It's the start of a new month and the start of all sorts of new ways to incorporate science and nature studies in your homeschool.
October is is a great nature study month here in Minnesota. Leaves are changing, birds are migrating, and plants like milkweed and cattails are releasing their seeds into the wind -- just to name a few of the natural occurences taking place.
Here are five fun ways to take advantage of nature in your homeschool this month.
1. Spider web ID: Did you know there were different types of spider webs? Pest Products explains:
"Webs have different purposes, according to the individual species of spider, how it captures or stores its prey. Spider's silk can be used to help small, young spiders transport to new areas (ballooning) or be so strong that it is used to make fish nets, as with the Nephila spider web."
Pest Products explains the characteristics and purposes of these types of spider webs:
- Tangled spider webs
- Orb web
- Sheet webs
- Gum-footed webs
- Horizontal Line Webs
- Bolas Spider Web
- Triangle webs
Read about the types and take a look at the pictures, and then see which types you can find as a family.
2. Family microscope journal: Designate a blank journal for this project, where each child looks at one or more natural items with the microscope each day and sketches them. Our family prefers the indestructible and portable Brock Magiscope but you can use any microscope or try inexpensive pocket microscopes for an affordable alternative. Seeds make great subjects for microscope journals this time of year, from milkweed seeds to cattails to black eyed susans to grass seeds.
3. Colorful fall branch preservation: Many people have preserved single autumn leaves through methods like pressing them between waxed paper or clear contact paper or dipping them in wax. Here's a way to preserve a whole branch of fall leaves, and learn about how trees work while doing so. The MacBeth's Opinion Charlotte Mason autumn page instructs:
Select large branches when leaves have first turned color. Split the stems of your branches about three inches from the bottom; stand them in a bucket of warm water for several hours. If some of the leaves begin to curl, remove them. Prepare a solution of glycerin (available in the laxative section of your local pharmacy) and water by combining two parts water to one part glycerin. Bring the solution to a boil, simmer gently for 10 minutes, and let sit until completely cooled. Cut the bottom of your branches at a very sharp angle and stand your branches in the mixture, storing the container in a cool, dark place until all the glycerin mixture has been absorbed. This will take about a week to 10 days. When you first notice tiny beads of glycerin forming on the leaves, remove them from the solution, wipe down the leaves with a damp paper towel, and dry thoroughly. They may last several seasons!
(modified from Victorian Family Celebrations by Sarah Ban Breathnach)
4. Sound studies: Head outside to different areas (such as the backyard, a nearby park and a shady spot down the street) several times a day and have the kids record every different source of noise (natural and man made) that they hear over a five minute period. Ask questions ahead of time such as:
- Do you think there will be more natural noises or man made noises in this site?
- What time of day do you think there will be more natural noises?
- What time of day do you think there will be more man made noises?
- Do you think nighttime will be noisier or quieter for natural noises?
- Do you think nighttime will be noisier or quieter for man made noises?
- What day do you think will be noisiest?
- How many noises do you think you'll hear?
- Where do you think we'll hear the most natural noises?
- Where do you think we'll hear the most man made noises?
If you like, graph the results with a bar graph or simple sticker chart.
5. Animal track ID cards: Print out these colorful (free) animal track ID cards (in PDF form) from Hobby Farms and then see what animal tracks you can find. All of these animals can at least occasionally be found in Southern Minnesota, though you won't often find evidence of some like mountain lions. Some of the animals, such as opossums, deer, skunks and squirrels are far more common.
Enjoy October!
