A simple dandelions homeschool nature study for the whole family! Ideas for exploring in your own backyard and close up study under the magnifying glass!
I’ve always viewed dandelions as either a childhood delight or a nuisance. They tend to spread so quickly in a yard you are trying to keep free of weeds. But their seeds are also so much fun to blow and spread. A joy to watch catch the wind!
Dandelions Homeschool Nature Study
Because of last year’s dandelion study we started to notice these wildflowers as soon as they appeared. We first noticed them when we were on the hunt for Queen Anne’s lace.
We saw plenty of dandelions as things started to green up in our own backyard. As well as a nice crop of them in the neighbor’s side yard 🙂
Last year we studied the dandelion’s root system and did a bit more study this year (sixth grader didn’t mind using the shovel). But we also talked more about a dandelion being a composite flower. Oh, like a sunflower! When you really look at a dandelion up close, it is yet another example of beautiful design. So that is what we focused on this time.
We got the magnifying glass and looked up close.
Everybody got a turn.
We spent a good deal of time on sketches. Here’s five-year-old’s.
Sixth grader’s. He included the root system. (I like the shadow of the real plant at the top of the page.)
Third grader’s sketch. She found a dandelion with a curvy stem.
And no one expects mom to join in! This took me less than five minutes. I sketched mine before the children did. Doing my own journal entry helped me to see details I could point out to the children. The brown stalk of the flower gone to seed. The burgundy underneath of the yellow flower petals. The jagged edges of the flower petals that somewhat match the leaves. I get it now. Such a pleasure even with just pen and crayon! You can too, friends.
We also found a couple more wildflowers we’ve yet to identify. Meaning we haven’t looked them up.
Know what they are? See the pretty, little purple? We have quite a few ‘natural’ patches and brushy areas in our backyard.
We also smelled first, then noticed the honeysuckle blooming.
Then we enjoyed some swing time.
If you haven’t checked out Homeschool Nature Study, be sure to click over.
It’s nature study for the month all in one spot! Because now, we head into summer studies. This was surely our favorite last year! Can I encourage you to add in some Deliberate Delight to your summer?
And maybe you’ll have a new appreciation of that dandelion you step over. Just like we do.
Maybe one of your children will make a wildflower arrangement for the kitchen table too. Dandelions and all!
**Bonus – Zonnah linked this time lapse video of a dandelion we really thought was great.
-first published May 2011
You did a nature journal! Wonderful! I love that you are jumping in now and seeing the benefits.
What a perfect spring nature study and to end up with nature journal entries and vases of flowers…perfect. Thanks so much for sharing your link and your day.
Looks like you all had a blast!
My favorite photo is the one through the magnifying glass. Wonderful! This is such a nice, thorough study. I love that he was able to dig up the root! I like to do journal entries, too. It helps me be a better teacher and it helps me to see how hard it is to be a student. It is easy to forget that. A wonderful, wonderful post.
We love dandelions. Ok, well my husband isn’t fond of them. Each year he threatens to take weed killer to the yard and each year the kids and I protest. We promise that we will dig them up if he doesn’t kill them. Then we use the leaves in salads or greens.
It’s so good to take time to look carefully at things we see every day. I love it. Did you taste the dandelions? Every part of it is edible from the roots (coffee substitute) to the leaves & blooms (salads, jelly, tea).
We didn’t taste them but I have heard they are useful for all of those reasons as well. So cool!