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Handbook of Nature Studyx$18.00
  (20 reviews)
Best Price: $26.00 $18.00
The late Anna Botsford Comstock was the founder and first head of the Department of Nature Study at Cornell University and the first woman to be appointed to the Cornell faculty. Written originally for elementary school teachers, this book is as valid and helpful today as it was when it was first written in 1911.
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Customer Reviews
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GREAT BOOK!!!!
By on 1999-08-16
This is a wonderful book for studying ANY aspect of nature (except ocean life.) Thoroughly discusses all details of any living thing that you could dream of...want to know where a cricket's ears are located? How to tell if you have a male/female? What should you feed your cricket? Ever wondered why a lightning bug "lights up"? How can you tell if you have a male or female? Covers birds, fish, reptiles, wild animals, farm animals, pets, trees, flowers, rocks, weather, stars, etc, ETC!!! Many labled diagrams. A GREAT book, and written to fit in wonderfully with a Charlotte Mason philosophy. Geared towards elementary grades and complete with lessons, questions, projects, etc. Over 800 pages of easily understood information. As the original was published in 1911, be aware that the photos are not in color, nor as clear as modern nature guides, but the book MORE than makes up for this in so many ways! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Good book depending on your location
By on 2000-12-17
I checked this book out of our local library because it was recommended for homeschoolers and because of the reviews here at Amazon.com. I do agree this is an excellent book BUT not very useful when you live in Hawaii. Seems the animals and plants the writer focusses on are mostly common to the eastcoast of the US. If you live in Hawaii, and possibly other places on the mainland, this book in not very helpful in studying our daily environment.
Impresively Comprehensive
By on 1999-06-10
While I do not agree with everything the author asserts about teaching methodology, I doubt there is any other book on the market that is as comprehensive as this one. What other textbook can be used with equal effectiveness in both kindergarten and high school? Lessons are short and easy to follow. It covers almost everything including agriculture, wildlife, geology, astronomy, etc. Marine life and oceanography are not included. Some minor flaws. For example, the author confuses selective breeding with evolution theory. However, such flaws can be overlooked and they do not detract from the value of the lessons.
Nurture Your Love of Nature
By AZ4Q3VAK6CIJS on 2006-06-12
I have a fairly decent natural science home library, and this book is probably the jewel in the crown. It's packed with information, and even though some data has been updated by recent discoveries (the book was first issued nearly a century ago) much of it is still relevent.
The author has a contagious awe for the world around us, from caddis fly larvae to little brown bats (which she recommends keeping for a while in order to observe closely). She wrote this when our society was less urbanized and more hands-on, so a lot of her audience (teachers and their young students) had only to march out into a nearby field to collect specimens. Today, we're more used to sanitized, distilled, controllable nature--and nothing that can't be washed away with antibacterial soap--that we forget how compelling these little anthill or treetop dramas are.
Comstock brings us into that wild world, and we don't have to go far to find it, after all. Her anecdotes about her personal experiences and her study questions that end each section keep this book from becoming just another field guide. Even if you don't have young kids with whom to share these adventures, it's great to have this resource at hand.
And if you do have young kids, it's fun to go mucking around in a ditch right after a storm, looking for tadpoles. Don't be obsessive about diseases (we all eat a pound of dirt before we die...or so they say) and don't forget to bring this book.
The ultimate Nature Study resource guide
By on 1998-05-20
This book was originally written for elementary school teachers with little knowledge of common plants and animals. The book is as helpful and relevant today as it was when first written in 1911---dandelions, toads, leaves and constellations have changed little since that time! Whether you live in the mountains or on a farm with wide expanses of Nature spread before you, or whether your Nature Study involves the bugs and flowers of a small urban backyard, you'll find easy directions and valuable information about studying firsthand the natural world and it's wonders.
- Great Book for All Ages!!!
By on 1999-06-05
I bought this book today, sorry, not from Amazon, but from the zoo! I love this book! It is a great reference for teachers and children, or just anyone wanting to learn more about the nature near home. This book allows all to explore the beauty of nature in their own area, to adventure into a vast land of hidden beauty without going on a exotic safari. This book encourages learning and is a great resourse. It's a wonderful addition to anyone's library!!
- Handbook of Nature Study
By AKG3I2IACV3AS on 2006-08-03
I was afraid when I saw this book that it would be "too Big" for me to use with my children. It is not it. It includes instructions and suggestions on how to teach nature studies in the chapter 1. The following cover ANIMALS, PLANTS, EARTH AND SKY making it a very complete science text. It is both simple, and very thorough. It was originally published in 1911 by Anna Botsford Comstock, But please do not allow that fact to turn you off either! It is an excellent guide for the study of nature (biology, botony and earth science.) One might wish for it to include colored pictures, however, since you will create your own notebook with illustrations, and since we have ample resources for colored pictures as well as sound bytes on the enternet, I couldn't ask for more.
- Excited About Nature
By on 2003-08-28
We purchased this book for our two little ones and have enjoyed running to get the book when we see unusual and interesting bugs, leaves, etc. outside in our natural wonderland of a back yard! We even keep the book on the bookshelves in the kitchen for fast reference! I have noticed that not everything we have wanted to look up is in the book but not everything can be and we are very pleased with the book as a whole. I do wish there were colored pictures to help me identify certain creatures when I'm not 100% sure "that is it".
- Wonderful Charlotte Mason nature study resource!
By A1VMNTF9J9QJIW on 2006-10-07
Wow! This is just an awesome book! I was shocked at how BIG it is! But I have to say, it is that big for a reason! Chock'full of wonderful stuff! PERFECT for nature study lessons! Something the entire family can use! A must-have for Charlotte Mason homeschooling families!! :o)
- Great Science Resource
By A24CBEVPP7V0KP on 2006-11-03
This is an excellent resource that my family and I take with us when we go out for nature walks. There are lots of pictures that we use to compare what we see along the way. The descriptions and facts help us learn what we never knew before. Great for homeschooling families.
- Missing some important text in some printings!
By A30IRFHMXI28BI on 2007-06-05
I ordered the newer edition of this book and when comparing it to a 1947 copyrighted version found that some important information on goldfinches was missing on page 56. You might want to check with the seller to see that no text has been left out. I returned my "new" copy and am keeping my deliciously-full-of-character-with-yellowed-pages 1947 edition.
- Educating With The Natural World
By A3RHO9C5JVUS99 on 2007-06-08
Nature study is not just for crunchy granola, back to nature, tree hugger types. You don't need to strap a two hundred pound backpack onto your aching spine and head off into some Blair Witch project area just to teach your younglings about trees and wildlife. Color field guides are extremely helpful, but you certainly don't need an advanced degree in botany to teach your child the difference between a morning glory and a daisy. And almost one hundred years ago, Ms. Comstock recognized that and set about showing others the joy of introducing a child to the natural world with her book, Handbook of Nature Study.
The first section covers the how-tos of her method. This method encompasses all the core subject areas and is covered in further detail in the methodology section - a link is provided at the end of this article.
Subsequent sections cover the entire spectrum of the natural world. There is an area devoted to animals, which includes subsections on mammals, fish, birds, and other branches of the animal family tree. Another area is devoted to plants and covers trees, wildflowers, crops, and even weeds. But this is not just a biology and botany manual. The third main area is devoted to the earth and sky and includes astronomy, climatology, and geology.
Lessons include an information section for the parent/teacher to read followed by observational questions to be asked of the student. Easily utilized in a zoo, botanical garden or local park, even those in the most urban of areas will find incorporating this book into their lives relatively simple. Best used with the 12 and under set, the Handbook of Nature Study should have a place on every homeschooler's bookshelves.
- Not what I expected
By AP5T3JIPDQ6LG on 2007-09-17
This book is not what I expected. I expected a Nature Guide, what I got was actually lessons on different aspects of Nature. This book is amazing for a homeschooler who really wants to go in depth about Nature with their children. I do not recommend this for someone who would like some casual reading.
- Oldie but goodie
By A8N2XG6L799TB on 2007-04-01
This is a book that is so full of valuable nature info that we use it almost daily. The stories are short enough that you're not bogged down while doing your nature study. We'll be using and enjoying it for a long time.
- Excellent Resource
By A29GIE0OY60FJ1 on 2006-08-07
This is an excellent resource for learning about or refreshing one's knowledge of the plants and animals of the Eastern United States. While this book is fairly old, the content is still relevant and informative.
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