Nature Study the Easy Way!
Author: Cindy Rushton
Publisher: Rushton Family Ministries
For more information or to order: www.cindyrushton.com

Many homeschool moms have heard the term Nature Study, but few of us really understand how to get started and implement this tool in our "school".  With inspiration and knowledge gleaned from the 19th century educator, Charlotte Mason, Cindy Rushton has written a practical volume that will encourage even the most reluctant city girl to get her children outside observing the world around them!

Nature Study the Easy Way is written in an easy-to-read, conversational tone and leads the reader from the  "why's" right through to the practical "how-to" steps of Nature Study.  Rather than feeling like we now have another lesson to plan, the author encourages us to let our children's natural curiosity and the amazing wonders of God's creation, BE the lesson for us.  Sprinkled throughout the book you will find lots of recommended resources to enhance your study of nature.  In addition to helping you get started, Cindy presents lots of ideas for guiding your children to collect and record their findings in scrapbooks, sketchbooks, or binders.  For additional inspiration, there are many drawings and illustrations scanned from the Rushton children's own Nature Notebooks.  Lest you think that Nature Study is only for youngsters, Cindy has provided a section on doing Nature Studies with older children as well.  Probably my favorite chapter in the entire book is "101+ EASY Ideas for Nature Studies…Just to Get You Going!" The ideas presented in this chapter really helped me to see outside the box and provided just the inspiration I needed to implement Nature Study into our routine. At our house we love literature, so I was also excited to see that Cindy has provided a list of over 200 literature titles for all ages, all related to science and/or nature.

Written from a Christian perspective, Cindy encourages us to guide our children to add quotes from Scripture to their notebooks.  This helps us point our children to our loving, amazing Creator.  With busy homeschool moms in mind, she has listed over 100 Scripture references that are well suited to compliment our Nature Studies.  Additionally, Cindy provides over 30 pages of poems and quotations that make lovely additions to our children's Nature notebooks.

Comb-bound so it lays flat for easy reference, Nature Study the Easy Way provides the tools and information for busy homeschool moms to add this rewarding discipline to their routine.

Making the grade: A
Cost: $25.00
Value for your homeschool dollar: 9
Reviewed by Cindy Prechtel, Editor