Found this old photo of the boys in 1998 when we were out on a hike...way too cute.
Ramble, ramble, ramble....prepare yourself to hear my honest words....straight from my heart.
It is the start of a new school year and so many homeschooling moms have now decided to add nature study as part of their plans. Wahoo! That makes my heart happy. See me smiling? :)
One thing I want to caution against. In our zealousness to offer a valuable study to our children, we may get caught up in the details. What kind of notebook? What sorts of pencils? What particular field guide? How can I teach my child to draw in his notebook? Although these are all great questions, don't get sidetracked from your goal of actually completing nature study.
If you are just starting out, please make your goal to enjoy the time outside with your children. If after you have the time outdoors exploring and discussing and taking in the air and your child feels inclined to draw in a nature journal, great. If you took the time to go outside and explore and discuss and take the air and that is all you ever do....you are still successful.
It is great to have an overall plan for getting outside and observing and learning with your children but try to leave some room for spontaneous experiences during your daily life as well. The best nature studies happen when the subjects come to you. If you are not open to the experiences because it is not your official nature study time, you will miss a perfect learning opportunity.
Don't squeeze the life out of your nature study by structuring it too much.Remember to learn about nature from real life.
Which do you learn more from? Looking at pictures of clouds in a book or from the real clouds in the sky over your own home? Books are a great resource but get your children outside and looking for themselves at what is in their own yard or neighborhood. In the Handbook of Nature Study, Anna Comstock encourages us to look for nature close to home, right outside our own back doors. We don't have to travel far to find something of interest. Every child should know about the trees, wildflowers, birds, insects, mammals, and rocks in his own backyard. Start simply and stay close to home and your nature study will take on new meaning.
The ordinary things that we see every day as we step out our own door take on greater value when we know a little bit more about them.Help your family get started by going outside with them.
I think it is an unreasonable expectation to send your children outdoors by themselves to do nature study alone. A healthy respect for nature is something that is learned and becomes a habit over time. If you are just starting out with nature study, your example is vital in setting the pattern for them. Get on your knees and look under a rock carefully. Show them how to look closely at a flower's parts by doing it yourself. Model how to be quiet and listen to the sounds of your world because they may not know what a crow sounds like or what that buzzing is in the bush without you being there to tell them. Sit quietly on the grass or on the steps of your house and watch what is going on in your own yard. Be curious about the ants on the sidewalk and the weeds in the grass.
Here is an entry I wrote awhile back that I keep thinking about. It is such a simple idea to get your family started with nature study. If the Outdoor Hour Challenges are not on your plan this year for school, why not try this simple idea? It may just spark some interest in your family.
Nature Study the Gentle Way
End of ramble.
Barb-Harmony Art Mom
