Remember when we used to share a Weekly Wrap Up? I miss those posts. I decided it’s time to share a weekly update of our Nature Studies. We are enjoying the Outdoor Hour Challenge – condensed version.
I’d love to dig deep into all the wonderful things the membership offers this semester, but with Mock Trial, Logic, and Latin – Challenge B offers little room for much else. However, Challenge B does not provide a traditional “Science Class” for 10 weeks of the 2nd semester. The kids are reading Defeating Darwinism. I appreciate what they are doing, but 10 weeks?!? I feel like we’re missing out! Needless to say, Homeschool Nature Study came around at the perfect time to fill the gap!!
So what does a “condensed version” look like for us exactly?
We’re following along the nature calendar, (available to members) and participating in themed Nature Walks. I believe it’s still important for teens to get outside and experience nature around them! Read my post how to keep Nature Study in Middle & High School Years!
Outdoor Hour Challenge, Winter Insects
This week we went on a hunt for winter insects. Y’all. I live in Colorado. It might not be snowing but it’s not a tropical vacation! However, my boy found us a grasshopper! I was never so excited to see a bug in all my life. We were jumping around high fiving each other like lunatics.
So it got us thinking: what are the differences between grasshoppers and crickets? I’m not kidding, we spent 45 minutes trying to identify this guy plus learn the difference between the two insects. And I am busting at the seams to share that with you now!
Cricket or Grasshopper?
Crickets are smaller, active at night, have longer wispy antennae, usually brown or black, and rub their wings together to make sounds. There are over 2.5 thousand different species of crickets.
Grasshoppers are longer, active during the day, have shorter / horned antennae, usually brown or green, and rub their legs against their wings to make sounds. There are over 11 thousand different species of grasshoppers. I think we found a club-horned grasshopper.
I quickly updated our Similar Yet Different Packet and that’s how we’re doing a condensed nature study membership.
You can find the original 13 page packet here. Just remember to print those pages landscape.
Join other homeschoolers on IG & follow #outdoorhourchallenge ! I’d love to see the cool things you’re learning about in your neck of the woods!