Discover the fascinating history and traditions of the Yule log, from its roots as a burning log for winter warmth to the sweet French bûche de Noël cake. Learn how this holiday custom connects to the winter solstice and nature's seasonal rhythms!

In the companion video class about The Shortest Day of the Year, included in the No Sweat Nature Study membership, discover how the tilt of the earth and its orbit affect the seasons, climate, and the length of light each day - all while creating a scientific nature journal page.

Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE →  ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/

Visit the Yule log show notes page to see a Yule log cake!

BONUS: Get a fun Christmas Glyph activity!

Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

Learn about the Theridiidae spiders, often called cobweb spiders, and the tangled webs they create. These messy but fascinating webs might surprise you when you hear how they connect to the shimmering tinsel often found on Christmas trees!

In the companion The Cobweb Christmas Video Class included in the No Sweat Nature Study LIVE membership, learn how cobwebs contribute to biodiversity, discover fascinating facts about harmless and venomous cobweb spiders, and create a nature journal page to capture your observations.

Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE →  ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/

SEND CHARTER SCHOOLS HERE → ourjourneywestward.com/charter/

Visit the cobwebs show notes page to see an old-fashioned Christmas tree with tinsel.

Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Here are some free Winter Nature Study Printables that are ready for download.

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

This cranberry nature study is perfect for your autumn science lessons about the harvest season, Thanksgiving, or Christmas!

In the companion video class about cranberries, included in the No Sweat Nature Study membership, 1st-8th graders will understand the life cycle of cranberries that grow uniquely in bogs. Learn why cranberries bounce, see how they are harvested, and discover their importance in agriculture and cuisine. 

Join No Sweat Nature Study Membership at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study →  ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/

Share this link with CHARTER SCHOOLS → ourjourneywestward.com/charter/

Visit the cranberry show notes page to see the air pockets inside a cranberry.

Enjoy some cranberry books (affiliate link) and cranberry experiments this holiday season. 

Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

Corn isn’t just tasty; it comes in a rainbow of colors! Discover why corn kernels can be yellow, white, purple, red, and even blue in this seasonal science episode!

In the companion Video Class about Maize included in the No Sweat Nature Study membership, discover the life cycle of maize, its unique history around the world, and the many ways it can be used - all while creating a beautiful nature journal page.

NEW MEMBERS can use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

CHARTER SCHOOLS can now purchase a video-only membership! This is perfect for charters that don't allow their students access to live classes. Please direct your charter school to OurJourneyWestward.com/charter/.

GIFT CARDS are available for friends and family to purchase for you. Please send them here.

Corn Show Notes Page 

Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Show Sponsor: You'll love this season's edition of the Learning Well Magazine!

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

Kangaroos are incredible creatures, and their unique mode of movement is not just fun to watch but also an efficient way for them to get around the vast Australian landscape. Join Mrs. Cindy as she dives into the science behind why hopping is so energy-efficient for kangaroos and how their strong legs, giant feet, and tails are perfectly designed for this movement.

In the companion Marsupials Video Class included in the No Sweat Nature Study membership, learn about various types of marsupials and their amazing pouches as you create a beautiful nature journal entry.

NEW MEMBERS can use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

CHARTER SCHOOLS can now purchase a video-only membership! Perfect for charters that don't allow their students access to live classes. Please direct your charter school to OurJourneyWestward.com/charter/.

GIFT CARDS are available for friends and family to purchase for you. Please send them here.

Kangaroo Show Notes Page

Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Poems is another excellent podcast for kids. Your family can enjoy a weekly poem for fun or memorization!

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

Have you ever spotted a striking orange and black butterfly fluttering through your garden? That was likely a monarch butterfly! Milkweed, the monarch butterfly’s favorite plant, is vital to their life cycle. But why do monarch butterflies love milkweed so much? In this episode, we’ll uncover the special connection between monarchs and milkweed that helps these butterflies thrive.

In the companion Monarch Butterflies Video Class included in the No Sweat Nature Study membership, discover the life cycle of monarch butterflies from egg to adult and create a monarch migration map that follows the route these migrating butterflies take.

Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE →  ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/

CHARTER SCHOOL LINK → ourjourneywestward.com/charter/

Visit the monarchs show notes page to see a monarch sipping nectar from milkweed!

Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

In this episode of the No Sweat Nature Study Podcast, Mrs. Cindy takes kids on a journey inside the human body to explore the fascinating role of cells. Children will be amazed to learn that their bodies contain more cells than people on Earth!

In the companion Animal Cells Video Class included in the No Sweat Nature Study membership, understand the functions and structure of animal cells as you create and label your own.

Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE →  ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/

Visit the Animal Cells show notes page to leave a voice message for Mrs. Cindy.

Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

Explore the concept of biomimicry, where nature's designs inspire human innovation. This episode delves into STEM as we discuss science, technology, and engineering. Learn how one engineer in the 1940s imitated a natural plant process to create new technology!

In the companion Nature's Tech Wonders Video Class included in the No Sweat Nature Study membership, explore the various technologies that assist in animal care and conservation. See how a tracking device works and how technology can be used to create prosthetics and wheelchairs for animals. As always, you'll create a fantastic nature journal page to go along with the class!

Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE →  ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/

Visit the biomimicry show notes page to see a macro image of a burr, as referenced in the episode.

Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Sponsor: The Wonder World Podcast

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

Explore an incredible mutualistic symbiotic friendship in nature as you discover the fascinating bond between clownfish and sea anemones!

In the companion Symbiosis Video Class included in the No Sweat Nature Study LIVE membership, learn other examples of mutualistic symbiosis, such as the relationship between bees and flowers. Plus, discover commensalism and parasitism – two other types of symbiosis! Expect to create a detailed chart of examples of each of these types of symbiotic relationships.

Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE →  ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/

Visit the symbiosis page at Our Journey Westward to see a clownfish hanging out with a sea anemone.

Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

Learn about the weather phenomenon of droughts as you discover the microscopic tardigrade's ability to survive with a lack of water of a very long time.

In the companion Drought Video Class included in the No Sweat Nature Study LIVE membership, understand the difference between meteorological, hydrological, and agricultural droughts. Create a chart in your nature journal to show their impacts on the land, plants, and animals.

Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE →  ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/

Visit the droughts show notes page to see a tardigrade!

Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Our sponsor this week is the Learning Well Journal. Grab your copy of this season's encouraging edition of the print magazine at learningwellcommunity.com/magazine/.

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

Ichthyology nature study is a fishy one. You see, ichthyology is the study of all types of freshwater and marine fish. In this episode, learn where this odd science word comes from and what the scientists do. Who knows? Maybe you'll be inspired to become an ichthyologist someday!

In the companion Eugenie Clark Video Class included in the No Sweat Nature Study membership, learn the biography of a pioneer ichthyologist. During the video class, expect to create a nature journal page highlighting her discoveries of sleeping sharks and symbiosis!

Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership.

BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join the No Sweat Nature Study Membership →  ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/

Download the FREE Summer Activity Printable → ourjourneywestward.com/free-summer-nature-study-printable/

Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them!

Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)