April/May
Studying Science
the Natural Way
Katie Glennon
It’s getting to be the time of year when we venture out to enjoy
the weather and the new season. How about homeschooling
outdoors and studying science the natural way, through nature?
Nature study is a fun and easy way to study the formal areas of
science: biology, chemistry, and physical science.
The entire family from the youngest to the oldest can embark
together on this journey and in many different ways. To prepare
properly for an adventurous study of our natural world, we must
arm ourselves with the necessary equipment.
For our family, that was a small backpack per child filled with
the following nature study items (some in my own pack):
Nature journal/notebooking pages
Colored pencils (erasable)
Assorted grade pencils
Erasers
Mini binoculars
Assorted small field guides or pocket
cards (topics included trees, wildflowers, birds, rocks, insects, animal tracks,
clouds, plants, fish)
Trail snack
Small bottle of water
Natural Sunscreen
Natural Bug spray
Natural Handiwipes
Clipboards
Plaster paris
Baggies (if leaf, rock, seed pod collection
was permitted)
Katie Glennon is a former
teacher and course developer
who has homeschooled her
boys for more than ten years,
creatively using Charlotte
Mason methods and unit
studies. She shares her ideas
at Katie’s Homeschool Cottage
where she has various Nature
Study ebooks to assist parents
in their nature walks and
nature studies to turn the
study of our natural world
into an adventure.
Nature Study, Nature
Journals, and Poetry Through
the Year by Katie’s Homeschool
Cottage
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