Hatching Curiosity: A Homeschool Podcast

This episode is all about how to inspire learning in your home.

It is my first interview, done with a great friend and mentor Stephanie Harris who has 20 years of experience homeschooling 8 kids and is a witty, insightful beautiful person who gave awesome little nuggets of wisdom for us to enjoy. For the full-length interview visit hatchingcuriosity.com to learn how she got her start with homeschooling and 3 great pieces of advice for new homeschooling families.

To learn more about a Thomas Jefferson Education check out the book Leadership Education: The Phases of Learning by Oliver DeMille (affiliate link)

Why do we keep traditions? How does knowing our family history benefit our children? Some insights and ideas on celebrating family this holiday season.

*Disclaimer: This podcast was recorded on my phone. (My internet is down so I didn't have the advantage of quality audio/editing.) It's also missing intro and outro music.*

Websites mentioned:
Ancestry.com
Familysearch.org

Check out hatchingcurisoity.com for the full show notes and more details on the cool family ornament project I'm working on this year.

Ways to study Nature besides keeping a nature journal, how to nature study in winter and other topics are covered in the last of a 3-part nature study series. 

Resources mentioned in the podcast with affiliate links where applicable:

“The Story of Maths” BBC Documentary sometimes found on Netflix 

The apps: Seek, Inaturalist, Starwalk2 (and not mentioned in the podcast but while you are getting nature study apps: AllTrails).

Ocean friendly Sunscreen (my kid is allergic to sunscreen so we don’t use it but if you do please watch out for our corals and choose a sunscreen that is ocean safe!)

Baffin Boots

Oaki Rainsuits

The Handbook of Nature Study by Annie Botsford Comstock

I make Nature Journals for adults too!

Full show notes and transcript found at hatchingcuriosity.com

Discover the #1 tool for nature study, overcome obstacles, and get started in part 2 of a 3-part nature study series. Learn how to Nature study beyond the Journal in part 3 and Why Nature study in part 1. Below are the links (some are affiliate) from the episode

Books mentioned in the podcast:
 Outliers by Malcom Gladwell  

Handbook of Nature Study by Ann Botsford Comstock 

John Muir Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling by John Muir Laws

Other Resources Mentioned:

Rediscovering the Forgotten Benefits of Drawing Article by Jennifer Landon Mentioned in the first part of the podcast.

Option #1 for Nature journals if you like a blank page: Multimedia Sketch Pad (or any like this for a blank note pad- found at most stores)

Option #2 for Nature Journal if you like a little more structure to your open-ended journaling: Complete Nature Journal or Basic Nature Journal (A great place to start with little ones.)

Option #3 if you’d like a guided journal to tell you what to look for and how to record it: The Nature Connection: An outdoor workbook for kids, families, and classrooms

Writing tools:

A pencil is all you need but if you decide to watercolor instead I’d recommend starting with two quality brushes : #10 Round Brush and #6 Round Brush one other tip I picked up from John Muir Laws that I love is using a non-photo blue pencil for your underdrawing because it is easy to erase, doesn’t show like lead pencils and doesn’t interact with the watercolor or colored pencils.

Hiking trail app: AllTrails

Outline of Episode:

1.       You don’t need to be an artist to keep a nature journal

2.       You can acquire skill through training and practice

3.       Drawing isn’t the only way to keep a nature journal

4.       Overcoming little attention spans

5.       Overcoming “I’m too old for this”

6.       Overcoming perfectionism

7.       Overcoming “I’d rather do than write”

8.       Overcoming “I’m not an artist- I’m a mathematician”

9.       Getting Started- Materials

10.   Get outside

11.   Think like a scientist

12.   Record observations

13.   Digg deeper

14.   Let them wonder

Full Transcript available at hatchingcuriosity.com

Why add nature study to your homeschool schedule? Discover over 10 benefits of this habit in part 1 of a 3-part nature study series. Learn how to start in part 2 and nature study beyond the journal in part 3. Full transcript available at hatchingcuriosity.com

Books mentioned in the podcast with Affiliate links:
 Last Child in the Woods by Robert Louv
Charlotte Mason Vol 2 The Outdoor life of Children

Learn a little about cool microorganisms that make life on earth possible and how learning about them relates to homeschooling. 

Show notes and links:

Share this YouTube video with kids to teach them about diatoms: "Diatom Makes Human and All Living Things Alive/ National Geographic"

Or "Diatoms: Tiny Factories you can see from Space"

Or The Nextflix documentary "One Strange Rock"

Check out the book “The Slight Edge” by Jeff Olsen for a great perspective on how small choices can change your life.

And join the conversation about one small habit that sets the course of your day or one passion your kids see you have on Instagram @hatching curiosity.

Learn more about hatching curiosity at hatchingcuriosity.com

This podcast was created to support homeschool parents as they raise innovators by cultivating curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. Learn a bit about where “Hatching Curiosity” comes from, my backstory and teaching philosophy and what will be covered in podcasts to come.

Full show notes and podcast transcript available at: hatchingcuriosity.com