Science/Nature Study Plans for 2008/2009 with 1st and PreK'er

My Spine so to speak will be My Nature Journal by Olmstead. We will enjoy nature walks, record findings in our personal nature journals, complete readings and activities in My Nature Journal, and read literature that centers around the theme we are exploring. The literature will be of varying levels so that both my 7yr. old and 4 yr. old will enjoy it. Therefore some readings will be informational and others merely storybook like. As we explore the different environments we will also learn about the animal kindgom throughout the year. We will attempt to fill out and illustrate animal fact sheets as suggested by The Well Trained Mind. My goal is for science to flow naturally through nature walks, reading, and investigating. I will have some structure as to what environment and thus what types of animals/plants we will study. I also hope to do some planting in the spring and let the kids be very hands on in this. I pledge to not let myself get overwhelmed, bogged down, or too uptight in keeping to any schedule. Like I said my goal is for the nature studies to be preplanned but free flowing. Following is a beginning outline for our nature exploration with readings, literature examples and activites. I will be adding to this post as I plan each element.

I. Woodlands/Forests: animal emphasis: Mammals Months(July-August)

First Encyclopedia of Animals: fox, squirrel, raccoon,Elephant, kids choice of mammals

Olmstead Journal: Readings and Activities
1. Woodland scavenger Hunt pp. 20-21
2. Trees pp. 22-23 draw trees pp24-25, leaf rubbings
3. Writing: If I were a tree
4. Mammals pp. 40

Handbook of Nature Study: read about Mammals and other animals, observe squirrels, rabbits,
Nature Study: observe trees in Woodlands, observe squirrels

Literature: Mother West Wind Stories/Burgess, How the Forest Grew/Jaspersohn, Raccon Moon, Where Once there was a Wood/Fleming, The Lorax,various poems about woodland animals, nonfiction books about animals of interests

Videos to chose from: Its Arbor Day Charlie Brown, Exploring the world of mammals, The Warm Blooded Sea, Elephant, Disney American Legends (Johnny Appleseed), The Lorax

Activities: Plant small trees in pots

2 Meadows: animal emphasis (insects and reptiles)Months(Sep-Oct)
First Encyclopedia of Animals: buterfly/moth, spider, turtle, snake
Olmstead Journal: 1. small things pp52-53
2. flowers pp. 54-55 draw pp56-57
3. seeds pp59-61 scavenger hunt 60-61
4. Insects pp. 63-65 draw 64-65
5. Butterfly/Moth pp. 66-67 draw
6. Spiders pp. 68-71 draw
7. Reptiles pp. 72
8. Magical Meadows pp. 73-75
Literature: On One Flower: Butterflies, Ticks, and a few more icks/Fredericks, Under One Rock, The Web at Dragonfly Pond/Ellis, Oh Beyond Bugs: All about insects?Rabe, The Carrot Seed/Krauss, Oh Say Can you Seed/Worth, Are you a Spider/Allen, Aaaarrggh Spider/Monks, Christian Liberty Nature Reader,
Other Activities: Gel ant farm, trip to butterfly house at local garden


3. Ponds/Streams: animal emphasis amphibians and birds Months (March-May)
First Encyclopedia of Animal: pick birds, frogs etc.
Olmstead Journal: 1. Birds pp98-99 draw 100-101
2. birdwatching bingo pp. 102-103
3. pond/stream observation pp. 84-85
4. amphibians and Frog cyclepp. 86-88
5. Find a Frog activity pp89
6. water insects pp90-93
Literature: Owl Moon, ...
Activities/Fieldtrips: trip to Grandma's pond
4. Twilight (to be done on summer break)

5. Seashore: only if we can find time/money to go to the beach next year


I would also like the kids to make collections from each nature study emphasis and put these in a glass like container on our coffee table throughout the year. I am also waiting for The Nature Study Handbook to arrive and see what it has in store for us.