Join us in this 8 week course as we explore and connect with nature indoors. Our appreciation and awe of this beautiful earth grows when we observe the intricate workings of the natural world, even the smallest insect is absolutely amazing.

In this course, we will be bringing nature inside for observation! The natural curiosity of children makes them excellent candidates for nature journaling. This is a fun activity and a wonderful way to develop an awareness and appreciation of earth.

The students will simply be recording observations of nature, which we will have on the tables for the students to examine closely. The observation and recording looks like; sketches of animals and plants, notes jotted down from their own thoughts of copied from a book, and coloring/painting.

Nature study is important as it provides the foundation for formal science studies - your child will find it much easier to learn science in formal lessons with books, if they have already made a personal connection with the plant, animal, or what ever they may be studying.

Weeks 1-2: Trees, Seeds and their fruits - In these first weeks we will be studying trees, leaves, bark, and seeds. The students will have hands on activities that allow them to really engage with the elements. We will bring a few trees into the studio for the students to observe. Students will learn if the tree is fruit bearing or not, what functions the trees serve, cycles trees go through and more! Students will be encourage to sketch, draw, paint and write down their observations. We will be studying trees that are local to this area, so that the observations may be continued outside of the classroom. Students will be able to identify a tree and its parts and functions.

Week 3-4: Flowers, Buds, and More - Studying real and beautiful flowers is enough to brighten anyones day. We will have real flowers in the classroom for the students to touch and observe. The students will learn parts of the flowers, its function and its importance within its ecosystem. Does it provide food and if so, to who? Does it act as repellent for bugs? How do flowers even have a scent? ( questions from my 7 year old son. ) We will have hands on experiences with creating art using real flowers and lots of sketching, painting and note taking will take place. Each student will be able to identify flowers out in nature, and further their study outside of the classroom.

Weeks 5-6: Seashells and Sand - We are just a skip and a jump away from the ocean! The students will identify a variety of shells and learn neat facts of their origins. Does a shell provide a home for another animal? What function does a shell have? Where do seashells come from? A fun fact for the parents; a seashell is a hard, protective outer layer that is usually created by an animal that lives in the sea - the empty shells are washed up on the beaches and are found by beachcombers! Even sand has a really interesting background of how it is formed, its functions, and how it lands on our shores. ( More than 80% of sand comes from the parrotfish poop!)

Week 7-8 Fantastic Fungi - Fungi is all around us and has been around for nearly 4 million years! The students will learn of the importance of fungi for the many ecosystems to thrive. We will study the parts of the mushrooms, how it continues to produce and regrow, and the students will be encouraged to sketch/paint/write a description from the hands on observations. We will learn how to identify mushroom that can be consumed and mushrooms that are to be avoid due to poisonous elements! This study can be further used outside of the classroom and taken to your very own front or backyard!

All payments must be paid in full by the first day of class.