Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Ultimate Nature Study Link Up: Hands on Creek Exploration



Welcome to the ultimate nature study link up! I'm glad you've found your way here to My Blessings Homeschool! I recently shared about nature walks in my creatively homeschooling ABC's but today I'd like to share a bit more specifics with you.

My kids love going to the creek and while we haven't used it as official nature study activities, we may have to start! The city we live in has several parks that the kids love to visit and have fun playing but by far, the favorite is the one with the creek! On hot summer days there's plenty of people there taking the chance to cool of a bit by sticking their feet  (or in the case of most kids their whole bodies!) into the creek.


Aside from just getting into the creek there's a lot of fun things kids can learn by taking these breaks from the heat and hopping into the water! Here's a list of things you and your children could keep an eye out for while on your next visit to a creek. You could even make this into several trips and ask them to observe something different each time you visit. One time be on the lookout for insects, the next for animals, then plants and finally any other observations they may have.


1. Plant life
Ask your children to look around at the plants that are near the creek. Is there flowers, trees, bushes? We have a long flat cement pad by the stairs that are used to enter the creek that is covered in moss. Other than being a bit slick from the running water, kids can learn a lot from taking a look at it, feeling it etc.

2. Animals
Since our creek spot is a public park there's not usually animals around unless you take a walk further down the creek but occasionally you may find an animal or tow in the nearby trees.If there's not any wild animals around you may be able to observe dogs and how they act in and around the water.

3.Insects
Our last trip to the creek was exciting because the kids all spotted butterflies! You can have children look on the banks of the creek and in the shallow waters for insects. or their homes.

4. Other Observations
What else can your children notice about the creek. Our has rocks in the bottom, most of which are quite flat. Talk about why they might be flat like that. Where do they think the creek started at? You may want to take a walk up the creek and find out!

With each trip have your children bring along a notebook or drawing paper and pencils. Let them draw something they observed whether it be a bug they saw, an interesting plant growing nearby or someones dog playing in the creek. Once you've made your four trips you'll have several drawings and a nice collection of observations made by your little explorers!

Thanks for visiting and be sure to stop by the other posts in the link up, add your own and I look forward to seeing you here again!

Other co-hosts of the ultimate nature study link up include:

*Link up live from July 1st-30th, 2014
An InLinkz Link-up




An InLinkz Link-up

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