Oh dear. This little section is only two pages long, and isn't exactly packed full of information. It suggests, of course, plenty of nature walks and observation, and letting the discoveries the children make lead them to research and find out more, read biographies, the lives of animals, etc. I absolutely love and agree with all of that. However, what about the various branches of science, experimenting, and more in-depth understanding of the natural world? In referencing the chart at the back of the book, in the applied Philosophy section, we can see how the Ambleside schools here in the U.S. teach science. There is a progression in the grades from physical, earth, and life science, using observation, demonstration, and the principles of science. Technology comes in here as well.
In our family, we will probably be taking a more in depth approach to science, even in the beginning years. Of course, this will be as "living books-based" as possible, with lots of nature time, but I can imagine plenty of hands-on work, experiments, museum trips, and field trips, like to our gorgeous Monterey Bay Aquarium:). With a scientist for a daddy, and an English teacher for a mommy, I'm hoping we can present the best of both worlds, and I know my husband is looking as forward to their science education as I am to their literary explorations:)
I definitely think, like you said, that a early-elementary CM education can include more science than just nature study, depending on the interests of the child and the priorities of the family. I would have liked to see more discussion on that in this chapter, because I think there are plenty of ways to incorporate other branches of science into the school day without resorting to textbooks, which is obviously the concern here and that of CM herself. I'm really looking forward to seeing what you come up with science-wise over the next few years--I think there is definitely "room" out there for some science-y lesson plans and book lists for those families that are science-minded!
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