Nature Hunt

Our new science showed today, with perfect timing. Laura's first thing to do was to go on a nature walk. She held a list of items to look for as she explored her back yard. I am glad the weather is holding out for this. I don't know if we'll be able to do a lot of the outdoor activities with winter approaching fast for the Midwest. This was meant to be started much earlier in the year.
On the list were animal tracks, various leaves (perfect since they are all falling around us), some bugs and a few animals. I must say that finding a bird's nest was much simpler since the leaves have fallen off the trees. There was five at least in the tree in the neighbor's yard that I wouldn't have seen in the full bloom of summer.
Laura checked her items off her list and was content with all she had found. Obviously, there are some things that won't be found in late fall. A chrysalis or a cocoon, for instance, aren't in season. I couldn't see many earthworms, and wasn't in the mood to dig for them. I was surprised that we didn't see many squirrels today, but it looks like rain. Maybe they are already inside shelter.
None of this was a blast for me, since I woke up with a nightmarish cold. However, I do like the science program. I have some planning to do. I want to cover nearly everything, and still squeeze in health at the end of the year. Since I am several weeks into the school year this means that some of the material we will read through, but not get into very deeply.

My main goal is to cover a variety of topics. I want to see what sparks her interest. I also want her to learn some science fundamentals and some more advanced study techniques. I want her to learn how to search for information in the material she's read. This program is full of simple activities and experiments to engage her curiosity without overkill.