trees, plants/flowers. Birds, animals, bugs. In other words we are going to make a nature journal of all the flora and fauna on our street through out the year. This will include weather also. It will be an interesting project. This is something that can be done with a neighborhood that is full of plant life or not, or if area is big or small. Edited September 4, 2012 by Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenniferp8 Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 You might check out the "private eye" curriculum. It uses a jeweler's loupe to look closer at things and then compare them using analogies to other things they see/know. If that interests you, I have the book for sale on my post here: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/showthread.php?t=422153 Jennifer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted September 4, 2012 Author Share Posted September 4, 2012 Thanks for the ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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