I don’t know if it’s the changing weather, a bit of cabin fever, or both, but lately my household has been feeling a serious need to move! If that’s true for your family, try taking a few minutes to slither, hop, and run along to this �Move Like an Animal� song in the video below: […]
Environmental Education
Elementary Connections: All About Habitat
What is a habitat? What do habitats provide? What different habitats are located near your home? What different types of plants or animals could live there? What is a Habitat? A habitat is somewhere an organism (plant, animal, etc.) lives and finds what it needs to survive: food, water, shelter, space. Habitats are usually characterized […]
Connections: Living with Loons
Summer is almost here and school (as we’ve recently known it) will be done soon.� For many people, summer in Maine means spending time in or near water.� With over 6,000 lakes and ponds to choose from, perhaps you’ll be finding yourself in the habitat of one of Maine’s most iconic bird species: the Common […]
Connections: Guided nature explorations
Focusing your time outside helps provide practice in looking and seeing, and increases the fun!� Several examples of nature journaling and scavenger hunts have been offered here, on our Connections pages. They are a great way to share the wonders of the outdoors with others. Here are a few more ideas to guide your explorations.� […]
Family Fun Connections: Shapes and Symmetry
Nature provides so many great ways to explore math concepts, and shapes and symmetry are a perfect place to start. After all, complex forms and patterns have been present in nature much longer than people have been around to describe them!� Watch this week’s video for a symmetrical butterfly art tutorial, then read on for […]
Connections: Explore a Pond, Part 2
Nature in the Middle Last week we set out in search of a local pond, equipped with some homemade tools to help us explore.� The weather has been fantastic this past week and hopefully you were able to get outdoors and explore a pond.�� This week I’d like to take a closer look at the […]
Family Fun Connections: Exploring Color
Nature is colorful year-round, if you know where and how to look. But there’s something about the deepening shades of green in late spring, plus the pops of color from each new blooming tree, flower, or shrub, that make this a particularly nice time to explore color. Let’s dig in! When you are OUTSIDE: After […]
Elementary Connections: Decomposers
How are nutrients recycled in nature? What plants, animals, and organisms help with this process? Where can we observe this in our own yards and neighborhoods? � � � Last summer, a huge, old tree fell in the woods at Gilsland Farm. No one was quite sure what caused it to happen right then, during […]
Connections: Exploring a Pond, Part 1
Typically, our spring program for middle schoolers at the Fields Pond Audubon Center involves some type of pond exploration. Exploring a pond is a great way to learn about how an ecosystem works. Predator/prey relationships, life cycles, and energy flow are all easily viewed in a relatively small area of a pond. For this week’s […]