Comments on: Our Nature Journals http://blueyonderranch.com/natural-high/our-nature-journals/ The home of "The Book of Days" Wed, 08 Sep 2010 03:55:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Laura http://blueyonderranch.com/natural-high/our-nature-journals/comment-page-1/#comment-15212 Laura Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:08:27 +0000 http://blueyonderranch.com/?p=3293#comment-15212 Hi, I just found you via Simple Homeschool, and wanted to tell you what a thrillingly inspiring post this is for me to read. I am just blown away at how well the nature journals are working in your household. I absolutely love how your son was able to reference his own notes -- wow, that had to be an amazing moment! Thank you so much for sharing -- I need to bookmark this so I can refer back to it as we begin our nature journaling over here. :) Hi, I just found you via Simple Homeschool, and wanted to tell you what a thrillingly inspiring post this is for me to read. I am just blown away at how well the nature journals are working in your household. I absolutely love how your son was able to reference his own notes — wow, that had to be an amazing moment! Thank you so much for sharing — I need to bookmark this so I can refer back to it as we begin our nature journaling over here. :)

]]> By: Josh http://blueyonderranch.com/natural-high/our-nature-journals/comment-page-1/#comment-14949 Josh Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:37:36 +0000 http://blueyonderranch.com/?p=3293#comment-14949 Bravo, I love how you are encouraging your children with such a holistic teaching method! Nature/Science/Math/Language Arts/Art.... These journals are fantastic (teacher and artist speaking). I stumbled on your blog as my wife is a frequent reader. I at times get a glance in. Glad I stopped to look! Well done gentlemen! A link from the American Museum of Natural History on Nature Journals: http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/youngnaturalistawards/resources/fieldjournal.html Bravo,

I love how you are encouraging your children with such a holistic teaching method! Nature/Science/Math/Language Arts/Art…. These journals are fantastic (teacher and artist speaking). I stumbled on your blog as my wife is a frequent reader. I at times get a glance in. Glad I stopped to look!

Well done gentlemen!

A link from the American Museum of Natural History on Nature Journals:
http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/youngnaturalistawards/resources/fieldjournal.html

]]> By: sara's art house http://blueyonderranch.com/natural-high/our-nature-journals/comment-page-1/#comment-14873 sara's art house Sun, 31 Jan 2010 18:19:28 +0000 http://blueyonderranch.com/?p=3293#comment-14873 Wow- thanks for the inspiration! Wow- thanks for the inspiration!

]]> By: Stefani http://blueyonderranch.com/natural-high/our-nature-journals/comment-page-1/#comment-14871 Stefani Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:01:17 +0000 http://blueyonderranch.com/?p=3293#comment-14871 Well hey hey there lady! Thanks for stopping by! Well hey hey there lady! Thanks for stopping by!

]]> By: Stefani http://blueyonderranch.com/natural-high/our-nature-journals/comment-page-1/#comment-14870 Stefani Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:00:41 +0000 http://blueyonderranch.com/?p=3293#comment-14870 THey do! It took a little guidance to get them started... but more along the lines of giving them the tools (both literal and figurative), answering and asking lots of questions, and being a co-learner rather than an instructor. Nature study as been a great equalizer for us. Unlike math/reading/history/geography, there's no teacher's manual and answer key for this. Unlike those subjects, I was never required to take courses/write papers/pass tests in nature study. Truth be told, many times I don't know what it is that they've found either, so together we learn. I think this is a large part of why they have been so passionate about these studies... it's more "Family activity" than "school" THey do! It took a little guidance to get them started… but more along the lines of giving them the tools (both literal and figurative), answering and asking lots of questions, and being a co-learner rather than an instructor. Nature study as been a great equalizer for us. Unlike math/reading/history/geography, there’s no teacher’s manual and answer key for this. Unlike those subjects, I was never required to take courses/write papers/pass tests in nature study. Truth be told, many times I don’t know what it is that they’ve found either, so together we learn. I think this is a large part of why they have been so passionate about these studies… it’s more “Family activity” than “school”

]]> By: Stefani http://blueyonderranch.com/natural-high/our-nature-journals/comment-page-1/#comment-14869 Stefani Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:54:10 +0000 http://blueyonderranch.com/?p=3293#comment-14869 Welcome Jill! Thanks so much for stopping in and giving me the chance to say hello! Welcome Jill! Thanks so much for stopping in and giving me the chance to say hello!

]]> By: Stefani http://blueyonderranch.com/natural-high/our-nature-journals/comment-page-1/#comment-14868 Stefani Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:53:10 +0000 http://blueyonderranch.com/?p=3293#comment-14868 That's a great place to start! At that stage, it's really great to ask a lot of questions that will help them develop their powers of observation. "What sort of beak does that bird have? Is it long and thin like the one on the hummingbird in this book? Or is it short and thick like the one on this finch? It says here that the cardinal's beak is made for crushing seeds... since your bird has the same shape beak, what do you think it eats?" Our early attempts at journals are almost always photos with lists of observations dictated to mama. Have a blast! That’s a great place to start! At that stage, it’s really great to ask a lot of questions that will help them develop their powers of observation. “What sort of beak does that bird have? Is it long and thin like the one on the hummingbird in this book? Or is it short and thick like the one on this finch? It says here that the cardinal’s beak is made for crushing seeds… since your bird has the same shape beak, what do you think it eats?”
Our early attempts at journals are almost always photos with lists of observations dictated to mama. Have a blast!

]]> By: Stefani http://blueyonderranch.com/natural-high/our-nature-journals/comment-page-1/#comment-14867 Stefani Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:46:57 +0000 http://blueyonderranch.com/?p=3293#comment-14867 I couldn't agree more, Nancy. I think that what they have learned about learning itself through these journals is really invaluable. They've learned how to observe, how to describe, measurements, classification, writing, drawing, researching... and best of all, it's on their own terms, for their own pleasure, so they are learning that all of skills are worth developing, not because they have to complete an assignment, but because they are tools by which to accomplish their desires. It's been a wonderful lesson for their teacher too! I couldn’t agree more, Nancy. I think that what they have learned about learning itself through these journals is really invaluable. They’ve learned how to observe, how to describe, measurements, classification, writing, drawing, researching… and best of all, it’s on their own terms, for their own pleasure, so they are learning that all of skills are worth developing, not because they have to complete an assignment, but because they are tools by which to accomplish their desires. It’s been a wonderful lesson for their teacher too!

]]> By: Stefani http://blueyonderranch.com/natural-high/our-nature-journals/comment-page-1/#comment-14866 Stefani Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:42:12 +0000 http://blueyonderranch.com/?p=3293#comment-14866 Nature is definitely a great common ground! I will tell you though, that a lot of the time I have to look the other way while they are working in their journals. It can be a BIG temptation to jump in and direct, but I try not to. I really want this to be something personal and fun. I'm pretty certain that it would be real easy for me to ruin it by making too many "suggestions." Happy trails to you and your little man! Nature is definitely a great common ground! I will tell you though, that a lot of the time I have to look the other way while they are working in their journals. It can be a BIG temptation to jump in and direct, but I try not to. I really want this to be something personal and fun. I’m pretty certain that it would be real easy for me to ruin it by making too many “suggestions.” Happy trails to you and your little man!

]]> By: Stefani http://blueyonderranch.com/natural-high/our-nature-journals/comment-page-1/#comment-14865 Stefani Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:38:47 +0000 http://blueyonderranch.com/?p=3293#comment-14865 Thank you so much Heather! I've been meaning to write to you as well and tell you how very very much I'm enjoying your artwork! Thank you so much Heather! I’ve been meaning to write to you as well and tell you how very very much I’m enjoying your artwork!

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