Spring is the season of new life, of renewal. Plants and animals are waking up from their long rest and hibernation during winter, and we are reminded that the world really is full of life! Trees are budding and blossoming, forest wildflowers are racing to bloom and soak up as much sunshine as possible before they are shaded by the leaves of the trees above them. Birds are courting, singing, and busily building their nests. Baby animals are making their way into the world, and if you have eyes to see and know where and when to look, you may find some of these tiny creatures. 

Early in March look at the tree branches and their buds. Take note of which ones are blooming and mark it in your calendar (book of firsts; see my YouTube video on notebooks). Keep a variety of bird food in your backyard to feed the newly arrived visitors and take note when each bird returns. Bluebirds, robins, and goldfinches are some we see often. 

Speaking of birds, look for nest building and listen to bird songs. I like to “invite” my children to participate in a few minutes of quiet listening time and see which birds they can identify by song (we regularly focus on a couple birds each term and memorize their song). 

With all the rain, moisture, and cool temperatures it is an excellent time to hunt for fungi. Look for specific species in your area. In the deciduous forests of Indiana morels are in season as well as other mushrooms. 

Wildflowers on the forest floor usually bloom first because they are racing to soak up all the sunshine they can before the trees get their leaves. Trout lily and bloodroot are some early spring wild flowers to look for. When studying flowers the most important thing is to encourage observation and discrimination by asking questions. Learning the names is good, but not the most important part of studying nature.  In the Nature Study Guide by Furneaux he says:

“Rather deal with plants as living things with wonderful habits and marvellous life-histories. Let our questions be: where does it live? How does it grow? Why does it climb? How does it climb? How is it protected? What is the advantage of this or that particular form, colour, or habit?” (see chapter IV)

Spring is an excellent time to study fish and minnows. I’ve found it hard to find specific species, but we always take a net and bucket with us to catch fish and minnows in the shallows and reeds to study whatever we catch. 

Amphibians and reptiles are easy to study in spring. Snakes and turtles as they are eager to soak up sunshine in paved trails and rocks. Turtle eggs hatch during April and you can usually see the quarter-sized turtles trekking to water in warm afternoons and evenings. We have found at least four different types of baby turtles over the years we’ve lived here. Amphibian eggs can be found in ponds where there are reeds and other plants to attach to. Bring some inside with water and pondweed. Refresh the water and weeds regularly once they hatch. 

Books

• Grades 1-3 read biome book + book about special study topic
• Plants in Field and Garden  by Arabella Buckley or
• A Bunch of Wildflowers for the Children By Peter Wohlleben
• Grades 4-6 read nature lore + special study topic
• Spring of the Year by Dallas Lore Sharp
• Life and Her Children by Arabell Buckley
• Let’s Learn about Mushrooms by Phyllis Perry
• Our Birds and Their Nestlings by Margaret Coulson Walker
• Tree Flowers by Millicent Selsam

Spring Object Lessons (from Handbook of Nature Study)

Intro to Plants (form 1)

Germination of seeds (experiment on page 66, Handbook of Nature Study: Wildflowers)

Wildflowers

• Hepatica
• Adders Tongue
• Bloodroot
• Trillium
• Jack-in-the-Pulpit
• Violet
• Mandrake
• Bluets
• Yellow Lady’s Slipper
• Evening Primrose

Trees

• Movement of sap
• Bursting tree buds
• Blossoms

Garden Flowers 

• Crocus
• Daffodils
• Bluebells
• Tulips
• Pansy
• Bleeding heart
• Poppies
• Nasturtium
• Bee-Larkspur
• Blue Flag, or Iris
• Onions
• bulb experiment (pg. 60-61, Handbook of Nature Study)

Weeds

• Dandelion
• Buttercup
• Hedge Bindweed (AKA Morning Glory)

Amphibians

• The Tadpole Aquarium
• Spring Peeper
• The Frog
• The Newt

Reptiles (turtle hatchlings, snakes coming out of hibernation)

• The Garter Snake
• The Milk Snake or Spotted Adder
• The Turtle

Invertebrates 

• Garden snail
• Earthworms

Insects 

• Cecropia Moth (moths emerge from cocoons in hours before dawn)
• Promethea Moth (how to watch moths; moth trap)
• Hummingbird or Sphinx Moth

Birds

• bluebirds (march)
• red-winged blackbirds
• baltimore oriole
• indigo bunting
• Red-headed woodpecker
• Sap-sucker (yellow bellied; “sign of spring”)
• Song Sparrows
• Hummingbirds

Flowerless Plants

• How a fern bud unfolds
• The Field Horsetail
• Mushrooms
• Scarlet Saucer
• Morels

Mammals

• Cotton-tail Rabbit

The Brook