It is a capital plan for the children to keep a
calendar––the first oak-leaf, the first tadpole, the first cowslip, the
first catkin, the first ripe blackberries, where seen, and when. The
next year they will know when and where to look out for their
favourites, and will, every year, be in a condition to add new
observations. Think of the zest and interest, the object, which
such a practice will give to daily walks and little excursions. Mason, Vol. 1 p. 54
And so, as we seek to implement more and more of an authentic, winsome, and relational education in our homeschool, we have now added a calendar of firsts! We will use this in addition to our nature journals. Previously, many of these items were recorded in our nature journals, but now that I understand the value of a book set up in this fashion, we will be adding this form of vitality to our school.
My Calendar of Firsts was designed by the teachers at Red Mountain Community School. They collaborated with a local business, Night Owl Paper Goods, and developed this eco-chic, wooden journal. It comes in a muslin bag for carrying, but even the bag could be used for a sampler or even a holder of found nature treasures.
Our vision was small. . .we just wanted a beautiful calendar to put in our
student’s hands. The calendar of firsts is such a lovely addition to a nature
notebook. In fact, I think that it might be an easier starting point for new
Mason students. It begins with observation and a simple entry. But for those
of us already using a nature notebook, it is a simple addition to a daily or
weekly habit. – Mandy Deter, teacher at Red Mountain Community School
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| Night Owl Paper Goods |
It is a simple, perpetual calendar and in the past I may have just tried to cobble something together myself from a template. But I couldn’t put something as nice as this together on my own. There is something to be said for a keepsake book that the children take special care of and make entries with enthusiasm. As my husband said, “A beautiful journal begets thoughtful entries.” (He really did say that. Just now.)
Each page in My Calendar of Firsts has two columns. Each column represents a day of the month which the child will enter before he begins. Then, when a first is observed it is recorded on that day with a mention of the year that it occurred and perhaps the location. So eventually, the child may notice that the crocus first breaks through the snow during the same week, year after year. He will then eagerly anticipate the event because he knows.
This is the beginning of teaching our children science in a very different way. The observation and recording of the first snowfall, the first robin, the first morning glory or the first red leaf will pave the way for all future scientific studies by making it real, alive and something that each child, even the youngest child, will “own” and apply to their future encounters with all scientific inquiries.
To know a plant by its gesture and habitat, its time and its way of flowering and fruiting; a bird by its flight and song and its times of coming and going; to know when, year after year, you may come upon the redstart and the pied fly-catcher, means a good deal of interested observation, and of, at any rate, the material for science.
-Mason, Vol. 3 p. 236
You can visit RMCS to order their Calendar of Firsts here.
A few other science narration journal posts –
Science Narration Journals
Science – Each New Thing is a Delight
Thank you so much, for your willingness and kindness to share!
Where can I find this calendar of firsts now? I do not see it in the Owl store.
Hi, Kim!
Please contact Red Mountain School for any info on this particular Calendar of Firsts.
Warmly,
Nancy
Thanks so much for sharing this!! We are very excited about doing this. Thanks again
I like the idea of a Calendar of Firsts and would enjoy starting one. I hope Red Mountain Community School will have copies of My Calendar of Firsts available again soon. A lovely book to record the firsts in would be much more special to have than something that is not quite as beautiful and sturdy. I wonder what some other nice looking options could be used to do do a calendar like this if RMCS still doesn’t have any available?
Hello, Sheila! Are you familiar with Celeste’s blog,Joyous Lessons? She has a series called Keeping Company and I think some examples of Book of Firsts have been in those link-ups.
Warmly,
Nancy
Hi Nancy!
Thank you for the update on the calendar of firsts!
At what age, or which form, would you begin a calendar of firsts?
Well, if a child is in the habit of observing and noticing things, he can be contributing to the Family Diary while quite young. Perhaps his mother or older sibling can write down his observations. But Charlotte Mason talks of a child of 5 or 6 starting to brush draw in their nature notebooks, so a calendar of firsts would certainly be part of that – or a separate book. So from Form 1 on, they could keep one!
Warmly,
Nancy
“As soon as he is able to keep it himself, a nature-diary is a source of delight to a child.” Read more in Volume 1 p. 54.
Thank you for the update on the calendar of firsts! Unfortunately, every time I visit their site, I can't find the product. Is it something we have to personally contact them about ordering? Thanks for the help!
The only contact I have is the above email from Cereta. I would try that.
Warmly,
Nancy
The scientific name for this recording of "firsts" is called phenology. The Freshwater Society of MN (http://freshwater.org/) puts out a beautiful calendar called the Weatherguide. It contains information on typical patterns in meteorology, phenology, and astronomy. It would be a useful tool to use with your kids, comparing their "firsts" with what is the typical pattern in MN.
Charlotte Mason's observations from book 1 still create a breathless fascination in me as they did when I first read them, years ago. The calendar is beautiful and a brilliant idea!
Dear Charlene,
The journal is manufactured by Night Owl Paper Goods for Red Mountain Community School. You can order from Red Mountain at the link on the end of the post. They don't have any other information about the journal on their website at this time.
HTH,
Ring true,
Nancy
Sounds like an awesome idea! Any way you could share a photo of one page? Is it something they make special at Red Mountain or is it actually on their website? I couldn't find it…
Thanks!
ps. I think we should all stand and give kent a round of applause. no, really. 🙂
i love you guys.
🙂
I SO want to do this. So much so that I bought the book. But I find it extremely discouraging not having marked seasons here… any ideas?
amy in peru
Looks good. Emma and I have one going ( just a blank journal) because we declare : this is the FIRST time I've ….! Quite a memory maker. Have fun.
I love the idea, too. And adding our own pictures or drawings of the trees and our home from the outside will make it sweet.
Oh, this is marvelous! I wonder if they would ship to Australia?