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CKwasniewski
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| Posted: Feb 12 2009 at 12:24pm | IP Logged
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Can someone who has used these tell me more about them? Books, I think you mentioned using them? I can't find a sample page anywhere.
thanks,
ck
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Sarah M
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| Posted: Feb 12 2009 at 2:44pm | IP Logged
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I am curious about these too.
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CandaceC
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| Posted: Feb 17 2009 at 8:51pm | IP Logged
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Hi there,
I'm an avid FIAR user. :) And, the nature studies are beautiful...I have not been convinced that I can keep paying $16 for them...I only have one right now. That is basically how I feel in a nutshell.  I like them, but it seems a bit steep to me, especially if I want to print it out in color.
The nature studies contain ideas for nature walks, poetry for that season, books to read in that season, ideas for things to observe, famous art depicting the season.
Hope that helps you a bit. :)
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Candace - wife to David since 2000...mommy to Hannah (Feb. 2002), Emily (April 2003) and Caleb (March 2005)
His Mercy Is New
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: Feb 18 2009 at 7:54am | IP Logged
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I have all 4, and am also a big FIARer.
I think it depends on what you want to do with them. I am using them as the basis for a full year of science with my elem. children. We spend the entire season using them, but not every day. I tried to coordinate my FIAR books to the season, too. We did Fall and coordinated with a bunch of field trips, which was a blast. Now we are studying Warm as Wool, Hanna's Cold Winter, Owl Moon, and Katie and the Big Snow, and are using elements from the Winter studies. We are planning a unit on butterflies to go along with the Spring one, and when we roll back into school in August 09, we are going to do the Summer one.
I like the journaling pages. I like that there are very CMish music, poetry and art suggestions, although I confess I haven't used them as much as I would like.  I am still getting back into the swing of full units after a rough fall with a barely 1 yr old. I like the information on what animals do in each season. I sometimes follow the links provided and print out the info. I want for whatever unit we are doing. I have harvested the "copy the artwork" idea that Elizabeth often uses, so, for instance, when we did Owl Moon, we talked about owls, winter and the moon and then our nature study included watercolor winter scenes. They turned out gorgeous. I bought oversized bare books for the girls, one for each season, and it seems to be about the right size.
I should say that I also use some of the Fold N Learns. While we are creating notebooks for each study, we aren't using all the elements from the nature studies or the FNL's. This way I can really individualize to my children, who are varied in age.
They are *very* graphic intensive. I don't print out everything. I print the pages the kids need and I cut and paste info. that I need for my unit. I choose a page or two of graphics so my children can decorate a bit, but still save on ink.
If you are a whiz at nature study already, they are probably redundant. If you are like me, which is seriously challenged in this department, then they will walk you through it. I have had my first successful year *ever* with nature study, and I've been homeschooling for 11 years. And honestly, I love unit studies, but I am one of those people who need the helps that FNLs, the nature studies, Catholic Mosaic, and Enchanted Learning provide. Between these resources and lovely narrations and other language arts ideas from the FIAR manuals, they put together a notebook that doesn't look *too* cut and paste-ish (this bugs me about premade lapbooks, but the FNLs aren't like that), but is just enough to make it fun and yet not too hard for mom to plan. I can cover everything except phonics and math this way, which works well for me.
I have been doing FIAR on and off since my oldest was in 2nd grade, so I have all the books already. Its an easy investment for me, given I have lots who will be using them later, and they can be purchased here and there, rather than a big expense up front. If I was starting out, I probably wouldn't use the FNLs, but I think I would still want the nature study units, if I was in the mood to make nature study prominent for the year.
Does that help at all?
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mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
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CKwasniewski
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| Posted: Feb 18 2009 at 3:07pm | IP Logged
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Thanks ladies!
This is just what I needed to know!
I think I will try one out... I really do need a jumpstart on our nature notebooks.
ck
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Sarah M
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| Posted: April 22 2009 at 4:29pm | IP Logged
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CKwasniewski wrote:
Thanks ladies!
This is just what I needed to know!
I think I will try one out... I really do need a jumpstart on our nature notebooks.
ck
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So...did you buy one? Do you like it?
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CKwasniewski
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| Posted: April 23 2009 at 2:42pm | IP Logged
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Not yet, because spring is just barely beginning here!
I'll let you know how it goes--if it works out for the budget next month.
ck
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Lisa in WI
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| Posted: April 27 2009 at 12:36pm | IP Logged
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I'm glad to hear that you like these. They are on my to buy list.
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Lisa,
mommy to E (9/04), O (3/06), C (1/08), & Baby (due January 2010)
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CKwasniewski
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| Posted: May 16 2009 at 8:23am | IP Logged
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I realized these are e-books and we don't have internet at home anymore... so I guess I'll have to skip it!
ck
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: May 20 2009 at 7:13am | IP Logged
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Is there a website where I can see what is included in these? a sample page? We've never really done FIAR, although I sometimes read what's going on at the FIAR boards. (I think I must be lonely, I keep finding more homeschool boards to read!  ) Maybe there is more information over there that I missed?
We love nature study but I really didn't do a good job of it this year. I'm thinking I need a jumpstart or something.
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CandaceC
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| Posted: May 20 2009 at 2:03pm | IP Logged
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Becky,
To my knowledge, there are no samples of the FIAR nature studies.
But, I can tell you about a new resource that is a bit cheaper...
2 Charlotte Mason blogging friends of mine have put together some GREAT nature studies, they range from $7-10.
Here is my blog link telling about the nature studies
Here is their new website
They gave me one of their nature studies to "review" and it really is wonderful!!
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Candace - wife to David since 2000...mommy to Hannah (Feb. 2002), Emily (April 2003) and Caleb (March 2005)
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: May 21 2009 at 7:19am | IP Logged
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Thanks Candace! I'll check it out.
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Becky
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stellamaris
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| Posted: May 21 2009 at 7:43am | IP Logged
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I looked over that nature studies link you sent, Candace, and it looks really great! I liked it better than the FIAR one that I have. It would be easier for us to use given that we usually focus on one nature topic at a time, and that is how they have structured the program. They have a ton of wonderful suggestions for activities and extensions. The FIAR suggestions were pretty much things I already knew, but might be a perfect fit for someone new to homeschooling or nature studies. The link you sent has studies that are more in-depth and comprehensive, so it's certainly a better fit for us. I only wish they already had developed a seashore study, since that's what we are planning to do next! I will definitely get one of these studies for our next unit.
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Caroline
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CandaceC
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| Posted: May 21 2009 at 9:07am | IP Logged
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Caroline,
I mentioned this in my blog post...but one of my favorite parts of those new nature studies (from Shining Dawn Books) is the printable nature journaling sheets. They are REALLY neat!! I love pages like that we can work on and then just stick in the nature journal!!
I saw they have a list of units "in the works" and that they take requests! :) Maybe you could mention a seashore study...
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Candace - wife to David since 2000...mommy to Hannah (Feb. 2002), Emily (April 2003) and Caleb (March 2005)
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: FIAR Nature studies
