Homeschool ature Plans for January

Happy New Year! I really love the feel of a new start don't you? 

Today was our first day back at lessons. I have to confess to not having spent a minute of our holiday time in any planning activities with regards to January what-so-ever. So today I thought I would take a bit of time and jot down some nature themes and plans for January.

What does January Bring:

• It is said that, "As the days lengthen, the cold strengthens" - January is usually the coldest month of the year.
• Full Wolf Moon - January 12th
• Snowdrops flower
• Spring Bulbs push through frozen earth
• Hungry months for birds - keep feeders well stocked
• Frost

January's Nature Studies & Goals

• Bird - The Blackcap (we only see this bird in winter)
• The Snowdrop
• Participate in The Big Garden Birdwatch - Citizen Science project
• Winter World Observations & Journal entry
• Utilise OHC newsletter - have you subscribed to this wonderful free resource yet? Hop on over to Barb's Handbook of Nature website and sign up!
• Nature Journal - to make at least one entry per week. Personally I want to improve my art skills so I'm going to keep a visual journal in addition to my nature journal so as to practise improving my sketching and painting.
• Use 'The Country Diary of An Edwardian Lady' and 'Janet Marshes Nature Diary' throughout the year. Each week we shall read a little from each books relative month and compare our own observations to those made 110 and 30 odd years ago respectively.

Below is a resource that I really recommend to homeschoolers with children in their kindergarten and elementary years. These are wonderful unit studies written in an inspired Charlotte Mason style. 

It's not just nature study you are getting, you get art, poetry and composer study suggestions as well as lots of hands on activities to do together. I am reviewing one of these nature study units over on The Curriculum Choice on January 10th, so if you want to know more pop over then and have a look. I will of course give you a reminder on the day.

Anyhoo, that's about it for today. I hope that your week is off to a good start and that your own nature plans are all on track. I'll see you back here very soon.