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I'm wondering about when to implement CM style nature journals? Does this fall into science category? Are those kind of activities written into the guides somewhere? I would like to do something like in Karen Andreola's book "Pocketfull of Pinecones." Is there anything like that already in the guides?

Learning.
Thanks so much.

Is anyone doing a nature journal?

I know it's winter, but (I'm reading) that isn't supposed to matter, at least for everyday outside time. We're in WI and it is below zero even in the daylight right now. We all trooped out there for about 15 minutes yesterday. Maybe we'll do some bird watching at the feeders from inside. I just received Simply Charlotte Mason's Hours Out of Doors book and it's pretty good. I hope to start a nature journal with my ds but am wondering if something like that is written into the guides anywhere.

It looks like fun.

I am currently in a few states below you and ya we are inside doing our nature. Watching the birds, a squirrel, our seven stray cats. Over the summer we would catch stuff in jars and draw a picture of them and write down the name of what we caught. We never really gone pass just that. I did a few internet stuff and got a few books from the library if my DD was more interested in learning more about the bugs we caught. After she finished her drawing I put it in her binder under science. I found a neat nature study book that I am buying her for her birthday. It has a drawing area and below as lines and asks what the plant/animal is, how it lives, eats and stuf like that. It is spiral bound so it be great for keeping for school.

I don't know if this is what you're looking for, but there is a nature study you could print for free at Google books. It's called Type Lessons for Primary Teachers by Anna McGovern. It is divided by seasons, so you could just print the appropriate seasons as you need them.

Another nice freebie is Nature Study Made Easy , again at Google books for free.

Hope one of those might help!

Hi there,
None of the HOD guides have nature study scheduled per se that I am aware of, but I was thinking you may want to look at the Small Square books used for science in a few of the guides. It is not scheduled, but if you live near any of the habitats discussed, you could study a "small square" as suggested in those books.

http://www.donnayoung.org has some free nature study pages. Here is the link: http://donnayoung.org/science/natj/natrjrnl.htm

Thank you for the help given here. I do wish to implement a nature journal sometime soon, not now. Ds is barely able to draw stick figures! But it's something I'm interested in and plan to do in the future.

The pages at Donnayoung looked very nice for that. Pretty lined and decorated "blank" journal pages with sketch space.

The google book suggestions were very nice as well and had some interesting seasonal ideas. It was published in 1905! I was pleased to be able to download it.

I read some other ideas on SimplyCharlotteMason like drawing still life (houseplants {poinsettias} fruit bowl) or pets, while indoors over the winter. Also someone mentioned a study of snow or observing how snow melts under black paper as opposed to white paper.

I appreciate the input and thoughts shared here.

Blessings, and MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Julie,

Here's a few links to some great past threads on this very topic:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1733

Blessings,
Carrie