48820592 Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Do you have some resources/ideas you could share to help me get started on planning for a class on Exploring our Natural World. I'm thinking pond study, animal tracks, habitats, insects, etc. I would like it to be hands on and not too bookish. Thanks for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clear Creek Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 How about Exploring Nature With Children? From the sample it looks like it would be easy to pick and choose the activities for a co-op. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
48820592 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share Posted June 17, 2016 How about Exploring Nature With Children? From the sample it looks like it would be easy to pick and choose the activities for a co-op. Thanks, Clear Creek, this looks promising. Any other ideas on something that is for the most part planned out with hands on activities? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Books! I Love Dirt Coyote's Guide to Connecting With Nature Sharing Nature With Children Nature Connection workbook Forest Kindergartens Earthways Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynful Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 Simply Charlotte Mason has several that might work for you under their science/nature study section of their bookstore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_in_Switzerland Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 I would look into Private Eye. If you can spread the upfront cost out over the group, it would not be bad at all, and it is so much fun! You don't need much. The loupes (one per kid), the Private Eye teacher guide, and if you aren't feeling creative, the worksheet set maybe. Of course some of the kits with samples are cool, but I think they are totally unnecessary and may actually stifle creativity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 I have been using Exploring Nature with Children, linked by Clear Creek, for our co-op. It has been excellent. There is the main info in the guide and there is a list of books you can refer to IF you want more info. Each weekly lesson has some sort of nature walk focus, poem, art to look up, and extension activities. Often there are hands on activities which can be simple as a scavenger hunt or as complicated as a worm farm. There are quarterly studies of trees and ponds. I really appreciate that everything is laid out according to the season in which you will actually find them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
48820592 Posted June 19, 2016 Author Share Posted June 19, 2016 Books! I Love Dirt Coyote's Guide to Connecting With Nature Sharing Nature With Children Nature Connection workbook Forest Kindergartens Earthways What a great list of books. I've looked them up on Amazon and want to order all of them. Thanks! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
48820592 Posted June 19, 2016 Author Share Posted June 19, 2016 I would look into Private Eye. If you can spread the upfront cost out over the group, it would not be bad at all, and it is so much fun! You don't need much. The loupes (one per kid), the Private Eye teacher guide, and if you aren't feeling creative, the worksheet set maybe. Of course some of the kits with samples are cool, but I think they are totally unnecessary and may actually stifle creativity. I love this. It seems from looking at the website this would cover not only science but also writing and art. Do you know if it is open and go? Or will there be planning involved? Thanks for this resource! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
48820592 Posted June 19, 2016 Author Share Posted June 19, 2016 I have been using Exploring Nature with Children, linked by Clear Creek, for our co-op. It has been excellent. There is the main info in the guide and there is a list of books you can refer to IF you want more info. Each weekly lesson has some sort of nature walk focus, poem, art to look up, and extension activities. Often there are hands on activities which can be simple as a scavenger hunt or as complicated as a worm farm. There are quarterly studies of trees and ponds. I really appreciate that everything is laid out according to the season in which you will actually find them. What age did you use this with? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_in_Switzerland Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 I love this. It seems from looking at the website this would cover not only science but also writing and art. Do you know if it is open and go? Or will there be planning involved? Thanks for this resource! It is definitely a great way to integrate many skills across the curriculum. I would not quite call it open-and-go. You'd need to read the entirety of the teachers book before your coop starts up, then have at least some vague plans for how you want to structure lessons. I think it's one of those things where the longer you've been teaching with it, the more impromptu you can be with your lessons. Having the photocopy pages would make it much more open-and-go, but it is still not a prep-free option. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 I used Exploring Nature with Children in our co-op that has children from 2-13 years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 (edited) Check out the online catalogue from acorn Naturalists. All good stuff, no junk. http://www.acornnaturalists.com Edited June 20, 2016 by Alessandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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