I’ve found this wonderful blog by Barb (aka Harmony Art Mom). How many of us purchase The Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock after perusing the CBD catalog, yet don’t have any idea how to implement it in our homeschool? I know I did, and it sat on the shelf for eight years. YES! EIGHT YEARS! I had no idea what to do with it. Our nature studies were woefully inadequate. Even though I was convinced of the importance. Even though I thought it would be fun. I was stuck. Well! I am stuck no more, thanks to Barb’s hard work and generosity. She has put together a weekly challenge to meet with our children. The following is my first time what I would call a real-live nature study with the children. As is my usual – I kind of went over board. We’ll try to tone it down a bit next time.
This week’s Outdoor Hour Challenge is a Tree Study. It is actually the second in the series, but since we’re just starting, we followed Challenge number 11, not 20. Each child picked their own tree (in retrospect, I recommend picking a family tree, especially when you have five children who are choosing trees).
Here are some pictures from the afternoon:
F3’s tree
F3 doing a bark rubbing
F1’s tree
F1 doing a bark rubbing
F2’s tree
F2 doing a bark rubbing
F4’s tree
F4 doing a bark rubbing
F5’s tree
F5 doing a bark rubbing
They also recorded observations about the trees in their nature journals. They had a really good time, although F3 was a little grossed out about the idea of touching the tree with the ants crawling all over it, and F4 complained incessantly about the heat.
Here’s a couple of lovely little pictures of my Yucca plant.
Not sure if you can see it in this one, but there is a tiny white moth in this blossom. They just hang out in the blossom all day long. Big red/black ants crawl all over these flowers, too. They are very, very moist blossoms.
So glad you are joining the Outdoor Hour Challenges! You now have an official forest of trees under study. 🙂
I am really happy to hear that you are dusting off your HNS and now it is going to become a friend….not an overwhelming foe.
Great photos and I love the yucca!
Barb-Harmony Art Mom
Wow, good for you getting out there and doing things. I might have to look into that curriculum and site. And nice property! How many acres do you have up there?
Does your Yucca plant winter over? here?!
We have eight acres. It is nice. You should come up and enjoy it with me! The Yucca does just stay out all winter, and blossoms each summer. I didn’t plant it, but I’m thankful to whoever did!
Great pictures. I love how each child was able to pick their own tree. We’re all doing the same tree and I have to travel to get to it…bad thing about being in a new development…twig trees aren’t much fun to study.
~Becky
http://www.ourgreenhours.wordpress.com
I have never in my life done a bark rubbing and am so very jealous. That does it. I’m going out to do a bark rubbing. Yep.
Too cool.
Love the pictures! So beautiful!
Blessings!
Lacy
P.S. I’m off to L.A. this morning for another trade show.
Barbie,
I love the picture of F4… is she scratching her head? I wonder what she is thinking!
We have the book. Let’s see… 2 or 3 years. We’ve read some things and enjoyed the style of writing. We haven’t read for awhile though. Perhaps thoughts of you will inspire me during school tomorrow?
Love, Wardeh