Understanding Biomes invites high school students to step beyond the textbook and into the living world around them. Through a full year of guided nature study, students learn to observe their local ecosystem with the careful attention of a field naturalist. Working independently through weekly lessons, they develop practical natural history skills while discovering the intricate relationships between plants, animals, and the places they call home.
Designed to be open-and-go, the guide leads students through seasonal field observations, scientific inquiry, nature notebooking, and meaningful field projects. Parents simply provide transportation, encouragement, and occasional conversation as students take ownership of their learning.
Rotation A: Become acquainted with the primary biome where you live by learning to observe, identify, document, and interpret the life of one local ecosystem.
📚 What’s Included
Rotation A: Become a Field Naturalist. Learn to observe faithfully.
- Weekly seasonal lessons for Autumn, Winter, and Spring
- Student-directed field observations and at-home investigations
- Guidance for selecting and studying a local ecosystem (woodland, aquatic, grassland)
- Research prompts that encourage careful observation and scientific inquiry
- Nature notebook prompts supporting narration, illustration, and reflection
- Practical field naturalist skills, including observation, photography, specimen preservation, and documentation
- A year-long capstone project creating interpretive signs that educate others about the student’s ecosystem
“I cannot sufficiently express my gratitude for this H.S. Special Study guide. It has made all the difference for my oldest and me this year. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
—Rachel Whiteley
Sample Lesson and Table of Contents for each Season
Reviews
A Holistic Experience
I felt so lost on high school special studies until using Nicole’s biome guide. We’ve been loving exploring our biome over the changing seasons. Being so consistent has grown our attachment to the specific place, including motivating us to bring gloves and trash bags to help clean it up. This was something I’ve never done, but my daughter really wanted us to do. It’s amazing how many people notice, appreciate and comment on this. It feels so holistic to be observing and appreciating the Lord’s beauty and also helping restore it at the same time. And I never would have gotten my act together enough to do this without the consistency of my high schooler focusing on a specific biome.
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