more images from March 28

Wet feet and smiles all around

Yep, those are frog eggs

Frog eggs, picture by 1st grader BG

Giant Water Bug ... on our first scoop!

Kid to Teen Ecomentors  March 28, 2012   join us in April!

Kid to Teen Ecomentors March 28, 2012

Yep, that's ...

Skunk scat!

Recipe for fun
Prepare a site without walls and close proximity to water

Ingredients: kid, teen, net, basin, ice cube tray, spoon, water

1- Dry-mix one kid with one teen, mix until blended
2- Marinate teams with a juice box and crackers under the old oak tree
3- Spice them up with instructions how to do respectful explorations
4- Add a little flavoring on the way to the lake with MsButler, MrClark, MsBrunelle, MsCummings and  
                       MsLevy telling and listening to stories
5- Whip up the corps with a generous helping of pond critters on the first dip into the lake
6- Separate the groups into exploratory teams, strung along the backwaters and wet depressions
7- Stew until moistened from the feet up and all hands are nicely browned with mud
8- Top off with “say cheese” “say salamander” “say frogs eggs” “say giant water bug”
9- Garnish with promises to come back in April

Serves one and all

Gear, Lake, Data table ... Ready!

Making a difference, twice in one day.

Scoop, sort, draw, name it!

Scientists observing, documenting, celebrating life.

March 28 and April 26 ... Mark your calendars!!

It's official ...
We've selected Wednesday March 28 and Thursday April 26 for the next two Kid-to-Teen Ecomentor events!

Contact MsLevy to request to be included on the Roster!

llevy@belchertown.org

Kid to Teen Ecomentors ... proposed dates

Wednesday March 28 and Thursday April 12  ...

Let me know if you're available, or suggest other dates for March or April.

llevy@belchertown.org

New snow, different story

As we watch the snowflakes drifting down from inside our cozy houses (enjoying this day off), it's natural to reflect on the differences between this snowstorm and the storm that ate Halloween.  This time around, the leaves were off the trees.  Sounds obvious, huh?!

Deciduous - Halloween

Same Deciduous - March

This is what made all the difference.  The snow, in this March snowstorm, clinging to the bare deciduous branches weighed them down a bit, then slid off when it got too heavy.  The snow bent the evergreen branches, leaving them coated for a bit longer before the snow slid off their waxy, flexible needles.

Evergreen - Halloween

Evergreen - March

Overall, I'd take this type of snowstorm any day!!

We're in The Republican!

Brian Steele, reporter with The Republican, joined us for our February excursion ... read his impressions of the program, posted on Wednesday, Feb 29.

Belchertown Students Learn About Nature Firsthand with Exploration of Lake Wallace

http://www.masslive.com/living/index.ssf/2012/02/belchertown_students_learn_about_nature_firsthand_with_exploration_of_lake_wallace.html