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
Anyone can vote! Just click your choice!
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
What do the children do?The children are to be "let alone, left to themselves a great deal to take in what they can of the beauty of earth and heavens." Give them time and space to wonder, grow, watch, see, hear, and touch. During the nature walk, they may sketch and record their observations. In addition they may want to collect small natural treasures in a bag to take home for further study.
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
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 Take a Child Outside or Lunablog's 19 Can-Do Nature Walk Variations.
Remember, nature study doesn't have to be far from home. Your own backyard is a worthy subject of study!
Shining Dawn Books sells curriculum kits on a wide assortment of topics that will help get you started with nature study.
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 Studies in Cities or Suburbs
Take a City Nature Walk (Take a Walk series)
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 01/02/2010) 
Used Price: $5.80
Nature in the Neighborhood (Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12 (Awards))
Amazon Price: $12.00 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $0.52
Urban Roosts: Where Birds Nest in the City
A Reading Rainbow book.
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $0.01
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.
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.
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
Handbook of Nature Study
Amazon Price: $17.79 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $13.45
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!-
Nature Study at the Beach
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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...
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Sonoran Desert For Families
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Our family recently took a trip to Tucson, Arizona to see the Sonoran Desert. One of our goals for the trip was to learn as much as possible about this unique habitat. We visited Saguaro National Park for hiking and birdwatching. The visitor's cente...
Other Books for Nature Study
Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
This author has coined the term Nature-Deficit Disorder and then explains how and why we must overcome it. Read my own review of this incredible book.This book is a MUST-read for anyone contemplating nature study. After you read it, you will be convinced of the necessity of time outdoors.
Amazon Price: $11.16 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $0.50
Sharing Nature With Children (20th Anniversary Edition, Revised and Expanded)
This easy to read book offers simple ideas for guiding your children to explore nature.
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $3.29
Nature in a Nutshell for Kids: Over 100 Activities You Can Do in Ten Minutes or Less
102 experiments related to nature.
Amazon Price: $10.10 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $5.39
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.
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.
Birds, Nests & Eggs (Take-Along Guides)
This series of Take-Along Guides is particularly for the younger crowd and includes other books on Insects, Trees, Frogs, Flowers, Rodents, Animal Tracks, Seeds, and Reptiles.
Amazon Price: $7.95 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $3.34
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.
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The Flower Hunter: William Bartram, America's First Naturalist (Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12 (Awards))
Amazon Price: (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $4.53
Beatrix Potter: The Story of the Creator of Peter Rabbit (World of Beatrix Potter)
Amazon Price: (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $1.69
John Muir: My Life With Nature (Sharing Nature With Children Book)
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $3.20
The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon (Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12 (Awards))
This is a beautiful picture book biography of John James Audubon, both a naturalist and artist.
Amazon Price: $10.88 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $3.47
Rachel Carson: Pioneer of Ecology (Women of Our Time)
Amazon Price: $4.99 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $0.01
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.
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.
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.
Minerals, Rocks, and Fossils
from Flickr
Flickr has everything -- even a group devoted to photographs of rocks, minerals, and fossils! Enjoy these images.
Books to Help You Make Nature Journals
Eagle's Wings Considering God's Creation (A Creative Biblical Approach to Natural Science)
Read reviews of this curriculum by homeschool moms who've used it!
Amazon Price: (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $16.48
Considering God's Creation Student Book
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!
Amazon Price: (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $5.58
Mixed-Media Nature Journals: New Techniques for Exploring Nature, Life, and Memories
Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $11.23
Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of Seeing the World Around You
A review of this book by a homeschooling mother.
Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $6.84
Illustrating Nature: Right-Brain Art in a Left-Brain World
Amazon Price: $25.95 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $22.99
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.
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.
Blank or Guided Journals
My Nature Journal: A Personal Nature Guide for Young People
Read a review of this journal.
Amazon Price: $17.95 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $9.48
Nature Journal
Read a review of this journal by a homeschooling mom
Amazon Price: $16.20 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $6.99
Bird Log Kids: A Kid's Journal to Record Their Birding Experiences
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $2.34
Drawing in Your Nature Journals
books to help you with sketching nature
The Sierra Club Guide to Sketching in Nature, Revised Edition
Amazon Price: $15.30 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $10.94
Draw 50 Birds: The Step-by-Step Way to Draw Chickadees, Peacocks, Toucans, Mallards, and Many More of Our Feathered Friends (Draw 50 Series)
The Draw 50 Series also includes Plants, Dogs, Cats, Sea Creatures, and more.
Amazon Price: $8.95 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $4.92
Draw Insects
Amazon Price: $8.95 (as of 01/02/2010)
Used Price: $0.64
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
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John James Audubon Artist Study
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Was John James Audubon a sketching naturalist or a nature loving artist? Actually, his bird drawings were intended to be scientific sketches instead of art. But most people would agree that his careful observation of birds brought a realism and deta...
Guestbook
I welcome your questions, comments, or suggestions! If you have an excellent blog entry about nature study, please submit that here.
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Reply
- HarmonyArtMom HarmonyArtMom Oct 27, 2009 @ 9:29 pm
- Okay, I think I have it figured out now....I added this to my lensroll. :)
Thanks Jimmie.
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Reply
- Erna Erna Oct 5, 2009 @ 11:18 am
- This is another great lens Jimmie!
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Reply
- Evelyn_Saenz Evelyn_Saenz Aug 17, 2009 @ 5:12 am
- Welcome to the Back to School Group Lensography.
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Reply
- Cindy Cindy Aug 15, 2009 @ 12:42 pm
- Thank you!! ;o)
http://ourjourneywestward.com
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Reply
- Joan4 Joan4 Aug 10, 2009 @ 6:43 pm
- Your lenses always give me great ideas for playtime with the grandchildren -- and since they both love nature, we will do a Nature Journal. Our granddaughter often makes art projects with items from nature. and oh, they love to listen to nature too! Their Poppy is teaching them to identify the bird sounds! Blessed by a joyful Angel!
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by Jimmie
Charlotte Mason's methods in homeschooling my daughter. But I'm
striving to implem... (more)
