Nature Study-Seeds

Over the last few years, we have spent a fair amount of time outside and made some attempts at systematic nature study but it has always fallen by the wayside. It has been difficult to find enough time to prepare properly and although I studying biology to the sixth form, there are glaring gaps in my knowledge. Enter, a new book by Lynn Seddon, Exploring Nature with Children. I'm planning a proper review of this lovely book, next week but wanted to show how this has succeeded in getting us outside observing, recording and learning.

The first week's theme was seeds and since the children were keen to look for conkers, this seemed a win-win. 
The first tree that we found turned out to be a London plane. Now, this has proved a bit of a learning curve for me. First, I needed a  tree guide to identify this and then it turns out that London planes were popular in the nineteenth century as they are relatively resistant to smog. 

We all sat and drew in our new nature journals. We used water colour pencils.

Of course, there were oaks and acorns. Oaks have such rough bark.

Of course, we found our horse chestnuts although the real conker season is a week or so off and an ash tree.

This theme has had us looking elsewhere: rosehips in the garden.

Plane trees at the Geffyre Museum.

A great first week in our nature study and very grateful to have a book which makes this so easy.

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