August 17, 2016
natureintoaction
Special Events
derby, fishing
It’s a special opportunity to help kids catch their first fish. Fishing may seem like an easy task to those who fish often but for those who haven’t ever before a little help goes a very long way. Creating a successful first experience is key to creating a nature connection that lasts a lifetime.
Some Quick Tips for Newbies:
- Learn to Tie a Clinch Knot – you don’t want to lose your first fish because you made a sloppy knot.
- Use around a size 8 or 10 fishing hook – small hooks catch small and big fish! Too many kids try for the biggest fish in the pond with some wacky lure they found.
- Keep it Simple – Start with worms.
This summer we teamed up with NJ Fish and Wildlife’s Hooked on Fishing – Not on Drugs program and had a great experience.
Like this:
Like Loading...
October 3, 2015
natureintoaction
Environmental Ed & Eco-Schools, Primitive & Outdoor Living Skills, Special Events
american, center, education, environmental, indian, lenape, native, village, waterloo
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.
Traditional Earth Skills at Lenape Learning Area
Program Presentation
Special Programs
Coal Burned Bowl and Spoon
Hand Drill Fire Friction
Crushing Corn
Hide Tanning
Grinding corn
Lenape Educational Sign
Corn Cob Dart Toss
Lenape Timeline
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
Like this:
Like Loading...
September 28, 2015
natureintoaction
Seasonal Discovery, Special Events
Autumn, craft, earth, environment, fall, family, festival, lenape, pumpkin carver, seasonal, skills, traditional
Special events are wonderful opportunities to bring crowds of new visitors to the environmental center. With help from over 40 partners and vendors as well as many volunteers and event sponsors we hosted our 11th annual Fall Family Festival. Below are just a few photographs that I managed to capture during a wonderfully busy event.
Fall Festival Sign
Traditional Earth Skills at Lenape Learning Area
White Pumpkin Skull carved by Thomas Gonzales
Thomas Gonzales, Pumpkin Carver
Make and Take Mandala Craft
Wild about Wildlife Hands-on Display Game
Traditional Earth Skills at Lenape Learning Area
Wild about Wildlife Hands-on Display Game
Wild about Wildlife Hands-on Display Game
Petting Zoo
Star Dome
4H Carnival Games
Montclair Farmer’s Market
Richard Stillman Music
Like this:
Like Loading...
August 5, 2015
natureintoaction
Environmental Ed & Eco-Schools, Insects -Buzz Into Action!, Special Events
bee, beeginner, beekeeper, buzz, buzz into action, buzzfest, craft, harvest, honey, pollinator
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.
Try on a Bee Suit
Bee hive craft
Honey Bee Craft
Bee Craft with 4H
Frame and Foundation
Hive Tool
Extractor
Smoker
Bottled Honey
Hive Body
Buzzfest Seed Balls
Honey Taste Test
Freshly Harvested Honey
Honey Bee Hive
Natural Bee Shelters
Native Pollinators
Bamboo Pollinator Bee Shelter
Bee Kite Craft
Build a Bee
Insect and Bee Examination
Bee Eyes
Bee Reading Zone
Roll a Beeswax Candle
Buzzfest Native Wildflower Seeds
Buzzfest sign board
Jan Zientek – Essex County Agricultural Agent & Expert Beekeeper
Bee Frame
Honey Bee Hives at Essex County Environmental Center
Scope on Honey Bee Hives
Uncapping the Honey Comb on Frame
Bottling the Honey
Buzz into Action at Buzzfest
Beekeeper Cutout, NatureIntoAction
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
Like this:
Like Loading...
July 19, 2015
natureintoaction
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
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.
Laminated Dragonfly Wing under microscope
Luna MothLuna Moth Caterpillar
Monarch Caterpillar
Laminated Monarch Wing under microscope
Praying Mantis
Laminated Tiger Swallowtail Wing under microscope
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
Like this:
Like Loading...
July 18, 2013
natureintoaction
Insects -Buzz Into Action!, Special Events, Wildlife
butterfly tent safari, buzz into action, essex county environmental center, monarch butterfly, monarch caterpillar, rainbows end butterfly farm
For the last week I’ve been working 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 where butterflies may reside. 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 to share with you all and video.
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
40.820656
-74.293759
Like this:
Like Loading...
April 4, 2013
natureintoaction
Environmental Ed & Eco-Schools, Insects -Buzz Into Action!, Special Events
bee beard, bee bikini, bring back the buzz, bugfest, buzz into action, face painting, pollinator week
Bring back the buzz and start your own pollinator party. Check out Buzz Into Action, The Insect Curriculum for Grades K-4 for ideas on starting your own Bugfest, Butterfly Tent Safari or Bug Club! Join National Pollinator week in June and add your event at www.pollinator.org to let people go crazy for pollinators, from coast to coast.
“Senior Naturalist and Environmental Educator David Alexander organized a Bugfest at Essex County Environmental Center in Roseland, New Jersey. Alexander estimates that around 175 visitors attended the celebration that included a bee bikini and bee beard contest. Crazy!”
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
Like this:
Like Loading...
Older Entries
