Nature study is an essential component to a Charlotte Mason education. However, any method one chooses will be enhanced by the student keeping a Nature Study Journal. Children innately have a curiosity about nature which should be encouraged to promote a long love for the outdoors. Charlotte Mason believed that children should spend at least fifteen minutes outside daily regardless of weather. I tend to agree as rainy or snowy days offer beauty and wonder in its own way.
Nature Study simply consists of the nature walk and the documentation of the wonders that were explored that day. Children delight in exploration even in their own backyard. You do not need to go far to find interesting discoveries. Provide your child time outdoors and a composition book to record her findings and you are on your way to implementing Nature Study in your homeschool.
First, head outdoors with your child and allow space and time to explore. The nature walk should not be used as a time to lecture. This is time to allow your child the freedom to investigate her world on her own terms. The teacher’s role is to point out interesting objects or answer the child’s questions on what type of flower, bug or tree she is discovering. Allow the child to bring a magnifying glass, net, or something to help the child get a closer look at nature. This is the time for the student to observe intently with her eyes, ears, nose and sense of touch.
Second step is to encourage your child to document what she discovered on her nature walk. This does not have to be elaborate or detailed. My kids simply open their journal, mark the date, and draw a picture of what caught their interest. You can have your child draw a picture, paint a picture, narrate back to you what she observed, or write in her journal observations.
While this may not seem intensive to some, there is a lot of learning going on in your little student. Charlotte Mason concluded that direct observation yielded more of an education than reading a nature study text to a student. It is vital that a student interacts with nature in order to understand and appreciate it. Have fun with nature journals and enjoy your time outdoors with your children. This component is valuable and a joy to implement for both teacher and student.
Related Links:
Tools for Teaching Charlotte Mason
Homeschooling with Charlotte Mason
Nature Study in the Dead of Winter