Nature Study

[MaryMak07]

Do you do Nature Study with your kiddos? If so, what does it look like?

 

Do you use a particular resource or just DIY?

 

I'm reading Charlotte Mason's original writings and wondering how people put them into practice.

[Creekside5]

I love nature study!  Comstock's book is a good reference.  Nature Study looks very different with different ages of kids.  There is nothing more beautiful than seeing children with a nature notebook and water colors sitting quietly painting and "building a relationship" with God's creation.  I consider a hike in the woods where my children have a pussy willow fight and laugh crazily- nature study too.

 

 

[Coco_Clark]

We go out twice a week (once with a group and once alone) and spend 1-3 hours at various local nature conserves. It depends on the weather how long we stay but I do make an effort to get out even in cruddy weather.

 

Kids 5 and over have a nature book and are encouraged to draw something. Kids 7 or 8 and over are encouraged to record dates/locations/weather and label their drawings, and to keep lists that interest them (birds or bugs seen).

 

We don't have a curriculum but I do have a growing collection of nature guides that certainly add to the experience.

[Kalmia]

Don't know the ages of your kids, but here are a few activity guides (a few are vintage and will only be available used (and cheap!) or at the library). I have used all of these and heartily recommend all of them. I put them in order of increasing difficulty.

 

Nature for the Very Young by Marcia Bowden (toddler to preschool)

https://smile.amazon.com/Nature-Very-Young-Handbook-Activities/dp/047162084X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1489866723&sr=8-1&keywords=nature+for+the+very+young

 

Small Wonders by Linda Garrett  (ages 3 thru K)

https://smile.amazon.com/Small-Wonders-Nature-Education-Children/dp/1584655747/ref=pd_sim_14_11?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1584655747&pd_rd_r=5Y2HQFTMYXCWDCY34PT0&pd_rd_w=K9iAj&pd_rd_wg=wUcgo&psc=1&refRID=5Y2HQFTMYXCWDCY34PT0

 

Hands on Nature by Jenepher Lingelbach (elementary)

https://smile.amazon.com/Hands-Nature-Information-Activities-Environment/dp/1584650788/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1584650788&pd_rd_r=5Y2HQFTMYXCWDCY34PT0&pd_rd_w=K9iAj&pd_rd_wg=wUcgo&psc=1&refRID=5Y2HQFTMYXCWDCY34PT0

 

Botany for All Ages by Jorie Hunken (late elementary to middle)

https://smile.amazon.com/Botany-All-Ages-Discovering-Activities/dp/1564402819/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1489867306&sr=8-1&keywords=botany+for+all+ages

 

Ecology for All Ages by Jorie Hunken (late elementary to middle)

https://smile.amazon.com/Ecology-All-Ages-Discovering-Activities/dp/1564401383/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1489867354&sr=8-2&keywords=ecology+for+all+ages+globe+pequot

 

Adventures with a Hand Lens by Richard Headstrom (middle school)

https://smile.amazon.com/Adventures-Hand-Lens-Richard-Headstrom/dp/0486233308/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1489866994&sr=1-1&keywords=Adventures+with+a+hand+lens

 

Adventures with Insects by Richard Headstrom (middle school)

https://smile.amazon.com/Adventures-Insects-Richard-Headstrom/dp/0486219550/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1489867050&sr=1-2&keywords=Adventures+with+insects+richard+headstrom

 

The Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock (middle school through early high school)

https://smile.amazon.com/Handbook-Nature-Study-Botsford-Comstock/dp/0801493846/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1489867140&sr=8-1&keywords=comstock+nature+study

[Kalmia]

Also the Discover Nature series published by Stackpole Books are great for middle school to high school if they are using the books themselves but younger if you are using the books to teach from and direct activies.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Discover+Nature+Stackpole+books

 

There are quite a number of them on different topics: Discover Nature at Sundown, Discover Nature in Water and Wetlands, Discover Nature in Winter, Discover Nature in the Garden, Discover Nature at the Seashore, Discover Nature Around the House, Discover Nature in the Rocks, etc.

[Kalmia]

This one is also great, but specific to nighttime. (elementary and middle)

 

Night Science for Kids by Terry Krautwurst

https://www.amazon.com/Night-Science-Kids-Exploring-World/dp/1579904114/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1489869102&sr=8-2&keywords=night+science+for+kids

 

These two vintage books are good for preschool through elementary. Nature Hikes is a terrific book to read aloud in sections (hikes in the fields, hikes in the woods, hikes around the pond, hikes following a stream, hikes in the winter, spring, summer and fall) before heading out on the trail. It is a 1970s big Golden Book style publication with colorful illustrations, sadly there is no description on Amazon. and The Complete Book of Nature Crafts is also a Golden Book, from the 1960s, and written by the Education director of the American Museum of Natural History. It is full of activities including how to collect a spider web.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Hikes-Golden-Exploring-Earth/dp/B00112G1HC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1489869461&sr=8-1&keywords=nature+hikes+golden+press

 

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Nature-Crafts-Activities/dp/B004BIS9AA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1489869558&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Complete+Book+of+Nature+Crafts+A+Golden+Book

[Bluegoat]

I think even if you have to go completely basic, getting out regularly is the most important thing.  Especially maybe to the same places - as they become familiar, they will notice things as they change and look more deeply.

 

I've had really good luck using the Outdoor Hour website for ideas - I don't pay, just the free materials.  It uses the Comstock book as a major reference.

 

I've also had good luck looking at activities though our local natural history museum and the young naturalists club.  TBH, attending their meetings and outings often is much more enlightening that twice as many lessons with me.