Printable nature notebooking pages are time savers for sure. We can set off on a nature walk knowing there's at least something to do other than wandering aimlessly. We can slap those babies into a three-ring binder and have proof that the afternoon spent in the sunshine actually did count for school. But...are your nature notebooking pages really moving the dial in learning? Real learning that's more than simply drawing a picture and moving on with your day? Don't get me wrong, detailed observations and drawings in nature ARE real learning when taken seriously. I'm a huge advocate for nature journaling, in fact! If many of us are honest, though, we don't really take nature journaling ... Read More
Nature Study
Nature study has been one of the most rewarding subjects in our homeschool through the years. It reaches deeply into every single realm of science. It gets us outdoors for fresh air, sunshine and exercise. It creatively includes other subjects like language arts, math, geography, and even history. But most importantly, God has revealed so much about Himself to us through the study of nature.
Nature study works easily with all homeschooling styles. It makes a huge difference with children who need to be active. It can meet all kinds of learning styles, and offers those with learning disabilities a fresh perspective on learning to give them success. Best of all, nature study works really, really well when teaching multiple ages. I know you'll enjoy some amazing learning using the lessons you'll find below. Have fun!
How To Teach an Interest-Based Nature Study with NaturExplorers
Friends, it's time for another peek into the real life study of nature! In this post, you'll see how easily Amber Oliver and her children were able to explore and discover wildflowers through an interest-based nature study. I'm a big believer in letting our children have a say in their schooling once in a while. It's highly motivating for kiddos to make decisions and helps them take real ownership in the learning. Besides allowing her children to take part in the planning of which wildflower activities their family would complete, Amber was also great at incorporating lessons that support their passions and learning styles. Again, this promotes excitement in the learning ... Read More
This is What a Conifer Nature Walk Looks Like
Have you ever wanted to be a fly on the wall to see how other families "do" nature walks? Today is your lucky day! Heather Hall is taking us right along with her family as they go on a conifer nature walk. I love her gentle teaching style. She does an amazing job guiding the study and conversations, while also allowing her children to play and make their own discoveries. I think you're going to love tagging along with Heather and her children. I also think you'll be inspired by the end of the walk! We've been needing to get out more often. Certainly we've had homeschool co-ops and homeschool classes to attend, but those are all indoors. We've been longing to get outside. So, ... Read More
Living Chapter Books for Nature Study
I think you'll love these living chapter books for nature study. They capture the attention of readers with wonderful tales that weave storyline and nature together beautifully. From harrowing adventures to hidden gardens, many of these timeless stories have well-loved for years. They also happen to subtly encourage a love for nature and make perfect read alone or read-aloud selections for your homeschool. The books listed below are loosely in order from easier to more difficult reads. You will find some of them to be obviously "nature study-like" in essence, while others are more subtle and simply integrate plants, animals, and habitats into the stories. I hope you find some new ... Read More
Discovering Pond Habitats: How To Do Nature Study in Real Life
Have you ever been to the same nature study destination so many times that you almost forget there are always new things to discover? My friend, Tracy, and her children had visited the same ponds many times over. They never really got tired of exploring, but she found a way to refocus their attention in a simple way that led to new observations and new learning. Please welcome Tracy as she shares the most delightful post about her family's quest to learn about pond habitats. Our love of nature study began at a pond. I had my children rambling around the pond as toddlers and preschoolers, my youngest just an infant and strapped into my baby carrier. We made some fond memories ... Read More
A Day in the Life: Hands-On Nature Study at the Creek
Boy, am I excited to introduce you to Kristina Garner in this post! She and her girls enjoyed some exciting, hands-on nature study in their backyard creek recently and Kristina is sharing the experiences with all of us. I think you'll especially love to see how much they learned about creeks (and how much fun they had) in just one day of exploration per week over a 5-week period. If you'll remember, that's the nature study plan my own family has followed over the years - just once per week. But, oh, how those weeks add up in knowledge over time! Please welcome Kristina and her sweet girls - and be inspired in your own creek walks! Hands-On Nature Study is Fun I first discovered ... Read More
Yes, You CAN Do Nature Studies with Multiple Ages!
One of the best things about nature study is that it works WONDERFULLY when teaching multiple ages at once. For years, my friend, Lynna, thought that nature study might be a tad overwhelming for her large family. I asked her to give NaturExplorers a try and she agreed. I think you'll love this little peek into her experiences doing nature study with multiple ages... I have a confession to make. I’ve been a homeschool mom for eight years now, and I’ve never once done a nature study with my kids. Not once. Not even a nature walk. To be honest, I felt a little overwhelmed about making time for nature with eight kids at so many different grade levels. In my mind, “nature study” ... Read More
Enjoy Animal Signs Nature Study Wherever You Are in the World
I'm asked all the time if families should live in certain places or certain climates to get use from the NaturExplorers curriculum. The answer is no way. As long as you have specimens for any particular topic, you can most assuredly use NaturExplorers! I'm so excited to welcome Ashley Fox to share a perfect example. Her family lives in Southern Florida. While she may not ever be able to use the Snow and Ice guide, there are still plenty of topics she can use. Her family recently enjoyed animal signs nature study using NaturExplorers in the Everglades! The Florida weather has cooled, and it's time to take our homeschool on an outdoor educational adventure! Join us for a nature walk ... Read More
You’ll Love These Christmas Nature Study Books
Since the Christmas season can bring along busy days and sometimes cold weather, it can be difficult to incorporate nature study into your homeschooling routine. I've created a list of Christmas nature study books that will help you bring new and inviting ideas to the table without tons of effort. Each book description gives you an idea of how to use these books as living literature resources. Hopefully, they will spark curiosity and a hunger for learning. How could they not! Especially when the first story on the list includes a yummy cookie recipe! This post contains affiliate links. Christmas Nature Study Books Cranberry Christmas This classic story comes with an incredible ... Read More
You’ll Love This Kid-Friendly Water Testing Kit for Science
Water is such a fun topic for homeschool science. Yep, plain ol' water. You can study its properties, its physical states, the water cycle, weather events, the geography of water around our world, water sources, water treatment, and water conservation. You can learn about water as biomes and the various life that inhabits each. You can observe water in nature, measure it in many ways, test it in many ways, change it in many ways, and about a zillion other experiments. Each of these fitting into various science categories like earth science, physical science, chemistry, and environmental science. And, can you imagine the nature study as science possibilities? Today, I'd like to ... Read More