Wait. If nature study is science, does that mean we could do nature study instead of science textbooks? Does that mean I could (and maybe should) view nature study as more than just an extra in our homeschool schedule? Are you sure our time spent outdoors in nature can really count towards real science instruction?…
Most of you know by now that I’m the author of the NaturExplorers series of science curriculum. That means, yes, we do much of our science in the field – literally. While we can cover A LOT of science through nature study, there are some topics that are just learned better through indoor experimentation and text…
My little horse lover is all grown up. This year she will graduate our homeschool and head off to college where she will major in equine science. Before her passion for horses blossomed, we knew her heart held a soft spot for animals in general – and all the jobs that come with those animals. …
Boy, I hope your neck of the woods contains as many fossils as mine. In Central KY, we can find fossils hidden just about everywhere – and that makes our rock and fossil walks so much fun! We get to be scientists (petrologists, paleontologists, archaeologists or rockhounds – you decide) and detectives, which are pretty…
(This post contains affiliate links and links to my business website.) Rocks: Nature Study Indoors or Out One of the cool things about studying rocks is that you don’t necessarily have to be outside to do it. Of course, you’ll want to take a rock collecting nature walk at some point, but once you have…
These Tale of Three Trees activities combines an amazing book with a meaningful nature walks! This post contains affiliate links. The Book Tale of Three Trees is one of my very favorite picture books ever. I know, I know – I have a lot of favorites. In my defense, there are some REALLY great…
(This post contains links to my products.) Oh my goodness, I love boys. Learning is such an active adventure with them! I remember taking early elementary nature walks with my teen daughter and they were, oh, so very different. She and I would quietly admire the intricacies of a flower or sit peacefully in a…
Since I’m known as “the nature lady,” I’ve written about nature study plenty of times. I’ve decided to round up all the vital nature learning posts in one handy spot. It’s all here! Nature Study: Start Here This post thoroughly explains the why’s and how’s of studying nature – whether you’re a Charlotte Mason homeschooler or not….
When most of us think about living literature, we think about historical books. There are tons of scientific books that are written well enough to be considered living, too, though! In fact, I could probably list 100’s of living books to teach science for you. To get your library started with some of the best,…
Do you have a little scientist at your house? If the answer is yes, these fun science kits will be perfect additions to your homeschool. If the answer is no, don’t worry! Each kit is so much fun, you might just end up with a new lover of science when it’s all said and done….
I cannot even begin to tell you what a wonderful vacation our family was blessed to take in early October. Indian Rocks Beach, Florida- just south of Clearwater – on the Gulf of Mexico is just gorgeous in October. While the leaves spent time falling from the trees in Kentucky, Florida offered us a second…
(This post contains affiliate links and links to my business website, Shining Dawn Books.) Homeschool Science Fun? When you think about homeschool science in the elementary years, do you think “UGH! All those experiments, all that equipment, all those technical definitions! Let’s just skip it. Surely my kids can catch up later.” I’m going to…