QuirkyKidAcademy Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I'm a US Southeastern girl. I was raised among towering pines and babbling streams. We moved to the high desert of southeastern NM two years ago (and began our homeschooling journey). I'd love to do some nature study stuff with DS, but all the ideas in books I've seen seem to be for more forested or prairie type areas. We have ONE tree on our 5 acres - about 8ft tall. We are surrounded by creosote plants and cholla cactus (which seems to be suffering a blight as they are all dying). No grass/weeds; no bushes. Cactus, creosote, and dirt. And snakes. The only thing that really changes around here is the temperature - cool in the winter (even cold occasionally) and hot as Hades in the summer. (On the bright side - no humidity and no mosquitoes! Love that!) After you get through shaking your head at how unimaginative I am, I'd appreciate suggestions on activities and/or books that might give me ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Maybe get some materials from here? http://www.acornnaturalists.com/store/Desert-Adventures-C32.aspx (We don't live in the desert but their materials for other habitats are good.) Check out the links on the left hand side, too. I just linked to what I could find in a glance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deerforest Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 One Small Square - Cactus Desert would be a good place to start. We have several of the books and though the target age is a bit younger, it might be a good starting point. Seymour Simon and Gail Gibbons have some too but, again, too young I think. We loved their books, though, so I wouldn't automatically dismiss them. We have also used some of the books in this series, and they have one for deserts: Deserts: An Activity Guide for Ages 6-9. I think I'd go to the library or local bookstore and look through local nature study guides. Surely they'd have locally-relevant resources. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I highly recommend Meet the Wild Southwest and Geology of the Desert Southwest. I am using these as the basis for a year long desert nature study field guide project (and if I ever finish working it up :glare:, I'll share :D). But for now, try these for a good start. And field guides...lots and lots of field guides! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKidAcademy Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 Thank you so much! Great suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmpmelmack Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I highly recommend Meet the Wild Southwest and Geology of the Desert Southwest. I am using these as the basis for a year long desert nature study field guide project (and if I ever finish working it up :glare:, I'll share :D). But for now, try these for a good start. And field guides...lots and lots of field guides! We use these too, we have done our best so far by just getting out and looking around. Never thought i would know the name of every type of grasshopper we see here! Also a backyard bird Study is pretty easy, we have lots of birds and hummingbirds at our feeders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kubiac Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Are there any local parks you could visit on a regular basis? Are you close to Carlsbad Caverns? Any local national forests with a nature center? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaz Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 How about a Sonoran Desert Unit Study? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKidAcademy Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 We are two hours from Carlsbad and about 1.5hrs from a national forest. Great resources for a few times a year but not feasible on a regular basis. I need to get hummingbird feeders. Those would be a lot of fun. I think I'm jaded about our new location. I look at the pictures of the Sonoran desert and think how lush it looks! I need to adjust my perspective and my attitude. I will look at that link more closely. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 One Small Square - Cactus Desert would be a good place to start. We have several of the books and though the target age is a bit younger, it might be a good starting point. Seymour Simon and Gail Gibbons have some too but, again, too young I think. We loved their books, though, so I wouldn't automatically dismiss them. We have also used some of the books in this series, and they have one for deserts: Deserts: An Activity Guide for Ages 6-9. I think I'd go to the library or local bookstore and look through local nature study guides. Surely they'd have locally-relevant resources. Good luck! :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I'd definitely use Byrd Baylor books. Since your son is older I'd use them as writing/poetry prompts. You're in a very special place. Maybe you won't live there forever? Don't miss the opportunity to experience desert life. Maybe broaden your thinking to the overall worldwide uniqueness of desert existence. Very cool! Can you visit a nature center? The desert is full of life, you just have to change your thinking a bit. hth :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKidAcademy Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 I'd definitely use Byrd Baylor books. Since your son is older I'd use them as writing/poetry prompts. You're in a very special place. Maybe you won't live there forever? Don't miss the opportunity to experience desert life. Maybe broaden your thinking to the overall worldwide uniqueness of desert existence. Very cool! Can you visit a nature center? The desert is full of life, you just have to change your thinking a bit. hth :001_smile: I absolutely 100% agree with you, Helena. It's been my attitude holding me back, not my surroundings. Thank you, everyone, for your insightful and thoughtful responses. I will start my mental transformation immediately. Surely there are things to discover in a desert autumn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Jen* Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Coming from the Southeast out to NM (Las Cruces) I totally understand your attitude about the area. We've been here 9 months (and thankfully heading back to the Southeast in a few weeks) and I've never adjusted to the landscape. I just don't like it. We went to the Gila National Forest this past weekend and I just wanted to run through the grass and pine trees. The lower areas made me feel like I was back in the Southeast. I have younger kids but things that we have enjoyed - Carlsbad Caverns and watching the Bat flight in the evening which lead to a couple of weeks of reading about bats. - One Small Square - Cactus Desert - Taking the time to hike and get to know the animals and insects around here. There are a lot of great guides for this area. - Bird feeders and Humming bird feeders - We've had a great number of humming birds around once we put up our feeder and even had a nest built in our tree that we could see. Even though we've taken the time to get to know the area... I still hate it! I'll be happy to go back home to lots of trees, grass, streams, and rainy days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 (edited) I absolutely 100% agree with you, Helena. It's been my attitude holding me back, not my surroundings. Thank you, everyone, for your insightful and thoughtful responses. I will start my mental transformation immediately. Surely there are things to discover in a desert autumn! I understand. I moved to south side Tucson and lived there for a couple years (this was a long time ago). I lived in a tiny homemade house and felt like I was getting back to my roots. After two years I went running home to the beach and my mother (and my soon to be hubby). I could never, ever, ever, ever, live there again, but I'm so glad I did for a little while. I'm a coastal girl. :) I've let the years wear away all the grimy, hot sticky memories. :lol: All I remember now are the smells, the magic of early morning, heavy rains, lightning, rattlesnakes, and saguaro. And of course the wild memories of S. Tucson barrio! How about a unit study on Pozole? Haha! That would be awesome!! You could learn about how (and the history) beans, corn, and chili are grown in such harsh conditions. Maybe even try to grow a pozole garden. I'd look around for a native seed bank to visit and buy from. Let them know you're new to the area and that you're homeschoolers. Maybe a study on incense? Maybe learning about plants like sage, sweetgrass, etc. How to dry, prepare, and burn. Grow an incense garden. Have you looks at Private Eye's jeweler loupes? The whole premise is to look closer: http://the-private-eye.com/index.html It doesn't rely on you being in a particular region. This is our new take on a nature corner. We just put it up so we haven't had much of a chance to work on it. It's an old printers drawer used as a shadow box. We're changing ours out seasonally, but you could just do one that evolves with time. As you slowly find nature treasures (I'd even put in old metal and found junk) you might be surprised at what it shows you. Any hoo... those were some of the things I was thinking about while out running errands. :tongue_smilie: I'd love a nature studies update in a year! Best of luck! Edited September 19, 2012 by helena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKidAcademy Posted September 19, 2012 Author Share Posted September 19, 2012 Fabulous ideas! We actually have a "nature shelf" on an old ladder/shelf. Just haven't added to it in ages. Jen, glad you are headed home! My son says that science is his favorite subject (things like reading and math come slowly and painfully for him) so while we are adding necessary rigor to our days, I also want to add fun stuff. All these ideas will help do that. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Fabulous ideas! We actually have a "nature shelf" on an old ladder/shelf. Just haven't added to it in ages. Jen, glad you are headed home! My son says that science is his favorite subject (things like reading and math come slowly and painfully for him) so while we are adding necessary rigor to our days, I also want to add fun stuff. All these ideas will help do that. Thank you! Wow, that's a great idea!! I might have to do that one year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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