Now that October is behind us, and the days are quickly getting shorter (and darker), there are still SO many wonderful things in nature to explore and discover this time of year. From hibernation, to moss and lichen, to winter birds, there are still so many things to learn about in late Autumn.
Check out these nature study ideas for the month of November!
1. Hibernation
Now is the time when some animals begin hunkering down for the winter. Take this opportunity to teach your students about which animals in your area hibernate or go into dormancy. You can talk about mammals like bears and hedgehogs, but don’t forget insects, like bumblebees and ladybugs, and reptiles – like turtles and snakes.
Under the Snow – Hibernation Playdough Activity
For this activity you just need some playdough, forest animals and paper trees. First, we set the stage by rolling out the playdough smooth, and then added the trees at the top. Then we added the animals, either hibernating in their burrows or frolicking around on top of the snow, depending on the animal. They can even make tracks in the snow and use toothpicks to create little animal dens and beaver dams.
Sparkly Snow Playdough Recipe
- 2 cups white flour (I used unbleached but bleached flour will make it look more snowy white)
- 1 cup fine salt
- 3 tablespoons cream of tartar
- 1.5 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups boiling water
- White glitter (optional)
- Mix together the flour, salt, cream of tartar and oil
- Carefully stir in 2 cups of boiling water
- Allow it a few minutes to cool, then knead in white glitter, 1 tablespoon at a time. I am NOT a fan of glitter, but somehow it stays put in the playdough once it’s mixed in.
We also used a fun little hibernation unit study included in the Winter Journal (you can find out more about that here).
Our Favorite Picture Books about Hibernation
Winter Sleep: A Hibernation Story
Not a Buzz to be Found: Insects in Winter
2. Animal Tracks
Animal tracks are most easily spotted in mud and snow, which makes November a great time to go on an animal track hunt! Bring a book about animal tracks, or some animal tracks flashcards with you, as you search the ground for animals that have been nearby. See which tracks your students can identify! (You may want to take photos of the tracks you find and research them later.)
Make Plaster Casts of Animal Tracks
This is a great activity to do if you have plenty of time on your hike or nature walk, and can bring supplies with you. This is a great reference for how to make a plaster cast of the animal tracks you find to take home with you! It requires a few simple supplies and 30-60 minutes for the plaster to dry on the print.
Click here for the Animal Tracks unit study
Picture Books About Animal Tracks
Whose Tracks Are These?: A Clue Book of Familiar Forest Animals
3. Moss and Lichen (plus a FREE Printable!)
Now that most of the green plants around us have faded, it’s time for moss and lichen to enter into the spotlight! A walk through the forest on a damp day should provide plenty of mosses and lichens to observe. You can also find lichen in dry environments, like sunny rocks, wind-swept ridges and on tree trunks.
Bring a magnifying glass with you to see what they look like up close! You may even want to take home a small sample to observe under a microscope at home.
What’s the Difference between Moss and Lichen?
Mosses are simple, non-flowering plants that lack true roots, absorbing water and nutrients through their leaves and stems. Unlike other plants, they reproduce through spores instead of seeds. Lichens are NOT plants, and they do not have true leaves, stems or roots. Lichen is a symbiotic organism made of fungus and algae.
Don’t forget to download my FREE Moss and Lichen Printable to take with you on your nature study!
Picture Books About Moss and Lichen
4. Woodpeckers
Fall is an active time for woodpeckers, and they are busy preparing food caches and making roosting holes in the cavities of trees for the winter. While some woodpeckers migrate south, many others stick out the cold weather.
Practice Being a Woodpecker
Woodpeckers use their long, strong beaks to drill holes into trees and wood to search for insects. Have your students use a small mallet and golf tees (or similar items) to safely “peck” holes into soft materials like pumpkins, potatoes, or cardboard boxes, while discussing how a woodpecker finds its next meal.
Make a Woodpecker Feeder
Hang suet from your trees to attract woodpeckers to your yard, or try making one of these DIY bird feeders. Your students can also keep a bird watching log to record what woodpeckers and other birds are sticking around your area this winter.
Picture Books about Woodpeckers
Picopaco: The Woodpecker Who Built a Town
5. Fungi and Decomposition
November is the perfect month to study mold, mushrooms, and everything in nature that is quietly and slowly breaking down.
Take a walk in a damp forest or park and search for different types of fungi hiding in piles of dead leaves, around tree roots and under old logs. This time of year you can usually find bracket and jelly fungus attached to rotting wood. This is a good time to talk about decomposition and decomposers, and how they break things down as a part of the earth’s natural cycle.
Make a Decomposition Jar
If your students wish to see decomposition from a closer point of view, try making a decomposition, or compost, jar. (They can even use pieces of their old pumpkins in their jar.) You can also discuss how decomposers, like worms, snails, insects and fungi work to speed up the decomposition process.
For more fungi resources, check out my Mystery of Mushrooms mini nature study!
Our Favorite Picture Books About Fungi and Decomposition
{Click on the books for more info!}
6. Fall Leaves
This month, the trees are letting go and the ground is littered with fallen leaves. Now’s a great time to explore leaf pigments and why they change color.
Leaf Chromatography Science Experiment
Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in plants that turns the sun’s energy into the chemical energy stored in food. In autumn, when the days shorten and temperatures drop, the chlorophyll begins to break down. Once the green chlorophyll is gone, what’s left is the underlying yellow and orange pigments. As the leaves prepare to separate from their branches, the sugars and tannins become trapped, leaving red or purple pigments.
You Will Need:
- Leaves (preferably different colors; you can use different shades of green if needed)
- Small glass jars or bowls
- Isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol)
- White coffee filters, large size
- Scissors
- Wooden spoon
First, go on a scavenger hunt for fall leaves. Cut the leaves into smaller pieces, or tear them with your hands, and sort them by color (green, orange, red, etc.) into separate jars. You will need a jar for each color. Use a wooden spoon to mash up the leaf pieces inside the jar.
Add isopropyl alcohol to each jar until the leaves are covered and mix gently. Cut the coffee filter into long strips. Place one end of the strip into the isopropyl alcohol, allowing the rest to drape over the top of the jar. Do this for each jar.
Now leave the jars alone and check back regularly to see the coffee filters turn different colors, It might take a few hours or up to overnight.
In this experiment, the pigments of the leaves are absorbed by the coffee filter so we can see their colors in a fun and different way. Some pigments stick to water molecules better than others, so they travel higher up the coffee filter.
Learn more about Autumn trees and leaves in the Autumn Journal.
Picture Books About Fall Leaves
{Click on the books for more info!}
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