Outdoor Hour Challenge #17 Collecting Leaves

Here is the button with the new name. I am going to officially call the weekly challenges the "Outdoor Hour Challenges". Please delete the old button from your blog sidebars and replace it with this newly updated version. I love the new slogan that we came up with for the button. It really focuses our purpose for completing the challenges. I was overwhelmed yesterday with the kind words and warm wishes that were expressed here on my blog, on TWTM boards, and in personal emails. You all make it worth the effort.

I also am trying to change over the "Green Hour" term here on the blog but it will take awhile. I am going to leave the old challenges the way they are just so no one here gets confused...especially me. But starting with challenge #17, I will be using the new logo and term "The Outdoor Hour" and "Outdoor Challenges".

Now onto the good stuff.

I want to share a great blog entry for challenge #7 that Becky posted. Here's the link: Outdoor Hour Challenge #7 Love the photos in this entry, especially the birds in the tree. Awesome!

This week’s challenge has several layers. The task oriented part of the challenge is to learn the proper names of the leaf parts and to collect leaves to press for your nature journal. The less task oriented part of the challenge is accomplished as you sit in your garden area. It could be either your garden or a near-by park’s garden. The challenge is to sit quietly. This is a refreshing activity to adults and children alike. There is nothing like sitting and experiencing all the green things growing up around you.

“Out in this, God’s beautiful world, there is everything waiting to heal lacerated nerves, to strengthen tired muscles, to please and content the soul that is torn to shreds with duty and care.” Handbook of Nature Study, page 3.

I know, I know. This is probably the most difficult part of nature study for most of you with young families. Believe me, I have had four busy, talkative, curious children and three of them are boys so I understand. This is not something that comes easily for most young ones but it is something they can learn in very small doses. My best advice is to keep your expectations realistic. How about 10-30 seconds? Make it a game to see who can be quiet the longest. Or something that works for our family even now that the boys are older is to give them a number of things they should listen for. You could go according to the child’s age and ask them to listen for six things if they are six. You can vary this idea to suit your family. The main point is to try a little bit each time you are out for your nature study time.

Here is a video showing some tips for drawing leaves in your nature journal and also how to press the leaves in your cardboard press. (You may need to view this entry on my blog to see the video.)













Outdoor Challenge #17 Learning the Leaf Parts

1. View the illustration in the Handbook of Nature Study on page 456-A leaf with parts named. This information is for you as the parent/nature guide so you will have the proper names for each part of the leaf. Try to use these labels when you are out looking at leaves during your nature time.

You can view more information about leaf part names, leaf shape names, and leaf arrangement examples at this link:
Wildflower Leaf Types
http://www.paulnoll.com/Oregon/Wildflower/leaf-info-choices.html

2. Take your 10-15 minute outdoor time to look for various sizes and shapes of leaves. Collect a few leaves to press in your press. An additional challenge this week is to sit quietly for a minute or maybe two in a garden area and observe the sights, sounds, and smells. Are there any insects to watch? Can you spot a bird flying overhead? Do you hear a bee buzzing? Is the weather warm or hot?

3. Add any new garden flowers to your list in your nature journal.

4. This week you can draw some leaves in your nature journal. As you draw your leaves, make sure to use the proper names for each part of the leaf so your child will begin to learn the vocabulary in a natural way. You can encourage your child to sketch some garden flowers in their journal again this week. Record your flower seeds growth and/or record your sunflowers growth for the week. You might choose to make leaf rubbings rather than draw leaves.
(see video tutorial for how to draw a leaf)

5. Add leaves or additional flowers to your press. Pressed flowers can be put into your nature journal.

6. Post an entry on your blog sharing your experiences and then come back to the Outdoor Challenge post and add your blog link to Mr. Linky.


This challenge is part of my Garden Flowers ebook. This ebook has ten garden related challenges that will walk you through a study of garden flowers using the Handbook of Nature Study. In addition to the challenges already written, there will be more photos, nature journal examples, book lists, and totally new notebook pages designed to go with each of the Garden Flower Challenges.
Follow the link below to view the ebook! Over 50 pages for $6.95
Please note: Mr. Linky is for linking to your Outdoor Challenge blog post only. Please do not link to your blog in general because then when others want to read your challenge post, they have to dig around in your blog to find it.