No. But I can dream, can't I?
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Green Sea Turtle At Baltimore Aquarium
A visit to an aquarium or even a nature center can begin a wonderful immersion in the world of nature.
This Green Sea Turtle rescued off the Long Island swims easily in the protected water at the Baltimore Aquarium; even without its flipper, amputated due to the infection it sustained after it was cold-stunned. Here is a science activity for 6th to 12th graders to teach about this phenomena that is not unlike hypothermia in humans.
Even though, the sea turtle is threatened, there is some hope, according to the Nature Conservancy.
Read More About It
One Tiny Turtle: Read and Wonder by Nicola Davies (author) and Jane Chapman (illustrator); June 2005; K-Gr2
Diego and the Baby Sea Turtles by Lisa Rao; May, 2008; ages 3-7
Do You Know?
May 23, 2000 was designated the first National Turtle Day by American Tortoise Rescue.
Diego and the Baby Sea Turtles by Lisa Rao; May, 2008; ages 3-7
Do You Know?
May 23, 2000 was designated the first National Turtle Day by American Tortoise Rescue.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Whose Tracks Are They?
Before you hurry to the car, take a moment to check out the tracks crossing the fresh snow next to your doorstep. One glance will intrigue even the busiest among us to stop and wonder who or what made them. Some of us will use it as a brisk reason to spend time outdoors following the mysterious steps. Even the least adventuresome might find it exciting to imagine who passed by your window when you were not looking.
What better way to tweak a child's imagination on a snowy winter day?
What is the biggest, scariest, smallest track you have seen?
Read More About It
Tracks In The Snow by Herbert Wong is a 2007 children's book about an Asian girl who follows her tracks through her neighborhood discovering they are her own from yesterday's walk.
This soft 32 page picture book is a great beginning preschoolers to second graders to connect with the wildlife walking and running on the same paths they use every day.
In Big Tracks, Little Tracks Millicent Selsam tells her 7 to 9 year old readers why a cat looks like an animal with two feet.
What better way to tweak a child's imagination on a snowy winter day?
What is the biggest, scariest, smallest track you have seen?
Read More About It
Tracks In The Snow by Herbert Wong is a 2007 children's book about an Asian girl who follows her tracks through her neighborhood discovering they are her own from yesterday's walk.
This soft 32 page picture book is a great beginning preschoolers to second graders to connect with the wildlife walking and running on the same paths they use every day.
In Big Tracks, Little Tracks Millicent Selsam tells her 7 to 9 year old readers why a cat looks like an animal with two feet.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods
When I started this blog, I knew I wanted to show and share my respect, my amazement and awe about the natural world with my readers. I always felt those scarlet poppies growing around my sandbox, those hydrangeas forming a natural gate between my house and my grandmother's and her cherished apple, pear, and nut trees hold a special place in my childhood memories.
I also remember the move when I was ten to a track house with two by four boards bridging the driveway to the doorway to avoid the mud; and not a tree on the property. The change was devastating.
Oddly, reading Richard Louv's book, Last Child In The Woods, all these years later, explains the loss I felt, but never identified. That loss is nature-deficit-disorder.
Today, as the grandmother who has the glorious opportunity to share my wooded forest with my granddaughter, I understand and value this gift.
The strength of Richard Louv's book is the overflowing, readable research which, at first thought, is profoundly self-evident, but overlooked or ignored for generations. These obvious facts startle the reader; first, because we know allowing the natural world to decay with such a blatent neglect is simply wrong; second, acting on his information, recognized by the 2008 Audubon Award, will connect future generations to nature. It truly is a very simple cause/effect relationship that no one can reject and everyone should embrace.
Just as important as the references, statistics and philosophy are Louv's personal anedotes and those he offers from others. One friend told him that if you cannot name a tree, plant, or animal you will not appreciate its value. I found the same analogy true after many years of teaching. Learning a child's name was the first, sometimes only, step needed to improve his behavior.
Taking the person out of personal is similar to taking the nature out of natural. We must strive to move our technology forward without losing sight of the individuality of nature.
I also remember the move when I was ten to a track house with two by four boards bridging the driveway to the doorway to avoid the mud; and not a tree on the property. The change was devastating.
Oddly, reading Richard Louv's book, Last Child In The Woods, all these years later, explains the loss I felt, but never identified. That loss is nature-deficit-disorder.
Today, as the grandmother who has the glorious opportunity to share my wooded forest with my granddaughter, I understand and value this gift.
The strength of Richard Louv's book is the overflowing, readable research which, at first thought, is profoundly self-evident, but overlooked or ignored for generations. These obvious facts startle the reader; first, because we know allowing the natural world to decay with such a blatent neglect is simply wrong; second, acting on his information, recognized by the 2008 Audubon Award, will connect future generations to nature. It truly is a very simple cause/effect relationship that no one can reject and everyone should embrace.
Just as important as the references, statistics and philosophy are Louv's personal anedotes and those he offers from others. One friend told him that if you cannot name a tree, plant, or animal you will not appreciate its value. I found the same analogy true after many years of teaching. Learning a child's name was the first, sometimes only, step needed to improve his behavior.
Taking the person out of personal is similar to taking the nature out of natural. We must strive to move our technology forward without losing sight of the individuality of nature.
Monday, January 5, 2009
A New Year?
Did you ever wonder what life would be like without milestones like birthdays or holidays? Somehow the natural world celebrates each day with none of our candles or bows. Its greeting is the sunrise. It's party goers are the squirrels swinging from a branch to reach the bird feeder. It is the chickadee and titmouse vying with the blue jay for a morning snack. It is the deer cautiously grazing on what green is showing; or the red headed woodpecker knocking out his welcome call.
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