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The Handbook Of Nature Study has been on my “to get” list for a few years. Now that I finally have it in my possession, I am kicking myself for not getting it sooner. What a fabulous resource!
The first addition of this book was written in 1911. The author, Anna Botsford Comstock, wanted people to understand the world around them in an intimate way. She describes even the most common of birds, plants or rocks in a way that makes them interesting and come alive. The book was revised in 1939 by a group of naturalists who kept the spirit of Ms. Comstock.
A Nature Textbook
I finally got the Handbook of Nature Study because it was one of the books that is used in Trail Guide To Learning by Geography Matters that we are using for our third grader this year. The book is used within this curriculum as the science text. The first thing that strick me was the sheer size of the book – almost 900 pages! I could see why many people consider Handbook of Nature Study the Bible of natural history.
The Handbook of Nature Study is written as a series of articles about animals, plants, rocks, weather and more. Each article is written in a gentle style and contains black and white pictures and illustrations. Lessons throughout the book are more observation and activity based than memory based. This is perfect for developing critical thinking skills.
If you are unsure about how to teach a nature study, the first part of the book is dedicated to “The Teaching Of Nature Study”. This should appeal to homeschool parents who are a little leary about science.
Don’t be like me and delay getting Handbook of Nature Study. This is already one of my favorite science resources and my new go-to guide.
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This post is part of the iHomeschool Network’s Autumn Hopscotch, a 10 day series of posts by over 40 different homeschool bloggers. Visit iHomeschool Network for subjects like Learning With Minecraft, Using Boardgames for Learning, Busy Bag Ideas and Crock Pot Recipies to feed your homeschool family.
Check out the entire 10 Days Of Great Science Books series.
We LOVE this book and have been using it for as long as we have been ‘officially’ homeschooling. I recommend to anyone interested in exploring nature in more depth.
We have been using The Handbook of Nature Study for years as a fun reference book when my kids discover something new in nature. We have also used this website… http://handbookofnaturestudy.blogspot.ca/. She has many fun activities and a few free resources. I think she charges for some, but I’ve paid for what we were interested in and have found all of it worth it.
Love that website! SO many great ideas!
Love it! Love Barb’s website too. We are in the land of Comstock here too…she was the first woman faculty member at Cornell. Not sure if you mentioned it, but the book can be intimidating until you read her dry sense of humor. Great stuff.