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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: May 10 2010 at 2:32pm | IP Logged
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This summer, I am hoping to start some nature study habits including emphasizing our nature notebooks, and insect and leaf collections. I had to do an insect collection (50, so pretty large) for 10th grade biology, and I have a fairly clear idea for how to go about collection, mounting, labeling, and storing bugs. Though, if you have some good ideas you've seen for doing that in the home or a great resource for it, I'm all ears!
What would seem much easier but what I'm having more trouble wrapping my head around is leaf collecting. Handbook of Nature Study has one make prints of the leaves, but I had imagined actually pressing and collecting them as one would flowers, though, admittedly, I don't have very much experience doing that either.
So, can people share their experience and perhaps posts/photos in creating and storing nature collections, please?
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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ekbell
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| Posted: May 10 2010 at 4:08pm | IP Logged
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Our leaf collection consists of pressed leafs in a binder.
We collected leaves, put them between layers of paper towel under several heavy books (encyclopedia) and remembered them two or three weeks later. We then mounted them on fairly stiff paper within sheet protectors.
The leaves from four or five years ago are still in fairly good color and overall condition.
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JennGM
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| Posted: May 11 2010 at 10:53am | IP Logged
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MacBeth had recommended this book a while ago The Amateur Naturalist by Gerald Durrell for instructions on collections--all kinds. It is an amazing book.
In the book, it says to save leaves just like flower, by pressing, like ekbell mentions. There are loads of books on flower pressing, with instructions on making your own press, buying one, using books -- variations on a theme.
I had just picked up the The Country Diary Book of Flowers which is well-done. But I have several others. I think the Storey Publications will be easy, cheap, and no-nonsense, and the Klutz version will be practical, also.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Mackfam
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| Posted: May 19 2010 at 7:19pm | IP Logged
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I LOVE talking Collections!!!
For smallish collections, we love these watchmakers cases from Lee Valley. About 10 years ago, I received one box of every size for Christmas! It was thrilling and we use them all the time!
Small, translucent plastic tackle boxes with dividers work great as well.
For leaf collections, I think we do a lot like ekbell...
For most leaves, we press flat, and then I either run it through my laminator or adhere it to our leaf collection nature journal with clear contact brand laminating paper. Don't cringe. I started doing this because the little hands and the brittle leaves weren't mixing well. Leaves were crumbling. My laminator is a non-heat laminator so the leaves go through easily. I'm not sure I'd do it if I had a heated laminator. We do have some unique large leaves we leave alone. They are generally out for a short period with seasonal nature treasures.
I have a simple spiral bound scrapbook of acid free cardstock-weight paper that I think we picked up in the scrapbook section of Walmart. We use that to hold our leaf and pressed flower collection.
JennGM wrote:
| MacBeth had recommended this book a while ago The Amateur Naturalist by Gerald Durrell for instructions on collections--all kinds. It is an amazing book. |
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This really IS an amazing book!! We use it regularly. I even included it as a part of my dd's Natural History curriculum last year!
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Jen Mackintosh
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AtHomeScience
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| Posted: May 19 2010 at 7:26pm | IP Logged
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Mackfam wrote:
JennGM wrote:
| MacBeth had recommended this book a while ago The Amateur Naturalist by Gerald Durrell for instructions on collections--all kinds. It is an amazing book. |
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This really IS an amazing book!! We use it regularly. I even included it as a part of my dd's Natural History curriculum last year! |
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After you mentioned this book here, I looked for it at my favorite used book store in the Nature section. There it was, a copy in very good condition for only $6. Thank you!!!
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Kris, Mom to 3 rambunctious boys 
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: Collections
