August 2016 Nature Journal Calendar
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Welcome to the new nature journal calendar! Enjoy the month of August and print your August Nature Journal Calendar to help you record what’s going on in your own backyard and beyond.
How to Use the Nature Journal Calendar
There’s no right or wrong way to use the nature journal calendar. Here are a few tips:
- Download your printable calendar.
- Print the calendar.
- Use the prompts both on the calendar and below to explore some elements of nature in August.
- Draw or write your observations in the blank calendar squares. That’s why there are so many blank spaces- so you don’t feel pressured to do a million things and so that you have room to doodle it up right on the calendar.
- Put them together in a notebook or handmade book and wait for next month and a new calendar.
- Have fun!
August Nature Connections
Summer is in full swing! In August in upstate NY the weather starts to turn ever so slightly. The days get noticeably shorter and begin to get cooler, the leaves on the early spring trees begin to fall by month’s end, and the insects start singing their end of summer song. What does August look like where you live? Enjoy these summer nature connections:
- Listen for Night Time Insects– Listen and record all the kinds of sounds you hear. So you know what they belong to? In upstate NY, we hear crickets, katydids, and toads to name a few.
- Watch Clouds– Do you ever just lie on the ground and look up? Or how about while floating in the pool? What do the clouds tell us about weather?
- Owl Prowl– Listen for owls and if you have the opportunity to walk in the woods after dusk, see if you can find them in the trees while calling for them.
- Garden Progress– Record what’s happening in your garden. What is coming in right now?
- Observe Queen Anne’s Lace– Read about this wildflower (there is a nice lesson in The Handbook of Nature Study). Where does it grow? What insects does it attract?
- Find Shells on the Beach– You can find shells on ocean beaches and the shores of the Great Lakes. What lived in them? What kind of animals are they?
No need to feel limited by our ideas! If you see something you want to note, then go ahead and put it on your calendar. We’ve been observing insects, watching the night sky, listening to creatures after dark, and taking visits to the pool.
Books for Nature Study in August
We love to share our most loved nature books with you. This month we’re sharing:
- The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling– I have to share this one again. This is new to us and it is lovely! There are lessons throughout the book and some excellent pages on materials and supplies. We’ve tried gouache painting for the first time.
- Handbook of Nature Study– the perennial guide for adults who teach kids about nature. Check out the lesson on Queen Anne’s Lace.
- A Field Guide to Insects– Though some of the orders are reorganized, this guide teaches how insects are grouped by characteristics. It’s a great teaching tool for observation.
- A Field Guide to the Atlantic Seashore– If you are beach combing, this is the guide for you. Identify the shells you see at the beach.
- Owl Puke– Which is sold in a set with an owl pellet. You learn more about owls and what they eat when you dissect the owl pellet.
August Literature Connections
It’s time for a list of fun books to read while you enjoy spring. The book list includes titles for preschool through high school. Read them outside for extra fun!
- Bears in the Night– One of my very favorite readers as a kid. What is not to love?
- Owl Babies– They miss their mom while she is out hunting for them.
- It Looked Like Spilt Milk– Enjoy this one while gazing at clouds.
- A Pocketful of Cricket– Love the sounds and this boy’s love for a cricket
- Going Lobstering– A great look at a north Atlantic coast past time
- Redwall– A classic tale of epic adventure among woodland animals. The first in a long series.
- The Cricket in Times Square– Chester cricket arrives in NYC and he befriends a cat and mouse.
- Where the Red Fern Grows– A story about a boy and his dogs and
- Journey to the Center of the Earth– or another science fiction tale by Jules Verne
More August Fun at Blog, She Wrote
These are some posts that you might enjoy as you make August plans. Enjoy what the month brings!
- Geography Quest Snake Pit Edition– This is a very active time for reptiles. Have you seen any snakes?
- Geography Quest National Parks Edition– August 25-28 is National Parks Birthday weekend! Enjoy a look at our nations parks and learn about the parks near to you.
- Best Practices for Collecting Insects– If you want to collect and observe or gather an insect collection, here is some advice.