Nature Study Group

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

Has anyone started a nature study group? I'm considering starting a group next year for PreK-1ish, meeting once a week or maybe twice a month. I was considering using the FIAR nature study guides for ideas, since we'll be using FIAR as our curriculum. I'd love to hear any ideas that you all have! :)

[dragons in the flower bed]

Has anyone started a nature study group? I'm considering starting a group next year for PreK-1ish, meeting once a week or maybe twice a month. I was considering using the FIAR nature study guides for ideas, since we'll be using FIAR as our curriculum. I'd love to hear any ideas that you all have! :)

 

I did! We had a lot of diversity -- high schoolers and preschoolers, people driving in from forty miles away and people who lived in the boonies nearby, and radical liberal hippies alongside conservative Christian Republicans. We had a lot of parents of first graders who dumped their very nervous kids with the teacher and chased their toddlers through the woods, which was fine, but we hadn't anticipated that problem and neither had the parents. It became hard to meet everyone's needs, and when one or two people stopped coming, others didn't see folks they were like there, so they stopped coming. When snow hit, the group nearly died. When gas prices sky rocketed, the group did completely die.

 

So,

 

1. Have a central location that's really convenient.

2. Arrange a carpool if possible.

3. Plan for siblings or drop-off.

4. Clearly communicate the worldview of the lessons.

 

Good luck! It was great while it lasted and I would do it again if there was public transportation to any local parks.

[Angel]

I am going to be doing this with a friend next year! But it's just the two of us (and 4 kids) so I don't know that we will techinally be a group ;) We are using this site http://handbookofnaturestudy.blogspot.com/ as inspiration and a guide. There is a wealth of information there! Awesome! I also am planning to make a backpack for each of the kids based on this http://www.hometrainingtools.com/product_categories/179/products/6418-backyard-naturalist-s-backpack-kit I have found some of the items at our local dollar store already. Hope this gives you a place to start:001_smile:

 

ETA: We are planning to use our local park system. There are numerous parks in the area and we will probably alternate so we have a wide variety.

Edited March 7, 2009 by Angel

[Chris in VA]

About 6 families met at the same park every month and took a walk thru the marsh (boardwalk--really lovely--headed into the marsh, and a path continued at the end of the marsh into the woods). We noted changes, shared stories, had a blast. Very low key. I would have brought dd's nature notebook, but most didn't, so we didn't.

 

This next year, if we hs, we will do the Jr. Ranger programs and incorporate some nature notebooking with that--and we may ask a few friends to join us.

(Alice, are you out there? lol)

[Bayt ul-Hikmah]

About 6 families met at the same park every month and took a walk thru the marsh (boardwalk--really lovely--headed into the marsh, and a path continued at the end of the marsh into the woods). We noted changes, shared stories, had a blast. Very low key. I would have brought dd's nature notebook, but most didn't, so we didn't.

 

This next year, if we hs, we will do the Jr. Ranger programs and incorporate some nature notebooking with that--and we may ask a few friends to join us.

(Alice, are you out there? lol)

 

I notice you're in Northern VA, was this Huntley Meadows Park by any chance? I took my boys out there last summer, and we had a blast! I've been meaning to go back...

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

Thanks for the links and ideas! Anyone else?

[Chris in VA]

Yep, Huntley Meadows it was!

You might enjoy River Farms Gardens--here's a link.

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

Bump!