Far Afield Watercolor Cards

*We highly recommend each student has their own set of these fieldnote & watercolor cards.

 

12 high-quality cards specially designed to help children create beautiful works of art that align with the lessons in Far Afield Natural Science (4-6). Used alongside the Teacher Guide and the book, “Watercolor in Nature,” students receive step-by-step instruction on what to paint, how to paint, and when to paint the subject of study.

 

Providing ease of use and preparation, each card is seamlessly sized to fit in the Far Afield Logbook, making them a key part of the complete Far Afield experience.   

 

Far Afield Watercolor Cards: Student Materials for Homeschool Natural Science

 

Real scientists don't just observe the natural world. They document it. The Far Afield Watercolor Cards give students a dedicated place to practice one of science's oldest and most beautiful tools: botanical and nature illustration. Used alongside the Far Afield Teacher Guide and Far Afield Logbook, these 12 watercolor pages bring the art of scientific documentation to life in a format designed specifically for homeschool students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades.

 

 

What's Included

 

12 watercolor pages printed on quality watercolor paper, sized at 6x9 inches to fit perfectly inside the Far Afield Logbook. Each card corresponds to specific lessons in the Far Afield Teacher Guide, giving students a structured place to complete guided watercolor lessons  as part of their science curriculum.

 

 

How They're Used

 

Throughout the Far Afield curriculum, students are instructed to refer to the accompanying book, “Watercolor in Nature” where they are taught watercolor illustration as a tool of scientific inquiry, not just as an art activity. Botanical drawing and nature illustration develop the same skills real naturalists use: careful observation, attention to detail, and the ability to document what you see accurately and beautifully.

Each watercolor card is completed during a corresponding lesson and slipped into the placement pages of the Far Afield Logbook, building a cumulative portfolio of scientific artwork over the course of the year.

 

 

Watercolor as a Scientific Tool 

 

The Schullandheim tradition, the educational philosophy at the heart of Far Afield, emphasizes learning through immersion in the natural world and documenting discoveries the way real scientists do. Watercolor illustration has been used by naturalists, botanists, and field scientists for centuries as a primary method of recording and communicating scientific observation. Students who practice this skill develop a deeper relationship with what they observe, because drawing something carefully requires you to truly look at it.

 

 

A Note on Student Materials

 

We recommend each student have their own set of watercolor cards. The cards are designed to be completed individually as part of each student's personal science portfolio, built lesson by lesson throughout the Far Afield study.

 

For the complete student experience for Far Afield Natural Science (4-6), pair with the Far Afield Logbook and the book “Watercolor in Nature” as part of the full Far Afield curriculum bundle.