NaturExplorers from Shining Dawn Books

I am excited to tell you about NaturExplorers, a new series of nature-based unit studies written by Cindy West and Melissa Leach. The authors are both veteran homeschooling Moms who are passionate about studying nature with their children and inspiring other Moms to do the same. No matter what type of homeschooler you are, and whether or not you already do nature study with your family, these studies will give you encouragement and ideas for getting outside with your children and exploring God’s beautiful creation.

Here is a sampling of titles in the series:

• Animal Signs
• Peaceful Ponds
• Captivating Clouds
• Delightful Deciduous Trees
• Hard as a Rock
• Creatures of the Night
• Frogs and Toads

One of the things that I really like about these units is their flexibility. They are designed so that you can adapt them to be used in whatever way best meets your needs. A title can be used in its entirety as a complete science-based unit, or you can simply pick up the study and choose an idea to focus on as you head out the door for a nature walk.

However you decide to utilize these studies, you will find that they are jam-packed with plenty of ideas to keep you inspired about that particular nature topic for quite a long time.

Each unit includes the following:

• A section just for you, the teacher, to spark your interest and excitement about the topic
• Suggestions for quality, living books that will inspire your children about the topic
• Background knowledge for the teacher to equip you with some basic information about the topic before beginning the study 
• A great number of ideas for nature walks and outdoor activities
• Hands-on activities such as science experiments, art projects, recipes and more
• Writing and research ideas
• Bible lessons
• Poetry
• Artist and Picture study references
• Composer and Music references
• Helpful internet links
• Ideas for including younger and older children
• Suggestions for nature clubs and co-ops
• Nature Notebooking Pages

I found the  ideas to be creative and engaging, and as you can see, the units cover a lot of ground.  I’d also like to mention that they are available in e-book format and are budget friendly.

I encourage you to head over to Shining Dawn Books where you can check out all of the themes that are available and find a wealth of free helpful nature study ideas, information, and photos as well.

Written by Shannon, who blogs about her family’s homeschooling adventures at Song of My Heart.