One of the most appealing aspects of a Charlotte Mason education for me is the seamless interplay between art and science that is possible with nature study. Nothing compares to tromping through the woods in all weathers to track the first crocus. Alright, we usually just walk around our neighborhood…and only when it’s not too wet! But we still keep our Calendar of Firsts, and it still counts as nature study.
~Don’t miss the discount code at the end!
This winter I had the opportunity to review Lynn Seddon’s Exploring Nature with Children. Oh, what a treasure it is! The book is organized by the calendar month, and each week has a theme like the moon or nesting birds. Within each week there are
- a short read-aloud essays that explain the topic of the weekly nature walk
- corresponding pages to read in The Handbook of Nature Study
- a supplemental book list including both fiction and nonfiction titles
- a poem
- and a painting to enjoy.
There are also helpful hints for beginning to use a nature journal and starting a nature table display. Lynn has also included tips for extending the activities and research to make it easy to include a wide range of ages in your nature studies. The youngest can listen to the storybooks and the oldest can learn about taxonomy and practice a little Latin!
The e-book is 240 pages long, so I definitely recommend printing it and having it bound. It’s the kind of resource that you’ll return to year after year. The weekly amble, poem, and painting paired with the occasional story and activity would provide an excellent upper elementary or middle school science course. But even if you only planned for 1 walk a month, Exploring Nature with Children would still be worth your attention. Repeated experiences with nature through the years will give our children the opportunity to nurture their sense of wonder. As Psalm 1 says:
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
You can find out more about the book and get a taste for Lynn’s writing style at her excellent blog, Raising Little Shoots. You can also download a sample chapter of the book for free. It’s a winter tree study, so get out there quick! Finally, Eva Varga and her family used Exploring Nature with Children, and you can read her review right here.
Discount Code for The Curriculum Choice Readers
Enjoy a 25% discount by using code CURRCHOICE16 valid until March 6th, 2016 (Please note the code is case sensitive).