In our homeschool, nature study is a beloved subject.  However, now that we've started our regular school, I've been tempted on some days to neglect it.  From year to year I find it's always easy to get caught up in the "check lists" of what my children "have" to know to be "like" other kids.  I've personally found that getting snagged into that line of thinking will zap the joy from your homeschool faster than lickety split.

Trying to complete the regular required studies is certainly enough to fill an average day.  However, if that is all I'm accomplishing day after day, what is left at the end of the day...a joy-drained Mom and kids.  We (that definitely includes me) cannot wait for the days when nature study and notebooking occurs!  Everytime we take the time to accomplish these things, I'm quickly reminded why they are a priority.  In nature, I've seen my children's faces light up as they observe God's creation.  From the tiniest ant carrying a crumb to the towering white oak tree swaying in the breeze, God's presence is seen and felt.

For us nature study involves spending at least one day a week outside together for about 45 minutes during regular school time.  Our scheduled day switches from week to week based on the weather.  I take minimal "stuff" with us, I do not want it to become overwhelming: a blanket, bug/butterfly containers, binoculars, digital camera, and the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock.

Last week the kids ran around bringing me all sorts of finds.  Alex, of course, is the resident bug-catcher.  Hannah is the resident "collector" of small items.  She brings all sorts of rocks, fossils, moss, twigs, etc to me.  She brought some old vines over to the blanket last week and we sat and braided them into small wreaths which we adorned with leaves, moss, and even clover.  The kids have "adopted" a tree in our back yard to watch throughout the seasons to make note of the changes that occur to it.  They are journaling about this in their nature notebooks.

I will post soon about our nature notebooks with pictures, but until then here are a few of our latest nature finds.

Fork Tailed Bush Katydid

Cute Thief!

Beautiful Clouds

Stare-off!