Cindy West is passionate about homeschooling joyfully and loves to share practical, creative strategies to tackle things that so often steal joy in day-to-day homeschooling. She’s written more than 30 nature study curriculum guides for all types of homeschoolers. Cindy is also known as Mrs. Cindy of No Sweat Nature Study LIVE, a membership where children can enjoy interactive, online science classes through the lens of nature study. Visit OurJourneyWestward.com to find more than a decade’s worth of blog posts, creative curriculum, and helpful homeschooling tools.
2022 Conference
Why Charlotte Mason Was Right About Nature Study
After putting nature study to the test in her own homeschool for the last 20 years, Cindy has clearly seen that Charlotte Mason was absolutely right about its importance. Nature study IS science…and so much more. Learn why it’s so important and get plenty of practical tips for making nature study a fun reality in your homeschool.
2021 Conference
Nature Study Made Easy
Nature study can truly be one of the most powerful practices you keep in your Charlotte Mason homeschool. Not only is it a beautiful and effective way to learn real science, nature study naturally reaches into so many other areas of school and life. It can sometimes be difficult to find enough time in a busy schedule and/or know what to do during nature study. These EASY tips and tricks will help you make productive nature study a regular reality. Of course, we’ll talk about nature walks, but don’t be surprised when some of the awesome ideas don’t even require you to get outside!
2020 Conference
Nature Journaling for Normal People
Too many times, I hear that nature journaling is intimidating. People either have no idea what to do on those blank pages or they get stuck believing that only beautifully artistic pages matter. Some people even find nature journals boring because they get stuck in a rut of simply sketching and moving on. Let’s change all of that! Learn how to make journaling during nature study a creative, interest-packed activity that requires not one ounce of artistic ability. Bring along some paper and colored pencils!
2019 Conference
Nature Study with Older Kids
Once your children move into middle and high school, is nature study even valuable anymore? Yes, yes it is! There is so much more to nature study than you might think – and that “so much more” is perfect to highlight as you consider maintaining a nature study practice with older students. In this workshop, we’ll focus on how to teach real, in-depth science to middle and high school kids through the use of nature study. We’ll talk about important things like science labs and higher-order thinking skills, but don’t think for one minute that we’re going too deep! On the contrary, in easy-to-understand terms you’ll will leave feeling confident and ready to make nature study an important part of your homeschool schedule. P.S. Parents of younger children can certainly glean practical ideas for creative nature study in this workshop, too!
Vendor Hall
Cindy West has been sharing practical homeschool advice and creative homeschooling ideas at Our Journey Westward for more than a decade. She is the creator of nearly 40 nature study curriculum guides and is proudly known as Mrs. Cindy of No Sweat Nature Study LIVE.
Featured Products
No Sweat Nature Study LIVE
Your 1st-8th grade children will love learning science through nature study with Mrs. Cindy during No Sweat Nature Study LIVE lessons! Each twice monthly, interactive class digs deep into the science behind a fun nature study topic. Engaging lessons include opportunities for your children to participate via chat, taking polls, and creating amazing nature journal pages. Each live class is recorded and placed in a video library that members have access to 24/7. Learning packets, free products, and store discounts are included! Bring all of your children along because it’s the perfect fit for multiple ages.
NaturExplorers
NaturExplorers guides are educational journeys into God’s creation! These nature-based science curriculum guides, written with 1st-8th graders in mind, are incredibly versatile and can be used simply for the creative nature walk ideas or thoroughly as in-depth unit studies – or anything in between. Besides exciting nature walk ideas, you’ll find hands-on activities, kid-friendly research-based projects, literature lists, printable notebooking pages, and helpful connections to art, music, poetry, and Bible study. Use NaturExplorers as a supplement to your regular science program or dig deep and let NaturExplorers become your science program. Either way, you’ll find serious learning alongside serious fun!
