In the Sparrow's Nest - Homeschool Blogger

Putting it Through Again

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:41:00 -0600

For some reason my last, very important entry did not come through on many, if not all feed readers. So I'm putting this notice out there again that I have a new blog home.

I will no longer be posting at this site....visit me at www.inthesparrowsnest.com

If the above link does not work, try this: http://inthesparrowsnest.com

Our First Snowfall!!

Mon, 7 Dec 2009 10:03:00 -0600

It was just a dusting, but beautiful nonetheless. We've already been outside having fun in it! The temperatures are in the 30's so we know it won't last long!

The following is a link to our Snow Studies from last year. We'll be doing many of those things again, plus more starting in January using the Snow and Ice unit that Shining Dawn Books will be releasing very soon!

Snow Studies

Keeping a Nature Calendar

Fri, 4 Dec 2009 10:28:00 -0600

Recently we started keeping a monthly nature calendar. As an example, at the beginning of this month we took our sheet of paper and labeled the top "December Nature", and then throughout the month as we visit parks and take nature walks we are keeping a list on this page of the different things we find and observe in nature.

Our monthly lists are such a neat thing to look back on and remember our walks and what we found. Plus it will be neat to look ahead to the coming months and anticipate how nature will be changing by looking at our lists.

This last week we had one day of bright sunshine and good temperatures, so we headed out to our favorite park to begin our list. Here are some of the things we found.

These male and female Mallard Ducks were swimming in the wetlands.

We noticed several abandoned nests and wondered what species of bird lived in them back in the spring and summer.

We were shocked to find so many dandelions still growing in the cold weather, or are we shocked, those things are resillent!

We found lots and lots of seeds on tree and plants in general, settled in with hope of the future spring season.

We also found several places where fungus was growing, mostly in and around trees. This photo below is of fungus growing on a huge tree that had damage around the base.

Of course we took time to stop and throw rocks in one of the water pools!

There was splashes of color everywhere. It's amazing that once all the leaves and brush goes away how much more color stands out. They are like splashes of bright color on a gray/brown canvas.

Speaking of color, each month the park that we were at, which happens to also be an arboretum, hosts one of their trees/plants as their "Plant of the Month". This one, the Deciduous Holly, we believe was chosen very timely, adorned in it's formal winter red dress.

The sun was shining so brightly on the red berries that they looked like they were on fire.

These are just a few of the things we added to our December Nature calendar. What sorts of things will you add to yours?

Sandhill Crane Migration

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:16:00 -0600

We were so blessed yesterday to have had the priviledge to see a huge group of Sandhill Cranes migrating over our house. In the information we read about them it said that they congregate in huge numbers to migrate....I'd say so! Here is a photo of Sandhill Cranes that I got from another site. I wish I could have thought quick enough to get my camera, but they were just too fast flying over.

My son came blasting into the house yelling, at first making me think we were on the way to the hospital again:), but thank the Lord it was just an excited yell because he could hear them coming. So we all jumped up and ran out onto the sidewalk to see several large V formations of the beautiful birds flying overhead. The sound they were giving off was amazing! If you visit THIS website you can hear their call, just multiply it by about 50!

According to what I read, this is the time of year to see the Sandhill Cranes migrating. They are mostly located in the Northwestern areas of the United States and Canada during the summer months, and in California, Southern Florida, Texas and Mexico during the winter months. We would only see them here in Kentucky when they are migrating, so it was quite a treat!

If you visit the above linked website you can also read up on some other interesting information about Sandhill Cranes such as they choose a mate for life and migrate with their offspring!

We've checked out a couple of books from our library to learn more, including the following:

Luck by Jean Craighead George

I love everything that I've read of Ms. George's, so I'm sure this is a lovely book.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:33:00 -0600

Finding Color

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:43:00 -0600

My sweet Preschooler and I went on our very own nature walk today to seek out color on a somewhat drabby day. This November has been a very mild one, indeed, but also has lacked sunshine. So we determined ourselves to find our very own "sunshine" by finding colors in the brown of late autumn.

At first, it seemed everywhere we looked there was brown, which we still found beauty in.

Here, we found STARS! She said they look like fireworks too.

Then we started noticing all the pretty green around still, even after the frosts.

And the pretty green lichen and white fungi were plentiful.

We couldn't decide if we wanted to call these berries "red" or "purple", so we called them "red purple".

And finally, there was this neat looking orange fungi. We thought they looked like orange fingers!

But the most colorful thing I found in nature today, was my sweet Gabby Rose.

Macro in Late Autumn

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:07:00 -0600

I've been trying to focus in on teaching my children how to see the beauty in all seasons. Towards the end of Autumn when the leaves are mostly off the trees, and things have found themselves to be a dry brown color we focus in on details, because there is where we find remarkable beauty. Taking macro pictures helps us to see this beauty even more closely than our human eye can.

We find if we look close enough we can still find splashes of color.

What small details of God's creation are bringing beauty into your life?

2009 Homeschool Blog Awards

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:32:00 -0600

The voting for the Homeschool Blog Awards for 2009 is now open.

Thank you so much if you nominated my blog for Best Photos and Artistic Content Blog!

If you have enjoyed the nature photography featured on my blog I would very much appreciate your VOTE!

The Colors of Autumn

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:22:00 -0500

Autumn for us this year has been very wet. Lots of rain and overcast skies. But, on those beautiful sunshiney days we've been sure to get outside to enjoy the brillance of the fall colors. Cranberry Red, Flame Red, Pumpkin Orange, Deep Purple and Golden Yellow are some of the colors we've been appreciating. Here are some photos from a couple our nature walks so I can share the beautiful colors with you.

Be sure not to miss getting outside during this wonderful, beautiful time of year with your children!

During the last few weeks we've been studying Deciduous Trees, I also wrote a post over at Shining Dawn Books about studying trees with Preschoolers and Toddlers. Check it out too if you'd like!

Migration and Hibernation

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:21:00 -0500

As the winter season approaches many animals are preparing for what lays ahead. Plumeting temperatures and lack of food drive many animals to migrate or hibernate. Yet still some stick around to tough it out by adapting. This last week we've been busy watching the many signs of animals preparing. We've seen large flocks of migrating birds, insects disappearing, animals foraging for food to store up and many, many more.

Just two days ago my son came running in the house with a Monarch stuck on his jacket proclaiming that the poor thing just flew right over and landed on him. I was shocked that it was still here since I figured they were all well on their way migrating south.

Also, I shared previously with you a photo of our backyard groundhog. Well since the temperatures are plumeting even more he's been getting a bit more daring by allowing us to get closer to get a photo! He's fattening up for sure, looks plumper than the when we saw him the day before! Soon, he will snuggle down deep in his burrow for a long winter snooze.

We are trying our best to enjoy these wonderful creatures because we know it's only a matter of time before we will have to say goodbye for the winter. What signs of animals coping with the cold are you observing? If you have a chance check out our newly released unit, Coping wih the Cold - How Animals Survive the Winter Season, over at Shining Dawn Books. It is a perfect nature study for this time of year and throughout the cold winter months!