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!

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!

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 - 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!