Wonderbugs: Lizard Wizard

Dear Wonderbugs,

This is a bittersweet week for me since it is the last week of spring classes. I said goodbye to some friends who will “graduating” from Wonder Bugs. Other friends are signed up for the 4-7 year old summer camps so I will not be seeing them either this summer. Finally, once my baby comes (August-ish!) I will be taking some time off from Wonder Bugs heading into the fall session.  I have enjoyed getting to know each and every one of you.  Thank you for coming, singing, and playing. It has been an absolute delight!

There was no disguising the enjoyment this week! Aside from the goodbyes, we had a blast!  We learned all about chameleons AKA lizard wizards.  I wonder what makes chameleons so special.  For one thing, they can change the color of their skin!  Their mood, the temperature, and the amount of light can initiate the change from green skin to red, blue, black or a mix of colors.   

To help them hide in the trees and leaves, they have y-shaped feet; three toes are fused and two toes are fused.  Chameleons can also see in more than one direction at once! That’s right, their eyes can move independently of each other in different directions. This helps them find their favorite food- insects.  Chameleons are slow-moving, though, so to catch the insects they use their super-long, sticky tongues to slurp them up.  

Our tongues are not nearly as long, but we practiced using them at snack time anyway to “catch” our food.  Outside we had a fun time taking turns playing hide-n-seek with our transparent chameleon friends. I wonder what the chameleon would look like on my pillow. What about in my sandbox? Has your chameleon friend been to any new places since you took him/her home? 

For more fun, check out these lizard wizard stories!  The Mixed-Up Chameleon by Eric Carle; AColor of His Own by Leo Lionni.

Don’t change too much until I see you next and have fun this summer with our other Wonderbugs teachers! If you have any pictures or suggestions to share, please contact me at tara.vondollen@gmail.com. I hope to see you around the nature center this summer!

All my best,

Miss Tara

Click here to see the Wonderbugs programs this summer!

Sprouting Grass...Hidden Ginger

Photo Credit: Althea Dotzour

Dear Wonder Bugs,Signs of spring were sprouting up all over this week!  Grasses, flowering plants, weeds, and even ginger were showing their green colors. It was fun to “plant” dandelion seeds by blowing on the seed heads! Creeping Charlie and mint had interesting smells that some of us liked better than the smell of wild ginger.

Wild ginger is a fun, native plant because the flowers are like little surprises. Wild ginger flowers hide under the tall, heart-shaped leaves right along the ground; you have to carefully push the leaves aside until you find them.  I wonder why the flowers would be so close to the ground and not up in the air like the dandelion flowers?

There are insects that like the flowers and use them for different reasons!  There is a certain type of fly that lives underground through the winter. When it emerges in the spring, the flowers provide a warm and dry place to hide during the changing and surprising spring weather.  Once the flowers make their seeds, ants are attracted to a special part of the seed that makes a delicious food for the ants. So the ants follow the scent to the wind ginger seeds, carry the seeds back to their homes, eat the special, fleshy part, and leave the seed. If everything goes well, the wild ginger seed will sprout the next year into a new wild ginger plant!But the fun doesn’t stop there! Wild ginger can also sprout from their special root called a rhizome. Wild ginger makes a great ground cover because of its spreading ability!

Find that spring in your step!  There is more sprouting than grasses, dandelions and wild ginger- you just have to get outside and look. Create your own scavenger hunt sheet or fill up a page by drawing what you find.  Or try to sprout some seeds inside and watch what happens.

Over and sprout,
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.

Caw, Caw, Hello!

Dear Wonder Bugs,

We all know that crows can make loud, sometimes annoying sounds.  We listened to crow sounds and discovered that they do more than caw. They make a rattle sound that reminded us of a woodpecker and they also make softer noises like coo-coo. It was great fun practicing the sounds while acting like crows!  We pretended to be smaller birds (like sparrows) who “attack” crows in order to scare them away from their nests. The wonder bugs then formed a flock of crows to frighten the sleeping owl (me!) out of the tree.

Are you smarter than a crow? The wonder bugs certainly are!  They showed their intelligence by working puzzles, playing crow memory, completing mazes, and sorting crows by size. It was impressive to see everyone working so hard on the activities!  We also had fun pretending to build a crow’s nest and hatch some eggs. Crows are quiet once they have baby birds to feed so we stopped cawing for a few minutes at least.

This book is the one I wanted to read for snack but accidentally left at home. (My daughter pulled it from my stack and has been enjoying it quite a bit.) It is called Crow by Leo Timmers, and it teaches kids of all ages the importance of acceptance.

Mr. Nathan taught with me on Tuesday and took my place on Wednesday. He also helped take some pictures on Tuesday; you can see a couple in this post. Thank you, Nathan!

Don’t be “caw-tious” about it- have a great week!

Miss Tara

Get in on the fun! Join us for these fun upcoming Wonder Bugs sessions:

LAND, HO!
Tuesday, April 10 & Wednesday, April 11, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, April 6, 2012
Oceans may be far from land-locked Wisconsin, but the wonders are ever so close. Splash into a fascinating, briny world. You’ll sea and learn amazing things!

SPROUTING GRASS...
Tuesday, April 24 & Wednesday, April 25, 2012
9:30-10:45am
Registration Deadline: Friday, April 20, 2012
...Hidden ginger. Come scavenge for signs of spring that are sure to be pushing up all over! Explore new games and songs. You’ll burst with bliss!

TREES PLEASE!
Saturday, April 28, 2012
9:30-10:45am
In honor of Arbor Day we will reach for new heights. Come get up close and personal with trees. Stories and games will branch out your knowledge, and at the end of the day you’ll be asking for more!

Keep on Trackin Wonder Bugs Preschool Program

Dear Wonder Bugs,

I am sorry to say that I missed keeping track of the fun on Tuesday! I was home with a recuperating child but back in the saddle on Wednesday! Miss Sue showed us all of the wonderful track-makers we have at the nature center like raccoons, opossum, rabbits, and fox. Did you know they all make different tracks with different numbers of toes?

I heard you had a track-tastic time outside and discovered a whole bunch of different tracks like skunk! That is one animal that is more fun to see the track than the actual animal!

Check out these fun books:
Wild Tracks! by Jim Arnosky: This book is loaded with life-size prints that your wonder bug will love comparing. Have them make their own track and count the toes. (Use some washable paint and thick paper and let your wonder bug walk around! A tub of water and a towel at one end make for a fun clean-up station.) 

How to Be a Nature Detective by Millicent E. Selsam: This book is in story-form and walks youngsters through the act of questioning and tracking.. Grab your magnifying lens and detective cap for this one!

Before going home we sang a tracking song. It is a fun one to sing while you explore outside! Sing it as an echo song; your wonder bug can sing the italicized lines.

Who walked here?
By Miss Tara Von Dollen (all rights reserved)
(Tune: “Are You Sleeping?”)

Someone walked here. Someone walked here.
Who could it be? Who could it be?
Was it you? It wasn’t me! Was it you? It wasn’t me!
Who could it be? Who could it be?

Were they running? Were they running? Were they walking? Were they walking?
Was it fast? Was it fast? Was it slow? Was it slow?
Could it be a person? Could it be a person? Could it be an animal? Could it be an animal?
What’s the track show? What’s the track show?

Keep tracking in your own neighborhood! 

Take care,
Miss Tara

P.S. - Remember to join us this Saturday, February for our  Read Owl About It Wonder Bugs Family Day from 9:30 -10:45 am. Here's the scoop! This just in: nocturnal owls are being studied during the day! Owl pellets are dropping in! Masks and talons are on their way. Come be a part of the owl news!

Me & My Shadow Wonder Bugs!

Dear Wonder Bugs,

Groundhog’s are chuck full of surprises! I bet you didn’t know that they sleep all winter long and don’t eat or even breathe very much. It’s true! Their breathing slows way down and so does their heart rate.  

Before they go to bed in the fall, they have to make sure that they ate so much that they are super fat! In fact, did you know that groundhogs weigh twice as much in the fall compared with when they wake up in the spring? Can you imagine?!

We had a blast tunneling like groundhogs, popping out of our underground homes and trying to make shadows of our own.  We also made our own puppets to take home with us complete with a yarn tail (thanks to Miss Sue!)! That way when we see the stringy tail we know it is a groundhog and not a beaver.
 
This is the book we read in class: Go To Sleep, Groundhog! By Judy Cox  Read it again at home!

Sing along with the song we sang in class and then get ready for Groundhog Day. I realized that I was “missing” the second verse after Tuesday’s class; the version below is the version I modified to account for a cloudy Groundhog Day.
 

I’m a Little Groundhog (Tune: I’m a Little Teapot)
adapted from the song found at http://www.everythingpreschool.com/themes/groundhogsday/songs.htm
 
I’m a little groundhog, short and stout.
On Groundhog Day I pop my head out.
If I see my shadow I don’t come out.
I stay in my hole and then I pout.

I’m a little groundhog, short and stout. 
On Groundhog Day I pop my head out. 
If I don’t see shadow, out I’ll stay. 
A smile on my face cause spring is on its way!

I hope to see you and your shadow again in a couple weeks!
 
Bye, Miss Tara

Also, remember to join us for these upcoming sessions:

WINTER WONDER BUG SESSIONS:
Prices for Wonder Bugs for all individual sessions:
ALNC Members: $6/child; Non-members: $7/child

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.

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.

Snowball Saturday!

Looking for a fun way to enjoy the snow with your toddler? Bring them to our upcoming Wonder Bugs Family Day this Saturday, January 21 from 9:45 to 10:30 am.

Here's a quick preview from Miss Tara:

Dear Wonderbugs,

This will be a fantastic day, inside and out (weather permitting)! We’ll start by reading Snowballs by Lois Ehlert, one of my favorite winter-time tales.  Then we will recreate some snow people outside, build mini ones inside, drink hot cocoa, and help to feed the birds and wildlife! Come roll-up the fun, bring your family and friends, and explore the wintry world at ALNC! Click here to register!
 
See you then,
Miss Tara


Also, remember to join us for these upcoming sessions:

WINTER WONDER BUG SESSIONS:
Prices for Wonder Bugs for all individual sessions:
ALNC Members: $6/child; Non-members: $7/child


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.


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.

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.

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 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

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!

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!

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
 

Goosey Goosey Gander!

Honk! Honk! We spent our time learning about Canada geese since we usually see them at the nature center. However, there are different kinds of geese. Some of them look like the stuffed tundra swan. Click here for an online puzzle of a white goose!

It is about that time of year when we will see geese and other birds heading south for the winter (migrating). It is a fascinating occurrence that humans have been studying for many, many years. Geese can fly on cloudy nights (without the sun or stars for guidance) partly because they have tiny magnets (called magnetite) in their heads. That’s right; birds might have a built-in magnetic compass! 

On the Wing: American Birds in Migration by Carol Lerner is loaded with facts, pictures and maps about bird migration. 

Brush up on your bird calls and click here for a description of the Identiflyer- the fun gadget we had that made bird sounds at the touch of a button. The wonder bugs loved this!

While checking the sky and fields for geese, sing the Goosey Song by Miss Tara Von Dollen:

(Tune: I’m a Little Teapot)
I’m a great big goosey, look at me.
Here is my dark bill. Here are my wings.
When I get all angered up, I flap and hiss,
Scaring off the bad guys just like this. (flap and hiss again)

Honk honk,
Miss Tara

Stop Drop and Roll Wonder Bugs!

Dear "Wonderbuggers,"

Roly-Poly bugs are so much fun and they have so many different names!  We discovered that in order to find the sow bugs we had to look in dark, moist places. We had a blast turning over logs, checking under rocks, and watching the pill bugs run or roll away!

I wonder, why do the potato bugs roll up into balls? To avoid being eaten by frogs, lizards or little kids!  It doesn’t always work, but their hard shell does offer some protection when they are rolled up.

Did you know that wood lice have 14 legs?  

That is a lot of legs! We lined up to see what 14 legs looks like. On Tuesday we needed every wonder bug and a couple of adults to get to 14 legs. I wonder, what would it would be like to try walking with 14 legs?See how many places you can find isopods at home in your yard and sing the Roly-Poly Bug song while you are at it! And, check out these sites for more fun you can do with these bugs at home:

http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/insect-activities7.htm
http://blog.growingwithscience.com/2009/10/pill-bug-activities-for-kids/

Roly-Poly Bug
By Miss Tara Von Dollen
(Tune: I’m a Little Teapot)
 

I’m a roly-poly bug with many names.
Here is my hard shell.
Here are my 14 legs.
When you reach to touch me I stop, drop, and roll,
Into a little ball, down in the hole.
 

Have a ball!
~Miss Tara

The new Wonder Bugs sessions have been announced and are up on ALNC's website! Hope you can join us for one of them or for one of our Wonder Bugs Family Days!

WONDER BUGS FAMILY DAYS
Saturday September 24, October 22 & November 19
9:30 -10:45 am

Join us for weekend Wonder Bugs familyhttp://www.naturenet.com/alnc/wonderbugspreschoolprogram.htm days we will explore, sing, and craft the day away to a different nature topic each month. You won't want to miss out on the opportunity to share the Wonder Bugs experience with your whole family! Appropriate for children 2-5 years accompanied by an adult.

ALNC Members: $6/child; Non-Members: $7/child
Click here to find out more or to register!

New Auction Items Added!

As you probably know, our Pipers in the Prairie Online Silent Auction is now open for bidding! We have tons of exciting, one of a kind packages to choose from, featuring art, tickets, collectibles, sporting goods, gardening tools, gift certificates and more from over 100 local businesses and artists! 

The auction is open now until noon on Sunday, September 18.  We still have dozens of packages that haven't been bid on and we're adding new packages weekly, so bid today to get great deals on exclusive packages and support our children's educational programs here at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center.

Bidding is easy too! Just click here and you'll be directed to the auction site.  If you have questions, feel free to contact me at devcomm@naturenet.com or 608-216-9374.

Here are a few of the NEW packages we have just added:

Oh Baby!

Treat a new or expecting mother in your life with this wonderful package! She’ll enjoy an hour long massage from Belly, a massage therapy company based that specializes in pregnancy and postpartum massage to relieve stress and muscle tension, improve blood and lymph circulation, improve sleep and reduce anxiety. Then, she’ll celebrate the joy of the new addition to the family with "Baby's First Journal" by Clare Beaton, a colorful, scrapbook and journal to record all those memorable firsts! Also included in this package is a copy of "Welcome to the World: A Celebration of Birth and Babies From Many Cultures" by Nikki Siegen-Smith, a collection of poems and photographs to cuddle up and read with baby.

Last Light, Cherokee Marsh

This original oil painting by Peter Lundberg, entitled "Last Light, Cherokee Marsh", is a magnificent portrayal of our Wisconsin terrain. The juxtaposition of a cool gray-blue sky, against the fiery yellow sunset contrasts with a simple and somber horizon line. Measuring 13"x15" in a beautiful ebony carved framed, it is a stunning, colorful testament to the beauty of Cherokee Marsh.

P.S. With such great deals, this is a terrific way to get an early start on your holiday shopping AND support ALNC! Bid today!

Hide and Seek Wonder Bugs!

Today I got to hide with some fake fur wrapped around myself while the wonder bugs tried to find me. They did a great job following the clues! I blended into the Hickory tree just like a moth would.
Then we had a lot of fun trying to find worms and other animals that are camouflaged in their homes. The puppet owl up in the tree was the hardest to find. You can do this at home with your own stuffed animals. Take turns hiding them in places where they are camouflaged and see how fast you can find them!

Sing this song at home to keep the topic of camouflage tuned in!
Camouflage (from Growing up WILD)
Tune: Jingle Bells
 
Camouflage, camouflage,
Colors spots or stripes
Helps protect the animals
All different types.
 
Camouflage, camouflage
Helps them night or day
Hide away from predators
so they won’t be prey. Hey!
 
Camouflage, camouflage
Better watch your back
Predators will use it too
Then they can attack!

I hope to see you this school year. Wonder Bugs keeps going all year long with lots of great topics and plenty of fun!

See you later,
Miss Tara

The new Wonder Bugs sessions have been announced and are up on ALNC's website! Hope you can join us for one of them or for one of our Wonder Bugs Family Days!

WONDER BUGS FAMILY DAYS
Saturday September 24, October 22 & November 19
9:30 -10:45 am

Join us for weekend Wonder Bugs family days we will explore, sing, and craft the day away to a different nature topic each month. You won't want to miss out on the opportunity to share the Wonder Bugs experience with your whole family! Appropriate for children 2-5 years accompanied by an adult.

ALNC Members: $6/child; Non-Members: $7/child
Click here to find out more or to register!

Antsy Pantsy Wonder Bugs!

Dear Wonder Buggers,

This week was full of all kinds of antics!  Our imaginations were on overdrive as we explored the underground world of ants. Being the queen and laying eggs was almost as much fun as being the nurse ants who kept the eggs safe!

Ants are amazing! They are insects with three body parts (head, thorax and abdomen), six legs and antennae.  It turns out that ants love sweet things! Our plates with honey had the most ants on it by the end of class.  Ants “talk” to each other using their antennae. They let each other know where the food can be found. 

Remember to talk about the book Hey Little Ant with your Wonder Bug. We know that most kids squish bugs at some point; this book will give you another way to look at the concept and talk about it with your child.  You also might want to check out the books we looked at in class for more astounding ant facts: The Life and Times of the Ant by Charles Micucci and Army Ants by Sandra Markle.

How many different species of ants are found in Wisconsin? Click here to find out the astonishing answer! Can you find these ants in your yard, neighborhood, or on a nature hike?

Come find me next week,

Miss Tara

The new Wonder Bugs sessions have been announced and are up on ALNC's website! Hope you can join us for one of them or for one of our Wonder Bugs Family Days!

WONDER BUGS FAMILY DAYS
Saturday September 24, October 22 & November 19
9:30 -10:45 am

Join us for weekend Wonder Bugs family days we will explore, sing, and craft the day away to a different nature topic each month. You won't want to miss out on the opportunity to share the Wonder Bugs experience with your whole family! Appropriate for children 2-5 years accompanied by an adult.

ALNC Members: $6/child; Non-Members: $7/child
Click here to find out more or to register!

 

Wonder Bugs: Dragonfly By!

Summer sure is flying by! Last week's Wonder Bugs session was Dragon-fly By and dagonflies flew by all day long every day!There were plenty of nymphs (baby dragonflies) to observe and catch in the pond too!  I hope you had fun flying by your friends and family at home with your dragonfly wings. I think the deck might still be glittery and sparkly!

As promised, here is the book title that we read or talked about in class: About Insects by Cathryn Sill. Check it out!

Would you like to brush up on those dragonfly facts we talked about? Check out this site with your wonder bug!

You can also act out part of the life cycle of a dragonfly by singing the Little Nymph song from class!

Little Nymph by Miss Tara Von Dollen (Tune: London Bridge)

Our pond has a little nymph, little nymph, little nymph. Our pond has a little nymph swimming ‘round.
Little nymph eats lots of bugs, lots of bugs, lots of bugs. Little nymph eats lots of bugs in our pond.
Little nymph will molt his skin, molt his skin, molt his skin. Little nymph will molt his skin in our pond.
Out of the pond our nymph will crawl, nymph will crawl, nymph will crawl. Out of our pond the nymph will crawl, to grow wings.
Little nymph will grow some wings, grow some wings, grow some wings. Little nymph will grow some wings by our pond. (Say: Then he’ll be a dragonfly.)
Little nymph is all grown up, all grown, all grown up. Little nymph is all grown up, flying ‘round.

Fly by you soon!
 
Miss Tara

The new Wonder Bugs sessions have been announced and are up on ALNC's website! Hope you can join us for one of them or for one of our Wonder Bugs Family Days!

WONDER BUGS FAMILY DAYS
Saturday August 13th, September 24, October 22 & November 19
9:30 -10:45 am

Join us for weekend Wonder Bugs family days we will explore, sing, and craft the day away to a different nature topic each month. You won't want to miss out on the opportunity to share the Wonder Bugs experience with your whole family! Appropriate for children 2-5 years accompanied by an adult.

ALNC Members: $6/child; Non-Members: $7/child
Click here to find out more or to register!