It’s no secret that water play�pouring, scooping, splashing�is a great way to engage young children, and the perfect way to stay cool on a� hot day. But exploring moving water can add a whole new dimension to this play. If you are lucky enough to have access to a creek or stream (or even the […]
Environmental Education
Family Fun Connections: Spiderwebs
What shape is a spider web? Orb webs, with their wheel-like spokes, are probably what most quickly comes to mind. But if you’ve walked across a dewy lawn recently, chances are you passed by the funnel-shaped web of a grass spider. These webs really stand out on misty or dewy summer mornings and they are […]
Family Fun Connections: A Bird Checklist for Young Birders
Just in time for summer vacation, we’ve added a new resource to our Birding in Maine page: The Maine Birds Checklist for Young Birders (pdf). This photographic checklist features forty common species and includes extra information about each bird’s behavior and diet, making it a useful tool both as a checklist and for introducing ecological […]
Elementary Connections: Food Webs
How does energy move through an ecosystem? What is a food chain or web? What different roles do plants and animals play in these interconnected webs? Let’s look at all these webs! Energy Starts with the Sun Plants and algae have the amazing ability to do photosynthesis, the process of using energy from the sun […]
Family Fun Connections: Take another look
Happy summer! Were you told that �only boring people get bored� as a kid, too? As much as I’ve tried to take this to heart with my own parenting, these are unusual circumstances and some of our everyday routines are starting to feel a little stale. Time for some fresh perspective!� Then, head OUTSIDE: Paying […]
Family Fun Connections: Day and Night
Have you noticed how late the sunset is getting? My three-year-old started calling dinner �the dark meal� over the winter and spring, so we have definitely been noticing and talking about the lengthening days lately. With the summer solstice coming up this weekend, let’s spend some time exploring day and night!� OUTSIDE: Use this upcoming […]
Elementary Connections: Ferns
What makes ferns different from other types of plants? Where do they grow? What can you notice about ferns to help you tell them apart? What Are Ferns? Ferns are unique among plant life because they don’t have flowers or seeds in the same way as most plants or trees.� They are still plants, with […]
A Fields Pond Mystery Solved:� �Libellule!�
A Fields Pond Mystery Solved:� �Libellule!� Since this past March, the Fields Pond Audubon Center has been engaging the public in a �mystery.�� Each week hikers find a new set of clues along one of the Sanctuary’s trails.� These clues are part of a �mystery animal trail� designed to engage and teach visitors a bit […]
Connections: Virtual field trip to Scarborough Marsh
This spring, schools were not able to take field trips to Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center. So the center’s director, Maine Audubon educator Linda Woodard, created a virtual field trip with the help of three third-grade students�from Wentworth School in Scarborough. Watch as they explore the marsh and�discover the wonders of this unique habitat and creatures […]