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Reading Nature Through Books
Of course, the best way to learn about nature is through first hand experiences. Nothing can substitute for a nature walk. But a living book with nature themes makes for a great read when you're not out exploring the woods or the beach. Fortunately for us, many of the books Charlotte Mason recommended are available for free in the public domain. Read on for more details of great nature tales.
Learning Science Should Be Fun
Science should never be boring! If you are a homeschooler, consider replacing your dull science textbooks with "real" books -- living books.
Both fiction and non-fiction books can be valuable for teaching science in an engaging and memorable way.
Simply Charlotte Mason has an excellent article about the value of adding science books to your nature study.
Types of books
- nature readers
- novels in natural settings
- biogoraphies of famous naturalists
- non-fiction picture books
Books Recommended by Charlotte Mason
FREE online
Charlotte Mason recommended these naturalists' books excellent for reading aloud to children. As she says, they are "all pleasant reading, many of them written by scientific men, and yet requiring little or no scientific knowledge for the enjoyment."
Fortunately many of them have entered the public domain and can be found online for free. Follow the links below.
- Fairyland of Science
- by Arabella Buckley, 1879. Topics include sunbeams, the ocean, water, ice, a rose, coal, bees.
- Librivox's Fairyland of Science
- Free audio recordings of this classic text!
- Madam How and Lady Why
- Charles Kingsley, 1891. This is mainly a book about geology --earthquakes, volcanos, coral reefs, soil, etc.
- Wild Animals I Have Known
- Ernest Thompson Seton, 1898.
Tales of eight wild animals -- crow, fox, dog, mustang, etc. - Works by William J. Long
- The Baldwin Project has online texts for four volumes of Long's Animal Nature Stories:
School of the Woods
Ways of Wood Folk
Secrets of the Woods
A Little Brother to the Bear. - Water Babies
- Charles Kingsley, 1863.
A novel about a boy who lives underwater and learns about sea creatures. - LibriVox's The Water-Babies
- LibriVox is an amazing site that offers free MP3 recordings of many works in the Public Domain. The Water-Babies by Charles Kingsley is now available!
More Public Domain Books Online
These old books are all in the public domain and therefore are available free!
- Nature/Naturalists
- Many environmental books from the early 1900's are published here in digital format. Some titles: Birds Every Child Should Know, Squirrels and Other Fur-Bearers, Romance of the Beaver, Reading the Weather.
- Parables from Nature
- Written by Margaret Gatty between 1855 and 1871 in four series. This collection includes some of the original illustrations. These stories teach about both nature and God's truth.
- The Burgess Bird Book for Children
- Nature stories are the vehicle for teaching about the many different types of birds.
Be sure to check out the great resources available to supplement this book at That Resource Site. There are printable flashcards (or character cards) of the birds featured in this living book. - LibriVox's Burgess Bird Book
- A free audio recording of Thornton Burgess's classic Bird Book for Children.
For a bird coloring book to accompany this, use the from free coloring book Cornell.
And don't miss That Resource Site that has loads of supplements for this book. - LibriVox's The Burgess Animal Book for Children
- These are free MP3 files to dowload. Listen to the story read outloud. Peter Rabbit goes to school with Mother Nature as his teacher. In this zoology book for children, Thornton W. Burgess describes the mammals of North America in the form of an entertaining story. For full color photos of all the animals mentioned, visit this Shutterfly Photoset.
- Animal Nature Stories
- Six books written by Clara Dillingham Pierson between 1898 and 1901: Among the Forest People, Among the Farm-Yard People, Among the Meadow People, Among the Pond People, Among the Night People, Dooryard Stories.
- Librivox's Birds of the Air by Arabella Buckley
- Arabella Buckley had a great love of nature and wished to impart that love to children. Birds of the Air will encourage children to observe birds in their natural environment.
- Librivox's By Pond and River by Arabella B. Buckley
- Explore the pond and river habitats through this classic book in the public domain. Download free MP3 audio files!
Living in the Woods Fiction
Kildee House (The Newbery Honor Roll)
This is a Sonlight title, and boy is it great! It's a very sweet book about a man living in the woods who befriends not only a lot of animals but an entire family.
Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009) 
Used Price: $0.71
My Side of the Mountain (Puffin Modern Classics)
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 11/10/2009)
Used Price: $1.63
Hatchet
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 11/10/2009)
Used Price: $0.45
Riding the Flume (Aladdin Historical Fiction)
Amazon Price: $4.99 (as of 11/10/2009)
Used Price: $0.01
Chapter Books -- Wildlife Turned Pet
for grades 3-5
An owl, a raccoon, a capybara, and a panda... all unlikely pets. But in these novels, wild animals do become pets. Through the fiction, children learn about wildlife.
Modern Nature Readers
These books were not in print in Miss Mason's time, but they certainly fit the spirit of the nature tales she recommened. The book number represents grade level.
Books you Can Read Free Online at Google Books
- Go Outside! Over 130 Activities for Outdoor Adventures
- Lots of great outdoor play ideas for kids not accustomed to playing out of doors.
Picture Books for the Younger Ones
When choosing picture books for your younger children, pay attention not just to the attractive illustrations but also the scientific concepts being presented. Even very young children can understand the processes of nature when they are broken down step by step in clear language. These titles (and others in their series) are all well respected among educators.
Non-fiction Nature Books
Activity Books About Nature
These are not just sit and read books. These are read and DO books. The activities will motivate your child to get outside and explore!
Geology Rocks!: 50 Hands-On Activities to Explore the Earth (Kaleidoscope Kids)
Amazon Price: $10.36 (as of 11/10/2009)
Used Price: $3.81
Nature in a Nutshell for Kids: Over 100 Activities You Can Do in Ten Minutes or Less
Amazon Price: $10.10 (as of 11/10/2009)
Used Price: $6.36
The Complete Backyard Nature Activity Book: Fun Projects for Kids to Learn About the Wonders of Wildlife and Nature
Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009)
Used Price: $5.77
Awesome Ocean Science: Investigating the Secrets of the Underwater World (Williamson Kids Can! Series)
Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009)
Used Price: $0.83
Pet Bugs: A Kid's Guide to Catching and Keeping Touchable Insects
Amazon Price: $10.10 (as of 11/10/2009)
Used Price: $0.01
Other Nature Helps
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Charlotte Mason Quotes About Nature
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Charlotte Mason loved nature and felt that children should be outdoors among nature as much as possible each day, directly observing plants, animals, weather, and seasons. Many homeschoolers follow a Charlotte Mason style of education and incorporate...
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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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Nature Study -- Charlotte Mason Style
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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 pa...
Guestbook
I welcome your comments, suggestions, and questions.
science_fiction_novels_cyberpunk wrote...
Yours is a lens full of info. Nice job! 5*****
Posted November 03, 2009
Lisa wrote
Excellent resources!
I'd add "Owl in the Family"
"That Quail Robert"
Lisa @ http://hopewellmomschoolreborn.blogspot.com/
Posted October 02, 2008
RinchenChodron wrote...
Yes, learning science should be fun. Great grasshopper graphic! Well done.
Posted September 16, 2008
debnet wrote...
Great lens! Last week as I walked into the entrance of an inner city school, amongst all the noise & chitter chatter, I heard some cheeping. When I looked up there was an old pipe going into the wall & there was a Sparrow feeding her young. Isn't nature wonderful?
Posted June 29, 2008
by Jimmie
Charlotte Mason's methods in homeschooling my daughter. But I'm
striving to implem... (more)
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