Fresh Start

Just as I am starting over on our homeschool blog, I am also going to get off to a fresh start here!  We are beginning third grade this year and looking forward to continuing and deepening the nature study we have been doing the last couple of years.  I wish I could go back and share with you some of the things we have done over the last couple of years, but with everything we have going on in our daily life (and in hopes of staying up to date on all my blogs) I will just begin with this new year of school.

We have changed to My Father's World curriculum since the last time I posted here and if you want to read about that you can click over to my homeschool blog using the link in the sidebar.  We are really excited about science this year as it is all about animals, biomes, habitats, and various features of the living world.  We will be creating a leaf and bark collection this year, along with experiments and learning insights into the natural world around us.  We will continue to go on nature walks...either in our yard, neighborhood, or on various hiking trails nearby.  Some of these walks will be simple in that Brett will just observe and take pictures or make sketches of things that catch his eye and some of them will follow the actual challenges of the original Outdoor Hour blog (also found as a link in the sidebar).

Most of all, we are just looking forward to being out in creation together and observing all the wonders that God has provided for our enjoyment!  I hope this blog or the original Outdoor Hour blog will inspire you and your family to get outside and explore!  

Nature Books

What the books look like inside~

The inside of the Handbook of Nature Study~

This is a duplicate post from our homeschool blog, so sorry for the repeat, but I felt that since it was nature information, it needed to be here as well :)

Scavenger Hunt Nature Walk

One morning in October, Brett and I decided to use a "Fall Signs" list from a Mailbox magazine to go on a scavenger hunt. He had many things he needed to find...acorns, pumpkins, certain leaves, etc...The list is pictured. But as we were walking, we decided to follow a trail at the very back of our neighborhood. It was such a fun time to wander back through this amazing field and just hear the quiet sounds of creation. We hope to go back again in the near future :)

Interruptions...worth it in the end!

A couple of weeks ago, our lawn company came to do aeration and fall time re-seeding. We were in the middle of school, but Brett was so fascinated with what the men were doing that he couldn't focus on work. So, outside we went! He sat and watched them for about 30 minutes! During this time we watched quietly, but we also talked about aeration, soil, and planting. All in all it was a good lesson!

While he was occupied with the lawn aeration, I looked over at my flower garden to see what was going on there. I quietly moved closer so as not to disturb anything...Simply enchanting!

when you view it up close, you can actually see the little specs of pollen clinging to him...

Nature Walk

Brett and I went on a Nature Walk a couple of weeks ago when it was briefly dry out for a short period of time. We had been cooped up because of all the rain and it was nice to get out for a bit! Brett is the king of treasure collectors...you can see he feels accomplishment in his spoils for the day!

Getting Started

We have not yet started our Nature study, because it has just been extremely hot and humid here the last few weeks. It's beginning to cool off a bit, so I'm hoping to start having this time once a week in Sept. We may start off every other week while we work on scheduling, but we are looking forward to it! Come back soon...we'll have updates!

Nature Study!

In August, we will be beginning a Nature study. We will be using the Outdoor Hour Challenges by Barb Harmony among other resources. I will try to keep a record of all of our activities and challenges and will post as many pictures as possible.
I hope that you will visit the Outdoor Hour site listed in my link to the side and get involved in your own nature study. Today's kids need to be outside more and in front of the TV less....so get out...and enjoy!
Please come back to the site in August and then visit regularly thereafter to see what we are doing. Post some comments if you wish of your own study if you choose to do one :)
See you soon!
Jenni