4Real Forums: Confessions of a Nature Study Delinquent

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Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science

Topic: Confessions of a Nature Study Delinquent

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Jenn in WY
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Joined: April 02 2005
Location: Wisconsin
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Posts: 36

Posted: April 18 2007 at 9:36pm \| IP Logged

Every autumn when our school year begins, I promise myself that we will do nature study this year. I even read "Pocketful of Pinecones" during the summer, and I made nature bags for everyone to carry their clipboards, pencils, bug bottles, binoculars, etc.

The only day we went out. It was sleeting and about 30 degrees. We lasted about 2 minutes. After that winter set in, and they refused to go anywhere when I suggested it. It is very windy and bitter here, but we also have nice days. It seems that the nice days, though, are always when we have other things planned.

The weather is getting nicer, and it has occurred to me that perhaps we should work on Nature Study over the summer when we "unschool."

I just don't know what I am doing. I tried to make a birdfeeder this year so we could at least watch birds from the dining room window. Feeder number one fell apart on a -20 degree day when a squirrel jumped on it. Feeder number two which was squirrel proof did not receive any visitors until last week. I guess I put birdseed in for spring birds or something.

It is beginning to turn into a phobia! How do I overcome this? What exactly are we supposed to be doing out in nature? I am clueless. HELP!

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Jenn
Wife to Lincoln since 97
Mom to Maria 98, Gerald 01, Benedict 03 and Micah 06

dani
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Joined: March 13 2007
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Posted: April 19 2007 at 4:11am \| IP Logged

Last autumn I bought autumn nature journals for the boys and thought that since they loved being outside that they would actually find it enjoyable to use them. Nada! Not a thing was written so this spring I bought Keeping a Nature Journal which is full of great ideas on journaling. We reviewed what a good nature journal should include and then I created prompting sheets and printed them out on white cardstock. Each sheet has a little graphic, an appropriate comment/poem and writing prompts (what do you see, hear, weather, etc.). Each day they head out the door with their pencils and pages attached to a clipboard. They listen, smell, feel and then start writing and drawing what they see.

I've been perusing the web for links on homemade bookmaking and so far am leaning toward creating stick books to bind them.

I have the printable sheets available on my blog and have been trying to put a new one up every day.

It's a small start...but it's a start.

JSchaaf
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Joined: Feb 22 2005
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Posts: 753

Posted: April 19 2007 at 7:33am \| IP Logged

I've tried to incorporate nature study for about 3 years now. It's not going well. I have no nature knowledge of my own to impart on my children. My vision of long walks with my children, telling them the names of the trees and spending time sketching the birds in them, has not come to pass.

I still have the desire, though. I decided to take Nature Study away from the girls. It's all mine, now. I'm pressing some wildflowers and will be putting them in MY nature notebook. I'll try to sketch them as well. I have a bunch of picture books ALL FOR ME about wildflowers that I will read and narrate into my nature notebook.

Guess what? All this MINE stuff is getting the kids excited!! And I realized that the thought of individual nature notebooks was overwhelming for the girls. I have agreed to share mine (

) and we now have a family nature notebook.

I've also discovered that nature study is hard work. If I want my girls to know the names of six local trees I'm going to have to learn then first.

So, Jenn,no real advice for you, just wanted to tell you you're not alone!!

Jennifer

lapazfarm
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Joined: July 21 2005
Location: Alaska
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Posted: April 19 2007 at 8:20am \| IP Logged

Jenn, I had to laugh when I read the title to your post! Confessions of a Nature study delinquent!LOL!
Funny thing is, when I first read it I thought you were talking about MY problem, which is that I tend toward neglecting other subjects in order to do nature study!LOL!

I wish I had more advice for you, but to us, nature study is as natural as breathing, so it is hard to put myself in your place. But I do think what Jennifer (JScaaf) said is excellent advice. Start with yourself. Learn a few things and then share them with your kids.Hopefully your enthusiasm will rub off. Also, start the kids with simple activities that anyone can do anywhere (like the nature study activities from my blog, especially the scavenger hunt). Try going to nature centers and parks where folks more knowledgeable can guide you for awhile. But the main thing is just to get out there. Many of our most fruitful nature days have been simple hikes without any agenda, discovering things as we go.

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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning

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