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kristinannie
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| Posted: April 13 2011 at 1:22pm | IP Logged
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The kids were playing outside this morning and I was moving some things around on the driveway (we are getting a swingset put together VERY slowly and everything is all over the driveway). Anyway, I found a couple of earthworms. The kids were holding them and asking me tons of questions so we went inside and did some research on earthworms on the computer. I found a wealth of info and my oldest learned about them for about 2 hours. We drew pictures and wrote things down for his nature study notebook (which I haven't bought yet since we aren't starting school until June). But...why pass up a great opportunity for nature study? We even got into trees and plants and their roots (since earthworms aerate the soil). It was incredible!
However, I would love to be able to do this outside of our yard (on hikes or walks at the park). Are there a few books I can purchase that we could bring with us to give us basic information about different birds, bugs, trees, etc. I would like something that is on a level that early elementary students could understand. I see a lot of nature studies in our future and I would like to be more prepared next time!!!
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Meredith Rose 7
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Katherine Elizabeth 8 months
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JennGM
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| Posted: April 13 2011 at 1:26pm | IP Logged
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I know there will be some great answers...there are lots of field guides for younger children. I just find for myself that often I have the "wrong" ones on our trips!  I don't like to overload my backpack with too many books, and it's just almost impossible to know what you will encounter that day.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: April 13 2011 at 1:34pm | IP Logged
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another thought.. take a digital camera with you and you can come home with a picture so that you can look up something more extensively and be able to look at the picture for information for looking it up.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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Mackfam
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| Posted: April 13 2011 at 1:41pm | IP Logged
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JodieLyn wrote:
| another thought.. take a digital camera with you and you can come home with a picture so that you can look up something more extensively and be able to look at the picture for information for looking it up. |
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This would be my suggestion, too!! We don't ever bring field guides with us anymore, they're too bulky, and like Jenn, I never have the right one when we find *something*. We bring pocket magnifying glasses (jewelers loupes), baby wipes, ziploc bags, an empty peanut butter jar, and water for us to drink. And...a digital camera!! We take pictures of everything that interests us, and come home and identify it. Occasionally, there will be some vegetation/flora/nut/seed in our path and we'll scoop that up in the peanut butter jar to examine more closely at home. But, we only do that on private property - never in public areas or parks.
What a wonderful day you had with earthworms!!!!!  Enjoy building your home nature study library!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: April 13 2011 at 1:46pm | IP Logged
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And realize that the more you do this.. well.. your kids will learn more, you will learn more.. and you'll get better at identifying things just because you've been out looking at them.. so when you're 11 mo old discovers worms.. you'll be better versed to give a short explanation without needing to look it up anyway. 
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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kristinannie
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| Posted: April 13 2011 at 1:50pm | IP Logged
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JodieLyn wrote:
| And realize that the more you do this.. well.. your kids will learn more, you will learn more.. and you'll get better at identifying things just because you've been out looking at them.. so when you're 11 mo old discovers worms.. you'll be better versed to give a short explanation without needing to look it up anyway. |
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That is so true! I mean, I think I learned all of this out of a textbook at some point (I was a bio minor), but it is so much more fun just going outside and seeing what comes of it! The kids learned so much and were able to tell DH about it when he came home for lunch. I couldn't believe how much they could recall!!! I really love CM.
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Meredith Rose 7
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Katherine Elizabeth 8 months
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: Need help with nature study
