A Charlotte Mason Style Nature-Based Unit Study

Feb 6, 2013


I am very excited today. I've been talking with Cindy, at Shining Dawn Books, about her nature-based unit studies. She has shown great generosity in giving me a number of e-books so that I can review them for you in the future. In the meantime, I want to introduce you to the e-books, tell you a bit about what I'll be doing and share a giveaway with you!


The NaturExplorer Series

I've received a number of the unit studies and have been looking them over to get a feel for what they offer. At this time, I cannot give a review (I want to use them first) but I want to share a little about them.

Looking through the content, I see that they are going to fit beautifully into our Charlotte Mason homeschool. This shouldn't be surprising as "Cindy" is the same Cindy of Our Journey Westward, a Charlotte Mason homeschool blog. These unit studies contain hands-on activities, living book suggestions, poetry, artist and picture study references, composer and music study references, notebooking pages and much more.

I can't wait to get started on these!


How I Will Use Them

I'm not sure, yet, how long it will take to complete a unit study. I'm thinking that I can aim for one study/e-book per month and adjust from there. As well, I must adjust the seasons to Florida. Although Florida does have four seasons, they are very subtle (unlike the contrast between a snowy winter and a flower-filled spring). The lengths of our seasons are not equal to one another because they are determined climatically rather than astronomically. I will be using the appropriate studies for the seasons according to Florida seasons:
  • Spring: Feb. - March (sometimes April)
  • Summer: March - late October
  • Fall: Arrives sometime between October and December (varies)
  • Winter: 6-8 weeks of "cold snaps" that may begin as early as December (or may not arrive at all) and ends sometime in January or early February.
Weird, right? Welcome to Life on My Planet.

This Giveaway Is Closed

Giveaway

Normally, I'd reserve a giveaway for my review. But I'm so excited about these unit studies that I want to share them with you today. I'm giving away one unit study. You pick the one you want. If you'd like to go ahead and order a unit study or two, you may purchase them at the NaturExplorer store*.

*This post contains affiliate links  

Enter using the Rafflecopter below. The winner will be chosen Sunday.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


 

Happy Homeschooling!

33 comments

  1. These look so cool!! I think I'd get the Butterflies one, or the Flying Creatures of the Night. We're already studying flying creatures and insects, so these would go right along with it. (Plus, I just bought the Birds one... it's on sale. ;-))

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  2. Dianne2/06/2013

    Wow! These look awesome. The Fruits & Nuts looks very unique. We would be happy with any of them.

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  3. http://shiningdawnbooks.com/available-units/incredible-creeks/

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  4. I'd love Fungus Among us because I know nothing about it! I'd love to be able to use it to teach my girls!

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  5. I would like the Incredible Creeks.
    Thank you for the giveaway.

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  6. AnimalSigns and Captivating Clouds look fun. As a matter of fact, I can't see one on there that I wouldn't be interested in!

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  7. I would love to check out Incredible Creeks! Spring is just around the corner and we love playing in all the creeks in our area!

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  8. What a hard choice! Either fruits and nuts or fungus around us! All look great! Thank you!

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  9. Anonymous2/07/2013

    I would like any of them, but I would like the Creatures of the Night one. Thanks for the chance to win!!!

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  10. Anonymous2/07/2013

    I love the early spring bundle, hard to choose, either Animal Signs or Fungus Among Us.

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  11. Remarkable Rain, as rain is my favorite thing about spring.

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  12. What a great giveaway! I'd love either "Frogs and Toads" or"Beautiful Birds."

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  13. Love her guides! I have a few on our wish list to get, especially the Fungus Among Us. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  14. I'd pick the creeks or erosion.

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  15. We live in Oregon, so the rain unit would be great! I also think the bird one would be fun!

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  16. so hard to decide!! Peaceful ponds?

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  17. Captivating Clouds, but I want all of them!

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  18. Delightful Deciduous Trees

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  19. Amy B.2/09/2013

    Seriously? Pick ONE?! It would be easier to just close my eyes & point. : ) Ok, I'll go with Wonderful Wildflowers...or Fruits & Nuts...or Animal Signs...

    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  20. Looks like a wonderful study! Thanks for sharing the information.
    http://looktoseeme.blogspot.com/

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  21. I have been reading more and more about Charlotte Mason and would really like to include more of that style learning into our homeschool. My children are really into pointing out and identifying birds these days so I will say we would like to win the bird study. We have the "Coping with the Cold" one and will be doing that soon!

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  22. Beautiful birds!

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  23. Even though we live quite an "outdoorsy" life, I've always wanted to organize our nature study a bit...these e-books look perfect!! Thanks for the opportunity to win one! :)

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  24. @K.O.

    Ya know..that's me too! We camp. We hike like it's an addiction (because it is) but I'm no good at organizing an official nature study.

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  25. Animal Signs! We have a big wooded side yard and it's so much fun to try and guess what animals left what tracks!

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  26. I would like butterflies Flutter By to use with the LoF Butterflies book.

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  27. It think Captivating Clouds!

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  28. Hmm, Frogs or Flying Creatures of the Night, not sure which I like better.

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  29. Flying creatures of the night. :)

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  30. Love everything Charlotte Mason and need something fresh to inspire our nature study:)

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  31. Anonymous2/09/2013

    Butterfly flutter by... thks
    Janice

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