World Wide Web of Life

 Dear Wonder Bugs,
 

The World Wide Web is all around us, and we’re not talking about the internet or a spider web. We’re talking about how everything needs to eat! In nature, everything is connected by what it eats and what eats it- we call it a food chain. Everywhere you go outside you can find examples of food chains.

Start with the sun that helps the plants grow. Look closely at a plant and search for insects or signs that they were there (holes in the leaves, eggs, cocoons, etc.).  Maybe you saw a butterfly or bee on drinking nectar.  What eats butterflies? Then look around in the sky, in the trees or on the ground. Do you see animal holes? Do you see birds, squirrels or rabbits?  Do you hear birds? Some birds eat butterflies! What might eat a bird?  Search the sky for soaring hawks or listen at night for owl hoots. You just made a food chains! When you connect all the food chains together in an area, you get a complicated food web.

Have fun singing the song below and replace the nouns with the insects and animals you found!  I wonder where kids (humans) fit?  That’s right! We’re kings of the food chain mountain, too. (Although technically, we are omnivores, not carnivores.)

King of the Food Chain Song

(Tune: “Farmer in the Dell”)

By Miss Tara Von Dollen

The sun up in the sky. The sun up in the sky. Hi-ho the good chain-oh. The sun up in the sky.

The plants get the sun. The plants get the sun. Hi-ho the food chain-oh. The plants get the sun.

The herbivores eat the plants. The herbivores eat the plants. Hi-ho the food chain-oh. The herbivores eat the plants.

The carnivores eat the meat. The carnivores eat the meat. Hi-ho the food chain-oh. The carnivores eat the meat.

The carnivores are the kings. The carnivores are the kings. Hi-ho the food chain-oh. The carnivores are the kings.

Bye for now, Miss Tara

Remember to join us to share the Wonder Bugs experience with your entire family at our NEW Family Camps! Here are the details:

Evening Family Campfires (2 days each)
Wednesday & Thursday June 20-21 OR Tuesday & Wednesday July 31 and August 1
6:30-8:30 pm

Family camp is NEW for summer fun with grandmas, grandpas, parents and all the kids! If you have found yourself jealous of your kids going off to camp each summer, this one is for you. Bring the whole family for 2 evenings of nature activities, singing, storytelling, and stargazing around the campfire on a summer weeknight. Can you think of a better way to spend a summer evening?

Overnight Family Camps (AT our Black Earth Campus)
Friday, July 20-Saturday, July 21 OR Saturday, August 18-Sunday, August 19
6 pm-10 am

Bring the whole family for an overnight campout at our Black Earth Campus filled with nature activities, singing, storytelling, and stargazing around the campfire on a summer night! Bring your own sleeping bags, pillow (required) and tent (if you have one). Please indicate when registering if you would like to use an ALNC tent (limited supply available) or if you will be bringing your own.