Nature Study at the Beach
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Science Exploration Among Sand and Shells
Charlotte Mason considered it ridiculous that a child would study about the rainforest but not recognize the plants and animals in his own back yard. But she certainly didn't limit nature study only to a family's immediate surroundings. Nature study can extend to whatever place you visit whether that be a city, a zoo, a botanical garden, a desert, or the beach.
If the beach is nearby, take a day trip for your weekly nature study. Or if the beach is a far away treat, try to sneak in a little nature study during your vacation time. You won't have to work hard to encourage your children to collect shells and look at the creatures caught in the tide pools. But be deliberate about bringing along sketchbooks to document what you see and field guides to identify what you find.
Tide Pools
fascinating tiny ecosystems
My daughter and I have spent hours staring into the fascinating cornucopia of life found in tide pools, night after night during a beach vacation. They are always fascinating no matter how long you've looked at them; you always find something new to marvel at.
Visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium's activities page for directions to build your own aquascope for looking into tidepools!
California State Parks offers lots of free educational resources for studying and enjoying tidepools -- A Guide to the Side of the Sea.
Oregon Coast Aquarium's Tide Pool Talk PDF is outstanding! You'll find an extensive glossary, flashcards, diagrams, puzzles, poems, and more.
And if you're more of an auditory learner, go to the National Wildlife Federation's Green Hour website for a short podcast about tidepool watching.
You're in for a real treat if you click over to School for Us to see their field trip to Cabrillo National Park's tide pools. And here is another post, this time from Monterey Bay.WOW! What incredible life can be found in those small pools.
Apples and Jammies blog shares an entire tide pools unit study with several links and a lapbook!
Beach Nature Study
things to focus on
If you have several days at the beach, consider focusing on one particular topic each time.
Things to study- shells
- creatures in tidepools and on the sand
- plants growing on the beach and in the water
- erosion
- wind - fly a kite
- sun and clouds
- tides
- stones and driftwood
- birds
There's more to building sand castles than just play. Study the physics behind the fun!
What to Take Along for a Beach Nature Walk
Although you hate to be encumbered by too much gear, it's also nice to have a few supplies on hand to enhance your observations. Pick and choose what to take. And remember, each day's beach walk can be different -- take binoculars one day and a bucket the next. But don't forget the sunscreen!
- Magnifying glass
- Binoculars
- Camera
- Bucket, pail, jar, mesh bag, or other creative container for shells or small creatures.
- Paper or sketchbook; pencils
- Field guides for on-site identification
Beach Study is Beach Play
Science in Seconds at the Beach
Exciting Experiments You Can Do in Ten Minutes or Less
Science in Seconds at the Beach: Exciting Experiments You Can Do in Ten Minutes or Less
Amazon Price: $8.85 (as of 02/15/2012)
Used Price: $4.98
You don't actually have to be at the beach to do these quick activities and experiments. Many of them can be done in the backyard, making this a great resource for before a beach trip or after one.
Beach Books & Beach Poetry
maggie and milly and molly and may
a beach poem by e. e. cummings
maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach(to play one day)
and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles,and
milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;
and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and
may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.
For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)
it's always ourselves we find in the sea
Prepare for your beach visits or reinforce what you already experienced with some living books.
Homeschool Share offers an entire unit study complete with printable notebooking pages all about the book Pagoo.
Online Field Guides
- eNature Seashore
- eNature has lots of great reference material. After visiting the beach, look up some of the creatures you saw.
- Seashell Identification Guide
- Click on the picture that best matches your shell. Quick and easy!
Peterson First Guide to Seashores
Peterson First Guide to Seashores (Peterson First Guide (R))
Amazon Price: $0.18 (as of 02/15/2012)
Used Price: $0.01
This is an inexpensive field guide to get you started with beach nature study. For a more in-depth resource, look at the title below.
Atlantic Seashore Field Guide
A Field Guide to the Atlantic Seashore: From the Bay of Fundy to Cape Hatteras (Peterson Field Guide)
Amazon Price: $3.91 (as of 02/15/2012)
Used Price: $2.80
A more detailed and thorough guide, suitable for serious beach lovers.
Beach Wildlife
Sandals Perfect for the Beach
Studying, Collecting, and Identifying Shells
Take the shells you collect from the beach and put them to good use. Organize and label them. (Be inspired by this blog entry!) Use them for crafts or for displays such as this shadow box craft.Want some free printable seashell coloring pages for your nature journal? Visit this lens.
Shells (National Audubon Society First Field Guides)
Amazon Price: $46.80 (as of 02/15/2012)
Used Price: $0.01
Fifty of the most common shells are highlighted in full color detail in this small field guide. This field guide is designed especially for children, so it's not intimidating.
Guestbook
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Tiggered
Jan 4, 2012 @ 5:28 pm | delete
- Mmm, beachcombing, that's the thing. I've recently caught a little hermit crab in a rock pool - the first I've ever seen in the wild. He got named Kermit, photographed all over and released back :)
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debnet
May 22, 2011 @ 3:07 am | delete
- Beaches are such wonderful places no matter what the weather. Learning opportunities are just everywhere and just too wonderful to ignore! Blessed by a Squid Angel ;)
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dustytoes
Mar 29, 2010 @ 10:25 am | delete
- Thanks for the lensroll. I'll do the same to my seashell identification lens. Love your photos here and the idea to bring a sketchbook!
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by Jimmie
Hello! I am a homeschooling, stay at home mom who loves to teach, cook from scratch, write (and blog), sew, listen to great sermons, and travel.
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