The No Sweat Nature Study Podcast

Latest Episodes:

40. Seashore Animals Jun 26, 2023

Show notes

Seashore animals live in or near the ocean and are adapted to living in the intertidal zone, which is the area between the high tide and low tide marks. These animals can be found on rocky shores, sandy beaches, and tidal pools. They play an important role in the ecology of coastal ecosystems and I'm excited to share some of them with you in this episode!

To get your FREE Nature Walk Challenge, visit the show notes page ourjourneywestward.com/seashore-animal-nature-study/.

Supplies for the nature study challenge:

nature journal or blank white paper
colored pencils or oil pastels

In the companion Seashore Animals Video Lesson found in the No Sweat Nature Study LIVE membership, create an animal kingdom chart as you learn about the vast array of animals on the seashore.

In the video class, you'll learn about vertebrates like birds, fish, mammals, and reptiles, as well as invertebrates like arthropods, echinoderms, cnidaria, and mollusks. If all those crazy words sound intimidating, don't worry. I bet you'll recognize most of the animals that fit into these animal kingdom categories!

Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE → ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/

Download the FREE printable Summer Seashore Activity Pack → ourjourneywestward.com/summer-nature-activity-pack/

Download the FREE printable Summer Nature Study Playdough Mats → ourjourneywestward.com/spring-nature-study-play-dough/

In the Our Journey Westward Shop, find a few homeschool curriculum guides that are helpful to continue learning night science through nature study:

Share pictures of your nature walk pages on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you're enjoying the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

39. Brambles Jun 12, 2023

Show notes

Brambles are a type of plant that produce berries, such as blackberries and raspberries. The berries are often eaten by humans and animals alike. Brambles have thorns on their stems, which can be sharp and prickly. These thorns can help protect the plant from hungry animals. Listen to learn about these amazing plants!

To get your FREE Bramble Nature Walk Challenge, visit the show notes page https://ourjourneywestward.com/bramble-nature-study/. ← Find images of brambles here, too!

Supplies for the nature study challenge:

nature journal or blank white paper
colored pencils or oil pastels

In the companion Brambles Video Lesson found in the No Sweat Nature Study LIVE membership, you'll learn so much more about the Rubus genus of flowering plants. That's the fancy scientific name for plants in the rose family that are brambles.

We'll get up close and personal with a few bramble plants and will identify their similarities and differences. Not only will we notice the physical characteristics, but you'll create a nature journal page to show the similarities in the shrub structure, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits.

Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE → ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/

Download the FREE printable Summer Nature Study Playdough Mats → https://ourjourneywestward.com/summer-play-dough-mats/

In the Our Journey Westward Shop, find a few homeschool botany curriculum guides that are helpful to learn more about plant nature study:

Leave Mrs. Cindy a voice message to answer the current season's question! Scroll to the bottom of the Bramble show notes page.

Share pictures of your nature walk pages on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you're enjoying the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

Special Episode for Parents: Nature Study + Charlotte Mason with Katie Doughty Jun 05, 2023

Show notes

I recently had a wonderful homeschooling discussion with Katie Doughty from the Raising Kind Humans Podcast. This rich episode is full of wisdom and ideas on the topics of nature study, Charlotte Mason homeschooling, developing character and empathy through living books, and presenting a feast of activities to encourage joyful and fruitful learning.

Here are just some of the topics you will find in the episode:

Learn a little more about Cindy.
Get tips for creative nature study.
Learn how nature study can benefit bodies and brains.
Learn how nature study can improve academics.
Learn some of the Charlotte Mason strategies that worked.
Get tips for using living books for character building.
Learn about the importance of play.
Learn about several helpful resources.

Subscribe to the Raising Kind Humans Podcast and visit Katie at TeamKindHumans.com or on Instagram @katie_doughty.

Visit Cindy at OurJourneyWestward.com or on Instagram @OurJourneyWestward.

Resources mentioned in the podcast:

No Sweat Nature Study Membership

Charlotte Mason Homeschooling in 18 Easy Lessons

NaturExplorers curriculum series

100+ Creative Nature Walks

Character-Building Homeschool Masterclass

38. Garden Pests May 29, 2023

Show notes

A garden pest is any insect, animal, or other organism that can cause damage to plants and gardens. They can be harmful to both ornamental plants and crops, and can negatively impact the health and productivity of the garden. Common garden pests include insects like aphids, caterpillars, and beetles, as well as animals like rodents, deer, and rabbits. Some pests are attracted to certain plants, while others can attack a wide range of vegetation.

Come hear some of Mrs. Cindy's experiences with garden pests in this episode!

To get your FREE Nature Walk Challenge, visit the show notes page https://ourjourneywestward.com/garden-pest-nature-study/. ← Find an image of tent caterpillars here!

Supplies for the nature study challenge:

nature journal or blank white paper
colored pencils

In the companion Garden Pest Video Lesson found in the No Sweat Nature Study LIVE membership, you'll learn about some of the most notorious critters that harm our food and flower gardens. We'll figure out why they are such a nuisance, see some of their (honestly very cool) tactics, know what signs to look for on our plants, and learn some ways to keep our gardens safe without throwing a bunch of dangerous chemicals on our food and flowers!

Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE → ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/

Download the FREE printable packet with a hands-on garden pest activity on the show notes page.

In the Our Journey Westward Shop, find a few homeschool curriculum guides that are helpful to continue learning night science through nature study:

Leave Mrs. Cindy a voice message to answer the current season's question! Scroll to the bottom of the Garden Pest show notes page.

Share pictures of your nature walk pages on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you're enjoying the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

37. Bees May 08, 2023

Show notes

Did you know there are over 20,000 different species of bees in the world? Believe it or not, bees are insects that belong to the same family as ants and wasps. They play an important role in pollinating plants, which helps fruits, vegetables, and flowers to grow. Learn more about pollination as we discuss honeybees, bumblebees, and carpenter bees with Mrs. Cindy!

To get the FREE Nature Walk Challenge that goes with this episode, visit the show notes page → ourjourneywestward.com/bee-nature-study/. You'll find images of bees here, too!

Supplies for the nature study challenge:

nature journal or blank white paper
colored pencils

In the companion Bee Video Lesson found in the No Sweat Nature Study LIVE membership, you'll learn about the social hierarchy of bees and the jobs available in the honeybee community. Did you know honeybees live in a community? Honestly, it's almost like an actual town in and out of their busy hives. In your nature journal, you'll create your own honeybee community and assign bees various jobs.

Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE → NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE → ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/

Download the FREE printable packet of activities to support this podcast episode and the next one → ourjourneywestward.com/bee-nature-study/

In the Our Journey Westward Shop, find a few homeschool curriculum guides that are helpful to continue learning night science through nature study:

Leave Mrs. Cindy a voice message to answer the current season's question! Scroll to the bottom of the Bee Nature Study show notes page.

Share pictures of your nature walk pages on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

36. What's That Smell? Apr 24, 2023

Show notes

In today's episode, we're exploring stinky things in nature! We often use our eyes to see things and our hands to touch things. We might even use our ears to listen. But have you ever thought about going on a nature walk with your nose?

Concentrating on fragrant and malodorous things during a smelly nature study can be lots of fun!

To get your FREE Nature Walk Challenge, visit the show notes page ourjourneywestward.com/smelly-nature-study.

Supplies for the nature study challenge:

Nature journal or blank white paper
Pencil

In the companion What's That Smell? Video Lesson found in the No Sweat Nature Study LIVE membership, you'll learn about human anatomy and the sense of smell! How does your nose send messages to your brain about what you're smelling? Find out in this class!

Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE → ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/

Download the FREE printable Spring Nature Study Packet from the show notes page → ourjourneywestward.com/smelly-nature-study

In the Our Journey Westward Shop, find homeschool curriculum guides that are helpful to continue learning five senses science through nature study:

Leave Mrs. Cindy a voice message to answer the current season's question! Scroll to the bottom of the smelly show notes page.

Share pictures of your nature walk pages on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you're enjoying the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

35. Strawberries Apr 10, 2023

Show notes

Learning about strawberries is a fabulous way to explore botany – a special branch of biology all about plants. When we learn about plants in nature study, we discover that the fruit is the part of the plant that contains the seeds. Plants are classified into different groups based on the characteristics of their seeds. Learning about the seeds of strawberry plants and how they reproduce is pretty amazing!

To get your FREE Strawberry Nature Walk Challenge, visit the show notes page at https://ourjourneywestward.com/strawberry-nature-study. ← Find images of strawberries here, too!

Supplies for the nature study challenge:

No supplies are needed

In the companion Strawberry Video Lesson found in the No Sweat Nature Study LIVE membership, you'll learn some high-level botany terms such as pseudocarp, fleshy receptacle, aggregate fruit, and runner plants. Then you'll be able to wow your family with biology knowledge the next time you snack on strawberries!

Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE → ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/

Download a set of FREE printable Spring Nature Study Playdough Mats → https://ourjourneywestward.com/spring-nature-study-play-dough/

In the Our Journey Westward Shop, you'll find a couple of homeschool curriculum guides to teach plant science to kids:

Leave Mrs. Cindy a voice message to answer the current season's question! Scroll to the bottom of the strawberry show notes page.

Share pictures of your nature walk pages on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you're enjoying the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

34. Thunderstorms Mar 27, 2023

Show notes

It's spring and that means you'll be seeing a lot more thunderstorms! Thunder is an amazing sound and lightning can be a beautiful sight, but it can be scary when a strong storm rolls in. Not to mention, some thunderstorms can be severe weather events. In this episode, you'll hear a funny story about Mrs. Cindy and her fear of thunderstorms as a kid, and you'll also and learn a fascinating weather science fact about how to track a thunderstorm.

To get your FREE Thunderstorm Nature Walk Challenge, visit the show notes page at https://ourjourneywestward.com/thunderstorm-nature-study. ← Find images of thunderstorms here, too!

Supplies for the nature study challenge:

Nature journal or blank, white paper
Oil pastels or colored pencils

In the companion Thunderstorms Video Lesson found in the No Sweat Nature Study LIVE membership, you'll learn about the science behind thunder and lightning. Learn how tiny particles called protons and electrons actually make the fascinating sights and sounds of a thunderstorm as you create an electrified nature journal page.

Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE → ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/

Download a set of FREE printable Spring Nature Study Playdough Mats → https://ourjourneywestward.com/spring-nature-study-play-dough/

In the Our Journey Westward Shop, you'll find a few homeschool curriculum guides to teach weather science with kids:

Leave Mrs. Cindy a voice message to answer the current season's question! Scroll to the bottom of the thunderstorm show notes page.

Share pictures of your nature walk pages on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you're enjoying the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

Special Episode for Kids: Animal Vocalization Mar 20, 2023

Show notes

Cindy West from No Sweat Nature Study LIVE and Richard Fink from The Vocal Gym by Throga have an interesting discussion about the science of vocals through the lens of nature study. Learn how sound is made and how animals use sound for communication.

Nature study is an amazing tool for teaching hands-on, experiential science. Nature study IS science and even connects to the physics of sound in this episode!

Need a hand with nature study? Here are several ways you can get extra help!

FREE: Listen to the No Sweat Nature Study podcast with your kiddos and download the free resources to expand the learning opportunities! https://ourjourneywestward.com/podcast/

Open-and-Go: Choose one of our many NaturExplorers or No Sweat Nature Studies and explore with your family! https://ourjourneywestward.com/shop/

Done for You! Let Ms. Cindy teach your kids fun, engaging, living nature study lessons in the No Sweat Nature Study membership. Plus, you'll get access to a huge library of every previous lesson! https://ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live/

If your child is in high school (or has a deep interest in vocals in middle school), please check out The Vocal Gym at https://throga.com/ (affiliate link). You will find a course specifically for homeschoolers! Not a homeschooler? There's a course for you, too!

33. Salamanders Mar 13, 2023

Show notes

Salamanders are beautiful, elusive amphibians, which means they can be hard to find on nature walks. When you do find one, it can slip away quickly giving you only a glimpse of the unique colors that make up its smooth, sometimes colorful skin. Listen to learn more about salamanders!

To get your FREE Nature Walk Challenge for this episode, visit the show notes page at https://ourjourneywestward.com/salamander-nature-study/. ← Find images of salamanders here, too!

Supplies for the nature study challenge:

Nature journal or blank, white paper
Oil pastels or colored pencils

In the companion Salamander Video Lesson found in the No Sweat Nature Study LIVE membership, you'll learn so much more about aquatic and terrestrial salamanders and their water-loving cousins, newts. Of course, you'll sketch one using vibrant colors as you learn why they are amphibians, compare similarities and differences, and discover their natural habitats.

Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE → ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/

Join the special FREE LEARNING EVENT to celebrate the release of A Little More Beautiful: The Story of a Garden with Mrs. Cindy West, Mrs. Pam Barnhill, Mrs. Colleen Kessler, and the author, Mrs. Sarah Mackenzie!

In the Our Journey Westward Shop, find homeschool curriculum guides that are helpful for further spring nature study:

Leave Mrs. Cindy a voice message to answer the current season's question! Scroll to the bottom of the salamander show notes page.

Share pictures of your nature walk pages on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you're enjoying the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

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