Native American Winter Traditions

Dear Nature Nuts, 

My name is Miss Rachel and yesterday was my last day as an intern at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center. Boy what a great day it was!

I assisted with the Native American Winter Traditions Winter Break Mini-Camp. Our first task was to follow our naturalist outside and look for snow snakes. Snow snakes? We hunted high and low past the old hickory, through the oak savanna, and down to the willow by the frozen pond. Along the way our naturalist pulled dried up Queen Ann's lace out of the ground. She pulled apart the root and asked us to sniff. It smelled like a carrot! We found all kinds of snow snakes- various sizes of dead branches. We used a sharp rock to get the bark off the branch and then colored our snow snakes. Native Americans would have made shallow trenches in the snow to race their snow snakes. We may not have had snow, but our snakes slid really well on the deck (the official no-snow snake raceway).


Dream catchers were used to keep bad dreams away. We used willow branches that we gathered down by the pond. Willow branches bend really well into the shape of a dream catcher. Yarn was used as the webbing to actually "catch" the bad dream. Feathers were used to decorate our dream catchers just like Native Americans used.  I don't think I'll have to worry about bad dreams tonight. Playing outside in the fresh air and sunshine is the making of good dreams.


Keep playing,
Miss Rachel

P.S. There is still room in all of our Winter Break Mini-Camps! Try one, or the whole week (Tuesday-Friday). Here are next week's sessions:

TRACKS IN THE SNOW
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
9:00am - 4:00pm
Registration Deadline: Friday, December 20, 2011
Enjoy the outdoors searching for signs left behind by animals as they make their way through their habitats. As animals hop, run, walk, wiggle or slither around, they leave tell-tale marks in soft snow or soil. Use your new skills all year long to find out the mysteries left behind by our furry and feathered friends. We’ll also spend some time practicing making “human tracks” in the snow on snowshoes! Please bring a sack lunch; we’ll provide snacks, water and lemonade.
ALNC Members: $45/person; Non-Members: $50/person
Package Price for the Full Week (Tuesday, January 3 - Friday, January 6):
ALNC Members: $175/person; Non-Members: $195/person.
Registration Form

WINTER BIRD EXTRAVAGANZA
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
9:00am – 4:00pm
Registration Deadline: Monday, January 2, 2012
While some birds migrate south to sunny skies and warmer winters, some birds stay here in Wisconsin and “tough it out.” We will learn about and see some of these birds as we hike the habitats of ALNC.
Please bring a sack lunch; we’ll provide snacks, water and lemonade.
ALNC Members: $45/person; Non-Members: $50/person
Package Price for the Full Week (Tuesday, January 3 - Friday, January 6):
ALNC Members: $175/person; Non-Members: $195/person.
Registration Form

LITTLE CRITTERS
Thursday, January 5, 2012
9:00am – 4:00pm
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Learning about little critters can be BIG fun! We’ll spend the day learning about mice, voles, moles, shrews, bats and more. Go on a food scavenger hunt, search for signs and scat, find out how they stay warm in winter, dissect an owl pellet to put together a little critter skeleton, and try to observe a little critter up close through live trapping and release.
Please bring a sack lunch; we’ll provide snacks, water and lemonade.
ALNC Members: $45/person; Non-Members: $50/person
Package Price for the Full Week (Tuesday, January 3 - Friday, January 6):
ALNC Members: $175/person; Non-Members: $195/person.
Registration Form

WINTER IN WISCONSIN
Friday, January 6, 2012
9:00am – 4:00pm
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Join us for a day of celebrating winter in Wisconsin at ALNC! We’ll discover all about our winter animals and how they adapt to the cold as well as do many activities Wisconsinites like to do outdoors in winter—animal tracking, build snow structures, predict the winter weather and much, much more! Please bring a sack lunch; we’ll provide snacks, water and lemonade.
ALNC Members: $45/person; Non-Members: $50/person
Package Price for the Full Week (Tuesday, January 3 - Friday, January 6):
ALNC Members: $175/person; Non-Members: $195/person.
Registration Form

For questions or to register over the phone, please call (608) 221-0404 x1.

Special Sneak Peek Tomorrow!

Dear Readers, 
We hope you can all join us tomorrow for our Special Public Hours: Exhibits Sneak Peek!

 

SPECIAL PUBLIC HOURS: EXHIBITS SNEAK PEEK
Thursday, December 29
Noon - 7 pm

Stop by ALNC for a sneak-preview of brand new interactive exhibits and programs, which won’t be available to the public until next Spring!

Get a one-of-a-kind view of our planet’s rarely seen “frozen world” including polar ice caps and high altitude glaciers on ALNC’s Science On a Sphere, explore hands-on exhibits about weather and climate, and learn about other exciting developments premiering soon, including Storms 360 and WKOW Kids Climate Cast.

Plus, see the winning entry from ALNC’s snow globe art contest transformed into a giant spinning snow globe! Click to find out more about ALNC’s new “high-touch” and “high-tech” programs.

General Public: $5/person; ALNC Members: $4/person

Click here, or call 608-221-0404 x 1 to register today!

Wonder Bugs - Deer John!

"Deer" Wonderbuggers,

Oh deer me! The fun that we had today was out of control- as were our somewhat floppy antlers. We got to feel real antlers, wrap up in a deer skin, and make tracks outside in the mud with a deer leg. Did you know that deer walk on two toe nails per foot? I wonder what that feels like.  It makes pretty neat tracks!

We learned that there are different members of the deer family like elk, moose, caribou and reindeer. The Deer Family (Zoobooks) by Timothy Levi Biel has great pictures of different deer as well as descriptions about what makes a deer a deer. Some of us practiced matching the antlers with the correct deer; it looked pretty silly to see moose antlers on a white-tailed deer! 

Another series of stories deer to me is “In the Woods” by Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick.  Each of the three stories depicts deer on seasonal adventures. We started to read Stranger in the Woods today in class. As the deer walk through the woods they encounter other woodland animals talking about the stranger. Read it to find out who the stranger is!  Apparently there are movies, too. Click here to see more.
Well deeries, it is time to go. Enjoy the holiday break and see you next year!

Miss Tara

 

WINTER WONDER BUG SESSIONS:
Package price for all 6 Winter Wonder Bugs sessions (choose Tuesdays or Wednesdays)ALNC Members: $33/child; Non-Members: $39/child (When registering on-line list "Winter Session" as event/program name and and "Tuesday" or "Wednesday" as the date)Prices for Wonder Bugs for all individual sessions:
ALNC Members: $6/child; Non-members: $7/child
Registration Form 

BEAR-LY BREATHING
Tuesday, January 10 & Wednesday, January 11, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, January 6, 2012

Winter is a good time for napping, especially if you’re a black bear! "Cub" and find out something surprising! No bear bones about it- this day will be den-tastic!
Registration Form 

ME AND MY SHADOW
Tuesday, January 24 & Wednesday, January 25, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, January 20, 2012

"Wood" you believe that the groundhog is “chuck” full of surprises? "Wood" you come down for songs, crafts, and a chuck-load of fun? I hope to see your shadow while we learn about all things groundhog.
Registration Form

KEEP ON TRACKING…
Tuesday, February 14 & Wednesday, February 15, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, February 10, 2012
While the snow is stacking! Discover what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoe (prints). Practice counting the toes- they always knows- and you’ll be able to guess the animal who walked there since.
Registration Form

MICE ON ICE
Tuesday, February 28 & Wednesday, February 29, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, February 25, 2012

For birds of prey, this is a delicacy in the winter! Explore the predatory world of raptors in winter. Songs and games are sure to keep you roasty toasty.
Registration Form

Best of 2011

With the new year just around the corner, we're taking some time to reflect back on 2011! What a tremendous year it has been for us at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center! Thank you to everyone who has helped us reach more than 40,000 children, their families and teachers this year!

Check out these "best of 2011" photos from this past year!

Winter Survival with a Coffee Can!

Dear Readers,

My name is Rachel, and I am an intern at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center. When I was growing up, my aunt used to ask me, “What did you learn today that you didn't know yesterday but want to remember for a long, long time?” That can be a difficult question to answer but not the day I learned about Winter Survival at ALNC.


I've heard about how to survive outdoors in winter if I was to get lost but have never put any of that knowledge into practice. During Winter Survival, I witnessed 7th and 8th graders venture outside "to survive" in ALNC's basswood grove armed only with an empty coffee can, matches, garbage bag, bandana, water,and hot chocolate. In one hour,and under the guidance of their naturalists, they found enough tree branches and leaves to build a lean-to that could hold 6 teenagers! Outside the lean-to, a small fire was heating up hot chocolate in an empty coffee can. Warm and cozy...sweet.


I live in Wisconsin and love winter. There is nothing better than cross-country skiing far away from the city, surrounded only by evergreens and snow as far as the eye can see. But from now on, I will take my own winter survival kit. Armed with this new knowledge, I am ready to take on winter-let it snow (please)!


Do you have a survival story to share? Email devcomm@naturenet.com to share it with us.

Staying warm,
Rachel


P.S. Tap into your inner "survivalist" with our Winter Survival Mini-Camp!




Here's more info:

Winter Survival Mini-Camp
Friday, December 30, 2011
9:00am - 4:00pm
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Any of us could find ourselves in a situation where we need to use winter survival skills. In this adventurous program, we’ll learn what nature provides to help us survive, learn how to dress appropriately, pack a survival kit and work cooperatively. After learning this, we’ll head to the woods to test our skills in building a fire without matches, creating a makeshift shelter, and cooking a snack over a survival fire.

Please bring a sack lunch; we’ll provide snacks, water and lemonade.

ALNC Members: $45/participant; Non-Members: $50/participant
Package Price for the Full Week (Tuesday, December 27 - Friday, December 30):
ALNC Members: $175/person; Non-Members: $195/person.



Click here or call 608-221-0404 x 1 to register.

Phenology Frenzy

With the warm weather we've been having, it's hard to believe that winter is almost here, but outside, the animals are scurrying to prepare for the winter!

Here's what's happening outside this week:

• Otters are having fun diving, sliding, and tunneling in the snow.
• Woodchuck body temperatures are dropping from 100 degrees to 37 degrees.
• Bobcats are desperately hunting for almost invisible hares.
• Chickadees are eating the equivalent of their own weight on these cold days.
• Each squirrel is stockpiling 40 pounds of acorns for the winter.
  

Winter Solstice Celebration

Throughout history, cultures around the globe have celebrated the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, as a time to reflect on the past year and look with hope to the coming year.  Join us to rejoice in a celebration of that tradition at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center’s annual Winter Solstice Celebration on Friday, December 16! Click here to see photos from last year's event!

Bring your whole family to enjoy:

• A  naturalist-led twilight hike on ALNC’s trails;
• Nature crafts for the kids including a fun and functional pinecone birdfeeder;
• Inspirational Winter Solstice stories from around the globe;
• A festive bonfire and ceremonial burning of the Yule log;
• Wassail made over a fire in the Children's Shack; and
• Hot cocoa, yummy seasonal snacks and more!

Don’t miss this special night of joyful festivities as we look forward towards longer and lighter days.

Location:  Aldo Leopold Nature Center’s Monona Campus, 300 Femrite Drive, Monona

Date/Time:   Friday, December 16, 2011         6:30-8 pm

Fee:  ALNC members: $6/person or $20/family     Non-members: $7/person or $25/family

Information/Register: www.naturenet.com/alnc or 608-216-9371

Price: ALNC members: $6/person or $20/family; Non-members: $7/person or $25/family.

Winter Webs Wonder Bugs

Gr-eight times were had by all this week! Our special guest was a real treat; I held a tarantula for everyone to see. Of course I forgot my camera so if you have any pictures, please email me! Some wonder bugs felt the claws at the end of her leg, and we counted her legs to make sure she had all 8. She did! But did you know that tarantulas can regenerate new legs if they lose one? Wow!

We discovered that winter is too cold for spiders; we only found one dead one tucked in an outdoor lampshade. Spiders either die or head to warmer places- like inside! We found a lot in the basement and in the corners of the building. They were hanging out in their very own webs. So then we just had to make our own webs with yarn, and while we were at it we pretended to stab insects with our fangs and suck up the bug soup. Yummy!

For snack we crunched on spiders! We used two crackers to represent the two body parts, and 8 pretzel stick legs and 8 sunflower seed eyes. Plus a little cream cheese to hold it all together! Voila!



Check out some spidery books from the library to find out more about these spiderific creatures. You might especially like to finish reading Up, Up, and Away by Ginger Wadsworth. A House Spider’s Life by John Himmelman would help you understand the spiders you might find in the corners of your house. There are many, many more!
For those singable moments here’s a new spidery song!

Little Spider Weaves a Web (from Growing Up WILD, page 15)
(Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle”)
Little spider weaves a web
With some dry and sticky threads.
Her bristled feet keep her free
From getting stuck, can’t you see?

Here comes a fly buzzing by
Inter her web, watch it fly.
Wiggle wriggle. It’s stuck tight.
Spider has her meal tonight.

Join me in two weeks (and all through the winter) for more Wonder Bugs fun!
Miss Tara

WINTER WONDER BUG SESSIONS:
Package price for all 6 Winter Wonder Bugs sessions (choose Tuesdays or Wednesdays)ALNC Members: $33/child; Non-Members: $39/child (When registering on-line list "Winter Session" as event/program name and and "Tuesday" or "Wednesday" as the date)Prices for Wonder Bugs for all individual sessions:
ALNC Members: $6/child; Non-members: $7/child
Registration Form 

DEER JOHN
Tuesday, December 20 & Wednesday, December 21, 2011
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, December 16, 2011
You are in luck! Deer do not write goodbye letters for the winter. They bed down here and leap over there. Today the songs, games, and fun a-bound!
Registration Form

BEAR-LY BREATHING
Tuesday, January 10 & Wednesday, January 11, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, January 6, 2012

Winter is a good time for napping, especially if you’re a black bear! "Cub" and find out something surprising! No bear bones about it- this day will be den-tastic!
Registration Form 

ME AND MY SHADOW
Tuesday, January 24 & Wednesday, January 25, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, January 20, 2012

"Wood" you believe that the groundhog is “chuck” full of surprises? "Wood" you come down for songs, crafts, and a chuck-load of fun? I hope to see your shadow while we learn about all things groundhog.
Registration Form

KEEP ON TRACKING…
Tuesday, February 14 & Wednesday, February 15, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, February 10, 2012
While the snow is stacking! Discover what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoe (prints). Practice counting the toes- they always knows- and you’ll be able to guess the animal who walked there since.
Registration Form

MICE ON ICE
Tuesday, February 28 & Wednesday, February 29, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, February 25, 2012

For birds of prey, this is a delicacy in the winter! Explore the predatory world of raptors in winter. Songs and games are sure to keep you roasty toasty.
Registration Form

Snow Globe Art Contest!

 

Calling all budding artists! Here's your chance to create a piece of artwork that can be seen around the globe at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center! To enter, draw, paint or color a winter scene using the snow globe template found here. Get creative—your art can depict animals, trees, animal tracks and anything else you see outdoors in winter! Click here to see a video of the snow globe in action!

One entry from each age category (3-6, 7-9, 10-13, and 14-18 years old) will be selected to be transformed into a 6 foot-wide spinning snow globe during a special sneak preview of new exhibits and programs at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center on Thursday, December 29th from noon to 7 pm. Winning artists will receive free admission for themselves and their immediate family to the sneak preview.

Click here to find out more and download an entry form. An activity station to complete entry forms will also be available our Winter Solstice Celebration on Friday, December 16, from 6:30-8 pm.

Gobble Gobble goes the Wonder Bug

How do you sing the turkey song? Does a male turkey gobble or does he yelp? Our Wonder Bugs who attended Gobble Gobble can tell you!

Kids, Moms, Dads, Grandpas & Grandmas too practiced doing the waddle and strutting their tailfeathers. As a reward they were rewarded with a "fowl treat" of insect larvae, wild grapes, and field corn. (Don't worry...we use puffed rice, raisins, and popcorn). 

We got to make our very own customized turkey caller that yelped like a turkey hen--sure to bring Mr. Tom Turkey around to investigate! We had to go outside to see if it would work. Yelping, gobbling, strutting - no luck! Oh well, that didn't stop us from playing turkey:


The sun was shining so we searched for turkey food. Then the moon came out and it was back to our "tree" to roost. The sun came out again so we hopped down from the tree to look for food, but this time coyotes, skunks, and eagles that looked a little like Moms and Dads were waiting to snatch up an unsuspecting turkey. It's tough being a turkey! But there's nothing better than being outside, playing with other turkeys, yelping and gobbling to our fowl heart's content.


Thanks everyone for coming to Wonder Bugs the day before Thanksgiving. I sure had a lot of fun. We look forward to seeing you again!


Miss Rachel & Miss Tara

NEW WINTER WONDER BUG SESSIONS:
Package price for all 6 Winter Wonder Bugs sessions (choose Tuesdays or Wednesdays)ALNC Members: $33/child; Non-Members: $39/child (When registering on-line list "Winter Session" as event/program name and and "Tuesday" or "Wednesday" as the date)Prices for Wonder Bugs for all individual sessions:
ALNC Members: $6/child; Non-members: $7/child
Registration Form 

WINTER WEBS
Tuesday, December 6 & Wednesday, December 7, 2011
9:30-10:45am
Registration deadline: Friday, December 2, 2011
Spiders come and spiders go...even in the winter! Discover a web of fun and take home an egg-sac full of memories! Bet you can’t wait!
Registration Form 

DEER JOHN
Tuesday, December 20 & Wednesday, December 21, 2011
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, December 16, 2011
You are in luck! Deer do not write goodbye letters for the winter. They bed down here and leap over there. Today the songs, games, and fun a-bound!
Registration Form

BEAR-LY BREATHING
Tuesday, January 10 & Wednesday, January 11, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, January 6, 2012

Winter is a good time for napping, especially if you’re a black bear! "Cub" and find out something surprising! No bear bones about it- this day will be den-tastic!
Registration Form 

ME AND MY SHADOW
Tuesday, January 24 & Wednesday, January 25, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, January 20, 2012

"Wood" you believe that the groundhog is “chuck” full of surprises? "Wood" you come down for songs, crafts, and a chuck-load of fun? I hope to see your shadow while we learn about all things groundhog.
Registration Form

KEEP ON TRACKING…
Tuesday, February 14 & Wednesday, February 15, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, February 10, 2012
While the snow is stacking! Discover what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoe (prints). Practice counting the toes- they always knows- and you’ll be able to guess the animal who walked there since.
Registration Form

MICE ON ICE
Tuesday, February 28 & Wednesday, February 29, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, February 25, 2012

For birds of prey, this is a delicacy in the winter! Explore the predatory world of raptors in winter. Songs and games are sure to keep you roasty toasty.
Registration Form

Holiday Bazaar & Pioneer Portraits

Looking for unique, one of a kind gifts? Visit the Aldo Leopold Nature Center’s Holiday Bazaar & Pioneer Portrait Sale this Sunday, December 4, from noon to 4 pm! The Gift Shop is stocked with lots of new gift-giving items. Avoid the long lines at the mall, park right outside our door, and stop in for a fun, relaxed shopping experience! Enter a chance to win a holiday basket filled with fun items!

Bring your family and dress up in our “pioneer garb” to have your old-fashioned portrait taken in the Children’s Shack to send to your family and friends. Peruse hand-made jewelry, nature-dyed silk scarves, beautifully made candies and art by local artisans, and stop in the ALNC’s Gift Shop, for great gifts like:

• Flower press kits
• A Sand County Almanac, by Aldo Leopold
• Science Magic toys
• Pocket tornadoes
• Glow in the dark shark tooth fossil excavation kit
• Glow in the dark stars and solar system
• Dinosaur and Science kits
• Hand-made walking sticks
• Night sky projection kits
• Solar print art kits
• Wisconsin Garden Journal
• Nature photography cards
• ALNC T-shirts
• Nature bookmarks
• Gift memberships and more!

All proceeds will support hands-on educational programs at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center. Hope to see you there!

Can’t make it to the sale? Click here to shop ALNC’s gift shop online.

Chew on These Beaver Tidbits!

Dear Wonder Bugs,

Here are some beaver books to devour! 

Beaver Pond Moose Pond by Jim Arnosky (We read this in class!)
Beaver Is Lost by Elisha Cooper (A picture book with only 4 words and exciting yet simple illustrations. You will enjoy this page-turner!)
Old Beaver by Udo Weigelt (A heart-warming young versus old story.)
Busy Beavers
Check out last week’s blog for local places with busy beavers.

As an extra treat, here's a song for your and your wonder bug!

Noble Beaver of the Pond Song
By Miss Tara Von Dollen
(Tune: “Noble Duke of York”)

Oh the beaver chops down trees.
The beaver chews up bark.
He hauls the trees up to the dam,
down by the water dark.

And when you’re up you’re up
and when you’re down you’re down
And when you’re only halfway
up you’re neither up nor down.

*Stand up or crouch down with the words “up” and “down.”

Have fun,
Miss Tara

NEW WINTER WONDER BUG SESSIONS:
Package price for all 6 Winter Wonder Bugs sessions (choose Tuesdays or Wednesdays)ALNC Members: $33/child; Non-Members: $39/child (When registering on-line list "Winter Session" as event/program name and and "Tuesday" or "Wednesday" as the date)Prices for Wonder Bugs for all individual sessions:
ALNC Members: $6/child; Non-members: $7/child
Registration Form 

WINTER WEBS
Tuesday, December 6 & Wednesday, December 7, 2011
9:30-10:45am
Registration deadline: Friday, December 2, 2011
Spiders come and spiders go...even in the winter! Discover a web of fun and take home an egg-sac full of memories! Bet you can’t wait!
Registration Form 

DEER JOHN
Tuesday, December 20 & Wednesday, December 21, 2011
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, December 16, 2011
You are in luck! Deer do not write goodbye letters for the winter. They bed down here and leap over there. Today the songs, games, and fun a-bound!
Registration Form

BEAR-LY BREATHING
Tuesday, January 10 & Wednesday, January 11, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, January 6, 2012

Winter is a good time for napping, especially if you’re a black bear! "Cub" and find out something surprising! No bear bones about it- this day will be den-tastic!
Registration Form 

ME AND MY SHADOW
Tuesday, January 24 & Wednesday, January 25, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, January 20, 2012

"Wood" you believe that the groundhog is “chuck” full of surprises? "Wood" you come down for songs, crafts, and a chuck-load of fun? I hope to see your shadow while we learn about all things groundhog.
Registration Form

KEEP ON TRACKING…
Tuesday, February 14 & Wednesday, February 15, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, February 10, 2012
While the snow is stacking! Discover what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoe (prints). Practice counting the toes- they always knows- and you’ll be able to guess the animal who walked there since.
Registration Form

MICE ON ICE
Tuesday, February 28 & Wednesday, February 29, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, February 25, 2012

For birds of prey, this is a delicacy in the winter! Explore the predatory world of raptors in winter. Songs and games are sure to keep you roasty toasty.
Registration Form

By the Light of the Beaver Moon!

Dear Wonder buggers, 
Oh the beavers chew up bark and so did we! We enjoyed our “Tree Chips” AKA Life cereal and the gelatin leaf roll-ups that tasted like apples.Oh the beaver chops down trees…As I promised I have a few ideas of where to explore to find signs of beavers"

• The highest beaver populations are found in the northern part of the state. So a north woods trip, say to Vilas County might be fun.
• Or, head west instead to La Crosse on the Mississippi River and tour some off-river wetland areas by boat and see some highlights including beaver lodges! The Wildlife Eco tour might be your best bet (called Scenic Fall Foliage at this time of year).  It’s definitely going on my list to do!  
• If you enjoy powering your own boat or canoe, Kickapoo Valley Reserve is your ticket to beaver action. Check out this link for more information and be sure to follow their directions for the 110 mile journey.  
• He hauls the trees up on the dam…Buckhorn State Park (Castle Rock Lake) is located a little closer to Madison (about 90 miles on I-90/94). They have the Island Self-guiding Canoe Trail where a beaver lodge is a stop along the way!   
• ALNC naturalists tipped me off to locations even closer to Madison too! 
• One is the Wisconsin River near Ferry Bluff State Natural Area.  Drive along the river on County Road Y or Conservation Road and see what you can see. 
• Another is along Six Mile Creek that flows in and around Waunakee. Zoom in as far as you can go on the map to figure out your route.
• The final possibility is Lake Wingra right in our backyard. 

 
Check out this article all about beavers too! 

Now, bust out a map and go explore! Maybe even...down by the water, dark!

Happy “hunting,”
Miss Tara

Next Wonder Bugs Session:
Gobble, Gobble!
9:30-10:45 am
Tuesday, November 22 & Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Registration Deadline: Friday, November 18, 2011

Did you know turkeys roost in trees? Want to know more? Just ask please! Come find out a thing or two- about a wild birdie before you chew. Come gobble up the fun! Click here to register!

Say Gobble, Gobble for Electric Pickles!

Your child is off of school this Thursday—now what?  Send them to ALNC for a day of learning and nature discovery with one or both of these Vacation Day Programs for ages 5-12!

Weird Science
Thursday, November 10, 9 am - Noon
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, November 8

Your child will become a junior scientist for the day! They’ll learn basic science principles and conduct a variety of weird and wacky science experiments, including ALNC’s famous “electric pickle” experiment, volcanic eruptions, and many more!  Click here to register!

Gobble, Gobble
Thursday, November 10, 1-4 pm
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, November 8

Your youngster will enjoy a “fowl” afternoon of fun as they learn all about turkeys! They’ll discover how and why turkeys gobble, explore wild turkey habits and habitats and enjoy fun games, crafts and outdoor exploration. Click here to register!

Fee Per Session:
ALNC Members: $18/person; Non-members: $21/person

Add a lunch bunch from Noon-1 pm for just $5 for a full day of natural fun!

The deadline for registration is tomorrow, Tuesday, November 8 and space is limited, so click here or call 608-221-0404 x1 to register today!

Nuts to You! Wonder Bugs Family Day!

Dear Wonderbuggers,

Lois Ehlert has done it again with a fun and colorful book, this time about squirrels. Nuts to You! was the basis of our Wonder Bugs at the Wonder Bugs Family Day on Saturday, October 22. We scampered outside, searched for nuts, buried acorn and hickory bits, swirled our tails, ran away from foxes, and climbed up trees to safety. OK, so maybe some of those things the squirrels actually did, but we had fun pretending!

For snack, the (home)made applesauce and graham crackers were a hit! Squirrel away a copy of this book by Don Freeman for your wonder bug: Earl the Squirrel.  It is a delightful tail of mischief that kept us occupied while eating.
As you cruise around your neighborhoods this week be on the lookout for squirrel behavior! Are they digging in your yard? Carrying nuts in their mouths? Building a leaf nest at the top of trees for winter napping? If you find a squirrel burying a nut or seed, mark that spot later and watch it through the winter. If the squirrel doesn’t eat what he buried, check to see if it sprouts in the spring!

 

Seed you later (with a swirl of my tail),
Miss Tara

Next Wonder Bugs Session:
By the Light of the...
9:30-10:45 am
Tuesday, November 8 ( The Wednesday November 9 Session is FULL!)
Registration Deadline: Friday, November 4, 2011

…Beaver Moon! Furs and trapping. Don’t get caught napping. Singing, playing. Are the traders paying? Fun while learning. Today will keep you yearning! For all things beaver and more! Click here to register!

Why Fall Fest is the Place to Be!

Still unsure about your Halloween plans?
Here are the top 10 reasons why Fall Fest is the place to be this Friday to celebrate with your family!

1. From the costume parade to the owl mask making, Fall Fest is a fun, hands-on and safe way to celebrate with your youngster! 

2. Fall Fest is not only fun, but educational too! You'll learn about owls, bats and the secretive world of nocturnal animals!

3. It's a one time chance to explore the moon as the astronauts see it—suspended in orbit 22,000 miles above its surface as you join the Hoot and Howl under our high definition six-foot in diameter global projected moon displaying NOAA & NASA planetary data!


4. You'll get an EXCLUSIVE sneak peek of our new hands-on exhibits and offerings like Storms 360 and the Madison Gas and Electric Renewable Energy Center!


5. Fall Fest is a FREE event for ALNC members! For non-members, the price is just $35 for the entire family--and the price includes a FREE family membership for ALNC!

6. When you join or renew your membership at ALNC, you'll be entered to win one of three frightfully fantastic prizes including a Romantic Spa Getaway, a Day of Family Fun in the Dells and a Staycation in Madison's Historic Dudgeon Monroe neighborhood!


7. Your little goblin can play the part of a weather man to make a freaky forecast with WKOW's "There's a Chill in the Air" weather station!

8. Fall Fest is a fun and exciting way to get your family hooked on nature!

9. From "shaking their bones" in the spooky storm to exploring our "a-maze-ing animal trail," we'll give your youngster plenty of fun!

10. Attending Fall Fest supports environmental education for children in our community at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center! Together, we can help create a sustainable future!

There's still time to register! Walk-ins will be accepted, but pre-registered guests won't have to wait in the registration line!

Remember, Fall Fest is tomorrow, Friday, October 28 from 5:30-7:30 pm at our Monona Campus (330 Femrite Drive, Monona, WI). Click here or call 608-221-0404 x1 to register today!

Signs of Life Wonder Bugs!

Dear Wonderbuggers,

Signs of life are everywhere! Cracked nuts and nut shells with chew marks. Holes in the ground. Leaf “nests” in the trees. Tracks near the pond. And lots of scat! That’s right- poop.  

In nature, you can tell a lot about the animals that live in an area by looking at the scat. For instance, we know that rabbits eat plants so their round balls of scat have pieces of plant matter inside. Also, rabbit scat looks different from raccoon scat which looks different from coyote scat which looks different from… you get the idea.

If you want a funny story about animals and their different looking scat, check out this book that we read at Wonder Bugs: The Story of the Little Mole Who Went in Search of Whodunit by Werner Holzwarth. It is sure to have you laughing about poop!

Are you excited about tracking or just want to learn more? Check out this site for great information and resources to keep tracking at home and on the trail.
 

This is Miss Tara signing off!

P.S.

I forgot to tell you about this very fun fall book. It is called We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger. It follows the same general pattern as the camp song "We’re Going on a Bear Hunt" but it includes fall trees and colors with a surprise ending that will make you sniff and squeal. Check it out!

 

Next Wonder Bugs Session:
By the Light of the...
9:30-10:45 am
Tuesday, November 8 ( The Wednesday November 9 Session is FULL!)
Registration Deadline: Friday, November 4, 2011

…Beaver Moon! Furs and trapping. Don’t get caught napping. Singing, playing. Are the traders paying? Fun while learning. Today will keep you yearning! For all things beaver and more! Click here to register!

Blustery Flustery Fall!

On a gray cloudy day like today, it is easy to imagine that Fall is a time for nature to rest. Gone are the colorful blooms of summer, the baby goslings have all grown and the green of summer has left us once again. 

 

But like the farmers who are busy harvesting their end of season crops, the natural world is buzzing with activity this time of year! From beavers hurriedly gathering their winter stockpile of twigs and sticks to migrating birds beginning their journeys south, the work of the season has just begun!

So, venture outside today and challenge yourself to find the work of fall! Here are some things to look for:

• Red-winged blackbirds forming large flocks.
• Colorful asters and goldenrod blooming.
• Muskrats and beaver are busily gathering food and building lodges in preparation for winter.
• Listen close...do you hear anything? If not, that is because the katydids, grasshoppers and crickets. have stopped calling!
• Tamarack needles turning gold and falling.
• Black walnuts falling from the trees and squirrels stashing them away for a winter treat.
• Cattails and milkweed pods bursting with airy, floating seeds.
• Ducks, Canada geese, woodcock, and snipe migrating south.
• The Big Dipper at the lowest point in the sky.

 Remember, to join us at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center to find out more about Fall and celebrate the season with us at Fall Fest on Friday, October 28th! Fall Fest is free for members or $35 for non-members--a price which includes a complimentary membership for your family! Tickets are going fast, so don't delay--click here or call 608-216-9371 today!

Go to Fall Fest for FREE + Win Prizes!!!

Bring the whole family for a night of spook-tacular fun and learning at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center's Fall Fest, on Friday, October 28, from 5:30 - 7:30 pm!

Discover the creatures of the night and see what tricks we have up our sleeves in our new expansion at this FREE members' event!
•    Get a sneak-peek and explore our NEW hands-on, interactive exhibits!
•    Participate in a Costume Parade for the kids!
•    Make an owl mask and join the Hoot & Howl Around the 360 Degree Moon!
•    Visit creepy critters in The Haunted Shack!
•    Immerse yourself in the "eye of a storm" to hear and see weather phenomena up close!
•    Search for hidden nocturnal critters in the woods!
•    Learn about creatures of the night like owls and bats!
•    Enjoy festive refreshments!
•    Find out what's in store for those big green silos and more!

To top it all off -- Fall Fest is a FREE Members' event! Click here or call 608-221-0404 x1 to register!

Not an ALNC member? Register for Fall Fest for just $35 and we’ll give you a COMPLIMENTARY family membership and enter you in the drawing below! Plus, as an ALNC member you'll get great benefits all year long like discounts and advance registration on family events, programs, summer camps, free rental of our Family Trailside Backpack Program and much more! Click here to join today!

Plus, Join or Renew Your Membership & Get Entered to Win a Prize!

In addition to attending Fall Fest for free and receiving the great benefits of an ALNC membership, from October 3-28th, when you join or renew your ALNC Membership, you’ll be entered to win a prize drawing for one of three terrific prizes including a Romantic Spa Getaway, a Day of Family Fun in the Dells and a Staycation in Madison's Historic Dudgeon Monroe Neighborhood!
Click here or call 608-221-0404 to sign up as a member today! Prize drawing will be held on Halloween, October 31st.

Wonder Bugs - More Tails!

We know that many animals have tails, and that tails come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. So why do animals have tails? What are tails used for?

Tails can be used for many things! They can grab branches like an opossum’s tail. They are used for balance like a kangaroo tail. They are used for protection like a porcupine tail. They are used for “talking” like with wolves.  They are also used as rudders to steer in water like a muskrat. Can you think of any other uses for tails? What would you use your tail for if you had one?

While you are at home you can use a similar rhyme like we used at Wonder Bugs to talk about an animal’s tail. Stuffed animals or pictures can be used to go on a tail scavenger hunt in and around your house. Every time your wonder bug finds a different tail say the following rhyme, changing the animal name and the function of the tail:

Little cat, little cat, your tail I see.  You wave it around to “talk” with me.

Did you ever wonder why bears have such small tails? There are legends, tales and stories that try to explain the answer. Check out this site for one such tale.  How is this tale similar to the one about opossum? Why do you think bears have small tails? Do they use their tails for anything?

This is the tail end for this week!
Miss Tara

 

Next Wonder Bugs Session:
SIGNS OF LIFE
9:30-10:45 am
Tuesday, October 18 & Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Registration Deadline: Friday, October 14, 2011

Sometimes animals leave us clues like scat or tracks that tell us about their actions. Come be a nature detective and find the animal clues that might be right under your nose- or your foot! Click here to register!

Single session: ALNC Members: $6/child; Non-Members: $7/child
Package option: All 7 sessions: $38.50/members; $45.50/non-members

Wonder Bugs - Tails at Night!

Do I have a tale for you! It’s a tale of wonder and delight.  Once upon a time…a few small groups of intrepid and very young explorers set out in the middle of the night in search of nocturnal woodland critters. Not a soul was scared and everyone was able to see in the dark. They found a raccoon with a striped bushy tail washing its hands in the creek and a small opossum climbing down a tree, hanging on with its tail.  They courageously observed as a black tail with a white stripe was seen above the tips of the grasses; the skunk thankfully did not spray. At the end of the path they came across a creature covered from head to tail in feathers. The Great Horned Owl hooted and then flew in search of mice to eat. The explorers were excited and satisfied with their night hike and went back inside hoping for more. The end.

For the wonder bugs last week, that hiking adventure (written above in highly embellished form) was only the beginning of the imaginative fun! Opossums are marsupials or mammals that carry their young in pouches like kangaroos; they are the only marsupial in North America.  So the wonder bugs creatively used scarves and pine cones and pretended to carry baby opossum in their pouches. 

You can tell some animals apart by looking at their tails. The wonder bugs matched some tails with their “missing” bodies. It was also humorous seeing what a river otter would look like with a white cotton tail!
And let us not forget how wild it is to play dead, just like opossums. Can you do it without giggling? Can you do it without moving?  Ready, set, go!

Join us in two weeks on a search for Signs of Life!
Miss Tara

Next Wonder Bugs Session:
SIGNS OF LIFE
9:30-10:45 am
Tuesday, October 18 & Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Registration Deadline: Friday, October 14, 2011

Sometimes animals leave us clues like scat or tracks that tell us about their actions. Come be a nature detective and find the animal clues that might be right under your nose- or your foot! Click here to register!

Single session: ALNC Members: $6/child; Non-Members: $7/child
Package option: All 7 sessions: $38.50/members; $45.50/non-members
 

Fall Foliage Friends

Here's an easy, fun and creative way to get your youngster "in touch" with the season! Enjoy!

For more fall fun, remember to to stop by our upcoming Fall Fest Members Preview Party on Friday, October 28th for a spooktacular night of entertainment for your whole family + a sneak-peek at our exciting new Climate Education Center! Hope to see you there--click here to find out more!

A Wonderful Wonder Bugs Family Day!

Leaves were our topic for the day based on the book Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert. Would you believe that we found Leaf Man four times in the woods? He even looked like a fish one time! A leaf man has got to go where the wind blows. 

Leaf man’s trail led us to the sugar maple where we piled up leaves and jumped in them. We had a blast!  With masking tape bracelets we collected a variety of leaves and seeds and made our own leaf men back inside.

Do you know why leaves change colors in the fall? Can all trees make red leaves? What does weather have to do with leaf color? Click here to find out more!

 Or, ask a wonder bug friend who came to the family day!

Snack is back on track this fall! Leaf-shaped sesame seed crackers (made right in the ALNC kitchen) were a hit. See below for the recipe.

Leaf-ing you until next time,

Miss Tara

Thin Wheat Crackers
Pg. 170 The King Arthur Flour Bakers Companion: the All-Purpose Baking Cookbook

1 cup (4 ¼ oz) unbleached pastry flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (5 oz) whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour
¼ cup (1 ¼ oz) sesame seeds
¼ cup (1 ¾ oz) granulated sugar (I only use about ¾ oz)
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons ( ½  stick,  2 oz) butter
Scant ½ cup ( 3 ¾ oz) milk
Coarse salt (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the flours, sesame seeds, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter, then stir in the milk, adding just enough milk to form a workable dough.

Divide the dough into 3 pieces and roll in out ultra-thin, one piece at a time- 1/16 inch, if you can manage it. Sprinkle with a bit of coarse salt, if desired, and use the rolling pin to press the salt into the dough.

Cut the dough in to 1x2 inch rectangles. Transfer the crackers to baking sheets and bake for 20-25 minutes, until they begin to brown. Cool on a rack.  Makes about 8 dozen.

Next Wonder Bugs Session:

Tails at Night
9:30-10:45 am
Tuesday, October 4 & Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Registration Deadline: Friday, September 23, 2011

Opossum tails aren’t tall but they sure are good for hanging. Learn all about this shy night-loving animal and have fun hanging around.Click here to register!

Single session: ALNC Members: $6/child; Non-Members: $7/child
Package option: All 7 sessions: $38.50/members; $45.50/non-members