Connecting with the Natural World
February 18, 2017
Environmental Ed & Eco-Schools, Seasonal Discovery, Tracking, Wildlife camera, critter, education, environmental, mutlrie, trail, Wildlife 1 Comment
The Critter Cam was setup by a group of middle-school age students during a Swamp Exploration-Wild About Wildlife program. The trail camera was positioned over the remains of a recently harvested and butchered white-tailed deer to catch the mix of scavengers that might take advantage of an easy winter treat and forest feast.
Within the first few days and nights the camera captured coyote, fox, red tail hawk, vulture, crow, red bellied woodpecker, blue jay and deer.
January 26, 2017
Environmental Ed & Eco-Schools, Primitive & Outdoor Living Skills american, archaeological, delaware, dig, indian, lenape, native 2 Comments
If you ask kids today how we know what we know about a subject they often will answer “google” or the “internet”. Try it.
To get students to think of themselves as seekers of knowledge, I’m always trying to create lessons that allow them to comprehend information through their own discoveries. This makes lessons more personal, meaningful and memorable.
To help elementary age students learn about the Lenape or Delaware Native Americans I create a simulated artifact excavation activity. I’ll bury animal bones (mostly deer and bear), pottery shards, arrowheads, shells and stones. The students become archaeologists making exciting discoveries as they excavate, clean, record and organize findings.
When ready we circle around the findings and one at a time discuss what we think an item is, what it was used for and what the modern equivalent might be.
Can You Dig It!
Uncover and analyze artifacts in an
attempt to reconstruct aspects of
New Jersey Indian Life and Culture.
Lesson:
Participants approach excavation site to uncover artifacts of the Lenape people in a simulated archaeological dig.
Extension:
October 3, 2015
Environmental Ed & Eco-Schools, Primitive & Outdoor Living Skills, Special Events american, center, education, environmental, indian, lenape, native, village, waterloo Leave a comment
Together with Mike Dennis of Traditional Earth Skills we’ve created a Lenape Learning Area where students can experience and participate in Native American educational programming including field trips, camps, workshops and special events.
The site creates wonderful opportunities for program and event visitors to participate in a variety of experiential hands-on and skill-based activities and crafts. Some of the offerings have included Three-Sisters Garden planting, Sewing Medicine Bags and Moccasins, Dyeing bracelets with Native Plants, Crushing Corn with Mortar and Pestle, Throwing Corn Cob Darts, Fire-Friction and Fire Building Skills, Cord Making, Simulated Archaeological Digs, Wild Edible and Medicinal Plant Walks and much more.
The Lenape Learning area includes: Wigwam Shelter, Mortar and Pestle Corn Grinder, Garden Area with Deer Antler and Scapula Gardening Tools, Food Cache Pit, Corn Cob Dart Throwing Station, Fish Drying Station and Hide Tanning Display.
To learn more about program opportunities in NJ, check out Mike’s site at www.TraditionalEarthSkills.com
August 5, 2015
Environmental Ed & Eco-Schools, Insects -Buzz Into Action!, Special Events bee, beeginner, beekeeper, buzz, buzz into action, buzzfest, craft, harvest, honey, pollinator 3 Comments
This past weekend my workplace held a Buzzfest Celebration providing an opportunity for visitors to harvest honey with the Beekeeping Master Gardeners and complete crafts and activities with 4H and Environmental Center staff & volunteers. Participants could uncap the frames with a heated knife, pour the honey into jars, take a honey taste test, make native pollinator seed balls, bamboo bundle bee shelters, look at bee and insect parts with a microscope, use bug eyes to experience bug vision, try on a bee suit, build-a-bee, roll a beeswax candle, read all about bees and more. Prizes like pollinator seed bags were provided when participants had their agenda booklet stamped at four or more activity stations.
David Alexander is author of the Buzz Into Action & Hop Into Action Science Curricula. He specializes in making nature accessible to people and wildlife. You can follow him at www.natureintoaction.com
July 31, 2015
Environmental Ed & Eco-Schools, Insects -Buzz Into Action! caterpillar, life cycle, luna, metamorphosis, moth, sweetgum, tree Leave a comment
I raised Luna Moths a member of the Saturniidae family, also known as “Giant Silkworm Moths” as part of an educational display at the Butterfly Tent Safari. The process was the same as when I raised Polyphemus Moths except that the Luna Moths ate Sweetgum Tree leaves as their host plant. These Luna moths turned out to be the first of two generations to mate, lay eggs and die. The second generation will over-winter in a wrapped leaf cocoon.
Luna MothLuna Moth Caterpillar
It is easy to tell a male and a female apart when comparing their antennae. The males have larger bushier more feather like antennae to smell the pheromones of a female to find her for mating. The female has smaller thinner antennae and tends to stay put waiting for the males to sniff her out.
David Alexander is author of the Buzz Into Action & Hop Into Action Science Curricula. He specializes in making nature accessible to people and wildlife. You can follow him at www.natureintoaction.com
July 19, 2015
Environmental Ed & Eco-Schools, Insects -Buzz Into Action!, Special Events butterfly, butterfly tent safari, buzz into action, conservation, education, elementary, luna, monarch, moth, pollinator, safari Leave a comment
Every summer I work with staff and volunteers at the Essex County Environmental Center in Roseland, New Jersey to host a Butterfly Tent Safari event. The aim is to educate guests about butterfly conservation through wonderment that leads to active conservation and enhancement of our own backyard, schoolyard and community habitats. To learn bout hosting your own butterfly tent safari or bugfest event check out “Buzz Into Action, The Insect Curriculum For Grades K-4“.
Below are a few photographs of the program and an article from the Star Ledger that includes photographs of kids within the tent. As always I’m happy to share information if you have any questions about setting up a similar event.
NJ Families Flock to Butterfly Tent Safari – Star Ledger Article
David Alexander, senior naturalist with Essex County Parks, has been involved with the butterfly event since it started in July 2010. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to get connected with nature,” he said. According to Alexander, the tent is filled with a variety of nectar plants and host plants and over 50 butterflies.
David Alexander is author of the Buzz Into Action & Hop Into Action Science Curricula. He specializes in making nature accessible to people and wildlife. You can follow him at www.natureintoaction.com
January 3, 2015
Environmental Ed & Eco-Schools, Nature & Art, Seasonal Discovery art, artist, camp, Campfire, charcoal, charcoal pencils, child, different, fire, fresh, home school, idea, Nature, winter 1 Comment
Winter Nature Campers collected sticks within the forest to turn into charcoal pencils. We added them to an empty container that once held Pepperidge Farm Pirouette Chocolate Hazelnut Rolled Wafers but you could use any empty cookie tin type container. Be sure to poke a hole in the container for smoke to escape or the lid will pop-off when roasting. Fill the container with the sticks and place on the fire to cook. The sticks char without completely combusting due to the lack of oxygen and make an excellent artists charcoal. Take the tin off the fire after it has been smoking for some time and let the container cool completely before removing the lid or the sticks could ignite into flames. Campers had great fun exploring the textures of the charcoal and making their own free choice art. They observed that the sticks with bark removed made more consistent lines and held their shape better than those with bark still on them as the bark crumbled rather quickly when pressed on paper. Also, campers observed that the charcoal smeared easily when rubbed with a finger.
As an extension campers could use realism and create a winter tree like shown in the story “The Sky Tree, Seeing Science Through Art” by Thomas Locker. They could listen to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons for inspiration and focus.
