Wild Days: Creating Discovery Journals

by Karen Skidmore Rackliffe

A friendly guide written for amateur artists, writers and naturalists. Inspired by the nineteenth-century British educator Charlotte Mason, this approach to self-education combines careful observation of nature with the introspection of journal writing and the relaxing pleasure of watercolor. When used with children it can become a science or art curriculum. Anyone who is interested in journal writing will love it. Discovery journals are fun for all ages and are particularly rewarding for families and educators. It is a great hobby for parents and children to share together. The whole family is able to participate and learn together.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Parenting, Nature, Science Nature

Paperback

Published June 9, 1999

About the author

Karen Skidmore Rackliffe has been a pioneer and a leader for many years in the rapidly growing home school movement. She is a founder of the Salt Lake Home Educators Association and has been a leader in the Utah Home Educators Association. She is a popular lecturer for these organizations and also the Charlotte Mason Convention in Utah. Her articles on self education have appeared in local, state and national newsletters and magazines. One of her articles was published in Charlotte Mason Study Guide by Penny Gardner. She has been interviewed on a talk radio show and her home school was featured in Utah Holiday Magazine in July 1991. Her favorite lecture topic is nature journals.

Reviews

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I confess, Karen Rackliffe is my mother ;) This is a great book; however, and I can vouch for the way her kids turned out.

[Christine]

re-read 2016

A quick and inspiring read. This time around, reading it reminded me of what I liked about those early days of homeschooling and the nature walks/nature journals and motivated me to recreate the habit.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to start nature journaling in our homeschool. This book has encouraged me to just get started and enjoy the process.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay. Could have been only 80 pages though. I liked the sample pictures. Can't believe this lady had 6 or 9 kids. But she lives in Utah so she's probably part of that cult.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

2000 I love it! So many great ideas!

2019 It's one of my all time favorite homeschooling books! It shows how life can be simple and meaningful!

Rackliffe has lists of resources in the appendices:

Appendix A Books and Videos with examples of Nature Notebooks
* Beatrix Potter's Art by Anne Stevenson Hobbs;
* Capturing Nature: The Writing and Art of John James Audubon;
* The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden;
* Drawing and Painting from Nature by Cathy Johnson;
* Drawing from Nature by Jim Arnosky
*Nature Drawing: A Tool for Learning by Clare Walker Leslie;
* Nature's Sketchbook/View from a Sketchbook by Marjolein Bastin
* Painting Nature in Pen and Ink with Watercolor by Claudia Nice;
* Secrets of a Wildlife Watcher by Jim Arnosky;
* The Sierra Club Guide to Sketching in Nature by Cathy Johnson;
* Sketching Outdoors in Spring by Jim Arnosky;
* The Springs of Joy by Tasha Tudor;
* A Trail Through Leaves: A Journal as a Path to Place by Hannah Hinchman;


To do:
Add Appendix B

[Shawna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book cemented my desire to spend more time in nature with the kids over the summer, paying more attention to what we see. She includes pages from her own and her kids discovery journals and she shares anecdotes of some of their adventures. The best thing I took away was to just take the kids outside and ask them to find one new thing. I did that with our kids on Sunday afternoon. We were just walking around our neighbourhood, so Amanda sounded a little sceptical at first. Before we knew it, we had found about five different shapes of grass seeds that we had never noticed before. Both kids were thrilled and completely engaged. The next morning I just took out my sketch book and starting drawing what we had found. Pretty soon Amanda joined me on her own and soon we had our first entries in our own discovery journals.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book after seeing it recommended by Jessica from Balancingeverything.com. I loved her idea of having a nature table and going out regularly with children to observe and be a part of nature.

It is a super quick read. I read most of it - the parts that were applicable - and we will be using this idea in our homeschool.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great little book about nature study and journal keeping. There are also some hidden nuggets on teaching and parenting. I can see myself returning to this book when I need to freshen my approach. And I've already recommended it to my son.

[Ladypoet33 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I refer to this all the time. One of the best books on nature journals. I know the author and she is awesome! A very talented person.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book written by a homeschooling mom who used the Charlotte Mason approach of nature journaling with her kids and took off with it.