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Flying Creatures of the Night is one of several nature-based
unit studies produced by Shining Dawn Books and is conveniently
available in a downloadable e-book format. If you're looking for
a thorough nature study resource on the topic of nocturnal wildlife,
this is it!
Flying Creatures of the Night covers several topics,
including owls, bats, moths, fireflies, nighttime sounds, nighttime
vision, predator/prey relationships and animal classification.
There is information on sketching, keeping a nature notebook, literature,
poetry, artist and picture study references for enrichment, writing
and research ideas, Scriptural lessons, and useful Internet links.
There are tips on how to include very young children as well as
ideas on teaching older kids, guidance on how to use the study
for co-ops, colorful pages to print off for notebooking and observation,
and so much more! I appreciate that even though they list a wonderful
assortment of resources and ideas for you to pull together a great
critter study, you could opt to use just the information provided
in the e-book along with the nature notebooking pages and have
plenty!
Even though I don't prefer a unit study method for most subjects
in our homeschool, I like it a great deal for non-formal, Charlotte
Mason-style nature study with my children. The authors provide
plenty of tips on how to use the material and how to put together
a simple lesson plan (which really is simple). The e-book is beautifully
laid out and is easy to use.
Authors Cindy West and Melissa Leach are homeschool mothers who
have put together this terrific product with a desire to help equip
and encourage us to get outside with our children and study God's
creation. Their heart for cultivating a wonder and appreciation
of nature in children is infectious, and it really shines through
in their products!
I highly recommend Flying Creatures of the Night to
any homeschool parent who wants to facilitate a fun and informative
study of nighttime flying creatures.
Product review by Dawn Peterson, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine,
LLC, June 2011
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