Phenology Wheel for Homeschool Nature Study

“There must be provision for the child to have contact with nature, to understand and appreciate the order, the harmony and the beauty in nature… so that the child may better understand and participate in the marvelous things which civilization creates.”

Maria Montessori

How to Start Using a Phenology Wheel, and Why You’d Want To!

A huge trend among homeschooling families is nature study. In an era where we are indoors more than ever before in human history, getting our kids (and ourselves) outside more often is a huge benefit. In addition to the popular nature journal, a phenology wheel can be an excellent addition to nature study for homeschoolers and parents alike.

Phenolo What?!?!

Phenology sounds like something you might see on a nameplate at a doctor's office. In reality, phenology is the study and observation of natural events and cycles. Phenology is a fantastic way to get more in touch with the tune of nature.

What is a Phenology Wheel?

A phenology wheel is simply a way to document your observations in one spot. It allows you to make note of your observations and keep an easy-to-use record of what you’ve seen. Phenology wheels help us to stop and reflect on something we might not otherwise notice. When we work on phenology wheel, we notice the changes in plants, trees, wildlife, weather, and ourselves in a way we never have before. The wheel enables our children to notice small details and to grasp the calendar in a new way.

Generally, people draw their observations and use the wheel as a visual guide and enhancement to their nature journal. However, if you’re not artistic (or have a student who does not like to draw) the wheel can be written on instead. The wheel itself is simply a circle broken up into equal sections. Traditionally, the wheel is made to reflect one year, so it is broken up into twelve sections. We will use this model as our example.

How Do I Get Started?

Making a phenology wheel is easy. It just requires a compass, protractor, pencil, ruler, and art supplies (alternatively, a large enough circular object to trace would work). You can make your own or use the template we’ve provided below get it here.  
 

• Begin by making a large circle on the center of your paper
• Next, make a small circle within in- about a ¼-½ inch smaller than your first circle
• Next, make a small circle in the very middle of your larger circle- a couple of inches across is good
• Divide your two inner circles into even sections of 12 (this is a great math opportunity!)
• Don’t divide up that outer ring you created
• Time to label
• Around the outside ring, label your seasons (people often color coordinate this as well)
• The first “layer” gets the months of the year written at the top of each section
• Leave the inner ring blank for now

How to Use Your Phenology Wheel

Now that you have set up your wheel, how on earth do you put it to work? To a certain extent, this is totally up to you. The natural world, your current science study, and the interest of your homeschooler can be your guide. Pick two different things to study throughout the year, we provide some ideas below. Also, pick a day of the month to make your observations (it’s ok if you get off a day or two in either direction.)

You’ll head out on your designated day each month and make your notes and artwork to have a beautiful visual record at the end of the year. The outer wheel and inner wheel can be used to observe two different things, two different aspects of the same thing, or one for drawing and one for written notes. As the year progresses, you’ll begin observing more astutely and keenly what changes are happening right under your eyes that you might not have otherwise noticed.

If desired, spend time studying what you’re observing from books and documentaries as well. Perhaps you could visit a local expert or arrange a class at a nature center. You can even adapt the science portion of your homeschool curriculum to include information on what you’re documenting.
 

Here are a few ideas for observation:

• Use the outer circle to observe an animal, and the inner a place in your yard

• Observe your household pet’s fur and habit changes throughout the year

• Make note of the changes sees in a tree and an area with wildflowers

• Go to the beach at the low time and make note of the animals seen on the outer circle, and tide times on the inner

• Use the wheel to document the height/weight of your student(s), and something they learned, a first, or something they loved each month

• Observe the sky and stars

• Make note of the fur on your favorite zoo animal and any other changes taken in their living environment

This method can also be used on a smaller scale. Perhaps set up a wheel for a month or two observation of the growth of your favorite garden vegetable! Or if you live somewhere with snow, observe the different types of snowflakes and the weather when they fall. This is also a popular way to observe the moon cycles each night over the course of a month.

As you can see, there are countless ways to incorporate this tool into your homeschool curriculum. The entire family can observe the same thing, or everyone can choose to study something different. Depending on the approach you take, you could be including, art, science, research, reading, and math with this beautiful project.

Do you like this?

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Amanda Osenga

Amanda is a former Montessori teacher, now homeschooling her dear son - an only child. Her family resides in an Airstream parked in Washington State and loves Washington's outdoor opportunities. When not homeschooling, Amanda blogs, loves reading, and creates hand-lettering pieces.

7 Tips to Incorporate Montessori Into Your Road Schooling

“I love the idea behind the Montessori philosophy but we spend so much of our day in the car- it’s too hard!”, “I would love to do a Montessori based homeschool but we’re full-time RVers and always on the road,” I hear these two phrases from people all the time.  

We live in a 200 square foot Airstream. While we’re not mobile yet, we live out in the country and spend an incredible amount of time in the car and space is incredibly valuable for us. I have over a decade teaching in Montessori Schools and knew we’d have a Montessori inspiration to our homeschooling. While a full Montessori homeschool room setup would be absolutely lovely, it’s doable to incorporate Montessori methods and ideas into your roadschooling. Be it roadschooling as a fulltime RV family, a family who spends a ton of time in the car and wants to complete school on the road, or you’re looking to get some school hours in while on trips this Spring.

Top 7 Trips to Incorporate Montessori Into Your Road Schooling:

1- Rethink your manipulatives. You’re obviously not going to want to be bringing along an entire moveable alphabet, golden beads, and a pink tower. Can you rethink these materials to be more car friendly though? Grab a magnetic set of letters (they make small magnetic boards specifically designed for spelling) & a set of small magnetic blocks or some Lego’s. Boom, you’ve got manipulatives that are easier to take along in the car!

2- Use file folders- Yes, the old fashioned file folders that we think about doctors offices storing patient data in. They are perfect to create mini-workspaces. You can attach a small pocket on the inside with a piece of paper and staple in printables of Montessori-based works.

3- Find an object bottles- Place several small items into a cleaned our plastic bottle, fill with rice or quinoa and you’ve got yourself a seek it bottle. A variation of this is often found in a Montessori classroom. Some families prefer to make a master list of all the objects for children to use.

4- Create small themed books- Small child-size books are great to bring along in the car. Create a book based on pictures of a blend your child is working on, an animal they’re interested in, or a word search book. These are great ways to bring along learning and keep kids interested in the car.

5- Create a “car school” box- Grab a plastic storage bin with a lid on it. As you find good, small, Montessori friendly items at your favorite stores you can keep them in the bin for your children to use.

6- Head to the hardware store before you hit the road- Color gradient matching is a great work for the road that can easily be created with free paint samples from the hardware store and adapted for all ages of kids. (If you’re not sure how to do this work, check out our most recent printable pack for the full work setup).

7- Rethink your rest stops- So much learning and exercise can happen at rest stops. Take a look at the informational signs, bring along your Montessori yoga cards for a quick workout and get a little bit of grace & courtesy practice picking up trash.

Roadschooling is a great way to keep your kids entertained in the car and fit in school time. Happy trails, we can’t wait to hear about your adventures!

Bonus idea- grab a couple of our CDs to listen to while you’re on the road, they help reinforce concepts and are catchy songs kids love.

Why This Geography Map is Perfect for Homeschool?

Hajime Narukawa has created a new map of the world that is about to turn your homeschool curriculum for Geography upside down. It fits in excellent with a Montessori homeschool approach and will surely get kids excited about active learning about our world. For decades we have used various updated versions of this classic map:

While familiar, it is an inaccurate depiction of the actual size, shape, and layout of the Earth. It’s quite difficult to accurately depict something round on a flat, rectangular surface. The above map does an ok job but vastly distorts the size of the oceans (especially the Pacific), makes Africa way too small and Greenland drastically too large. Antarctica is barely represented on the maps we’re all used to when in reality it’s one of the largest contents.  

Narukawa’s creation is, perhaps, the most accurate map you could include in your homeschool studies. Called the AuthaGraph, this map divides the world into 96 sections, is then projected onto an inflated tetrahedron which unfolded become a rectangle. It was a multi-step process that resulted in what may the most accurate world map ever created. It recently won the Grand Award from Japan’s Good Design Awards and is now featured in student’s textbooks across Japan.  

As you can see, “AuthaGraph faithfully represents all oceans [and] continents, including neglected Antarctica,” according to the Good Design Awards, and shows “an advanced precise perspective of our planet.” This one-of-a-kind map can even be manipulated to feature any point of the world at the center and still be accurate.  

Still a work in progress, Narukawa states some areas are still distorted. However, this map is great for homeschoolers to provide a more accurate view of our world. It would also be an interesting launching point for your children to compare the standard map to what is more accurate. One of the creator’s goals was to accurately depict the areas near to poles so as to raise awareness of

our rapidly melting ice caps. Homeschoolers could have some interesting discussion and study on climate change with this map as well.  

What do you think of this unique and revolutionary map? Is it a teaching tool you’d use in your homeschool classroom?  Comment below if you think so!

Do You Know These 5 Important Ways to Save Money While Homeschooling?

Money Saving Tips for At-Home Schooling

“I wanted to homeschool but when I looked into homeschool programs I felt like they were all too expensive.” A girlfriend shared this with me at the park as we discussed our kids education together. Parents with children in school spend anywhere between $200-$1500+ per student, per year on public school fees & supplies. Home education expenses can seem intimidating when a parent is looking to first start at homeschooling.

Something that is important to remember when considering the financial implications, is you’ll be saving a ton of money on expenses you would be spending throughout the year. Commute expenses including wear and tear on your vehicle and gas costs driving to/from school (plus the added benefit of not spending an hour a day in the carpool line!), school lunches, extra fees for classroom parties, teacher gifts, school fundraisers, donation requests, etc. Homeschool programs can sometimes be as expensive as a school field trip, or with the right amount of looking free programs can be found. Most parents are pleasantly surprised to find they spend less in a school year than they did in a public schooling year.

ShillerLearning’s Top Five Money Saving Tips for Homeschoolers

• Resell

This will mean something different to each family. Some families want a shiny new curriculum that they can resell it when their children are done. Other families purchase second hand curriculum or get hand-me-down curriculum from co-op friends. Check your local used bookstore and children’s consignment stores, they often have second-hand homeschool curriculum, sometimes in like new condition.   We occasionally have second hand curriculum offered on our website or join our Facebook community where people sell their Montessori-inspired ShillerLearning materials when they’re completed with them.

• Coupon!!

Don’t be scared, I’m not suggesting you go extreme couponing but keep your eyes peeled on coupons for craft stores. Those 40% and 50% off coupons can save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars through your schooling time. The craft stores often have basic school supplies, organizing supplies, and great shelving for your Montessori materials. Check with the terms on your coupon, sometimes you can print multiples and go on different trips throughout the week or have each kid make a separate purchase. Also, check out mail in rebates, both through the store and directly through the manufacturer. Last year, I was able to get two reams of paper for 1 cent each and three packs of Sharpies for $1 each with rebates!

Bonus tip- Don’t forget to sign up for store loyalty programs. AND, often stores that offer an educator/teacher discount will extend this discount to at home schoolers. This is something they’re especially willing to do if you’re enrolled in an Umbrella school and can get a letter on school letterhead stating you’re a teacher for the school.

• Think Green & Save Green

Buy books second hand, find free eReader books through Project Gutenberg, host a book swap or visit the local library to keep your library fresh without spending too much money. Join a co-op and swap around Montessori shelf materials. Homeschool curriculum can be reused through multiple children in the same family, or resold. Curriculum in like new condition sells at a higher rate. Plus, it helps protect the environment. Consider using a job ticket holder and dry erase markers instead of writing directly in workbooks.

• Shop Around and Ask for Price Matches

It pays to shop around. If you’ve got your eye on a homeschool curriculum, or a homeschool program you’d really like to attend, do your research. If you find the same curriculum, or a similar program, for less expensive, consider asking for a price-match. Local businesses are typically more than willing to do this as it helps them keep their business local. Online vendors can have prices vary up to 10% from one another. It pays to substitute a bit of your social media time to comparing prices and trying to get the best deal.

Bonus Tip- Don’t forget about web apps such as Rakuten, Swagbucks, and Honey to get cashback or coupons on your purchases.

Do Your Shopping After School Has Already Started in Your Area & In the Spring

When I started homeschooling last year, we were also in the middle of a big transition in our living situation and had to replace virtually all our belongings. I went to the store the weekend after Labor Day to get supplies for the school year. There wasn’t a lot left, but enough of the basics remained. Best of all, they were 75%-90% off! The employee I spoke with at the store said they start marking supplies down the week after school starts and usually keep things available on clearance until they start setting up for Halloween. We were able to purchase everything we needed for our school supplies for under $25. Late winter/ early spring is also a valuable time of year to start getting materials for next school year. This is the time of year many companies are attending conventions, and they often offer discounts to order curriculum during this time as well.

Want more money saving tips for materials? Check out these FREE Montessori Activities and Resources!