Young children love to collect acorns when playing outdoors and while on nature walks. Here are some ideas on how to use those ‘treasures’ as a fun seasonal math manipulative.
Source: livingmontessorinow.com via Ann on Pinterest
Click on the image or the links above to read the ideas.
Creative play ideas that incorporate nature study abound all over the internet. Here are a few links to get you started. Click on the source link below each picture to go directly to each site.
Source: momenttomomentdk.blogspot.com
The ways to incorporate nature study into your homeschool program are as vast and varied as nature itself. There is no single
right way to “do” nature study. My family attempted to keep nature journals, but found that they did not hold our interest as well as creating bug or rock collections, gardening and raising animals. Consider the learning styles of your children when exploring nature study activities or projects. You can be as simple or detailed as you’d like. It may take a few tries before you find your nature study niche.
Today we share a collection of inspired quotes that remind us of the spiritual blessings to be gained from nature study. Be sure to explore the links at the end for easy-to-implement ideas.
An Unfailing Source of Instruction—Next to the Bible, nature is to be our great lesson book. Testimonies For The Church 6:185.
Growth in Grace—Tell your children about the miracle-working power of God. As they study the great lesson book of nature, God will impress their minds. The farmer plows his land and sows his seed, but he cannot make the seed grow. He must depend on God to do that which no human power can do. The Lord puts His vital power into the seed, causing it to spring forth into life. Under His care the germ of life breaks through the hard crust encasing it, and springs up to bear fruit. First appears the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear. As the children are told of the work that God does for the seed, they learn the secret of growth in grace.
Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 124, 125.
Nature Illustrates Bible Lessons—Many illustrations from nature are used by the Bible writers; and as we observe the things of the natural world, we shall be enabled, under the guiding of the Holy Spirit, more fully to understand the lessons of God’s Word.
Education, 120.
Nature and the Bible Were Jesus’ Textbooks—
His [Jesus’] education was gained from Heaven-appointed sources, from useful work, from the study of the Scriptures, from nature, and from the experiences of life—God’s lesson books, full of instruction to all who bring to them the willing hand, the seeing eye, and the understanding heart.
The Ministry of Healing, 400.
His intimate acquaintance with the Scriptures shows how diligently His early years were given to the study of God’s Word. And spread out before Him was the great library of God’s created works. He who had made all things studied the lessons which His own hand had written in earth and sea and sky. Apart from the unholy ways of the world, He gathered stores of scientific knowledge from nature. He studied the life of plants and animals, and the life of man. From His earliest years He was possessed of one purpose; He lived to bless others. For this He found resources in nature; new ideas of ways and means flashed into His mind as He studied plant life and animal life….
Thus to Jesus the significance of the Word and the works of God was unfolded, as He was trying to understand the reason of things. Heavenly beings were His attendants, and the culture of holy thoughts and communings was His. From the first dawning of intelligence He was constantly growing in spiritual grace and knowledge of truth.
Every child may gain knowledge as Jesus did. As we try to become acquainted with our heavenly Father through His Word, angels will draw near, our minds will be strengthened, our characters will be elevated and refined.
The Desire of Ages, 70.
Bible verses to add to a winter or spring nature journal – Look under “Winter Journal” and “Spring Journal”
My Bible First : Nature Corner – Nature object lessons with a Bible verse. Great for copywork! **SDA resource
Child’s Nature Journal example with Bible verse
Clouds in the Heavens– Nature unit study based on Psalms 19:1. Free nine-page printable.
Nature Provides Object Lessons – A simple activity that lays the foundation of a wonderful Bible/nature study. **SDA resource.
The local public library can be a homeschooling family’s best resource. Here are some ideas for taking maximum advantage of libraries in your area:
Originally posted in November, 2010.
The Great Backyard Bird count is a fun way to incorporate nature study into your program and make a contribution to science at the same time!
The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event.
Click on the image to head over to the GBBC website where you can learn more about the count, download activity pages and tally sheets and learn more about birds in preparation for the count.
The Great Backyard Bird Count takes place February 17-20, 2012. Why not use the Adventurer Feathered Friends award and the Pathfinder Birds and Birds-Advanced honors to turn the bird count into a fun unit study?
It’s summer time in the USA. Summer is a great time to get the family into the great outdoors. Go hiking. Go canoeing. Go camping. Go swimming. Have bonfires and hotdog roasts. You name it. Don’t let the summer fly past without making some good memories with your family this year. Here are a few links with ideas of things you can do to make your summer more memorable.
Parks and Campgrounds has links for 10,000 campsites worldwide.
The National Park Service not only provides a way to reserve a campsite at any National Parks in the USA, but also has lots of interesting history and natural history about many of the parks. Be sure to check out the section on Junior Rangers. Your children will love earning pins or badges as they learn more about the parks that you visit.
While you’re camping or hiking, be sure to take time to learn about the nature around you. Take your magnifying glasses and binoculars. And take your favorite field guides. If you don’t own field guides, eNature provides some great online field guides. When you’re done looking through this blog post at Wonder in the Woods, you’ll have too many ideas of fun nature study to do while camping. Whatever you do, don’t forget your water bottle!
If you want to make sure everything you do counts for school, then check out all of the Pathfinder honors you can earn while camping: Camping Skills 1, 2, 3, 4 and Camp Craft.
So it’s time to get out the tent and the sleeping bags and take your kids camping. You’ll make memories that you and your children will cherish for the rest of your lives.
The Adventist Home Educator 