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!
A garden pest is any insect, animal, or other organism that can cause damage to plants and gardens. They can be harmful to both ornamental plants and crops, and can negatively impact the health and productivity of the garden. Common garden pests include insects like aphids, caterpillars, and beetles, as well as animals like rodents,…
Bees are insects that belong to the same family as ants and wasps. Yes, they are related to ants! Additionally, there are over 20,000 different species of bees in the world. As you can already see, bee nature study is fascinating and I’m excited for you to learn alongside me! One of the best things…
When you think about swans what comes to mind? Do you picture graceful birds floating on a pond or scrawny babies that don’t look graceful at all? In the living books about swans that I am sharing with you today, you’ll meet bird characters that are graceful, some that are not, and everything in between….
When exploring nature, we often use our eyes to see things and our hands to touch things. We might even use our ears to listen. But have you ever thought about going on a nature walk with your nose? Concentrating on fragrant and malodorous things during smelly nature study can be lots of fun! Many…
One of the wonderful things about the approach of warm weather are all of the yummy things that are in season and maybe even growing in your own garden or backyard! One of those special seasonal treats is strawberries! Strawberry nature study has to be one of the yummies things you can study in the…
What do you think about the possibility of completing a thunderstorm nature study? Whether you love the idea or not, we will definitely stay VERY safe from harm’s way this week. You see, thunderstorms can be dangerous severe weather events because of the electrifying lightning. But first, how do you feel about thunderstorms? Are they…
No parent has ever made it through the great journey of child-rearing without hearing two very frustrating words – “I’m bored!” Whether it’s sitting in a church service, a lazy day at home, or even partaking in the wonders of nature, kids everywhere are just a few breaths or activities away from finding themselves simply…
Your elementary homeschool children will love these spring nature study play dough mats. Playing with dough is more meaningful than you might think! Sculpting with play dough sounds like a preschool activity, but older children can benefit, too. You’ll be amazed at the ease of practicing important science and artistic skills through a motivating hands-on…
Salamanders are elusive creatures that can make salamander nature study both difficult and exciting. The two times I’ve come upon them in the wild were certainly exciting and quite memorable for me. In this podcast episode, you’ll hear about those two experiences! Salamanders are amphibians, which puts them in the same class as frogs and…
Instead of studying a particular type of plant or animal, we are going to explore an entire habitat in this vernal pools nature study! Have you ever heard of the term “vernal pool”? I bet you know the word “pool” but do you know what “vernal” means? I can’t wait to tell you all about…
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….
A sandstone nature study is sure to get everyone excited to learn about rocks of all sorts. Sandstone is especially fun because you can often rub off small bits to become part of the erosion process! Sandstone is a type of sedimentary rock that can be found all over the world. In the United States,…