Winter Nature StudySonya is joined by Karen Smith to talk about how to do nature study when it's cold outside.Sonya ShaferJanuary 15, 20204 Comments
How to Choose and Use Field GuidesA good field guide can be a very helpful tool when you’re doing nature walks or nature study. Let’s talk about what to look for when you’re choosing them and how to use them. Joining me today is my longtime…Sonya ShaferOctober 29, 20195 Comments
Nature Walk or Nature Study?In a Charlotte Mason Homeschool, we know we should do nature study once a week, or is that a nature walk once a week? What’s the difference, anyway? Let’s figure this out. Joining me today is my longtime friend and…Sonya ShaferSeptember 17, 20193 Comments
10 Do’s and Don’ts for Nature StudyAs we wrap up our series on nature study, I thought you might enjoy a highlights list of do’s and don’ts from Charlotte’s counsel to parents. Some of these tidbits of wisdom we have already covered in the series, but…Sonya ShaferJuly 9, 2018
5 Great Nature Projects (plus a few more)During the past few weeks we have been sharing that there is more to nature study than just spending time outside. The well-rounded science education that Charlotte Mason described for her students included outdoor field work, living science books, natural…Sonya ShaferJuly 2, 20186 Comments
Natural Object LessonsNature study is such a great way to help our children (and ourselves) develop a personal relation with God’s creation around us. Some children take to it quite naturally; others appreciate a little guidance and encouragement. That’s where object lessons…Sonya ShaferJune 26, 20182 Comments
Nature Study, Plus Living BooksI hope you have been enjoying our series on nature study. We have talked about why Charlotte Mason included nature study in the curriculum line-up, when we should do nature study, the big picture of what it looks like, and…Sonya ShaferJune 20, 20183 Comments
The Secret of the Nature Notebook“Where do I find a nature notebook?” “What does it look like?” “How do we go about creating a nature notebook? Is there a template somewhere?” Questions like these cross my desk regularly. So let’s reveal the secret of the…Sonya ShaferJune 13, 20188 Comments
Nature Study in a NutshellSo far in this series we’ve talked about all the great benefits that we and our children can gain from doing nature study. We’ve also addressed Charlotte Mason’s encouragement to get outside one half-day per week, all year round. That…Sonya ShaferJune 6, 20185 Comments
When Should I Do Nature Study?Have you ever noticed that the question When? has many facets? For example, if a person asked, “When should we go to the park?,” the reply could be any number of things. The person asking might be a mama who…Sonya ShaferMay 29, 201814 Comments
8 Great Reasons To Do Nature StudyIf you had asked me, “Why do nature study?” when my children were young, I would have replied, “To get them outside and burn up some of that energy” (that we all wish we could tap into now at our…Sonya ShaferMay 22, 20188 Comments
6 Nature Book Finds in Bellevue, WashingtonOn a recent conference trip to the Seattle, Washington, area, we had a couple of free hours on Thursday morning before we had to set up our booth. The weather was beautiful that day: high 70s and sunny. (We found…Sonya ShaferMay 15, 20181 Comment
Book Review: The Naturalist’s Notebook(The Naturalist’s Notebook: An Observation Guide and 5-Year Calendar-Journal for Tracking Changes in the Natural World Around You by Nathaniel T. Wheelwright and Bernd Heinrich, Storey Publishing, 2017.) I’ve discovered something about nature study. It’s not a static activity. By…Sonya ShaferFebruary 20, 20185 Comments
Nature Study and Science: Is There a Difference?We hear a lot about nature study as one of Charlotte Mason’s key methods. And it is a key activity for learning. The question is sometimes asked, though: Is nature study all you do for science? Let’s talk a bit…Sonya ShaferApril 5, 2017
More Video Q & AThousands of you have enjoyed our free video resource, SCM Answers Your Questions. We’re glad those short, informal recordings have been encouraging. And we thought it might be helpful to add some more videos to the series, answering more of…Sonya ShaferDecember 7, 2016
