Green Hour #6: Nature Study is Science Brought Home

“Out-of-door life takes a child afield and keeps him in the open air, which not only helps him physically and occupies his mind with sane subjects, but keeps him out of mischief. It is not only during childhood that this is true, for love of nature counts much for sanity in later life.” Handbook of Nature Study, page 2


We finally got our Handbook of Nature Study. I was not prepared for how much I love this book! I figured it was probably going to be good but I think it is fabulous. I am so thankful to Barb for introducing it to me. I think every home should have one! My kids and I have thoroughly enjoyed it so far (it is quite a hefty book). In the bird unit, it is suggested that we get a chicken to keep and observe. My kids were all over that! Unfortunately, I'm sure our landlord isn't. Maybe next year. But it just goes to show you, this book is the real deal. We skipped to the lesson about Robins instead, as we have been excited to see some in our backyard.

Our humble robin drawings.




Journal entries (unedited, as the Handbook suggests)


As we went for a walk, the kids were thrilled with all the different bird songs. Even Claire and little Anna! We can't identify them all yet, but just the fact that my kids were listening for them thrilled me. Even when we are in the house, sometimes Elise or Claire will stop and say, "Mom! Do you hear that? What bird is that?" Then we fly to the computer to try and track it down. I've thought about trying to actually notate the song, but it's been way too long since my last ear training class.

Barb suggested we start a collection. Yesterday, Elise came in the house SO excited after digging in the dirt in our back yard. "Mom! I found a fossil!" Intrigued, I glanced into her hand. I saw nothing at first. I leaned in and not wanting to deflate her enthusiasm, I tried really hard to see what she saw. Sure enough, I saw a little speck. "It's a shell mom! A tiny, tiny shell." It was. I could see the spiral pattern. Elise headed to the microscope to have a better look. It didn't tell us too much, but we got to see it up closer and wondered what tiny creature use to live in that tiny shell. Elise went back out and enlisted her brother and sister and they set up an archaeological base. After about an hour they had a bucket full of tiny shells and rolly-polly skeletons and who knows what else. They plan to examine it all. Elise has squirreled away many of them in her "treasure" box, with her acorns, feathers, rocks, seeds, cute little lint balls and all the other things she finds fascinating. SO, behold....this week's collection:

We talked about where we think these things have come from. Some, we're sure, have come from the birds. We washed our hands really well.

We found some interesting web sites as we tried to identify some of this stuff, but nothing that really helped. This one was cool http://geology.utah.gov/surveynotes/gladasked/gladsoil.htm.

I found the following quote particularly comforting as we sifted through some of the "collection."

“ In nature study any teacher can with honor say, “I do not know”; for perhaps the question asked is as yet unanswered by the great scientists.” page 3

We will keep searching, and let you know if we find any answers.