Outdoor Nature Hour

Yesterday we completed the first of the Outdoor Hour Nature Challenges.  A couple of years ago I started these challenges.  We only did one official challenge.  Now that Bo has started some educational activities I wanted to include the nature challenges as part of our homeschool.

We were off for a stroll in the pasture.  We stopped by the hay barn for a look around.  The boys are always turning over logs and rocks to see what they can find.  Behind the barn Bo turns over a block and he finds several roli-polis (pill bugs).  We gather a couple for closer observation so we can draw in our nature notebooks.

We then take a stroll out to the barn.  I noticed a large black plastic mat on the ground and I decided to move it.  Much to my surprise there was a wonderful little nature study creature!  There was a little mouse sitting very still hoping not to be noticed.  Bo got a great picture.

The little ones were so excited.  We were all gathered around the mouse watching it when it ran between Boo's feet trying to get back to the mat.  I am sorry to say we were not the only ones on the nature walk.  Lucky the cat lived up to her name on this walk.  Just as the mouse ran between Boo's feet she grabbed the mouse and took off.  We were unable to rescue the little critter.  I honestly thought the cat was over beside the barn when we were looking at the mouse.  She had walked up behind me and I didn't know she  was there.

Bo was a little upset, but everyone else took it quite well.  Our nature study extension this week will be focusing on predators and their prey;-)

When we got home we did draw the mouse and roli-polis in our nature notebooks and we looked up what the footprints of mice look like.  Boo also found a branch from a pine tree the was very proud of.  We will correctly identify the tree and draw it in his notebook.