Getting Started

Congratulations on choosing to experience and study Florida wildlife and ecosystems with your child. This blog is set up to help you turn The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida into a teaching adventure. I will update the blog as our family completes each section of our study.

There are a number of ways you can use this blog and participate:

Ideally, you should own your own copy of The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida as we will refer to it constantly throughout this study.

You are encouraged to complete the chapters within the book, in any order. Across the top of the blog are the navigation buttons for Florida's Special Places, Flora, Fauna, and Florida's Skies; these correspond with the sections in the book. All of the posts related to each section are tagged to appear under the corresponding section. Also included is a navigation link for Field Trips. This is the easiest way to view the Field Trips that have been completed for this study. Each Field Trip destination will be listed separately. Please read 5 Tips for Field Trip Planning to learn how you can plan your own successful field trips to accommodate this study.

On the sidebar you will find a section called, Chapter Challenges. The Chapter Challenges may also be completed in any order. However, I recommend that you start with the first two (Florida's symbols, and Keeping a nature journal) before moving on. The purpose of the challenges is to encourage you to experience each chapter in a more in depth and very hands-on way. You may participate in as many of the challenges as you are up to. If you choose to participate please use the Mr. Linky to link to your own blog posts pertaining to that chapter. By visiting the other participants listed in this section you will find additional ideas, inspiration and encouragement.

You are encouraged to have your students keep a Notebook and a Nature Journal. The notebook will contain everything related to this study. The nature journal is a general nature book for use at any time to record any experience in nature. Regardless of it's location or association with this particular study.

If you don't know how to create a notebook or are unfamiliar with the term notebooking please visit Jimmie's Squidoo page featuring a notebooking exhibit.

If you are a Florida homeschooler please consider adding a Young Florida Naturalist's Guide button to your blog and telling your friends about this study. It can only lead to more ideas and more teaching adventures!

How to get the most out of a field trip

Field Trips are very important part of this study. The Young Florida Naturalist's Guide Blog is based upon hands-on study. Depending on where you live in Florida you may only have to venture past your front door to participate in some of the studies and challenges. However, to fully experience Florida's many ecosystems and to benefit from using The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida, by Peggy Sias Lantz and Wendy A. Hale, you will need to venture further in order to bring the book, and your science or nature studies alive. What better way is there for your child to understand the importance of protecting our everglades than providing an opportunity to experience an estuary in the Everglades? How can your child understand the importance of conservation efforts on Lake Okeechobee if he has never fished there or seen it? What better way is there to appreciate wildlife then to see it in the wild?

5 Tips for getting the most out of a field trip:

When selecting a field trip destination it is important that you have an educational goal in mind. What is it that you are trying to illustrate or show your children? What are you currently studying that they would benefit from seeing or exploring in real life? Once you have that in mind you can successfully select the best venue to meet that goal. For example, if you are learning about screech owls there may be a zoo within 4 miles of your house that has a few screetch owls, however after careful research, you may find there is a wildlife rescue that not only has that owl, but provides an educational lecture and opportunity to view one close up.

Field trips are a wonderful way to include others in your child's school experience. By joining other like-minded parents on a field trip you can take advantage of group rates or special lectures or programs only available to groups. Research what is available at the venue you select and then invite others to join you.

Spend time teaching on the topic before your field trip. Your children will benefit more from the field trip once they have some background information. They will also have an opportunity to formulate better questions once they've learned the basics. If questions came up during your study you should write them down as a reminder for both you and your students of what you want to learn or find out on the field trip. If no questions came up, on the day of your study you might ask, "What do you want to find out about screech owls today?" and then write it down. you may be surprised by what interests your child. In our home no question is dumb, but it is dumb not to ask a question.

If you participated in a small group lecture, received special attention or assistance from someone at your field trip venue please have your children write a thank-you note afterwards. It is these seemingly small gestures that will continue to keep doors open, and perhaps open new ones, for our homeschooled children.

The field trip doesn't end when you get home. After the field trip spend time incorporating what you learned into your notebook or nature journal. Allow for time in your studies to research or read about anything of additional interest to your child.

Additional Online Resources:

Download Field Trip Planner from Cindy Downes

Challenge #1:Florida Symbols

1.) Read Chapter 1 pages 3-7 in The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida.

2.) Choose one Florida symbol to learn more about through additional research.
Write a report on it and include in your notebook.

3.) Choose a mascot for your homeschool or co-op during this study. Create a cover for the front of your notebook incorporating the mascot.

Challenge #2: Keeping a Nature Journal

Assignments:

1.) Create a nature journal. You can request complimentary "Nature Journaling for Everyone" by emailing Education@Audobon.org

2.) Be a nature writer. Write a short story or article about your experiences in nature and post on your blog or submit to a magazine appropriate for your age group.

3.) Illustrate one of your observations and include in your nature journal.


Publications for children:

National Geographic Kids

Ladybug Magazine (2-6)

Spider Magazine (6-9)

Jack and Jill (ages 7-10)

Ranger Rick (ages 7+)

Your Big Backyard (3-7)

Highlights Magazine

Highlights High Five (preschoolers)

Stone Soup (8-13)

Did you complete the challenge? Share your work with other Young Florida Naturalists below:

Chapter 1 Florida Symbols

A symbol is something that stands for something else. Many states and nations have chosen symbols to represent something special or unique about their area, such as our country's national bird, the Bald Eagle, which is found only in North America.
The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida; page 3

Updated 1/26/09

Lesson:
Read pages 1-7 in The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida

Activities:Print out the Florida State Symbols PDF and include in your notebook

Suggested Reading:Florida Facts and Symbols by Emily McAuliffe (2003)

Discussion Questions:
1.) How many Florida Symbols do you know?
2.) Are there any symbols that surprised you?
3.) What is your favorite state symbol and why?

Click on a link below for study information on each individual symbol.
Or click here for a complete list one one page.

State Seal

State Flag

State Flower- The Orange Blossom

State Bird- The Northern Mockingbird

State Tree- The Sabal Palm

State Shell- The Horse Conch

State Stone- Agatized Coral

State Nickname- The Sunshine State

State Motto- In God we trust

State Gem- Moonstone

State Marine Mammal: The West Indian Manatee

State Saltwater Mammal- The Porpoise

State Mammal- The Florida Panther

State Freshwater fish- The Largemouth Bass

State Saltwater Fish- The Sailfish

State Reptile- The Alligator

State Soil- Myakka Fine Sand

State Wildflower- Tickseed or Coreopsis

State Butterfly- Zebra Longwing Butterfly

State Pie- Key Lime Pie

State Song- Swanee River

Additional Online Resources:
Florida Kids website
Florida Division of Historical Resources
Florida symbols and emblems from Netstate Chronicle
Sunshine Junior Symbols Page