Does the science “lingo” used in Mason’s volumes and around the CM community confuse you at times? I thought I would take a few minutes to clarify some of the nature study and science terms that get tossed around.
Natural History was the blanket covering for all things science on the PNEU programs. Under this heading, we find a variety of activities and books, including nature lore, special studies, nature study notebooks, and resources for these topics. We also see typical science topics listed, such as chemistry, physics, the earth sciences, and botany.
Sometimes we also see the heading “Natural Science” or “General Science“, but the topics covered under these titles were listed under the general heading of “Natural History” at other times.
Nature Lore is essentially the use of naturalists’ books to open the students’ eyes and pique their interest regarding what is to be seen outside. This is seen on the PUS schedules at least once a week through form 2 (grade 6), but I feel like it should still be included for older children if they have not been homeschooled using the Charlotte Mason method for several years.
Some examples for form 1 students are:
James Herriot’s Treasury for Children by James Herriot
Squirrels and Other Fur-Bearers by John Burroughs
Wild Life in Woods and Fields by Arabella Buckley
Some examples for form 2 students are:
The Storybook of Science by Jean Henri Fabre
The Secret of Everyday Things by Jean Henri Fabre (381 pp.)
Insect Adventures by Jean Henri Fabre (298 pp.)
The Lay of the Land by Dallas Lore Sharp, 214 pages
Some examples for form 3+ students are:
The Amateur Naturalist by Gerald Durrell
Anatomy Of A Rose: Exploring The Secret Life Of Flowers by Sharman Apt Russell
A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter
A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
You can find many examples of these kinds of books on my Nature Lore page.
Special Studies are an opportunity to focus on an individual topic in the area of botany, biology or earth science. They are usually seasonally based, and although they can be done as a family, older students can pursue particular interests of their own. Typically time is scheduled during the morning hours to read books pertaining to the topic, and then during afternoon nature study the topic can be looked at more closely by way of observation or an object lesson. Read more about implementing special studies.
Object Lessons are usually done during nature study time, as a compliment to your special study topic. The Handbook of Nature Study is a great resource for this as it contains many short lessons divided by topic. The idea is that you take about 10 minutes to look much closer at something specific, even directing a few “casual” questions to the children to help them notice something they may not see without prompting. This activity should only take about 10 minutes. Read more about the use of object lessons in my article on implementing special studies.
Nature Study is done every afternoon when the child is young, but even as they get older they should have a minimum of one full afternoon spent outside each week. Frequently a nature walk is done during this time, but it is not necessary. The goal is to spend time outside observing what there is to see, however, this is not a time for the teacher to teach, but rather should be child-led. Read more about what afternoon time looks like when you have young children.
Brush Drawing is a form of water color painting that requires very little water. It is a way for students to record their observations, even when they are still too young to write in their nature notebooks. Learn more about it in my article keeping a nature journal.
I hope this helps! Let me know if I missed one that you would like to know more about.
Very helpful!!! 🙂
Would you be willing to talk about the relationship of geography to this paradigm you have laid out above?
Thank you for the suggestions, Jennifer. I will try to get to that at some point. In the meantime, I would recommend that you listen to episode 18 of the podcast I co-host called A Delectable Education, Episode 18: Geography, A Panorama of Delight. I think you might find it helpful.
~Nicole
Also, do special studies extend to other areas of sciences or are they limited to biology, botany, and earth science? If so, how should we think about the other science topics one studies in relationship to your paradigm above?
Thank you for your time.
This is a GREAT question and one I’ve been thinking on since I read a Parents Review article, of which Mason was the editor, where the author talks about how object lessons facilitate language acquisition. At the very end of the article, he/she points out that all elementary science needs to be taught in this way. He even notes several elementary physics books that utilize this idea. When you think about it, all science is an extension of nature study. We are learning to question, to name, we are learning methods to test our ideas, and we are learning wonder and admiration for the world God made. How is the question of “what bird is that?” different from “what element is that?”? With this foundation, our children will not just “master” the subject of science through memorization, they will understand it and appreciate it.
Can you tell that you hit on an area that I’m passionate about? Thank you for writing! Below is the article I mentioned in case you want to check it out:
Object Teaching; or, Words and Things by T.G.R, Volume 3, 1892/93, pgs. 13-23