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Young Naturalists in the Classical Home

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We were all meant to be naturalists, each in his degree, and it is inexcusable to live in a world so full of the marvels of plant and animal life and to care for none of these things. -Charlotte Mason

In the classical home (and any homeschool in general), families have the freedom to spend a large quantity of time outdoors in nature, rather than being restricted to a traditional classroom setting. As such, the world out-of-doors is truly a vibrant classroom. The early years of learning are a wonderful time of joy and discovery. Every child is a young naturalist and the natural environment can serve as a valuable teacher.

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Classical British educator, Charlotte Mason, stressed the primacy of children gaining knowledge and experience in nature:

“Nature Knowledge the most important for Young Children. — It would be well if all we persons in authority, parents and all who act for parents, could make up our minds that there is no sort of knowledge to be got in these early years so valuable to children as that which they get for themselves of the world they live in. Let them once get touch with Nature, and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight through life. We were all meant to be naturalists, each in his degree, and it is inexcusable to live in a world so full of the marvels of plant and animal life and to care for none of these things” (Home Education, p. 61)

The natural curiosity of children to discover and explore their environment can be met with limitless activities outdoors. Instead of studying botany from only a textbook, your children can work on gardening and horticulture outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine. Students can study zoology and animal classification by observing the many different creatures that God has created. In the evenings, your family can study the night sky as you instill a sense of wonder at the grandeur of God’s universe. Nature study and observation can lay the groundwork for all future scientific subjects of study from Astronomy to Zoology.

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In my early years of homeschooling, over a decade ago, I made the mistake of thinking that our science knowledge would be developed primarily through textbooks or prepackaged curriculum. As a traditionally educated student myself, in those first few years of our homeschooling journey, I simply reproduced the methods as I had been taught in my own school setting. I set aside a block of 50 minutes each day for our eldest daughter to read from a science text and answer comprehension questions. Our daughter did gain knowledge of science through her textbook readings, but we missed out on opportunities to study and explore nature and compile nature journals of our experiences.

Thankfully it was not too long into my homeschooling journey when I discovered the treasury of writings from Charlotte Mason, and gained a renewed appreciation for nature study.

Charlotte Mason shared the importance of the early years of science exploration through nature:

“The child who sees his mother with reverent touch lift an early snowdrop to her lips, learns a higher lesson than the ‘print-books’ can teach. Years hence, when the children are old enough to understand that science itself is in a sense sacred and demands some sacrifices, all the ‘common information’ they have been gathering until then, and the habits of observation they have acquired, will form a capital groundwork for a scientific education. In the meantime, let them consider the lilies of the field and the fowls of the air” (Home Education, p. 63).

Nowadays, we spend hours outdoors on a daily basis on the good weather days. We take our homeschooling assignments outside on the back deck and work in the sunshine. We sketch, draw, and paint in our nature journals. We garden, identify birds, observe wildlife, gather insects, and collect rocks, plants, and other nature objects. We read our books under the shade trees and have picnic lunches in the fresh air. Our backyard is our best classroom!

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We have not abandoned our textbooks. Rather, they are important tools for us to use for our inquiries. The children gather insects, small plants, and rocks in specimen jars to bring in the house. They study the nature objects using microscopes, magnifying glasses, and other science tools. They sort and classify objects they collected, and they spend time researching them in science textbooks and field guides. I now know more about spiders, worms, and arthropods than I ever learned in my biology classes simply from the children’s desire to learn all about the creatures they discovered in the backyard.

Do you enjoy spending time outdoors studying nature?

Here are a few topics and activity ideas for you to explore with your children:

Topics for Young Naturalists to Explore:

Zoology
-Mammals
-Birds
-Insects
-Reptiles
-Amphibians
-Fish
-Arthropods
-Worms
-Seas Stars, Mollusks, and Sponges

Earth Science
-Geology
-Volcanoes
-Oceans, Lakes, Rivers, and other bodies of water
-Weather

Botany
-Gardening
-Horticulture
-Conservation

Astronomy
-Constellations
-Planets
-Stars

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Activities for Young Naturalists:
Collecting specimens (rocks, plants, animals, and other objects) for study
Sorting specimens into classifications
Studying nature with magnifying glasses, binoculars, microscopes, and other tools
Journaling daily nature observations in a keepsake book
Compiling nature notebooks filled with student work
Tracking daily weather through charts and journals
Reading field guides to identify specimens
Creating sketches of rocks, plants, animals, and other objects of nature
Photographing objects of nature
Painting objects of nature with watercolors, oils, or other medium
Taking care of indoor and outdoor pets
Pressing flowers
Preparing gardens
Conducting dissections
Hiking at nature areas

Geocaching and letterboxing activities
Participating in 4-H projects and fairs
Arranging a natural habitat to support wildlife (butterflies, birds, etc.)
Visiting zoos, museums, nature preserves, and botanical gardens

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Famous Naturalists to Research:
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
George Washington Carver
John James Audubon
John Muir
Beatrix Potter
Charlotte Mason

Resources for Naturalists:

Handbook of Nature Study Blog
http://handbookofnaturestudy.blogspot.com
-This educational blog features a monthly Outdoor Hour Challenge newsletter. When you subscribe to the blog, you will receive a free monthly newsletter in your inbox. Each newsletter includes a new nature theme with activities to complete each month and includes printables to use.

Handbook of Nature Study (1911)
http://archive.org/details/handbookofnature002506mbp
-The Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock is an indispensable resource for nature study. You can download this free 968 page resource in several formats (PDF, EPUB, Kindle, etc.) or read online.

Home Education (1906)
https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=i0hC5PiskJoC
-Volume I of Charlotte Mason’s Home Education Series is available online for free download at Google Play. You will find helpful nature study tips within Home Education.

Do you have any nature study ideas to share? I would love to hear from you! Please share your ideas and tips in the comments section.

 

 

 


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