Journaling Nature
August 31, 2010 by Writing for Children
Filed under Blog, teaching tips
Charlotte Mason’s Ideas
I have written before about Charlotte Mason, a nineteenth-century educator, and her views on the importance of giving children a well-rounded education. Therefore, in addition to presenting the regular core academic subjects, she also advocated exposing children to living books, poetry, classical music, fine art, Shakespeare, nature study, etc. In a (very simplified) nutshell, Miss Mason’s vision was to foster a ‘love of learning’ in all children and give them a liberal (broad) education, regardless of their economic background or social class. Today, I’d like to explore her suggestion that students spend as much time out of doors discovering the nature around them, and that they record their findings in a nature diary or journal—basing their entries on what they see, hear, touch and smell, rather than what they read about in textbooks.
Why Nature Study?
Many teachers and parents think that nature study is a great idea, but they also feel it is just too impractical and difficult to work it into the learning schedule. I agree that while it takes time to prepare the children for an outing, decide on a place to go, and actually keep up with everyone as they explore, the result is worth the effort. And in fact, nature study forms the basis of more extensive nature and science studies later on; the students have a knowledge base to build upon. Plus, most children have a great curiosity about the world around them—they just need to have this innate interest encouraged.
Realistically, nature study doesn’t have to be difficult or too orchestrated. It can be as simple as watching birds build a nest, identifying leaves that have fallen to the ground, or watching as a butterfly emerges from a cocoon. As Catherine Levison, a ‘Charlotte Mason method’ proponent and writer states, “…Charlotte Mason strongly insists on children being outside daily and that makes nature observation become unavoidable. Even without deliberate effort children will learn about the natural world if they are provided ample time to experience it first hand.”
Observe and Explore
Once the children find something that ‘strikes their fancy,’ let them use their senses to become familiar with the specimen, object, or topic. A good field journal might also provide more information if the parent/teacher needs identification assistance, but in my opinion, very young children are simply content with discovery, observation, and very basic knowledge. However, if a group/family prefers a more structured form of nature study, there are many books that provide a scope and sequence or outline of suitable topics for all ages. One of the most popular books on the subject is The Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock, a huge tome of information and nature lessons, which was first released in 1911.
Other choices include:
The Kid’s Nature Book: 365 Indoor/Outdoor Activities and Experiences by Susan Milord
Nature For the Very Young: A Handbook of Indoor and Outdoor Activities by Marcia Bowden
Small Wonders: Nature Education for Young Children by Linda Garrett
Journaling Nature
After the exploration phase, a great way to preserve knowledge (and the memory) is to record the findings in a nature notebook or journal. Once again, this can be as simple as using notebook paper in a three-ring binder or a composition book, or as ornate as creating a handmade journal and using high quality watercolors and page protectors. The possibilities are endless, and the process is just as vast. It truly depends on the child, the age level, artistic capabilities, or how much time the parent/educator wants to allow for the project.
The child might make a simple drawing or sketch of what he has seen, then perhaps color it with crayons, markers, colored pencils or paint to make it more realistic. He can label the drawing/parts with both the common and scientific (Latin names), genus and species. The location, date and weather or temperature might be included as reference. Other ideas are leaf rubbings, or gluing down flowers, twigs, bark, feathers, or photos taken on the outing. Descriptions, measurements, and impressions are all good to record as well, if applicable. It is also a wonderful idea to revisit and rethink the topic or specimen at different seasons in order to make comparisons. There is no one right way to create a natural journal, and each child’s journal will be as unique and special as he is!
Resources
Here are some sites/blogs that explain in great detail or give ideas on how to create a nature journal:
http://handbookofnaturestudy.blogspot.com/p/nature-journals.html
http://www.squidoo.com/cmnaturestudy
http://www.art-made-easy.com/nature-journal.html
http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/environmental/matsumoto.htm
http://www.helium.com/items/924142-making-a-nature-journal
http://www.highlightskids.com/magazine/August08/h10808natureJournal.asp
Ready-Made Nature Journals or Books About Nature Journals
Ready-made journals or scrapbooks are also available to those who want the convenience. In addition, there are many choices and samples of individual nature journals that are sure to inspire and give you lots of ideas. Below are a few suggestions:
My Nature Journal by Adrienne Olmstead
Nature Log Kids: A Kid’s Journal to Record Their Nature Experiences by DeAnna Brandt
A Backyard Nature Drawing Guide by Douglas S. Farnham
The Country Diary of An Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden
Nature Journal by Clare Walker Leslie
Drawn to Nature Through the Journals of Clare Walker Leslie
Exploring nature and creating journals to record what they find is an excellent way for children to process the world around them. Charlotte Mason wrote in her book, Home Education (Vol. 1), “Consider, too, what an unequalled mental training the child-naturalist is getting for any study or calling under the sun — the powers of attention, of discrimination, of patient pursuit, growing with his growth, what will they not fit him for?” (p. 61).
Yes, nature study and creating nature journals or notebooks does take time and require a bit of effort on the part of the parent/educator. But young children who are given this gift will benefit greatly in so many ways. Appreciating the beauty of nature and learning about the world around them should ideally be an important, and enjoyable, part of every child’s education!
**********************
Amy M. O’Quinn is a pastor’s wife and former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six. She is also a contributing editor for the National Writing for Children Center. Find out more about Amy on our staff page or visit her website at amyoquinn.com.
Teaching Tip: Animal Identification – What’s in a Name?
August 23, 2010 by Writing for Children
Filed under teaching tips
Baby Names
A calf is a baby cow, right? Yes, but it is also what we call a baby whale, antelope, elephant, and giraffe! In addition, while a baby bear is called a cub, the same infant identity belongs to a fox and a lion. Moreover, while almost everyone knows that a baby kangaroo is a joey, many people have no idea that a baby swan is a cygnet or that a baby turkey is a poult. How many animal baby names can you identify?
Groups
Animal groups are also fascinating to learn about, and I was very surprised to find myself stumped when it came to naming many of the units. For example, I had no clue that a group of rabbits is a warren, several donkeys make up a pace, a cluster of cats is a clowder, foxes make up skulk, or that a bunch of giraffes create a tower. Hippos make a bloat, elk assemble in gangs, and ferrets make up a business—while alligators create a congregation!
Males and Females
We can all identify a lion and lioness as the male and female cats of the majestic pride, but how many of us know that a male swan is a cob and the female is a pen? Or how about this one? Did you know that a male kangaroo is a boomer and his mate is a doe? Along with other kangaroos, they create a mob. However, the same identities belong to a male and female rat, and they live in colonies.
Learn More: Websites, Resources, and Books
Learning the various labels for baby animals, their mothers and fathers, and the names of the groups they live in might make an interesting research project for your students. Below are a few links, books, and resources to get you going!
Enchanted Learning: Males, Females, Babies, and Groups
Scholastic Lesson Plans for Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? By Eric Carle
Examiner.com—Lapbook Plans for Katy No-Pocket by Emmy Payne
What Are Baby Koalas Called?: A Book about Baby Animals (First Facts) by Kathy Feeney
A Crash of Rhinos, A Party of Jays: The Wacky Ways We Name Animal Groups by Diane Swanson
Paddling of Ducks, A: Animals in Groups from A to Z by Marjorie Blain Parker
*******************
Amy M. O’Quinn is a pastor’s wife and former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six. She is also a freelance writer who enjoys jotting down ideas around the fringes of family life. She specializes in non-fiction and educational writing, and her work has been published or acquired by various magazines and websites. She is also a product/curriculum/book reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and a regular columnist for TEACH Magazine. The O’Quinns live on the family farm in rural south Georgia. You can visit Amy at amyoquinn.com.
Walk the Beautiful Bridges of the United States
August 10, 2010 by Writing for Children
Filed under teaching tips
Bridges can be wonderful teaching tools for science and math teachers who often deal with measurements and formulas. Social Studies and Language Arts teachers can enjoy telling the often fascinating stories and historical backgrounds of many bridges. We’re fortunate that many beautiful, well known bridges grace different parts of the United States.
The East Coast-Let Me Sell You the Brooklyn Bridge
Aside from its beauty, The Brooklyn Bridge was not an easy sell for me. I wasn’t sure I wanted to walk across it when my husband and I visited our son, who lives in New York City, in July.
New York City seems to have a little of everything–the greatest plays of all time (on and off Broadway), cozy restaurants, hotels, shops, and a beautiful skyline, which includes the majestic Brooklyn Bridge. When my son and husband both suggested we walk this bridge I had some serious reservations. For example, how would we gain access to the bridge, and wouldn’t it be kind of creepy being up so high?
First of all, to gain access onto the bridge, all we had to do was take the City Hall subway stop for entry onto the bridge from City Hall Park. I was surprisingly able to gradually walk onto the bridge with very little effort. Before I knew it, I was enjoying the most exhilarating sensation, as if I were soaring through the air. With the wind blowing so freely through my hair, the sun-kissed waters of the pale-blue, East River rippling beneath my feet, I didn’t understand what I was so worried about!
Construction for the bridge began in 1869, and it was completed in 1883. It is one of the world’s oldest steel wire suspension bridges. This modern wonder of the industrial world spans over the East River by 1, 595.5 feet. It connects the boroughs of Manhattan to Brooklyn. Its artistic framework creates one of the major icons of New York City’s skyline. The Brooklyn Bridge’s most outstanding features are the two masonry towers to which cables are attached. These two gothic arches embrace the clouds at 276 feet tall.
The person responsible for construction of the Brooklyn Bridge was a man named John Augustus Roebling. He was a German immigrant and a bridge and road builder. His motivation for wanting to construct the bridge came after a ferry got stuck in the frozen river below. But sadly, Roebling never lived to see the construction of his bridge. He died after crushing his foot in an accident.
Upon completion of the bridge, to prove to doubters that the bridge was safe enough for crossing, in 1884, P.T. Barnum led a caravan of circus animals across it. Many years later, in 1964, The Brooklyn Bridge was named a national historic landmark.
The Brooklyn Bridge is an attraction not to miss if you visit New York City. The wide and elevated pedestrian promenade walkway with high railings, accommodates walkers and cyclists on two separate pathways. The pathways are constructed over the busy road directly below. There is also easy access for families with young children in strollers. Children will be fascinated by the gorgeous, aerial views that overlook the East river while adults will appreciate a part of the city that is rich in history. The twenty minutes it takes for to walk this bridge with your family is worth the treat. When you reach the Brooklyn side, more wonders await you. What can be more refreshing on a hot summer day than allowing your children to indulge in a well-known ice cream location, The Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory?
The Brooklyn Bridge has it all. This great visitor’s paradise is an experience children and adults will not soon forget.
The Golden Gate of the West Coast-The Golden Gate Bridge
On the West Coast, The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most internationally, recognized and most glamorous symbols of the United States. The bridge opened, May 27, 1937, with the longest bridge suspension span of 4,200 feet.
Despite its name, the bridge is not golden by any means. The bridge’s orange color, called International Orange, was chosen for its visibility. A low lying fog prevails throughout the San Francisco Bay. This beauty stands out from the sea and sky, making it visible for ships passing under it.
The designers of this bridge were Joseph Strauss, Irving Morrow, and Charles Ellis. The total length of the bridge is 1.7 miles, (2.7 km) or 8,981 feet. The width is 90 feet long. The bridge was constructed for pedestrians, cyclists, and includes five lanes for vehicular traffic. I attempted to cross this majestic-looking bridge, but only made it almost to the halfway mark. That was enough for me. Crossing this bridge is not for those who have a fear of heights.
This marvelous structure was completed after more than four years of construction. The opening celebration began on May 27, 1937 and lasted for about one week. The day before vehicles were to allowed to pass over it, about 200,000 pedestrians crossed by foot and rollerskates. There were a number of local festivities that rang in this event. The next day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt pressed a telegraph key in Washington, D.C., signaling the beginning of this historic event shortly after noon.
Jewel of the Midwest-The Mackinac Bridge
If you are ever in the Midwest, in the beautiful state of Michigan, you should visit The Mackinac Bridge. It is referred to as “Big Mac” or Mighty Mac.” Construction for The Mackinac Bridge began on November 1, 1957, starting a new era that would connect two peninsulas previously linked solely by ferries. On busy weekends such as the Fourth of July, eager travelers would wait in line as long as 24 hours to catch a ferry. This bridge connects the cities of St. Ignace to Macinaw City. The Mackinac Bridge consists of a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan. The bridge was designed by engineer, David B. Steinman.
A few other interesting facts about this bridge are the following: Every Labor Day, two of the bridge’s lanes are closed to traffic and opened only to pedestrians. It requires about seven years to paint this structure. When the work crew finishes painting it, they have to begin again!
The idea behind building the bridge began with some discussion in the Michigan Legislature in the 1880’s. This was when the area first started to become a tourist attraction. This included the creation of Mackinac National Park in Mackinac Island in 1975.
As for dimensions and measurements, the total length of the bridge is 26,372 feet, making it the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere. The width is 68.6 feet. The height is 552 feet. Daily vehicular traffic is around 11,600. This structure has a total span of about five miles.
In the West-The Royal Gorge Bridge
Whenever you are in the West, about two hours south of Denver, Colorado, The Royal Gorge Bridge is a must see. At 1,053 feet, it is the highest suspension bridge in North America. It stands gracefully above the Arkansas River in Canyon City, Colorado. This mysterious attraction is definitely not one for the faint at heart. If you dare to cross this, my only advice is to focus on your destination straight ahead until you reach the other side. Then give yourself a giant pat on the back!
I had the most awesome opportunity to visit this bridge with my family. As onlookers at a safe distance, my husband and I, along with our two children, savored the breath-taking views. We also enjoyed the family theme park which includes an old time restored carousel, and an ongoing theater which chronicles history and facts connected to the bridge.
Construction for The Royal Gorge Bridge began on June 5, 1929. It officially opened in 1929 in November. The main intent for the bridge’s construction was for it to become a tourist attraction. The bridge was constructed to complement the surrounding, natural wonder of the gorge itself. Through the years it has continued to be one of the most-visited tourist attractions in the state of Colorado.
The Royal Gorge Bridge has a main span of 938 feet. It is 18 feet wide with a wooden walkway with 1, 292 planks. In addition, it is suspended from 150 feet towers. This site is a must see according to the National Register of Historic Places.
Have Fun in Your Own Backyard!
There are some great attractions rich in history and geography right in your own backyard. Take advantage of them. For example, there is a bridge in my neighborhood in Munster, Indiana, that passes over a creek called Hart Ditch. If you want to find out where it flows regarding towns and waterways, this is what you can do. You can download programs of Google Earth from satellite pictures. All you have to do is type in your address, and utilize zooming-in or out options. You can discover in which towns, cities, and waterways the creek runs. For example, I found out that in one direction, Hart Ditch flows into The Calumet River. Then from there it flows into The Sag Channel. From there it flows into Lake Michigan. From there it flows into the St. Lawrence Seaway. From there it flows into The Atlantic Ocean.
Just think, you can do all this without leaving the comfort of a chair and computer. You don’t have to take a boat to discover this. Have some fun and begin your own exploring!
Author Intrigue
August 10, 2010 by Writing for Children
Filed under teaching tips
Authors tend to be interesting people—and yes, sometimes they are even eccentric! However, some of the most fascinating (and often odd) authors of all are those from the past. Some of them had unrealistic fears, intriguing hang-ups, and strange habits, which makes great fodder for the children who read about them today. Because, as we all know, most kids like anything that smacks of being unusual, weird, or gross.
Andersen’s Taphephobia
For instance, Hans Christian Andersen was so afraid of being buried alive that he always slept with a note on his bedside table that said, “I only appear to be dead.” This type of phobia is called taphephobia. Amazingly, in Andersen’s time, many coffins were rigged with a string that was attached at one end to the deceased’s finger and the other to a bell above ground. Therefore, if the buried person was really not dead, he/she could pull on the string and make the bell ring loudly. This is where the saying ‘saved by the bell’ comes from.
OCD Dickens
Andersen’s good friend, Charles Dickens, also had some issues. He was obsessive-compulsive, and everything had to be a certain way before he could get down to the business of writing. In fact, he always aligned his bed north-south because of his obsession with magnetic fields, combed his hair hundreds of time a day in front of the mirror, and cleaned compulsively—even when he was in other people’s homes. If things were not just so, Dickens could not concentrate.
Jealous Jane?
Any Jane Austen fan is aware of her ability to use sarcasm and biting social commentary, but apparently she also wrestled a bit with the green-eyed monster. And although she greatly respected Sir Walter Scott, she good-naturedly shared the following in a letter to her niece about his novel, Waverly.
“Walter Scott has no business to write novels, especially good ones.—It is not fair.—He has fame and profit enough as a poet, and should not be taking the bread out of other people’s mouths.—I do not like him, and do not mean to like Waverly if I can help it—but fear I must.”
However, Jane had no reason to be envious. She obviously became much more famous than her contemporary!
Stingy Shakespeare?
William Shakespeare is infamously remembered for his Last Will and Testament, in which he left most of his estate to his daughter, Susanna; his wife Anne Hathaway received only his ‘second best’ bed! However, this probably was not as awful as it sounded. Apparently, the ‘best bed’ was one used for guests, and the ‘second best’ bed was the one that Shakespeare had shared with his wife.
Secretive Sisters
In the 19th century, women writers were not widely accepted in society. Therefore, the Brontë sisters, Anne, Emily, and Charlotte, decided to use male pen names to conceal their identities as female authors—even from their father and brother. Using the first letter of their real names, they went by Acton, Ellis, and Currer Bell. Together, they wrote and published a book entitled, Poems. Although they went on to write additional books, each is best remembered for:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë
Sadly, they all three died very young.
Dig Deeper
For a fun departure from reading about the ordinary lives of authors, why not search out some little known, or perhaps even bizarre or intriguing, facts about those writers. Here are a couple of books to get you started:
Lives of the Writers: Comedies, Tragedies (And What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull
Born to Write: The Remarkable Lives of Six Famous Authors by Charis Cotter
As we’ve all been told— truth is often stranger than fiction! Why not find out?
**************
Amy M. O’Quinn is a pastor’s wife and former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six. She is also a freelance writer who enjoys jotting down ideas around the fringes of family life. She specializes in non-fiction and educational writing, and her work has been published or acquired by various magazines and websites. She is also a product/curriculum/book reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and a regular columnist for TEACH Magazine. The O’Quinns live on the family farm in rural south Georgia. You can visit Amy at amyoquinn.com.
Literature Lapbooks
August 1, 2010 by Writing for Children
Filed under for children's writers, teaching tips
by Amy M. O’Quinn
Lapbooks are very popular in many homeschooling/educational circles, and for good reason. Children who create something tangible after reading a particular book or learning about a certain topic are far more apt to retain that knowledge. It is motivating to be able to hold in their hands or ‘on their laps’ their very own special reminder of their learning experience. Besides that—creating a lapbook is fun, and the educational and enjoyment possibilities are endless! However, for today, I will concentrate solely on lapbooks that are related to children’s literature and timeless picture books!
What Exactly Are Lapbooks?
Lapbooks can be as complex or unique as the fingerprints of those who make them! But the general definition of a simple lapbook is a single manila folder refolded and creased in such a way as to form a small, portable ‘learning center’ that can be opened and filled with mini activities, games, reports, charts, pictures, flip books, etc. inside that are created by the students themselves as they learn about the topic(s). In other words, a lapbook is a type of graphic organizer.
Families who enjoy scrapbooking will find lapbooking to be a perfect way to enhance learning—but anyone can create a lapbook that is interesting, fun, and effective. In addition, a lapbook can the organizer to pull together relevant topics from many subject areas—all based on one particular book.
Below is a lapbook we created based on the book The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton. Many of the printables were found at www.homeschoolshare.com
Resources/Books About Lapbooking
Hear are a few websites and books that have great tutorials or information on how to create lapbooks:
Homeschool Mom- Lapbooks (Many links to other sites filled with lapbooking information.)
Templates by Homeschool Share
Lapbooks by Homeschool Share
*Homeschool Share (HSS) is an on-line cooperative effort of several homeschooling moms to provide free but quality literature-based unit studies and resources. The content on this site is
unbelievable!
Lapbooks to Enhance the Learning Experience by Lynda Altman at Bright Hub
Ms. Altman includes information on how lapbooks can be used in the classroom and at the high school level.
Fundamentals of Lapbooking by Carrie Kerr at Bright Hub
This is another article showing how lapbooks can be used in the classroom.
Lapbooking for Everyone at Easy Fun School—This site includes lots of lapbooking links.
Lapbooking at Squidoo
A Journey Through Learning Lapbooks and Unit Studies (Literature Lapbooks)
Dinah Zike at Dinah-Might-Adventures
Big Book of Books and Activities – An Illustrated Guide for Teachers, Parents, and Anyone Who Works with Kids! By Dinah Zike
The Ultimate Lap Book Handbook by Tammy Duby and Cyndy Regeling
A Few Book Suggestions for Literature Lapbooks:
This is a very incomplete list of books that lend themselves well to lapbooking.
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
Katy and the Big Snow
Madeline
Little House on the Prairie series
If You Give a Mouse A Cookie
A Cricket In Times Square
The Courage of Sarah Noble
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Goodnight Moon
Mirette on the High Wire
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
The Napping House
Little Toot
The Duchess Bakes a Cake
Authors and Lapbooks
In a previous article about Creating Learning Guides and Instructional Activities for Trade Books, I mentioned how authors should consider offering additional resources or learning guides for parents and teachers that can go along with their books and provide more learning opportunities for students. I now propose that authors/publishers should also consider offering printables, graphs, mini-booklets, activities, etc. along with their books that can be used for the purpose of creating lapbooks.
For example, check out Harper Collin’s book activity guide page for Good Night Moon. One industrious mom used this page to create a lapbook based on Margaret Wise Brown’s timeless classic. She also pulled together additional materials from here and here to make a very neat learning resource.
(Image from www.myschooltime.com)
So whether you are a parent, teacher, or author, literature lapbooks just might figure into your future creative plans!
Amy M. O’Quinn is a pastor’s wife and former schoolteacher-turned-homeschool mom of six. She is also a freelance writer who enjoys jotting down ideas around the fringes of family life. She specializes in non-fiction and educational writing, and her work has been published or acquired by various magazines and websites. She is also a product/curriculum/book reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and a regular columnist for TEACH Magazine. The O’Quinns live on the family farm in rural south Georgia. You can visit Amy at amyoquinn.com.
