Footprints Nature Quest is a unique, literature-driven learning safari that takes your family on a journey of discovery through the various natural biomes of our amazing country.
In each region, a local guide will give you insight into the fascinating geography, flora, fauna and other natural features that make that area distinct.
You will explore the depths of the dark kelp forests of the west coast as well as the diverse east coast with it’s warm ocean and lush vegetation. You will uncover the secrets of animals and plants of the Nama Karoo, meander through the rich floral kingdom of the fynbos biome, marvel at our forests, rivers, mountains, bushveld, Kalahari and even travel back in time to learn captivating facts about human settlement in South Africa.
In each area of your learning safari, a selection of ‘living books’ will give your family insight from experts who have lived there and loved our beautiful country and her natural inhabitants. Living books aren’t textbooks; they’re books written by an author who is knowledgeable and passionate about a subject and who brings that subject to life through a story, biography or autobiography.
Our colourful curriculum guide, written in a gentle conversational style, gives you useful background information and researched facts about the complexity of each biome.
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Footprints Nature Quest Classic PackR8 015.00
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Product on sale
Footprints Nature Quest Junior StoriesOriginal price was: R4 200.00.R3 975.00Current price is: R3 975.00.
Home education is not so much about filling children’s minds with facts, but rather as Charlotte Mason said, it is a science of relations – it’s about introducing your children to topics and subjects that fascinate them, views and ideas that challenge them and great authors whose stories and experiences enrich their knowledge and thinking. It’s about creating an atmosphere of learning where questions, curiosity, and discovery are part of your family culture.
In a Charlotte Mason-style education, there are no worksheets, no tests or quizzes, no busywork. Instead, in Footprints Nature Quest, we offer you a selection of meaningful assignments to choose from – mapwork, writing assignments and practical activities that will enrich your children’s learning and experiences. We encourage you to plan outings, trips and holidays to visit some of the regions you will learn about to explore them in person. In each area, you will discover a specific treasure that you will store in your treasure chest of knowledge!
We believe that learning should consist of great stories, rich conversations, purposeful work and an atmosphere of joy and delight that leads to a love of learning.
Footprints Nature Quest is aimed at children between the ages of 8-16 years. It is a unit study that covers Geography and Natural Sciences. It is an ideal resource to use alongside our best-selling Footprints On Our Land social studies programme, but each of these products can be used on their own as well. For families with children in the 4-8 years age category, Footprints Nature Quest also includes the option to buy a package of beautiful picture book stories in each biome you will explore, so that you can include the younger children in your studies too. As moms of large families, we understand that we need to make multi-level home education easy and normal!
Would you like a sneak peek at our guide? Download the sample chapter here.
Why do Nature Study?
We know that home educating parents are busy and you don’t need extra work, but both history and modern science shows that nature study is the foundation for scientific breakthroughs. Not only does nature study change the world, but it helps children (and adults!) develop skills that are critical in all areas of learning – plus its fun!
Read more: Why do Nature Study?
What do you get with Footprints Nature Quest?
- Curriculum Guide
- Living books
- Wall map of South Africa
- Printable treasure chest picture discs
- Course website with links, video clips and other enriching resources
In our Classic package, aimed at the target age group of age 8-16 years, we provide you with a package of over 30 South African stories and reference books that will delight your family. Where appropriate we also list movies and documentaries that will expand your learning.
For families with younger children in the 4-8 years age bracket, we offer a Junior stories package of beautiful picture book stories that you can add to your adventures.
Classic – Chapter book package plus the parent manual and essential reference books, for ages 8 -16 but actually suitable for age 8 to adult!
Junior stories only* – Picture book package for families with children aged 4-8 years. (No manual and no essential reference books are included)]
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Footprints Nature Quest Classic PackR8 015.00
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Product on saleFootprints Nature Quest Junior StoriesOriginal price was: R4 200.00.R3 975.00Current price is: R3 975.00.
The Curriculum Guide
The comprehensive and colourful Curriculum Guide highlights the unique features of each region to give you a wealth of knowledge about South Africa’s natural heritage.
At the beginning of each lesson there is:
- a map showing the region you will be exploring
- a local tour guide or nature expert to show you around
- a list of topics you will cover
- a synopsis of the stories and reference books
- a list of additional titles you could source to add to your study
- suggestions of possible field trips
- titles of movies and documentaries to add to your studies* (optional)
The content that follows in the guide leads your family on an awesome adventure into the natural wonders of South Africa.
*The recommended documentaries are not supplied, but they are available as an optional extras from libraries or subscription movie channels online.
The course webpage
We provide access to a course webpage where you will find links to additional articles, video clips and other resources to enrich your children’s learning safari. You don’t need to spend hours searching the web for additional material – we’ve done it all for you!
What else should you know?
You could work through Footprints Nature Quest in one year, if you plan carefully and keep up a steady pace. However, if you use it in conjunction with one of our history focused programmes, such as Footprints – The Early Years or Footprints – The Last Century other homeschool curriculum products, it could take up to two years to complete.
We encourage you to work at your own comfortable pace and to take plenty of days for field trips to places of interest where you can see and experience firsthand the things you are learning about. We believe that this real-life learning is much more valuable than sticking to a schedule and learning from books!
We encourage you to use our lesson plans as a springboard and to dig deeper or go down ‘rabbit trails’ to explore further if your children are particularly interested in any specific topic. This is how you give them a delight-directed, customised learning experience. It’s also how you discover more about your children’s interests and personalities. They might even discover their future career path when given the freedom to pursue this kind of in-depth learning on topics that fascinate them!
Worldview
As Christians, we hold a Biblical creationist worldview, but not all the books that we have included share this perspective. Matters of faith are not the main focus of this programme, so families of any faith or none at all should be comfortable using it.
When issues like the age of the earth or the origins of creation arise, we believe that this diversity of views is something that you should address as a learning opportunity with your family instead of shying away from it. Discuss why you believe as you do and why others hold different views. Encourage your children to keep researching these matters so that ultimately they can make their own informed choices as they mature. Teach them to read more than one side of any controversy, to ponder and even wrestle with the information they find. Teach them to think critically, rather than simply drilling them with what you believe.
Homeschool Mom Review
Nature Quest is a magnificent resource for learning about the natural splendour of South Africa. The content is logically arranged with a clean and visually inviting layout. Having started to browse through it I didn¹t want to stop! It¹s written in a narrative style with a human or animal guide leading us through each chapter. This means the content, while substantial, is immediately engaging and effortlessly informative.
I also appreciated that the stories of the diverse people of South Africa, both past and present, are woven into the science and nature content, for a thoroughly holistic view of the country.
The guide makes for great reading all by itself and the books, movies, activities and assignments suggested or included in the package will only further enrich the learning experience.
I so wish I¹d had this when I was schooling my children. I¹d highly recommend it to home schoolers looking for a comprehensive and delightful
programme to both to inform and particularly to foster curiosity and appreciation for our wonderful country.
Well done, Shirley and Wendy, and thank you for serving the South African homeschooling community so very well.
~ Ruth Clarke
Optional Extras
FAQs
When will Footprints Nature Quest be available?
Footprints Nature Quest launched on 28 February 2022. Order the package you need from our online shop.
What’s the ideal age for Footprints Nature Quest?
The Classic Pack is aimed at children between ages 8-16 years but we’ve created a Junior Pack consisting of picture book stories in each biome which are suitable for children in the 4-8 year age group.
Can we use it with Footprints – The Early Years or Footprints – The Last Century?
Yes, in fact we recommend this. While you immerse your family in a study of the history of South Africa, you can also enrich their learning with a study of the natural heritage of our country by using Footprints Nature Quest.
Do you provide a daily schedule?
No, we don’t provide a daily schedule as we believe that you know best how to pace your family’s progress, depending on the number of other resources you are using, your family size, your children’s ages, your work commitments and other factors that make your family’s circumstances unique.
How long will it take to complete Footprints Nature Quest?
You could complete it in one year but we recommend two years or that you take all the time you need rather than stressing to complete it in a predetermined time frame. Rather focus on making your learning experience as rich and enjoyable as possible.
Do you provide all the recommended books?
Yes. We offer all the essential books you need in the Footprints Nature Quest Classic pack. As some of the books are currently out of print, we have obtained copyright to reproduce them for this programme.
I’ve already got a science curriculum. Why do I need this one?
Discover the secret formula that makes Footprints Nature Quest go above and beyond any science curriculum we know!
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