Nature Study and TV don't usually go together in the same sentence, nor in the same paragraph. But in the winter months it really is difficult to go outside and get a good first hand experience with nature. The weather is harsh, or muddy and mucky during a thaw, and most live things are dormant or in hibernation.
So I will use more TV shows, and online programming to help my kids learn a little bit more about nature. One of the program sites I frequent often is PBS.org.
Nova had a past episode on Monarch Butterflies, and we watched it today. My daughter loves reading about butterflies and learning about them so this program was right up her alley. Did you realize that the year long migration cycle is made by four generations of monarchs? Three generations only live just over a month and then die, but the fourth generation lives about 9 months. It is the fourth generation that makes the several thousand mile migration from North-Eastern USA and Canada south to Mexico, in two months.
Most of the programming on PBS is great and educational. But a note of caution. As expected, PBS programming usually includes something that is pro evolution or extreme enviromentalism. Watch these programs first. Then watch them with their kids. Then discuss with your kids what was good and not so good about the program.
And don't ever let your kids roam the internet unsupervised.
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