Outdoor School: Tree, Wildflower, and Mushroom Spotting
Outdoor School Series
What’s inside...
Outdoor School is a comprehensive 448-page field guide filled with full-color illustrations, designed to enhance your outdoor experience. This interactive guide covers plant and mushroom identification and includes immersive activities, journaling sections, and next-level adventures to challenge seasoned nature lovers. With no prior experience required, it provides step-by-step instructions on various outdoor skills such as growing mushrooms, comparing bark types, counting tree rings, surveying leaf patterns, creating fern spore prints, and preserving wildflowers, among other activities.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
10-14
Length
416 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What are some of the most interesting things you learned about trees, wildflowers, or mushrooms from this book?
How do you think understanding these natural elements helps us take better care of our environment?
Can you imagine what our world would be like without trees and wildflowers?
Which part of the outdoor school adventure would you like to explore first and why?
How do you think plants and fungi are important to other animals and insects in their habitats?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to relate what they read to their personal experiences with nature, such as a day at the park or a memorable outdoor trip.
Ask your child to draw their favorite plant or fungi described in the book and explain what makes it special.
While discussing the book, emphasize the importance of biodiversity and why every plant and animal has a vital role in the ecosystem.
Plan a small outdoor expedition, even if it’s just to the backyard or a local park, to spot some of the plants or fungi mentioned in the book.
Use the book as a guide to start a small nature collection or scrapbook with leaves, flowers, and pictures.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Appreciation of Nature
Explanation: The book 'Outdoor School: Tree, Wildflower, and Mushroom Spotting' encourages children to explore and appreciate the natural world by teaching them how to identify various trees, wildflowers, and mushrooms.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this knowledge on nature walks, enhancing their observation skills and fostering a lifelong love and respect for the environment.
Example Lesson: Scientific Observation
Explanation: Through detailed illustrations and information, the book equips children with the skills necessary for scientific observation and identification.
Real-World Application: These skills can be used in school projects, or even in daily life, helping children to think critically and pay attention to minor details.
Example Lesson: Responsibility towards Environment
Explanation: By educating about various species, the book instills the importance of biodiversity and the role each organism plays in the ecosystem.
Real-World Application: Children learn to be more environmentally conscious and can participate in activities like tree planting, recycling, or conservation projects.
Example Lesson: Curiosity and Learning
Explanation: The interactive elements of the book, such as checklists and quizzes, stimulate curiosity and the desire to learn more about nature.
Real-World Application: This trait can help them in academic settings or in pursuing hobbies and interests in various fields with enthusiasm and an inquisitive mindset.