Teaching Tip Tuesday ~ Nature Study ~ Learning about the Creator from His Creation

We live in a rainy city - unbelievable rain, in fact.

Last November, we decided to measure the rainfall and the data was abundant.

When the clouds do decide to dry up, and the sun's rays begin to make an appearance, we go outside.

Our senses become alive as fresh oxygen fills our lungs and the world around us becomes our textbook.

We look for signs of animals - tracks, homes, food remnants, scat.

We listen with eyes closed tight for woodpecker drums and songbird calls or just the whisper of wind.

We feel the texture of moss growing rampant under our oak tree and we feel the roughness of the bark and the skeleton of it's leaves.

We breathe deep and smell greenness and moisture and life.

Nature study is such an awe inspiring way to learn and cover learning outcomes. I am actually convinced that nature study alone can fully meet the learning outcomes for both Life Science and Earth and Space Science for kindergarten to grade 4.

{The Physical Science topics (Properties of Materials [K], Force, Friction and Magnets [1], Solids, Liquids and Gases [2], Structures and Materials [3] and Light and Sound [4]) need to be covered using hands-on experiments which are perfect for those rainy days.}

Nature study is gentle learning that grows with you, layering upon itself as discovery after discovery is made.

Below are some of my favourite nature study resources, all of which I use with my four nature loving kids. Even baby Chloe likes to come along!

*** Links to the resources are available by clicking on the activated words (indicated by a colour change in text) or by clicking on the images at the top left hand column of this blog.

Recently I ordered this winter e-resource created by Barb from Handbook of Nature Study. Barb is a homeschooling mom and a nature enthusiast, and has an excellent collection of lessons and corresponding printables to use in nature study. It is highly recommended to have Anna Botsford Comstock's "Handbook of Nature Study" book to use as the "textbook" in correspondence with Barb's nature study activities.

I also enjoy using the Five in a Row digital nature studies throughout each season. Jane Claire Lambert has designed a nature unit for each of the four seasons incorporating nature study, poetry, music, art and literature into one beautiful package that can be used and reused throughout the years. These nature studies are not structured lesson plans, but rather information, ideas and printables that can be drawn from as interest leads. A very gentle and relaxed approach to nature study.

Recently I came across a UK website called Nature Detectives. This website has a collection of easy to implement activities and printables that would be excellent for "getting your galoshes wet" in nature study. I particularly like their nature "packs" of activities that can be emailed to you for free.

(If you are interested in ordering any of the online resources, email joy@ark.net with the resource's website link. She is able to order and pay for the e-resource and then email it to you.)

The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork. ~ Psalm 19:1

Resources Used By You

Whenever I meet another homeschooling parent, the inevitable question, "What curriculum do you use?" always seems to make itself to the forefront of our conversation.

I thought that it would be fun to share some of what your fellow homeschooling families are using for curriculum during this learning year. Click on the curriculum name to link to its corresponding website.

All-in-One Curriculums:
Bob Jones

A Beka

Christian Light Publications

Monarch - Alpha/Omega ~ starts at Grade 3

My Father's World


Math Curriculums:

Math U See

Jump Math

Singapore Math

Teaching Textbooks ~ starts at Grade 3


Social Studies Curriculums:

Northwood Press - Donna Ward's Canadian Curriculum

Primary - Across Canada Bundle; Canada My Country

Grade 4 - Canada's Native Bundle; Canada's Natives Long Ago


Other Tidbits:

Christian Heroes from YWAM Publishing

Bible Story Feltboard

First Language Lessons

Edcon Classics to Life Literature Units

Early Reader Series - Apologetics Press

There's a Whole Lot of Sharing Going On!

Awana Bible Memory Book ~ Includes colourful pictures, scripture verses and corresponding poems for each letter in the alphabet.

Free Preschool Bible Resources ~ Although labled "preschool", the activities (songs, games, scripture memory, etc.) could easily be used with kindergarten and grade 1 students.

Read Alouds ~ An informational site on using read aloud times with your children.

BBC Bitesize Science ~ This website works well for reinforcing the grade 2 science topic of Solids, Liquids and Gases. Online quizzes and excellent graphics. (secular viewpoint)

Virtual Hikes ~ Take a virtual hike in a variety of places across Canada. I haven't explored this site too in depth, but it looks too neat to not share!

The ABCs of Safety Colouring Book ~ Excellent resource to use with kindergarten and grade 1 students to reinforce community helpers and safety issues/procedures. You may want to pick and choose colouring pages for the topics that you are working on.

Grade 2 Health ~ I am only able to access the grade 2 webpage, but it includes 28 usable health lessons that could be adapted to younger or older grade levels.

Famous Paintings: Art Appreciation for Kids ~ This online resource is from the Garden of Praise website. Could be an excellent resource to use in the upcoming school year.

Masters of Disaster ~ This is an amazing website from the American Red Cross with a huge amount of resources and printables that are ready to use. The resource goes through three levels and focuses on a wide variety of safety learning.

The Great Sunflower Project

I have started to become slightly passionate towards nature study. I am definitely no expert, but my girls and I have been having a lot of fun learning about God's amazing handiwork! Recently I came across information for The Great Sunflower Project. If you would like more information, then click here: The Great Sunflower Project.

Game Time!

Below are a couple of games that some families are using as learning fun. Games like these are excellent items to look for at garage sales and second hand stores. If you and your children are enjoying a great learning game, then please let me know so that I can share it with others.

(Click on the name of the game to link to a website with a more in-depth description)

Take Off - A Geography adventure that flies you around the world. Learn about physical geography, flags and facts about countries around the world.

A Walk in the Woods ~ Go on a nature walk adventure and explore various plants and insects.

Young Naturalists' Club of BC

The Young Naturalists' Club of BC is an environmental action program for children ages 5-14. There are many BC communities that provide this club to families. To see if there is a YNC near you, click here: YNC

Children will discover "nature in their own neighbourhoods, explore local ecosystems, learn about native wildlife and plants and take part in environmental actions to protect their habitat."

A family membership for a year is $15 and includes: a welcome pack, explorer days (fieldtrips), awards, and a quarterly subscription to NatureWILD magazine.

It sounds like a great opportunity to encourage some nature lovin' within your family!

Here is the link to the Young Naturalists' Club of BC website: YNC Home Page

It's Not Easy Being Green ...

Environmental concerns have become a societal norm. As a family, you are no doubt already completing environmental learning throughout your daily life and routines.
Since April 22nd is Earth Day, I thought that it would be appropriate to provide some environmental activity ideas at the beginning of this month. Each grade level (kindergarten to grade 3) contains some environmental learning outcomes:

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Kindergarten
Demonstrate the ability to observe their surroundings
Describe features of their immediate environment
Demonstrate responsible behaviour in caring for their immediate environment

Grade 1
Identify the characteristics of different environments
Demonstrate responsible behaviour in caring for their immediate and school environment

Grade 2
Describe their responsibility to the local environment
Describe how the physical environment influences human activity

Grade 3
Demonstrate a sense of responsibility for the local environment


The activity ideas below are only suggestions. If you feel that your child has not received much “environmental learning” so far during this school year, you may consider studying some of the suggested scripture, printing off some of the colouring pages, or checking out some of the activity websites. If you do complete some environmental learning, then please communicate this in a “Brag-a-Little” email or in your child’s portfolio.


SCRIPTURE
Discuss the responsibility that God has given to man in taking care of the earth. What can you do to help take care of God’s creation on a daily basis?

Psalm 8: 3-8 – Psalm 8:6-8: “You have made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.”


Discuss how God responded to His creation - “It was very good”. Discuss God’s creation today. Is man keeping it “very good”? What parts of God’s creation fascinate you most?

Genesis 1:11-13, 20-25 - creation of plants and animals. Genesis 1:31- “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.”



WEBSITES
EEK! – Environmental Education for Kids
Recycle City
Just for Kids
Earth Day Ideas and Activities
Eco Kids games and activities


READINGS
The Lorax ~ by Dr. Seuss
This book is a fun read as an introduction to the need of sustainability in the environment. Unfortunately, the dialogue in the story does include some ruder language: i.e. “You stupid guy!” and “Shut up, if you please”. When reading this aloud to my own children, I changed “stupid” to “silly” and “Shut up” to “Be quiet”.


PRINTABLES
Recycling Colouring Pages (kindergarten/ grade 1)
Nature’s Recycler’s Colouring book (grades 2/3)


COMMUNITY
Earth Day Event Schedule for communities in BC

A Great Website!

Thanks to Mrs. Wessels, I have been introduced to a new favourite website: Eco Kids.

There is a kids area and a teachers area when you first arrive at the website. As a homeschooling parent, you can register as a "teacher" and get access to all of the neat resources available. You just need to provide an email address to use as your log in.

One of the resources that I am enjoying with my kids is the calendars. Each month has a different Eco theme, and each day has a little fact, riddle or activity related to the theme.

For example:
January - Winter Wonderlands (meets kindergarten and grade 1 learning outcomes)
February - Global Village
March - Water (meets grade 2 learning outcomes)
April - Earth Day (meets kindergarten, grades 1, 2 and 3 learning outcomes)
May - 3 R's - Recycling, Reusing, Reducing (meets kindergarten, grades 1, 2 and 3 learning outcomes)
June - Looking At What We Eat (meets grade 3 learning outcomes)

The calendars are easy to print off, hang on the fridge, and use as a new way of learning about environmental ideas.

There are also book lists available that work nicely with the environmental learning outcomes for grades 1, 2 and 3. They even have the books listed by grade level!

There is much more available on the site, so take a moment to look around at Eco Kids.

Outdoor Nature Study

If you like to take your learning outside, check this out: