10,000 Birds

Following closely on the heels of Mike’s hosting of “Festival of the Trees” we here at 10,000 Birds are proud and delighted to host another Carnival, and what an intriguing title it has: “Learning in the Great Outdoors”. When I first heard of “Learning in the Great Outdoors” I half wondered (I’ll be honest) if it was perhaps too all-encompassing a subject to make a good Carnival. I mean, when you think about it, it really wasn’t so far back in human history that all our learning took place “in the Great Outdoors”. To survive at all our prehistoric ancestors had to learn everything about their surroundings, their very place in nature. We had to discover our frailties and our strengths; how to problem-solve and adapt; how to grow food, where to build our homes, what “worked” and what didn’t. How can bloggers make sense of a subject so huge?

But - when I actually thought about it properly - I realised that just because a subject is huge it doesn’t mean it’s not relevant, or that the wonderful writers who populate the blogosphere can’t break it down into manageable chunks, can’t spin their words and weave their tales, and give us all something we can take away from our visit and use in our everyday lives. You only have to look around to see that ‘Modern Man’ seems to have forgotten some important lessons that even our recent agricultural ancestors took to heart: co-existence, sustainability, working with the environment not against it. Are there still lessons to be learned, or - just as likely - lessons we need to re-discover?

Speaking as a birder, a parent (of two daughters), and an eternally curious soul, every time I go outside - either with or without my binoculars and camera - I’m learning, I’m absorbing sights and sounds, I’m thinking about the things I want to pass on to my own children (or anyone else’s for that matter). Hopefully I’ll never stop learning: new names for birds, plants, and insects I’ve never noticed or seen before, for example; new ways of living which impact less than the way I lived the day before; gaining new understanding of how the world works and how I fit into it. I still learn so much these days just by getting outside into “the Great Outdoors”, by getting my hands dirty, by taking a deep breath, closing my eyes, and letting the world wash over me. And I’m far more happier for it…

And so it seems are the contributors to this month’s “Learning in the Great Outdoors”. My mailbox has been flooded with good ideas, positive thinking, co-operative working, and wonderful suggestions for both educators and for those looking to be educated - all with our wonderful world at their heart (it’s also been flooded by spammers and some rather self-serving webmasters who ought to know better, by the way: shame on you!). And virtually every contribution has a common theme running alongside the titular subject - learning in the great outdoors is a joyous thing: it’s uplifting, it’s life-affirming, it’s fun, and if every single one of us were out doing it we’d (if the effect on the contributors is anything to go by) be a far less stressed-out, relaxed, happy bunch of folks. And if that’s not a recommendation, then what on earth is…?

Okay, that’s enough of me. I’m sure by now you’re ready to dive into the Carnival contributions, the offerings of all those cheerful, interesting, thoughtful bloggers out there who have so generously given their time and effort to help us all make the world a better place for our children and ourselves? Of course you are, so let’s go…(Oh, one last thing, as I mentioned earlier I’m a birder, and I’m lucky to travel an awful lot. Birding and travelling takes me into the “Great Outdoors” all over the world, and that’s where much of my own education takes place. I thought I’d illustrate this Carnival edition with a selection of my own photos, all of which link to posts I’ve written about eg the environment or the birds I’ve seen. I hope you’ll forgive me my little indulgence?)

In no particular order, let’s start with a selection of posts relating to birds (okay, I’m biased towards all things birdy, what can I say). For me birds can teach us so much, so easily. They’re all around us for one thing. The most PSP-obsessed child can’t fail to notice birds at some point. Even my eldest daughter, who rarely unplugs herself from her iPod, commented recently on the dawn chorus and wanted to know what birds were singing! Astonishing…

• Ocean, a blogger from beautiful Vancouver Island whose philosophy is summed up on her ‘Island Rambles’ blog with the byline “just wanting to share my part of this beautiful, fragile planet with you”, brings us a wonderful post about Bald and Golden Eagles called Eagles lift us up where we belong…”. There are photos, words, even video - and if you don’t come away having learnt something AND been uplifted then I’ll be amazed. Go soar, my friends…

• And when you’ve “done soaring” how about coming back down to earth (and into the hedges and trees) with Tony Gibbs who suggests that we get close to nature this spring by learning about birds eggs? It’s a simple suggestion - but if you’ve ever seen the expression on a child’s face as they hold a tiny egg in their hands and imagine the bird inside you’ll know it’s a good one (of course neither Tony nor 10,000 Birds is condoning collecting birds eggs or disturbing nesting birds in any way - it’s illegal and immoral - but teaching your kids to watch nesting birds without disturbing them is an excellent lesson in how to relate to your environment). Pop over to Birds and Things and peer in - mind you tread carefully though won’t you…

• There is another way to look at birds eggs, and that’s to keep chickens! More simply said than done - you need a fair bit of space and understanding neighbours - but I’ll never forget taking my daughter round to a friend’s house to see their newly-installed henhouse. There’s nothing like a hands-on experience for exciting a child’s imagination. I don’t imagine for one second I’ll ever be in a position to chuck chooks into my own garden, but if I did I’d head over to Carole DeJarnatt’s wonderfully-named Fowl Visions blog to learn everything I could ever want to know about looking after them…

Dawn, Central Catchment Nature Reserve, Singapore

I’m a vegetarian (for environmental reasons, which I’m happy to discuss on an appropriate forum if anyone wants to) but I do understand that for many people keeping chickens equals “raising your own food”. And food is a theme that a number of contributors want to talk about.

• How about, for example, a novel way of growing potatoes? You didn’t think there was much more to growing potatoes than throwing them in the ground (or is just that me)? Well, head on over to Stephanie and ‘Stop the Ride’ where she explains all you’ll ever need to know about Planting Potatoes in Old Tires. Who knew there was so much to learn…

• Jessica at ‘Practical Nourishment’ is wrestling with a concept that will be familiar to all parents: how can you involve your children in your everyday outdoors chores? More often than not kids don’t understand that what’s play for them is work for the grown-ups. Jessica’s thoughts on her post Confessions of a Mother will have mums (and dads) everywhere nodding in agreement…

• Taking an even wider view (and perhaps a little off-topic but somethings are always worth discussing), James at ‘Organize IT’ is looking at 7 Ways You Can Stop Wasting Food And Help Save The Earth. Considering just how much of the “Great Outdoors” is altered, ploughed, sprayed, or impacted upon in the name of feeding us humans, there are lessons here well worth taking on board…

• Perhaps one way to stop wasting food would be to forage for it instead of buying it (some of it anyway)? Valeree at ‘Cincinatti Locavore’ asks the pertinent question, Foraging: hot new foodie trend, or the hottest new foodie trend?. Not content with just asking the question Valeree goes on to provide a whole pile of links with which to educate ourselves too. Useful stuff all this blogging…

Bridge over the Hacking River shortly after dawn, Royal National Park, near Sydney, Australia

Just getting outside is an education in itself (as I hope this post has made clear). Certainly a good few contributors seem to think so, and I’m not going to be disagreeing with any of them anytime soon…

• One strong advocate of “Learning in the Great Outdoors” is - of course - Terrell Shaw, the blogger who devised this excellent carnival and has overseen its growth from day one. I’m very glad to say he’s joined my presentation of his carnival (nothing like a word of encouragement form the boss to help you get things done properly!). Terrell, a teacher amongst other things, recently organised the building of a wooden bridge on his school’s nature reserve, and he’s posted a photo-essay on his ‘Alone on A Limb’ blog at Hoorah!. Hoorah, indeed…

• Another strong advocate of “Learning in the Great Outdoors” is the wise and wonderful ‘Grandmother Wren’, whose advice - given in the Green Hour - is Go Outside and Play!. Hear, hear, I say. And is Grandmother Wren satisfied with just telling us to head into the sunlight? Of course not, GW also gives us a list of great things to do when we and our kids get out there. Such generosity eh?

• Talking of generous, Dreg at ‘Antaeus’ Footprint’ has contributed the longest post of this edition of “Learning in the Great Outdoors” and it’s packed full of really thought-provoking writing. If “For my boys’ sake, I want to awaken them to the intricacies of life forms and land features that surround them, to engage them as observers and teach them to recognize pattern and chaos and to relish both” doesn’t get you clicking the link to A Walk at Beus Pond: Relating to Nature as a Family I’ll be surprised and disappointed (and you wouldn’t want that surely?)…

The R355 Karoopoort to Calvinia road, South Africa

• Someone else getting out and about is Sherry, who blogs under the Homeschoolblogger.com banner. Sherry’s two-part post entitled Nature Walk Marathon caught me eye because it’s liberally scattered with great photos of BIRDS (hooray!), but kept my attention with its exuberance. Check it out and see what I mean…

• Another well-known blogger who blogs at Homeschoolblogger.com is the mighty Barb, whose blog ‘Heart of Harmony’ is a great read. In her post Green Hour Challenge #9 One Small Square she adapts the scientific methodology of surveying pre-defined areas and shows us how to focus on a relatively small square of eg garden and really study everything you find within the square’s boundaries. It’s great fun and very easy to do (I used to do it with my eldest daughter before she discovered boys, but hopefully she’ll remember the insects and plants we talked about). Oh, and it’s virtually costless which is always a bonus…

• And what might you do with the (non-living) items that you find in your square? How about following the example of the self-professed Jimmy-Stewart-loving Jen of ‘Diary of 1′, and create a Child’s Spring Book out of ziplock bags. “What on earth”, I hear you ask…? Go check out Jen’s motivating post and you’ll understand…

• Oftentimes some additional learning from going outside takes place at a later date. How? By bringing the “outdoors” inside. Makita, a former elementary school teacher, has been building up collections of all things nature-related for years, which she proudly displays in a slide-show on her blog ‘Twinkling Stars Family School’. Have a look at Collections ~ Green Hour #6 and forever be ashamed at that pile of unsorted feathers and leaves at the bottom of the drawer that you’ve been promising to organise for ages…

Late morning, the San Jacinto Mountains, California

• Another educator who’s been thinking about making education fun is Dee, who blogs at the excellent ‘CEOmum - Parenting is a Full Time Job’. Dee offers some great tips on how to make Science appealing to young minds in her post Science is Magic, which includes - as befits this Carnival - Use Your Immediate Environment. And what’s more immediate than the “Great Outdoors” my friends…

• An educator who believes that the immediate environment just isn’t big enough is the frankly amazing Nancy, who blogs at ‘Family on Bikes’. How about treating the whole world as one large classroom, and then cycling round great big chunks of it with your husband and kids? Can you imagine what you’d all see, what lessons you’d all learn (to say nothing of the great birds you’d be passing every day!). Nancy has been imagining, rationalising, and weighing things up - and her post Roadschooling is the fascinating and inspiring result. As they say here in the UK, ‘get on your bike’ and go have a look…
  In fact, both Terrell and I were so impressed with what Nancy is doing and the way she presents her ideas that I’ve nominated “Family on Bikes” as this month’s “Virtual Outdoors” website winner. Well done, good luck on your epic journey, and may your website wear the “VO” logo with pride!

• I’m going to plead for more indulgence at this point, as I’m going to allow a post that has snuck in a day late. Why should I need your indulgence for that, you ask? Because it was written by my wife, Jo, and I don’t want anyone noticing the post is dated May 11th and emailing me to complain. I’m sorry, but I happen to think my wife is a fantastic writer, and she takes photographs of the cutest two-year old on the planet to illustrate her words (yes, okay, our daughter Evie) - but the post is relevant anyway. What did you learn today? describes the wonder of a little girl discovering her garden. And I unashamedly recommend it to you…

Of course, there are more traditional ways to educate yourself and your kids - and what could be more traditional than reading books? Outdoors bloggers are often also inveterate readers (especially at the end of a busy day or if the weather keeps us in indoors), and our final Carnival contributors have some extremely useful suggestions for books which relate to “Learning in the Great Outdoors”…

Early afternoon, Yatton Down, England

• I may as well get straight down to business - as is the host’s right - and link to a post that I wrote and that appeared here on 10,000 Birds a short while back. It’s a review of an outstanding book, The Young Birder’s Guide to Birds of Eastern North America, written by Bill Thompson III and illustrated by his wife Julie Zickefoose. If I hadn’t been hosting this Carnival it would have been this post that I’d have submitted to whoever was, because this is a superb book for any youngster who’s shown an interest in birds and is packed with interesting info and environmental tidbits. “Learning in the Great Outdoors”? Oh, yes, for sure…

• Our last contribution - aptly as it turns out - is from Tricia who blogs over at the deliciously-named ‘The Miss Rumphius Effect’ (named after the character who decides what she wants to do in life as a child, and then achieves her goals). Tricia, who says on her blog that she now holds “the two best jobs in the world. One is teacher and the other is Mom” has submitted links to two book reviews, and both are definitely worth reading. Take your pick first from Where in the Wild? (a book of poetry on animal camouflage) or - bringing us almost back to where I started this round-up - Hummingbird Nest (a poetry book about nesting birds). What a pleasant way to end eh…?

Well, that’s my stint at the helm of “LIGO” at an end, the metaphorical sun is coming down on my day’s work, and there’s time just to hope that you all enjoyed the Carnival and to thank all our contributors. I’ve had a blast, I’ve been given good ideas, and I’ve learnt a great deal from my time in the “Great Outdoors”. Thanks very much indeed!

One final thought, I said in the intro to Tricia’s contribution that it was apt that I should end with her links, and that’s because she’s going to be putting together the next “Learning in the Great Outdoors” (how seamless a handover was that, my friends)! I hope she has as much fun as I did, and the best way to ensure that she does is to get your links to her at pstohrhu - AT - richmond - DOT - edu by June 11th. Don’t be shy, she’s standing by right now…

Sunset near Cape Town, South Africa

NB: If you sent me a genuine submission that hasn’t been included please feel free to send it in again - I had a few problems with my mailbox last month and may have lost some entries. I’ll update the Carnival for the next few days at least. Thanks.