A Few Spring Nature Study Ideas

"A girl who knows something about wildflowers, for example, will
be a popular walking companion with all kinds of people in various
circumstances."

Charlotte Mason in Modern English Page 261

This Charlotte Mason quote perfectly describes how I felt this past weekend. I went for a nice hike with some friends at Table Mountain near Oroville, CA on Saturday. (The photos in this post are from my hike.) Wildflowers are my favorite part of spring and summer. I love all the varieties and colors. As we were hiking I was able to identify some of the wildflowers for my friends. When we came across ones I didn't know, I wished my mom had been there. Knowing the name of a flower can be a very powerful thing. Spring is the perfect time to get outside for some nature study, and wildflowers can be a fun and interesting place to start.

If you are looking to add a little nature study to your homeschool this spring, here are a few ideas to get you started.

• Go on a spring nature walk scavenger hunt using my free PDF download.
• Go on a photo nature walk and take pictures of all of the different wildflowers you see.
• Go on a nature walk looking for flowering trees.
• Go on a nature walk looking for trees with new growth.
• Identify one wildflower growing near your house.
• Make a press and press some wildflowers.
• Sketch a wildflower that grows near where you live.
• Or see if you can find coloring pages for the wildflowers you have in your area.
• As you are driving around town, see if you can spot any wildflowers growing alongside the road.
• Look for migrating birds- I saw a whole flock of Canadian geese the other day flying in formation.
• If you just get outside, I am sure you will find something worth observing.

And just a note: I am aiming to have my Hearts and Trees spring kit up for sale this week. Things are taking much longer than I expected with this kit. I will have more information about it later this week, so be sure to check in for that.

Trees Art Show

This Hearts and Trees online art show focuses on trees. I encourage you to share this art show with your children and to have a discussion about the different ways these artists saw and painted trees.

If you would be interested in a set of notebooking pages/mini unit study like the ones I am offering for my clouds and still life art shows let me know (you can find links to my other art shows as well as to my notebooking pages in the sidebar). If there is enough interest I will put them together.

Meanwhile, here are some suggestions of questions you can discuss with your children as you examine each painting.
•How did each painter see trees differently?
•Look for cool and warm colors.
•How many paintings have people in them?
•How many paintings have animals?
•How many paintings have buildings?
•Decide on the "mood" of each painting- how does each painting make you feel?
•Use the canvas measurements provided to see just how big or small a painting is.
•Decide which painting is the most realistic and which is the least realistic.
•Which is your favorite painting?
•If you could change the name of a painting, what would you name it? Why?
•If you find a painting you like, take a minute to look at some other paintings by that artist. (Artchive and ABC Gallery are where I found these paintings.
•You could make your own version of your favorite garden painting.
•You could sketch your own garden in the style of your favorite artist.

Vincent Van Gogh
Olive Trees with the Alpilles in the Background
1889 Oil on canvas
28 1/2 x 36 1/4 in. (72.5 x 92 cm)
Collection Mrs. John Hay Whitney

R. B. Kitaj
The Oak Tree
1991 Oil on canvas
60 1/8 x 60 in. (152.7 x 152.4 cm)
Private collection

Sigmar Polke
Two Palm Trees
1964 Artificial resin on fabric
90 x 75 cm
Private collection

Egon Schiele
Autumn Trees
1911 Oil on canvas
79.5 x 80 cm
Private collection

Vincent Van Gogh
Roots and Tree Trunks
June-July 1890 Oil on canvas
50 x 100 cm
Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh, Amsterdam

Pissarro, Camille
Pear Trees in Bloom at Eragny, Morning
1886 Oil on canvas
21 x 25 1/4 in (54 x 65 cm)
Isetan Museum, Tokyo

Piet Mondrian
Avond (Evening); Red Tree
1908 Oil on canvas
70 x 99 cm (27 1/2 x 39 in)
Haags Gemeentemuseum, The Hague

Schiele, Egon
Little Tree (Chesnut Tree at Lake Constance)
1912 Watercolor and pencil on paper
18 x 11 5/8 in. (45.8 x 29.5 cm)
Private collection, New York

Paul Gauguin
Blue Trees
1888 Oil on canvas
92 x 73 cm (36 1/4 x 28 3/4 in)
The Ordrupgaard Collection, Copenhagen

Asher Durand
Study from Nature: Rocks and Trees
c. 1836 Oil on canvas
21 1/2 x 17 in (55 x 43 cm)
The New York Historical Society

Gustave Caillebotte
The Garden at Petit Gennevilliers in Winter
c. 1894 Oil on canvas
73 x 60 cm
Private collection

Emily Carr
A Rushing Sea of Undergrowth
1932-35 Oil on canvas
112.8 x 69 cm
Vancouver Art Gallery

Claude Monet
Garden in Bordighera, Impression of Morning
1884 Oil on canvas
25 3/4 x 32 in. (65.5 x 81.5 cm.)
The Hermitage, St. Petersburg

Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot
Peasants Under the Trees at Dawn, Morvan
c. 1840-45 Oil on canvas
10 3/4 x 15 3/4 in.
National Gallery, London

----------------------------------------Just some notes:

***I am busy putting together my Spring 2009 Hearts and Trees Kit. Look for pre-ordering March 19th!

***And if you haven't already checked it out, be sure to look at the Outdoor Hour eBook!

***And I have four Winter Kits left at the discounted price if anyone is interested.

There is a lot of celebrating going on here...

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6633893.html

CPSC has delayed the enforcement of the testing dates for at least one year. So, it looks like Hearts and Trees is back in business! I am going to be getting busy putting together a spring kit! And I am also going to be using all the great ideas you have all shared with me to hopefully expand Hearts and Trees.

So, I will be able to sell the remaining of my winter kits. I will still be offering them at the discounted price, so be sure to check them out if you haven't already.

Thank you for everyone who has left me a kind comment or email during the past month. I am so excited that I will still be able to sell my kits.

Winter Kit Markdown

I only have a few Hearts and Trees Winter 2008 Kits left. I would really like to sell them before the February 9th deadline.

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I am now offering them 20% off.

Each kit is $9.56 plus shipping.

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If you have any questions, feel free to email me.

Vivaldi- Four Seasons- Winter

Today I thought I'd share a very nice YouTube video of Vivaldi's movement Winter from his Four Seasons. I think Vivaldi is probably my favorite composer because I love the violins. I hope you and your children take a few minutes today to enjoy the music of winter. (You may need to click through to the actual post if you are reading this in an email or reader since the videos and Amazon links don't always show up for some reason.)

If you are interested in learning more about Vivaldi, you can see my mom's Vivaldi composer study here. And if you are interested in purchasing a Vivaldi CD from Amazon, here are some to get you started (We own the first one and highly recommend it.):

I have also put together a free PDF notebooking page for Vivaldi. You can download it here at Lulu. And if you haven't seen my winter themed art, handicraft and nature study kit, check it out here! I only have a few left and only have a few more days left to sell them.

A Big Thank You And Some Questions

I want to thank everyone who left me a comment or emailed me yesterday. I was feeling pretty low because I've loved putting together my art, handicraft and nature study kits. It just doesn't seem right that it could be illegal in a few weeks to sell something I know isn't going to harm any children.

But I am going to carry on in the hopes that the laws will change. In the meantime, I am looking for new opportunities for Hearts and Trees.

I am asking you for any suggestions of what you homeschooling families would like to see from Hearts and Trees in the coming months.

A few have suggested that I sell PDF instructions for handicrafts (like the ones I have included in my kits) and make specific supply lists (possibly even linking through Amazon) so parents can gather the materials themselves. I think part of the appeal of my kits is that I have been able to provide all of the materials packaged together, but if the instructions are something people would be interested in, I am more than willing to consider the possibilities. Here are some things I am thinking I could put the instructions together for: a tote bag/library bag, basic apron, crochet scarf, pincusion, doll blanket/lap blanket, freezer paper applique. Are these things you'd be interested in purchasing the instructions for as a PDF, even if you'd have to gather the materials yourelf or purchase the materials through Amazon links I would provide?

I have been toying around with the idea of putting together a mini-kit focusing on embroidery. I would introduce a number of basic stitches and your students would complete a small sampler. At this point I don't think I will be able to sell the kit with materials, but would you be interested in a PDF set of instructions with photos (like what I offered in my mini kit- you can see in the first photo) of how to make each embroidery stitch to make a sampler?

I have also been thinking about putting together a quilt square of the month club, if this is something people would be interested in participating in.

These are just some of the ideas I have in mind for the handicrafts portion of Hearts and Trees. I have some ideas for nature lapbooks and art/artist notebooking pages as well. If you have any ideas or suggestions of what you'd like to see from me, please email me (amandachristina@yahoo.com) or leave me a comment. Thanks!

I am also putting a poll in my blog sidebar. (If you are reading this in a reader or email you will have to click through to my blog to vote in the poll.)

I still have quite a few Winter Kits that I need to sell before February 9th. Be sure to check them out!

February 9th, CPSIA and Hearts and Trees

Because my kits are designed for children under the age of 12 I am going to be affected by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act which comes into affect February 9, 2009. Unless there is some legislation change, I possibly will no longer be able to sell my art, handicraft and nature study kits after that date.

In the coming weeks I am going to try to sell all of my Winter 2008 kits. If you are at all interested in purchasing a kit I suggest you do so very soon.

Hearts and Trees will still continue to operate after February 9th. I am going to focus more on PDF downloads like the ones I am already selling, instead of the arts and crafts kits. I have a lot of ideas, and hopefully in time I will be able to sell my kits again. I thank everyone who has supported my blog and my business in the past.

Clearing Out My Inventory

Because I will no longer be able to sell my kits after February 9, 2009 I am trying to clear out my inventory.

Here is what I have available:

• 4 Summer Kits ($14.00 each with First Class shipping) SOLD!! Thank you!
• 1 Fall Kit ($14.00 with First Class shipping)SOLD!! Thank you!
• 1 lime green easy fleece hat project kit- includes all project materials and instructions ($5.00 with First Class shipping)This project was included in my Winter 2007 kit.SOLD!! Thank You!
• Extra aluminum sheets- like the ones included in my Winter 2008 Kit ($0.30 a sheet plus shipping) Once I know how many you would like I can let you know how much shipping will be.

I am also hoping to sell the last of my Winter 2008 Kits. I have quite a few left and will not be able to sell them after February 9th. Please purchase yours today if you are interested.

If you are interested in purchasing anything other than my Winter Kit (which you can purchase by using the Pay Now PayPal buttons on my sidebar), please email me (amandachristina@yahoo.com) and I will get all the information to you. Everything will be first come first served. Thanks!

Hearts and Trees Winter 2008 Kit

This post will stay on the top, so scroll down for new posts.

Each kit includes the instructions and materials to complete easy and fun handicraft, art and nature study projects with a minimum of effort on your part. (Please note that you will need to provide common art supplies such as colored pencils or crayons, scissors, tape, etc, as well as a hammer.)

In this kit we have a fleece sewing project. Your child will learn how to draft their own mitten pattern out of paper, then cut and sew a pair of mittens. You have your choice of fleece colors!

There is also a metal punching project, inspired by Pennsylvania Dutch folk art designs. Your child will love using a hammer and nail to punch out the design into the aluminum.

A template is provided for your child to learn how to make his own stencil. Again the design is inspired by Pennsylvania Dutch designs, and included on the instructions page for this project is some general information about the Pennsylvania Dutch folk art style.

For the nature study portion of this kit, my mom has once again put together a wonderful lapbook to include in my kit. This lapbook focuses on mammals. Components of this lapbook include sorting pockets and cards to learn about 5 different classes of mammals, a "What Is a Mammal?" mini-book, a "Mammal Trivia" mini-book, mammal vocabulary, more mammal classifications, mammal babies and more!

An 8 page nature journal focusing on mammals is also included in this kit. In it you will find facts about 8 common mammals as well as space for you to record which species of that mammal live where you live, whether you have ever seen one and to sketch what the animal's tracks look like. (Links are provided to help you find this information.)

The art print for this kit is Edward Hicks' The Residence of David Twining. A notebooking page focusing on Edward Hicks, which includes a drawing project idea is also included. A notebooking page about neutral colors is also provided.

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In all there are 3 handicraft projects, 3 notebooking pages, an art print with corresponding drawing project, a complete lapbook and a nature journal focusing on mammals in this kit!

Complete Contents List:

1. Instuctions and materials (fleece, needle, thread, pins) to sew pair of fleece mittens
2. Instructions and template for a Pennsylvania Dutch folk art stencil project (with information about the Pennsylvania Dutch folk art style)
3. Instructions and materials (aluminum, nail, cardboard for mat) for Pennsylvania Dutch inspired metal punching project
4. 8 page mammals nature journal
5. Mammals lapbooking pages (10 pages Note: file folder is not included)
6. Edward Hicks art print (The Residence of David Twining)
7. Edward Hicks notebooking page with drawing project idea
8. Art element notebooking page focusing on neutral colors

These kits were gathered with children ages 6-12 in mind. Parents may need to help their students, especially younger children, with some aspects of this kit.

To purchase a kit you will just need to make a PayPal payment to my account. You can do that using the "Pay Now" buttons in my sidebar. Just be sure to use the button for the right number of kits you would like to purchase.

*****SOLD OUT!*****

All kits will ship within the next two to three business days after payment is received.

Please note that the price per kit has remained the same. The cost of shipping has increased partly because this kits weighs slightly more than past kits and because of the increase of USPS shipping prices.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the PDFs I am currently selling (they are in my sidebar) and you wish to make a combined payment for multiple items, feel free to email me for a total.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at amandachristina@yahoo.com.

REDUCED SHIPPING FOR WINTER 2008 KIT!!!

I still have a lot of Hearts and Trees Winter 2008 Kits left to sell.

I have had some questions about the shipping cost of the kit. I have figured out a way to decrease shipping costs for 2 kits.

The new totals will be as follows:

• 1 Kit- $14.80 ($11.95 plus $2.85 First Class Shipping)
• 2 Kits- $29.60 ($11.95 each plus $5.70 First Class Shipping)
• 3 Kits- $43.85 ($11.95 each plus $8.00 Priority Shipping)

There is a savings now of $2.3o when you buy two kits!! (Please note, now when you purchase two kits they will come separately in TWO First Class envelopes.)

For more information about this kit, as well as information about how to purchase one, please see this post.

In all there are 3 handicraft projects, 3 notebooking pages, an art print with corresponding drawing project, a complete lapbook and a nature journal focusing on mammals in this kit!

More info here