Category Archives: Special Studies

Special Study – Soil and Soil Conservation

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In every outthrust headland, in every curving beach, in every grain of sand there is the story of the earth. – Rachel Carson

Where to look for books in your library: J 552 primarily

 

SOILS

Books:
Jump into Science: Dirt by Steve Tomecek (IP, PB, gr. p-3, 32 p.)
The Dirt Book by Eva Knox Evans (83 p.)
How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World by Faith McNulty (IP, g. P-3, 32 p.)
The World Beneath Our Feet: The Story of Soil by Martin L. Keen (MS, 96 p.)
The Soil that Feeds Us by Eleanor B. Heady (62 p.)

Teacher background from HoNS:
The Soil, p. 760-766

Object lessons:
HoNS Lesson 216, The Soil, p. 763 (3 experiments)
Layers of Soil Activity (This takes 2-3 days to fully settle.)
Estimating Soil Texture: Sand, Silt or Clayey? (MS or HS)
Look at various soils under a handlens or microscope

 

SOIL CONSERVATION

Books:
Rocks Rivers, and the Changing Earth by Herman and Nina Schneider (particularly chapters 1-2, IP, gr. 3-8, 192 p.)
Life in a Bucket of Soil by Alvin Silverstein (IP, gr. 3-8, object lessons included, 96 p.)
Buried Sunlight: How Fossil Fuels Have Changed the Earth by Molly Bang (IP, PB, gr. 3+, 48 p.)
Erosion by Joshua Rutten (gr. 2+, 32 p.)

Teacher background from HoNS: 
The Soil, p. 760-775

Object lessons:
HoNS Lesson 216, The Soil, p. 763 (3 experiments)
HoNS Lesson 217, How Our Valuable Soil is Lost, p. 770
HoNS Lesson 217, How to Conserve Our Soils, p. 775
Activities included in Life in a Bucket of Soil

**Note: When you are studying “earth science” you will encounter more explanations of the evolutionary theory than when you are studying botany or elephants, for example. Older books have less inclusion of this perspective, usually. My guiding line is that they not mock or attack the young earth view point. We can have a conversation about “millions of years”.

The following resources might be useful:

Creation.com – Engineer Goes Back to School: Don Batten chats with geologist Dr Tas Walker (Flood model solves geological puzzles)
Answers In Genesis – Radioactive and Radiocarbon Dating (video)
Dr. Ron Carlson – Origins (video, covers carbon dating)
Dinosaurs, Flood Pt 1
Dinosaurs, Flood Pt 2

 

Implementing Special Studies – An Outline

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Nature study is the foundation of formal science, and it shouldn’t stop in the upper grades. To facilitate much learning in the areas of botany, biology and earth science during our nature time, while still providing a relaxed, child-led atmosphere, we should incorporate special studies to open our children’s eyes.

I encourage you to read my entire post entitled Natural History: Implementing Special Studies, which is on the Charlotte Mason Institute blog, but I thought having a short outline of the process might be worthwhile for you to refer back to while you are getting the hang of it.

How Does it Work?

  1. Pick two or three areas of focus each term.
    • Pick things that are seasonally relevant.
    • In almost every case, you should pick something that you can observe regularly.
    • Despite varying ages, everyone can pursue the same special study.
    • I’ve been working on a Natural History Rotation that I’m happy to share with you. I hope it will help you plan your year.
  2. Gather living books that will teach something about the special study topic and also inspire and guide observation.
    • If your whole family will be studying the same topic, then gather books from various reading levels.
    • Try to pull in a variety of book styles and lengths. (e.g. fiction, non-fiction, picture books.)
  3. Prepare yourself by reading the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Comstock (HoNS).
    • Teachers need to read the sections of the Handbook of Nature Study which tell about the special study topics chosen, in order to gain a bit of background knowledge.
    • This is not for the student to read, or be read to, but rather just for teacher education.
    • You cannot inspire your students if you do not at least appreciate the subject yourself.
    • It’s ok if you learn along with them, but you should aspire to stay a little bit ahead of them.
  4. With the above done, you will not have to say hardly anything when you go outside for nature study.
    • The kids’ interest will be piqued and their eyes will be opened.
    • Instead of just seeing the “bling”, they will notice the secret treasures.
    • They come to know what to watch for instead of simply reacting.
  5. Despite their new open eyes, you should still plan 2-6 object lessons each term.
    • The living books you read are likely to inspire some object lessons naturally.
    • Limit the amount of time spent on objects lessons to 5-15 minutes.
    • Don’t lecture – we are not to be the “fountain-head of all knowledge”.
  6. Draw or otherwise record what is seen in a nature study notebook.
    • Student should record observations in whatever way they are most inspired to do so.
    • There should be no right or wrong way.

Related:
Natural History: Implementing Special Studies (the whole explanation)
Natural History Rotation