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New SCM Nature Study Book
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FYI, We just put up the page for our new first and second grade nature study book, The Outdoor Secrets Companion. We’ll be announcing it officially a little later tonight but we like to let you regulars be the first to know and get your feedback.
Be sure to check out the link on the new book page to the Links, updates, & tips. There are some great nature study links that many of you will find useful even if you don’t buy the book.i JUST got an email about this and am SO excited!!!! i bought the outdoor secrets book at a conference a few months ago and i just love the book. thankfully we’ve only read one chapter so we can get started with the companion next week. i have not done science hardly at all this year (i have young kids and we just spent a ton of time outside this summer and called it science LOL). i have 106 days, but i thought it would be better to use when everyone is a little older.
this will be perfect!! thanks!!!
An answer to my prayers! We loved 106 Days and used it with our 1st grader and 4 year old but will possibly use it again in a few years with Considering God’s Creation and younger kids. This year we are using books by Arabella Buckley with supplements that I researched on my own this summer. Next year my daughter’s will be in 1st and 3rd. Will this be too light for my 3rd grader considering what we have already done? If so, what could I add for her? She is not a strong reader and doesn’t enjoy it a lot so I don’t want to just add living books for her to read on her own. Science is both of my girls favorite subject and we have had great success and fun with all our SCM guides so I would really like to use this for next year. I am assuming this would be a typical school year worth of science? Sorry to bombard you with questions right out of the gate!
Having read your latest post about using living books/nature study to teach science, I am still wondering at what age you recommend more formal science study? Third grade? Fourth? Middle school? High school?
I have so enjoyed using living books (like the Burgess books) and nature study with my daughter for K through 3. This year (fourth grade), I am using one of Apologia’s elementary science books. Do you think this is an appropriate age…or would she benefit from more years of living books/nature study?Good questions, everyone! I will try to answer them.
Will this be too light for my 3rd grader?
While Outdoor Secrets is recommended for 1st and 2nd graders, that is only a recommendation. Because every child is different, it will depend on the abilities of your 3rd grader whether it will be too light or not. Have you looked at the sample yet? That will give you a good idea of what the book contains. You should be able to get a good feel for if it is too light for your 3rd grader.
I am assuming this would be a typical school year worth of science?
There are a total of 50 lessons. You get to decide how many lessons you do each week. If you did two lessons each week, it would be about a year’s worth of science. Oh, and feel free to not do the book in order. If there are lessons that would work better in warmer weather and it’s the middle of winter, by all means, save those lessons until it is warmer.
Having read your latest post about using living books/nature study to teach science, I am still wondering at what age you recommend more formal science study?
Personally, I recommend that more formal science studies begin around 7th-9th grade, depending on how much you have done with nature study and living books. When I say formal science I mean subjects like general science, physical science, biology, chemistry, and physics. Charlotte Mason actually used textbooks alongside nature study and living books for formal science studies. Of course, this was after building a good foundation with living books and nature study in the earlier years.
I realize that many moms wonder if nature study and living books are enough. Let me reassure you that they are! In fact, many children with that good foundation will fly through general science or can skip it altogether.
Is this the new science curriculum you were working on, or is there another one coming out as well?
Yes, this is the first of what we hope to be several science companion books.
Thank you, Karen, for your posting. My oldest is a 7th grader and am transitioning her from nature studies and living books to a more formal science study, and I’m feeling a bit wobbly on this new ground. Your words are encouraging to me.
I looked at the new Outdoor Secrets Companion and I’m impressed. My kids are too old for it, but it looks really good. Congrat on this new item.
I’m so glad it was encouraging. It is always a blessing to us to know that the things we do are helpful to others.
Thank you so much for creating this guide! I was at a loss as to what I was going to do next semester with my K and Year 2 children. I wanted to do nothing but nature study and living books but was having a hard time putting it all together. I even thought about and researched other material on another site, but it was just not jiving with me….I’m glad I held out.
My almost 12 yo will be doing Fulbright’s Astronomy (his choice) beginning next semester and I will be working with the younger two…..just like I wanted.
This has come just in time for me….thank you!
P.S. Already ordered it and printed out the Resource List. I found many of the read-alouds at our library, the others I will hopefully find at used book stores and for sure online.
Be sure to check out the link on the new book page to the Links, updates, & tips. There are some great nature study links that many of you will find useful even if you don’t buy the book.
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