94. Why Do Some Plants Grow Giant Fruits?

How do animals move without legs? In this short and slithery episode, Mrs. Cindy uncovers the science behind how snakes use muscles, scales, and clever movement to glide across the ground. If today’s topic gives you the shivers (in a good way), you’ll love the upcoming Venomous Snakes: Danger, Design, and Discovery No Sweat Nature Study avideo class! Join Mrs. Cindy to learn how venomous snakes use their incredible adaptations to hunt, defend, and even help humans through science. Join No Sweat Nature Study at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for $10 off your first payment of a quarterly subscription. Visit the venomous snakes show notes page. See the book list of your nature-themed book suggestions. Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them! Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

Have you ever seen a pumpkin so big it needed a forklift? In this episode, we’ll discover why some fruits grow to amazing sizes while others stay small on purpose. Join me for the Perfectly Pleasant Pumpkin Class, where we’ll follow a pumpkin’s journey from flower to fruit and peek inside to explore seeds, rinds, and blossoms. Along the way, you’ll discover why pumpkins became a favorite symbol of autumn and create a detailed pumpkin nature journal page of your own! Join No Sweat Nature Study at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for $10 off your first payment of a quarterly subscription. Visit the pumpkins show notes page. See the book list of your nature-themed book suggestions. Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them! Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

Some animals have a superpower called regeneration—the ability to grow back lost body parts! Meet incredible creatures like starfish, lizards, and axolotls while learning how special cells make this amazing process possible. Don’t miss the upcoming axolotl video class, where kids will explore this unusual salamander’s amazing features and create a colorful nature journal diagram. It’s the perfect class for curious learners who love weird and wonderful animals! Join No Sweat Nature Study at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for $10 off your first payment of a quarterly subscription. Visit the axolotl show notes page. See the book list of your nature-themed book suggestions. Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them! Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

Meet a photographer who used his camera to help people see nature in a whole new way. Learn how black-and-white pictures captured the beauty of wild places and inspired others to notice what they’d never seen before. In the companion video class for members, explore the iconic landscapes of Yosemite and create a black-and-white painting inspired by Ansel Adams’ style. Join No Sweat Nature Study at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for $10 off your first payment of a quarterly subscription. Visit the hummingbird show notes page. See the book list of your nature-themed book suggestions. Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them! Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

Why do hummingbirds sparkle like flying jewels? In this episode of the No Sweat Nature Study Podcast, Mrs. Cindy explains how their brilliant feathers work and teaches some impressive new science words! In the companion video class about Hummingbirds included in the No Sweat Nature Study membership, discover dazzling hummingbirds and the science behind their wingbeats, colors, and migration journeys. Design your own hummingbird in your nature journal during the class! Join No Sweat Nature Study at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for $10 off your first payment of a quarterly subscription. Register here for the FREE Music and Nature Study Event! Visit the hummingbird show notes page. See the book list of your nature-themed book suggestions. Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them! Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

What do animals do when ocean water disappears with the tide? Discover the secrets of tide pools and how creatures survive in this exciting beach-themed nature study for kids. In the companion Video Class about Tides included in the No Sweat Nature Study  membership, children learn how the moon affects ocean tides and explore the intertidal zone through hands-on nature journaling. Join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership. BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study LIVE →  ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift/ Visit the Tides show notes page to see a tide pool! Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them! Click here to find the book list of listener recommendations for nature-themed reading! Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

What makes an octopus’s blood blue instead of red? In this ocean-themed nature study for kids, discover how hemocyanin helps octopuses survive in cold, low-oxygen waters and why these creatures are some of the coolest animals in the sea. In the companion video class about Octopuses included in the No Sweat Nature Study membership, students will learn all about octopus anatomy, how camouflage works, and the amazing ways these animals use their arms, suckers, and brains to survive. They'll even create an underwater nature journal scene featuring a camouflaged octopus blending into its habitat. Join No Sweat Nature Study at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership. Buy gift cards for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study →  ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift Charter schools can purchase access to No Sweat Nature Study → ourjourneywestward.com/charter Visit the Octopuses show notes page to see a stunning octopus. Click here to find the nature-themed book recommendations from our listeners! Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them! Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

Discover the parts of a sunflower seed, how germination begins, and what helps a tiny seed grow into a towering plant in this fun nature study episode for kids. In the companion video class about Sunflowers included in the No Sweat Nature Study membership, students explore the sunflower’s life cycle, label its parts, and create a nature journal page inspired by Van Gogh’s famous sunflower art. Join No Sweat Nature Study at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership. Buy gift cards for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study →  ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift Charter schools can purchase access to No Sweat Nature Study → ourjourneywestward.com/charter Visit the Sunflower show notes page to see a sunflower field. Click here for the list of nature book recommendations submitted by our listeners! Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them! Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

Which veggie wins the title of fastest-growing? Join Mrs. Cindy as we find out the answer and explore why some vegetables seem to grow almost overnight! In the companion True Vegetables Video Class included in the No Sweat Nature Study LIVE membership, discover how true vegetables are different from fruits and how important they are to human nutrition. In your nature journal, you'll create a life cycle of a true vegetable, as well as a comparison of true vegetables and fruits. Join No Sweat Nature Study at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership. Buy gift cards for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study →  ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift Charter schools can purchase access to No Sweat Nature Study → ourjourneywestward.com/charter Visit the True Vegetables show notes page to see a radish! See the nature-themed booklist → book recommendations from YOU! Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them! Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)

Join Mrs. Cindy to discover why peaches have a soft, fuzzy skin and how it helps them thrive in the summer heat. Learn about trichomes, their protective superpowers, and how each fruit has just what it needs to stay healthy. In the companion video class about peaches, have even more juicy fun as you draw and label a peach’s parts, study its life cycle, and compare peaches to nectarines! Join No Sweat Nature Study at NoSweatNatureStudy.com. Use the code NOSWEAT for 50% off your first month of a monthly membership. Buy gift cards for friends and family to join No Sweat Nature Study →  ourjourneywestward.com/downloads/no-sweat-nature-study-live-gift Charter schools can purchase access to No Sweat Nature Study → ourjourneywestward.com/charter Visit the Peaches show notes page to see trichomes on the skin of a peach! Here are links to Mrs. Cindy's favorite nature-themed picture books and nature-themed chapter books. Share pictures of your nature studies on Instagram or Facebook. Be sure to tag @OurJourneyWestward so Mrs. Cindy will see them! Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review if you enjoy the episodes. Thank you! It helps the podcast so much! :)