FIELD NOTES FRIDAY NATURE STUDY
Classes with Lari Jo Edwards
Field Notes Fridays is a one-hour guided Nature Inquiry class for all ages and experience levels! This is such a fun way to accomplish Nature Study! The previous classes have been a big hit for families – just read all the wonderful reviews!
You have several choices for Nature Study with Field Notes Friday classes:
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- Option 1: Live, online classes scheduled for the current semester (if available)
- Option 2: Choose from any of the pre-recorded classes from any of the previous semesters
Lari Jo Edwards is the Science Education Specialist here at A Charlotte Mason Plenary. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University and a Master of Science degree in Ecological Teaching and Learning from Lesley University. She is an expert in the Charlotte Mason method of teaching Science and Nature Study and she is a Charlotte Mason homeschooling mom! You can learn more about Lari Jo here. 
REQUIRED MATERIALS FOR ALL CLASSES (not included):
- Colored pencils
- Paper
ABOUT FIELD NOTES FRIDAYS
EACH CLASS CONTAINS THREE LEARNING ELEMENTS
1. Lesson Time – Lari Jo will introduce the week’s “nature theme,” talk about what observations you will be making during your Nearby Nature Time, and help you set up a journal page to capture your discoveries.
2. Nearby Nature Time – During your Nearby Nature Time, you will go outside to discover a nature object that fits with the lesson’s theme. You will then record your observations in your nature journal based on your experience level of nature journaling (see below). Lari Jo will stay online and available in case you have any questions.
3. Sharing Discoveries Time – After 20 minutes, everyone will reconvene and share what they have discovered. Sharing (narrating) your discoveries helps to solidify your knowledge about your local environment. Hearing what others discovered expands your knowledge of other parts of the world. Making connections with each other’s discoveries deepens your knowledge of the natural world. All experience levels are welcome! Lari Jo teaches three different levels of nature journaling based on your experience and comfort level.
THREE LEVELS OF NATURE JOURNALING
Level 1: Use of pictures and prompts such as “I Notice, I Wonder, It Reminds me of” to make observations on the page
Level 2: Includes Level 1, but we now also add words, pictures, numbers, and basic metadata to make observations on the page
Level 3: Includes everything in Levels 1 and 2, with the addition of charts, graphs, maps, connections, questions, research, and more to add depth to the knowledge being gathered. This level uses a variety of observation and data collection skills.
All who participate in #FieldNotesFriday, will:
- Go outside more often
- Enjoy the outdoors more completely
- Make deeper observations
- Write more boldly and freely
- Write field notes more often
- Build a community around nature and journaling that benefits others and ourselves
Register for Field Notes Friday today!
You must be a member of The Charlotte Mason Co-op to register for co-op classes. Click here to join!
RECORDED CLASS OPTION: NOTICING & WONDERING
- Schedule: Go at your own pace in this pre-recorded class and still be able to interact with Lari Jo in the class forum if you have any questions!
- Registration fee: $50
- Recorded in Summer 2021
- See a free sample lesson here from the Summer 2021 class
- Number of Recorded Lessons: 6
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- Lesson #1: Noticing and Wondering
- Lesson #2: Making Connections
- Lesson #3: What is Metadata?
- Lesson #4: Putting It All Together
- Lesson #5: Zoom in with a 100-Inch Hike
- Lesson #6: Zoom Out with a Habitat Highrise
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RECORDED CLASS OPTION: BIRDS TO FROGS
- Schedule: Go at your own pace in this pre-recorded class and still be able to interact with Lari Jo in the class forum if you have any questions!
- Registration fee: $50
- Recorded in Fall 2021
- Number of Recorded Lessons: 7
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- Lesson #1: Birds
- Lesson #2: Bugs
- Lesson #3: Weather
- Lesson #4: Water
- Lesson #5: Mammals
- Lesson #6: Reptiles
- Lesson #7: Frogs
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HOW ONLINE CLASSES WORK: All online classes, whether Live or Recorded, offer access to the class forum where you can interact with the instructor. You will have access to the class and the instructor for the full semester. You must be a member of The Charlotte Mason Co-op to register for classes. Besides being able to register for classes, Co-op Members enjoy many other benefits including:
- Discounted prices on many CMP products
- Full access to the Private Co-op Area of the Forum
- Co-op “Gatherings” that include Mom’s Afternoon Tea, CM Study Sessions, Homeschool Planning Sessions, Book Clubs, etc.
- See the full list of benefits here
When you register for a class and/or the co-op, you will be required to take the following steps:
- Fill out a Registration Form – your account status will be pending until your Registration Form has been received and approved. Please note that, after checkout, you will receive an email from support @ cmplenary.com with the link to fill out the Registration Form.
- Read and agree to The Charlotte Mason Online Classes Handbook.
- Join the Forum – you can find the forum here: cmplenary.com/community
Register today! We’d love to have you join us!
ONLINE CLASSES & MEMBERSHIP POLICY
Members of The Charlotte Mason Co-op will be required to fill out and submit a Registration Form and must read and agree to the rules stated within The Charlotte Mason Online Classes Handbook. All Members’ status will be pending until they are approved and admitted to the Forum and any classes. Any violation of the rules within the Handbook is grounds for removal from The Charlotte Mason Co-op, the Forum, and all classes. A Charlotte Mason Plenary LLC reserves the right to deny access to classes, the forum, and any memberships to anyone at our sole discretion. Cancellations / non-payments of your monthly Co-op Membership fee will automatically unenroll you in any classes for which you registered. No refunds will be given for co-op fees or class registration fees. No refunds will be offered for classes lost due to cancellation or non-payment of your Membership. You can view our full Refund Policy here.
Belinda –
My kiddos, ages 7 and 11, really enjoyed the nature class. It was very interactive and inviting to my children. My preteen even said the class was “cool”. That is a huge compliment coming from a moody preteen. I am so grateful for the opportunity to do nature study online. My kiddos love learning about all things in nature but are not fans of doing nature walks in the intense TX heat.
Stacie Satery –
Lari Jo is awesome…she never fails to amaze me with her endless knowledge of all things nature. My kids (ages 8, 10, 12 and 14) enjoyed the class…we loved the chance to get out into our “nearby nature” to notice and wonder about all of the nature things surrounding us. We loved the searching, the drawing and journaling and we especially loved the sharing! The guided nature notebooking lesson gave us the structure we needed and the time allowed to fill in our notebooks was just right. Even my most reluctant nature study kid gave the class a 5 star rating and we are ALL excited for the next class! Thank you, Lari Jo and Rachel, for offering such an incredible opportunity for nature enthusiasts and budding nature explorers everywhere!
Colleen –
We love Ms. Lari Jo so much!!! She is amazing with the kids and so willing to share her extensive knowledge of all things nature with patience and enthusiasm. It was so fun to have an interactive platform without having to travel anywhere, especially having a newborn and 4 older kids. This is perfect for us right now. Today’s class about noticing and wondering was a perfect introduction to nature study that could appeal to any and all ages! My children are especially looking forward to the drawing classes!!!
Leslie Ann –
What a delight! My one hesitation with an “online” nature study was being inside, but Lari Jo did a wonderful job of taking that out of the equation by getting us out into nature during class time. My son enjoyed searching our backyard and was so determined to find something exciting to share with the group that he spent more time than he usually does looking really closely at everything – and found aphids on our milkweed. The lesson was engaging, fun and appropriate for all levels of interest and knowledge in nature study. We are looking forward to attending another class soon!
Deedrya –
This class was great! It’s interactive;. It’s was interesting seeing the people in the class that were from different areas around us and also different states. Especially when we did the discussion after the “what’s in our backyard” part where everyone showed their findings and sketches. This was my kid’s favorite part of the class. So many different and great findings! Even though it’s online, we still get out into nature and learn new things! This is just what we needed in our lessons. It’s so relaxed and informative. I can’t wait to do more classes!