Nature Study -- Charlotte Mason Style
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Enjoy the Wonder of Nature with your Children
Charlotte Mason's educational philosohpy is a great fit for homeschool families who love great books, simple methods, and academic excellence. One component of a Charlotte Mason education is the regular study of nature.
Nature Study has just two parts -- the Doing and the Documenting.
Doing -- the nature walk
Documenting -- the nature journal or notebook
(This page has a sister page at Nature Tales -- CM inspired living books to supplement your nature study.)
Nature Study Basics
just two parts
Just two parts -- sounds easy! But to do Nature Study well, you will need to make a consistent effort to make time for it. According to Charlotte Mason, every child has an innate interest in nature, but it is the parents' responsibility to encourage it. Otherwise it will be lost as the child matures into adulthood.
Miss Mason called it an evil "that children get their knowledge of natural history, like all their knowledge, at second hand." Instead, she advised children learn of nature first hand with extended personal experiences.
She suggested time outdoors everyday, and during pleasant weather, from April to October, her recommendation is even four to six hours each day spent in the fresh air!
But for most CM homeschoolers, a weekly nature walk fits their schedule well. Whatever frequency you choose, remember Miss Mason's words, "Never be within doors when you can rightly be without."
Nature Study Poll
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Charlotte Mason's Thoughts
her original work online
I strongly suggest that you read Charlotte Mason's original words regarding daily walks outdoors, nature walks, and nature journals. The best place to start is with Home Education. The sections linked below are from Volume 1, Part II titled Out-Of-Door Life For The Children.
Although it may take a bit of time to get used to her archaic style, the effort is worth it!
- Out-Of-Door Life For The Children 1st portion
- Out-Of-Door Life For The Children
- Out-Of-Door Life For The Children 2nd Portion
- the second half
Nature Walks
exploring nature with your children
How do you conduct a nature walk? What are you supposed to do during the time outdoors?
What do the children do?
If they would like it, the children may take along magnifying glasses, binoculars, nets, and containers for viewing up close and catching small creatures. But don't encumber them with too many things. Let them be free to explore with open hands most of the time.
What does the parent do?
Miss Mason warned mothers of talking too much during the nature walk. She said that the less spoken the better. Although talk between mother and child is a precious thing, the goal of the nature study is to allow the child to converse directly with Mother Nature. So don't get in the way with too much active teaching. What is the mother to say during a nature walk? She can direct attention with a "Look at that!" She can name what is being viewed, "That's a poplar tree." She can make very brief descriptive comments to direct the children's attention, "It's just starting to bud. I see many small, bright green shoots." And probably most importantly, she should simply voice her admiration in a verbal prayer of praise directly to God, "Father, thank You for this lovely tree bursting forth with new life!"
Nature Walks in May is an article from a 1903 issue of The Parents Review that gives an account of a nature walk.
Nature Study in Action
This video shows an casual nature study prompted by the discovery of many Japanese beetles on a plant. Notice how the mother asks leading questions but does not lecture. She also admires the beauty of the insects. Excellent example of the mom's role during the nature study! I hope that they went home and made some notes in their nature journal about these beetles. For more about nature object lessons, read this article from Simply Charlotte Mason.
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Activities for the Nature Walk
sight-seeing and picture-painting
"The sense of beauty comes from early contact with nature." -- Charlotte MasonMiss Mason recommended two activities during a nature walk
1. Sight-seeing or exploring expeditions
In this activity, you send the children off to a specified area with a task: "Go explore over there and come back when you can tell me all about it." When the children return, let them share verbal descriptions of everything they experienced.
2. Picture-painting or mental photographs
Picture painting is more stationary. You choose a scene to study and then sit and look at it for several minutes, taking in as much detail as possible. Then ask the children to close their eyes and recreate the scene with words. If they are not sure of something, they can open their eyes and look. This activity will develop both observation skills and narration (telling back) skills.
In the beginning, you, the mother, may want to model this picture painting. Show them how to do it step by step, maybe even thinking outloud as you survey the scene. Then close your eyes and paint a verbal picture, letting the children verify your description.
Both of these activities should be approached as if they are play. But in fact, a lot of learning is taking place!
For more simple ideas for nature walk activities, see these links:Shining Dawn Books sells curriculum kits on a wide assortment of topics that will help get you started with nature study.
Remember, nature study doesn't have to be far from home. Your own backyard is a worthy subject of study. Common animals such as squirrels, insects, and backyard birds offer plenty of opportunities for learning natural history.
Nature Walks in Nasty Weather
shouldn't we just cancel it?
Charlotte Mason said that bad weather was no excuse for not having the daily outing and the weekly nature study. As long as the children are dressed adequately to protect them from the cold or rain, the nature study can still proceed in the same way as on clear, lovely days. Winter or wet days will each offer their own variety of nature to experience.
For many children, the opportunity to play outdoors in the rain is a great joy! Chasing toads and finding puddles are natural joys that can't be experienced on a sunny day. Of course, sketching may not be possible on a rainy day, but the documenting of the nature study can be done when you return home.
Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com
But I Live in the City!
There is no nature around me!
Granted, those of us who do not live in rural settings do have to work a bit harder for our nature walks, but there really is nature all around us regardless of where we live. We simply have to be more dilligent and creative to find it! Ants, pigeons, sparrows, windowsill gardens are all forms of nature to be found even in the busiest of cities.Miss Mason said the time in nature is so important for children, that a mother should do whatever it takes to make that opportunity happen for them. She suggests taking a picnic to a more rustic location outside of your city to enjoy a day outdoors. Yes, it's a lot of trouble, but it's worth it!
Take full advantage of your time outdoors by bringing some live nature home to observe, for example tadpoles, caterpillars, or ants. Then record your observations in the nature journal. Charlotte Mason says that this type of direct observation and recording is more valuable for a child's education than reading an entire natural history text to him! Why? Because the knowledge is gained first hand.
This article Natural Nature Learninghas some great suggestions for those of us who do not live in a rural setting but still want to do regular nature walks.
And here is another article by the same author addressing the issue again.
The National Wildlife Federation shares another gem --In Search of Urban Critters.
If you're really desparate, bring nature inside to you! The University of New Hampshire offers this great PDF all about plants you can grow from things you probably already have in your kitchen.
And don't forget that as a city dweller, you have the advantages of access to natural history museums, planetariums, zoos, and botanical gardens. Take advantage of those resources and consider them part of your nature study.
Nature in the Neighborhood
Nature in the Neighborhood (Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12)
Amazon Price: $2.70 (as of 02/11/2012)
Used Price: $0.01
This book focuses on plants and animals in a single neighborhood in an unnamed North American city, beginning in spring as the snow melts and following them through the seasons.
Links about Nature Study
- Nature Study for Young People
- Barb writes at The Handbook of Nature Study blog. In this article she shares some of CM's thoughts about nature study as well as some observations of her own. This mom regularly takes her children on nature walks. She knows what she's talking about.
- Nature Study: In an English Garden
- General thoughts about nature walks and nature study.
- Nature Watching and Journals
- A great list of what to look for in each season, what supplies to bring, and what to write/draw in the journal.
- Benefits of Play in Nature
- This is a concise list of the bottom-line results many scientific studies -- all pointing to the incredible value of time spent out of doors for children.
- CM Nature Study Yahoo Group
- This is a fairly new Yahoo Group dedicated to Nature Study in the CM style. Come join in for encouragement and new ideas.
- Anna Botsford Comstock's Suggestions for Nature Study Work
- Something of a scope and sequence for nature study, Comstock outlines suggested topics of study for grades 1-8 in this PDF leaflet.
Wildflowers of North America
A great resource is the Flick group devoted to North American wildflowers. Since each photo in the group is extensively tagged, this site can be used as a type of online field guide.
curated content from Flickr
Field Guides Online
- What Tree Is It?
- This site is terribly fun and useful! Bring home a leaf from your nature walk, go to this site, and answer the questions one by one as you look at your leaf. This program will help you identify it!
- Bug Identification
- This is similar to the tree site above. You are asked a sequence of questions in order to determine what kind of insect you have found. A great resource!
- WhatBird
- By choosing attibutes of the bird, this program will help you identify its species.
- Wildflower Identification
- This is set up like a quiz -- you check the answer that matches your flower and presto, your flower is identified!
Handbook of Nature Study
Charlotte Mason said of field guides, "The mother cannot devote herself too much to this kind of reading, not only that she may read tit-bits to her children about matters they have come across, but that she may be able to answer their queries and direct their observations."
Read a shorter introduction to nature study written by Anna Botsford Comstock. It includes nature study topics for grades 1-8.
Read a shorter introduction to nature study written by Anna Botsford Comstock. It includes nature study topics for grades 1-8.
Handbook of Nature Study
Amazon Price: $19.02 (as of 02/11/2012)
Used Price: $11.21
Charlotte Mason recommended this classic volume as a nature study resource. Because this book is in the public domain, it is also available as a free online text. For more information about this foundational volume, see this blog of the same name Handbook of Nature Study.
Nature Study in Specific Habitats
Visit these pages for specific tips for nature study at the beach or even in the desert!
Other Books for Nature Study
These books will help you lead your children to know more about the natural world!
The Handbook of Nature Study Blog
practical how-tos
If you need inspiration and support in beginning your nature study, be sure to visit this blog by an experienced homeschool mom (and fellow Squidoo lensmaster).
This blog is specifically designed to help homeschoolers implement Charlotte Mason's nature study ideas and The Handbook of Nature Study into their regular practice.
Barb scatters her blog with gorgeous photos! It's a real treat to the eye!
Join in her weekly Outdoor Challenges for support and accountability!
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byOnline Lesson Plans and Printables
related to nature study
I will add more links as I find and research them. I will only link what I consider to be the BEST online resources for nature study so you don't have to weed through a lot of useless information.The free printables for nature journals are lower on this page.
- Nature Tales
- The sister site for this page. Suggestions for nature related living books, including links to FREE online titles that Miss Mason herself recommended.
- Field Museum Underground Adventure
- This link has a printable mini field guide all about soil and the creatures that live underground in it. Very nice! Browse around the site for more lesson ideas.
- Northwest: Wildflowers
- Coloring book printables (black and white outlines) of a multitude of wildflowers.
- Montessori Materials
- PDFs that would be great additions to your nature study or nature notebook: Animal Anatomy, Animal Classification, Astronomy, Birds, Botany, Flower Nomenclature, Shell Nomenclature, Clouds/Watercycle, Microscope Nomenclature, Classification Lessons.
- Free Materials from the Entomological Foundation
- Free educational materials -- bookmarks, posters, and an insect appreciation digest. Send an email, and the organization will mail hard copies to you for free!
- Feeder Birds Coloring Book
- The Bird Coloring Book (PDF) contains line drawings of many common feeder birds.
- Texas Parks and Wildlife
- I was looking for a guide to animal tracks when I discovered this resource! Besides the animal tracks printable, there are things related to fish, insects, endangered species, and more. You'll also find some printable journals. Browse this website for some beautiful coloring pages as well.
- eNaturalist Teaching Units
- Educational units related to North American animals and plants.
- Wildflowers 101
- Full color wildflower identification cards.
- Animal Track ID Cards
- From Hobby Farms, this free printable is full of trading cards with animal tracks. Print and cut out.
More Field Guides
According to Miss Mason, both mother and child should be able to identify crops growing in their area, common plants, wildflowers, trees (from bark and leaves), insects, and other animals. To that, we will undoubtedly need to study and have reference books on hand.
Biographies of Naturalists
to inspire a love of nature
These are biographies of famous naturalists written in engaging stories that teach concepts of the natural world. Charlotte Mason would love these living books.
For many more living books, including FREE online titles that Miss Mason herself recommended, go to the sister site Nature Tales.
The Nature Journal
documenting your nature studies
Some people call them notebooks; others call them journals. Some describe them with the word field and others use the word nature. Regardless of whether you call it a field journal or a nature notebook, the idea is the same -- a place to document your nature walks.The nature journal should be taken outdoors with you on the nature walk so that you can make field sketches on the spot. Also write descriptions of what you see, hear, and feel to supplement the drawings. Of course, you'll want to document basic information such as date, time, weather conditions, and location. CM suggested using calendars to mark the "firsts:" the first tadpole, the first ripe blackberries, etc. This calendar could be part of the nature journal. Other ideas for nature journals include poetry (either self-composed or copied), leaf or bark rubbings, photographs, hand drawn maps, and even pamphlets found at botanical gardens or museums.
Mom, you can have your own nature journal too! What a great way to model for your children what you are expecting of them.
The nature journal's depth should reflect the age of the child. (The following are general guidelines; You know your child best; tailor your requirements accordingly.)
Young children (5-7) draw what they see; you can write what they narrate orally for descriptions
Middle children (8-10) draw what they see, label their drawings and write their own descriptions. (The example to the left was done by my daughter at age 8.)
Older children (11 and up) the above tasks are done in more detail and with more skill; in addition, they look up and document scientific information about the plant or creature and write the Latin name.
The nature notebook can be any format your child prefers. Some like to use an unlined, bound blank book. Others prefer loose leaf sheets on a clip-board. Pencils, pens, colored pencils, markers, and watercolors are all possible media. Some nature explorers even use nature itself as a paint - crushed berries, leaves, or even soil can give authentic color to your sketches!
Wet Canvas offers lessons for using watercolor paints. Many nature topics are included -- clouds, trees, leaves, sunsets, mountains, and more.
Be sure to visit Barefoot Voyage for Richele's thoughts about and photographs of nature journals. You will be inspired.
My daughter and I have used this nice PDF all about how to draw trees. We both found it helpful.
View a Nature Journal
These nature journal pages are from HarmonyArtMom's nature journal photoset. You will find many more ideas for nature study at her blog.
curated content from Flickr
Free Printables for a Nature Journal
Technically, all you need for a nature journal is blank paper! But many people like a bit more structure as they begin to incorporate nature journaling into their homeschool routine. The Internet has many options for free nature journal pages. Browse these below.- Nature Journal Printable Pages
- Includes printables for nature walks (4 versions), a bird feeder journal page, sky watching, and weather.
- Nature Study Pages
- Anette, a homeschooling mom, offers these well done nature study pages in PDF.
- Nature Journal Pages
- Dani shares her beautiful journal pages at Artful Thoughts. These are lovely and amazingly, free!
- Sierra Club
- Some background about nature journals and a printable PDF template.
- The American Museum of Natural History
- VERY simplistic journal pages to print -- insects, animal tracks, leaves, rocks, birds, sea shells and butterflies.
- Homeschool Share's Nature Journal Resources
- Links to several printables -- for preschoolers, bug page, plant identification labels, leaf identification, winter scavenger hunt, and more.
- Notebooking Nook Science Freebies
- Notebooking pages with floral, bird, swan, and owl themes as well as a set of nature journal pages.
- Teaching Mom Nature Journal Pages
- Several lovely PDF pages-- mushrooms, birds, weather, mammals, trees, amphibians, and more!
- Soil Concepts Imagination Book
- This is a very nice PDF coloring book or set of notebooking pages (unlined). Each page has an attractive border with a large open space for writing or drawing. The theme is soil, so there are images of a shovel with a huge clump of earth, cross-sections of dirt, a rabbit in an underground burrow, etc.
- Homeschool With Index Cards Notebooking Forms
- Free PDF noteboking pages include Bird Record, several types of Animal Forms, and a Plant Fact Form.
- Keciro Homeschool's Hands and Heart Downloads
- Look for the Birds in My Backyard, Little Critters in Your Backyard, and Nature Journal files.
- Garden Shop Lined Paper
- This manuscript lined paper has a potted plant motif on the side.
- Meddybemps Nature Notebook
- Printable notebooking pages for your nature journal: plants, animal, a cover page, a list page, and an "other" page.
- Feeder Birds Coloring Book
- This amazing, free PDF coloring book is from Cornell University.
Minerals, Rocks, and Fossils
from Flickr
Flickr has everything -- even a group devoted to photographs of rocks, minerals, and fossils! Enjoy these images. Consider sketching the rocks you collect during your nature walks. They make a nice addition to your nature journal
curated content from Flickr
Considering God's Creation
Excellent Science Curritulum That Doubles for Nature Study
I'm a fan of this science curriculum because of the wonderful science detective pages and its emphasis on nature.
Eagle's Wings Considering God's Creation (A Creative Biblical Approach to Natural Science)
Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 02/11/2012)
Used Price: $4.64
Read reviews of this curriculum by homeschool moms who've used it!
This curriculum includes many reproducible sheets that can be used during or after a nature walk to record observations. Then you can put these sheets directly into your nature notebook/journal! Read my review of this curriculum at The Curriculum Choice.
CBD sells Considering God's Creation. (The 2 book set linked here includes a student's book and a teacher's manual with an audio CD.)
Great Blog Entries About Nature Journals
I sometimes prefer reading a blog entry versus a plain article. Blog entries seem so personal, as if one homeschool mom is sitting down with you over a cup of coffee, sharing her thoughts.
- Higher Up and Further In
- LindaFay offers her take on Nature Journals.
- Nature Notebook Warning!
- Nature notebooks can lead to a real passion for science.
- Nature Detectives
- This is a blog created by homeschooled children! They use the blog to show off their nature explorations and discoveries!
- Mozart and Mud Pies
- A great entry about nature journals -- complete with photographs of children at work on them!
- Lapaz Farm Home Learning
- You will love the multitude of photographs this blogger has offered of her family's nature journals! WOW!
- Our Nature Notebooks
- On Our Journey Westward blog. A great example of how to gather all your nature notebooking resources into one place and USE them. Includes pictures and links to her favorite nature notebooking resources.
- How to Make a Nature Journal
- The Handbook of Nature Study blog offers a great tutorial for making a lovely mini-book possibly for a one-day nature outing.
- Nature Notebook or Nature Journal?
- Barb explores the differences between a nature notebook and a nature journal.
To Help You Make Nature Journals
Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of Seeing the World Around You
Amazon Price: $9.25 (as of 02/11/2012)
Used Price: $6.67
A review of this book by a homeschooling mother.
Articles about Nature Journals
- The Secret of the Nature Notebook
- This book will reveal a very important secret about the nature notebook.
- Start a Nature Notebook
- This article was written by Karen Andreola, a CM expert.
- Nature Notebooks
- A great list of things to include in your nature notebooks.
- Garden and Science Journals
- These directons for making a quite sophisticated journal come from Kids Gardening. This would be for a high school student or mom to make.
- Drawing From Life!
- A great article about Becoming God's Naturalist written by Jill Novak. She also offers some retail products at this site.
- Nature Journals
- My good friend Barb created this wonderful introduction to nature journals. Be sure to visit.
Retail Curriculum and Resources
for Nature Journals
- Shining Dawn Books
- A Christian based nature study curriculum written by two nature loving, homeschool moms.
- Tanglewood Education Science
- This curriculum offers book suggestions for several areas: Birds, Other Animals, Plants, and Geology.
- Queen Homeschool Supplies
- Look for the link in the sidebar to Nature Books and Journals.
- Notebooking Pages Nature Study Pages
- This set of 292 regular & primary-lined notebooking pages includes 7 Days of Creation, Animals, Habitats, Nature Log & Journaling Pages, Plants, Flowers & Trees, Rocks & Minerals, Seasons, and Weather.
Nature Collections
catalog your treasures from your nature walks
Nature-related collections have more than just sentimental value! Have your children organize and label their collections for real scientific learning!The article Our Work offers some tips about nature related collections. And be sure to check out the ideas for a Kindergarten Science Center which could actually be used by all grades equally as well.
Ideas for collections:
- shells
- leaves
- flowers
- feathers
- rocks
- bark rubbings
- insects (or parts of)
- snake skins
- seeds
- fossils
- nests
- egg shells
Other Nature Related Lenses
Nature Study Guestbook
Leave a comment before you head outdoors.
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iijuan12
Apr 25, 2011 @ 9:03 pm | delete
- You have fabulous lenses! Thank you for all the work you're put into sharing them. Blessed.
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Loralee Clark
Mar 4, 2011 @ 9:02 am | delete
- Thank you so much for these invaluable resources!
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Janiece
Feb 2, 2011 @ 5:34 pm | delete
- A friend of mine is just starting homeschool, so I'm collecting some links to send her. I've sent her some of your lapbook pages as well! Thanks for sharing so much about homeschooling!
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Scientific_Homeschooler
Nov 13, 2010 @ 3:53 pm | delete
- AWESOME RESOURCE!!! Thanks so much for a great lens; I'm adding this to my lensroll for Winter Science Investigations. :D
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WriterBuzz
Oct 4, 2010 @ 6:30 am | delete
- Very cool lens. Informative and fun. Thanks for sharing. Thumbs Up given.
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by Jimmie
Jimmie
I'm a homeschooling mom who loves to teach and learn. I use many of
Charlotte Mason's methods in homeschooling my daughter. But I'm
striving to implem...
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