Maple Syrup Fest

The end of winter brings the opportunity to practice the art of maple syrup brewing yet again. And who of us who has read Laura Ingalls Wilder can resist the urge to get out there and tap those trees?

Not I! No, certainly not I!

The  Maple Syrup Fest is the perfect opportunity to learn about the art and science of maple tree tapping by Native Americans, pioneers, and modern-day syrup and sugar producers. But learning about maple syrup is just the beginning! The fun doesn't end until you've tapped and tasted real maple tree sap; tested your "nature smarts" with maple syrup trivia; built your knowledge of trees with the "Build-A-Tree" game; toured the rustic Children's Shack; participated in cooking demos with early pioneer settlers; and enjoyed a good, old-fashioned ice-cream sundae topped with pure maple syrup!

Indulge in the delectable festivities at Aldo Leopold Nature Center as we partake of one of nature's sweetest and purest gifts! 

Sunday, March 24, 2013
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Aldo Leopold Nature Center (Monona Campus)
Members: $7/person and $25/family; Non-members: $8/person and $29/family 
*Preregistration is preferred, but walk-ins are welcome!

Registration Form

Leopold Discovery Day

If you live in the Madison area, there's a good chance you've heard the name Aldo Leopold at some time or other. But perhaps, like myself, you're still curious about his life and legacy. Or, maybe you haven't heard of him, but the thought of outdoor fun and games mixed with some environmental exploration gets your heart a'pumpin'. Whether you're dying to know more, or languishing under the effects of winter-time cabin fever, Leopold Discovery Day is just the thing for you and your family!

Join us at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery for an exciting line-up of hands-on activities, games, and scavenger hunts that highlight some of Aldo's favorite pastimes like tree identification, fishing, and phenology (the study of the effect of seasonal climate on animal and plant life cycles).

Come on out this Saturday and discover Leopold!

Saturday, March 2, 2013
10:00am - 12:00pm
Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery
Participation is FREE!

Stumped by Steampunk?

Looking for ideas for the Full Steam Ahead costume competition? Ravenworks has a wide selection of retro-futuristic and Victorian gear, enough to satisfy the most genteel aristocrats and the greasiest gearhead! 

For those who like to get their hands dirty, check out these fun Do It Yourself Steampunk projects: 

Steampunk Goggles: The essential tool of navigation engineers, buggy drivers, zeppelin pilots, and many other steampunk occupations. 

Victorian Dress - For those who are good with a needle and thread, try a home-sewn Victorian dress! It might seem like a lot of work, but you won't just end up with a costume- but with an excellent piece of formal wear.

 Filigree Necklace - Steampunk accessories are what really help to distinguish it as alternate history from anachronism. Finally make good use of old pocket watches and doorless keys!

Do you have your ticket yet? Space is limited, so call 608-216-9371 or visit http://www.naturenet.com/alnc/events/aldoafterdark.html to register today!

Snow Day!

For most of our area, today has officially been declared a snow day! For kids, this means an exciting day full of fun and adventure free from the routine of school. For parents however, a snow day can quickly turn into a long, stressful day trying to keep the kids occupied!

While there is plenty of fun to be had outdoors playing in the snow, you can't keep them outside all day (click here for some safety tips to keep your kids safely active outdoors!). But don't worry--the Aldo Leopold Nature Center has you covered! Here are some ideas to keep you and your kids happy, engaged and learning inside and outside all day using simple items you probably already have on hand:

Outdoor Activities

1. Snow Hoop Off
Have hula hoops collecting dust until the return of next summer's sun? Break them out for a hula hoop contest outside in the snow! It's MUCH harder when you are all bundled up in your snow gear!

2. Snow Creatures
Snowmen are so last year! Tap into your creative side and create some one of a kind snow creatures! Some fun options include dinosaurs, snakes, turtles and squirrels!

3. Tracking
Winter provides the perfect time to go animal tracking! Here's a great guide and an online tracking quiz to get you started. 

4. Winter Bird Watching
Grab those binoculars and discover our winter bird friends like the Downy Woodpecker, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Blue Jay and Northern Cardinal! Consider taking photos or journaling along with your youngster! Here are some good questions to consider when birdwatching:

• Bird Size - Ask yourself, is the bird bigger or smaller than a robin?
• Bird Markings - Look at the coloration of the feathers, what is unique? Does the bird have markings like a cap, a scarf or bib, eye streaks?
• Bird Beak - What shape is the beak? Is it short and wide to crack seeds, is it long and narrow to eat suet, is it sharply curved as if to eat meat?
• Bird Legs - What type of legs does this bird have? Are they short and narrow, long with webbed feet, long with strong talons on its feet?

5. Snow Forts
Building snow forts with the kids can be a great way to have fun while burning up some pent up energy! Click here for some great tips to build a safe and impressive snow fort!

Indoor Activities
1. Freeze Dance
Turn up the tunes and start dancing! Stop the music periodically. When the music stops everyone has to freeze in place. Anyone who moves while frozen is out. The winner is the last person dancing.

2. Let It Snow
Make your own snow globes! Use hot glue or super glue to a plastic toy (try legos, mini dolls, or anything you find around your house) to the inside of a jar lid, then add baby oil and glitter!

3. Edible Snowflakes
Fold flour tortillas in fourths and use scissors to cut shapes out pf the folds, just like when you cut a paper snowflake, Brush with melted butter. sprinkle on cinnamon sugar and bake at 350 degrees until crispy.Yum!

4. Board Games
Time to break out those old favorites like Chutes and Ladders, Candyland, Monopoly, Sorry and card games!

5. Indoor Picnic
Relive those lazy days of summer! Make some simple picnic foods (sandwiches, fruit, lemonade, etc.) and make a picnic on a blanket indoors!


Wishing you a fun and educational snow day!

- The Staff of ALNC

Creatures of the Night!

Fall Fest is the place to be this Friday!

WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and Sports

Curious what tricks and treats we have up our sleeves for this Friday's Fall Fest? Check out this preview with Miss Alanna, joined by a creepy resident critter!

Remember, Fall Fest is this Friday, October 26 from 5:30-7:30 pm at our Monona Campus (330 Femrite Drive, Monona, WI) and it is FREE for members!!!

 Not an ALNC member? Register for Fall Fest for just $50 and we’ll give you a COMPLIMENTARY family membership!

In addition to attending Fall Fest for free and receiving the great benefits of an ALNC membership, from today - October 26th, when you join or renew your ALNC Membership, you’ll be entered to win a prize drawing for one of three terrific prize packages including a Family Fun and Fitness Package, Wine Tasting for Four and a Backyard Birding Package!


Click here to join today!

A Lasting Legacy

What kind of legacy do we want to leave for our children, our grandchildren and generations to come?

Help Us with Rhythm & Booms!

We need your help! Celebrate Independence Day and help the Aldo Leopold Nature Center by volunteering for this year's Rhythm & Booms! Please share this information with your friends too! 

Here are the details:

♦ RHYTHM & BOOMS
Thursday, June 28
Saturday, June 30 &
Sunday, July 1
Warner Park, Madison

Volunteers Needed at Rhythm & Booms!!!!

Looking for a way to make a difference in your life – and the community? Consider helping ALNC by volunteering at Rhythm & Booms, Madison’s spectacular Independence Day celebration. The more volunteers we send to set up and work at Rhythm & Booms, the larger our share of the proceeds from food, drink and souvenir sales!!

In addition to raising funds for ALNC, you will receive upfront seating for this world class fireworks display at Warner Park.

Volunteers are needed for:

EVENT SET UP
Thursday, June 28

At Warner Park
5-9 PM

Jobs:
(please bring work gloves if you have them)
Setting up stakes/fencing for:

• Fireworks Safety Perimeter
• Beer Garden
• Sponsor/VIP Seating area
• Food Tent lanes
• Setting up tables/chairs in Bingo tent
• Assisting with stage set-up

DAY OF EVENT
Saturday, June 30

At the Main Food and Beer Tent or Charlie DJ Stage Beer Tent
4:30 - 9:30 PM OR
10:15 - 10:30 PM

Jobs:

• Beer Ticket Cashiers
• Beer Tent servers
• Licensed Bartenders
• Food Tent Cashiers
• Food Tent servers / wrappers / helpers
• Pepsi Tent servers
• Volunteer Check-in
• Lost & Found

At the Warner Park Parking Lot
8:00 AM – Noon OR
Noon – 4:00 PM

Jobs:

• Parking Monitors 

At MATC
4:00 – 8:00 PM

Jobs:

• Collecting parking fees at MATC (11:30-4, 4-8)

CLEAN UP
Sunday, July 1

At Warner Park
8 AM – complete (usually noonish)

Jobs: 

• Picking up and bagging trash
• Tearing down fencing and pulling stakes
• Lagoon cleanup (kayaks and canoes needed - 1 hour, early morning)

# Volunteers needed: 30+

To sign up to volunteer, or to find out more information, contact Alanna Medearis at devcomm@naturenet.com or 608-216-9374.

 

Thanks!

Father's Day Weekend at ALNC

Celebrate Father's Day Weekend with the Aldo Leopold Nature Center at a special Wonder Weekend all about fish! In addition to exploration of new interactive exhibits, this weekend will include:

Saturday, June 16
Fly-Fishing: How Climate Change Is Affecting Trout Fishing in WI
11 am - 4 pm
This captivating video will use breathtaking footage to show out how climate change will affect Wisconsin's 10,266 miles of trout streams, tourism, and fly fishing in the Driftless Area and throughout the state.

Flow: Science On a Sphere Presentation
11 am - 4 pm
Travel on a virtual trip exploring oceanic thermohaline circulation - the system of global ocean currents that cycle warm and cold water across the planet with this special presentation on the Science On a Sphere.

Lake-Atmosphere Interactions in the Great Lakes Basin
2:00-2:45 pm
Katie Holman, PhD student in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of Wisconsin, will discuss lake-atmosphere interactions in the Great Lakes Basin. Learn about climate in the region, how the lakes and atmosphere interact, water budget of the lakes, and more!

Sunday, June 17
Family Fishing Fun
9:30-11:30 am
Fishing was one of the activities most enjoyed by Aldo Leopold as a youngster; join us to learn why in this introduction to angling! You'll see examples of different types of rods and reels, play the Backyard Bass fishing game to practice casting, learn how to tie basic fishing knots, and catch worms to use as bait as you fish in our pond! Can you reel in the biggest bullhead, bluegill or minnow?

Additional fee for this program: ALNC members: $6/person or $20/family; Non-members: $7/person or $25/family

Fly-Fishing: How Climate Change Is Affecting Trout Fishing in WI
Noon - 4 pm
This captivating video will use breathtaking footage to show out how climate change will affect Wisconsin's 10,266 miles of trout streams, tourism, and fly fishing in the Driftless Area and throughout the state.

Flow: Science On a Sphere Presentation
Noon - 4 pm
Travel on a virtual trip exploring oceanic thermohaline circulation - the system of global ocean currents that cycle warm and cold water across the planet with this special presentation on the Science On a Sphere.

Do Fishes Care About Climate Change?
12:30-1:15pm
John J. Magnuson, Emeritus Professor of Zoology and Limnology at the University of Wisconsin, will discuss how Wisconsin's lakes and fishes are affected by climate change.

A full schedule is available online at http://www.naturenet.com/alnc/wonderweekends.html.

Location: Aldo Leopold Nature Center, 330 Femrite Drive, Monona, WI 53716
Date/Time: Saturday, June 16, 11 am – 4 pm and Sunday, June 17, Noon-4 pm
Fee: $5.50/person; ALNC members receive free admission for three people.
Information/Register: www.naturenet.com/alnc or 608-216-9371

Hope to see you there!

Stars & Stripes for 57 Years! Celebrate Memorial Day with Nature!

Join us this Memorial Day, March 28 for the 57th Annual Monona Memorial Day Parade!

Each year, the Monona Chamber of Commerce puts together this wonderful event to honor those that have and continue to serve our country, and the Aldo Leopold Nature Center will have a fun float featuring some special fuzzy guests, special giveaways and more!

The Parade will run from 10 am - 1 pm. The 1.5-mile route will start just past Monona Grove High School, continue down onto Monona Drive, then right onto Owen Road until it disperses at Village Lanes.

This is the state's largest (more than 100 units!) and longest running Memorial Day Parade, so please join us and support ALNC! Hope to see you there!

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.

NEW Outdoor Adventure Camps Available for Middle Schoolers!

Looking for an exciting and educational experience for your middle schooler this summer? Answer the call of the wild with the Aldo Leopold Nature Center's new Outdoor Adventure Camps for ages 11-16!

These new camps offer your tween or teen a chance to experience the natural outdoors while learning survival skills such as orienteering, fishing, backpacking, kayaking, nature photography, and much more!

Summer camp registration for all age levels is now open for ALNC Members and Non-Members. ALNC Members receive a 10% discount on summer camps, plus a year of free admission to ALNC's new interactive exhibits, which we will be unveiling at our Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, April 21! Click here to become a member!

Here are a few more great features of ALNC's new Outdoor Adventure Camps:

• Fun and diverse themes for all interests and skill levels!
• Exciting opportunities such as kayaking through the breathtaking Apostle Islands, Wisconsin's very own national lakeshore! 
• Camps run Monday-Friday 9 am - 4 pm (8:30 am - 4:30 pm) with extended hours available!
• Special overnight camps available!
• All camps taught by experienced naturalists and guides!
• All gear and transportation from the Monona Campus provided!

Camps are filling fast, so click here to find out more about ALNC's summer camps and register before it's too late!

Land, Ho! Wonder Bugs!

Dear Wonderbugs,

Ah-hoy matey!

We set sail on a fantastic ocean adventure this week! Even though we do not have oceans in or near Wisconsin, we explored the creatures and beach life and learned a lot. Hi ho, did you know? A sea sponge lives in the ocean. They also make great sponge paintings once they are dead and on land.

What makes the ocean stay salty? A super inquisitive wonder bug asked me on Wednesday. Great question!  Check out this site for some answers.


This site answers why the oceans are salty to begin with.

This site has a simple experiment to go with it. Give it a try at home!

This site asks great questions!

Create a salty work of art! First paint a picture with water colors and then while it is still wet, sprinkle your paper with salt and watch what happens. Compare the results using sea salt and table salt.

No materials required for this activity! Pretend you are at sea like my daughter and I do. We climb aboard her play structure, and she steers us out into the deep waters. We look for whales and dolphins and sharks- we always find them! Sometimes we dangle our feet in the water (but not around the sharks). Sometimes we go for a swim, too.  We feel the salty sea air on our faces and feel the waves rock the boat.  We shout, “land ho!” when we see an island in the distance. It started as a fluke one afternoon almost two years ago and has turned into a regular and much loved game we play together. She has so much fun that she tells her dad all about it afterward; it's like we were really out to sea.  I encourage you and your wonder bug to put on your imagination caps and take a boat ride!

Sea you later,

Miss Tara

Check out these exciting NEW Evening Family Campfire programs to share the Wonder Bugs experience with your whole family!

Evening Family Campfires (2 days each)Wednesday & Thursday June 20-21 6:30-8:30pm

Tuesday & Wednesday July 31 and August 1 6:30-8:30pm

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 6pm-10am
Saturday, August 18-Sunday, August 19 6pm-10am
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 an overnight campout at our Black Earth Campus filled with nature activities, singing, storytelling, and stargazing around the campfire on a summer night. Can you think of a better way to spend a summer evening? 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.

Global Art Contest Deadline Approaching

Entries for ALNC's Global Art Contest are Due Next Wednesday!

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’s free Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, April 21 from 11 am – 3 pm! To enter, draw, paint or make a collage of your favorite nature spot using the template on the back side of this entry form.  This could be your backyard, a park, ALNC or anywhere else that is special to you! Get creative—your art can include animals and plants or anything else you can imagine! 

Two entries 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 globe during the Aldo Leopold Nature Center’s Grand Opening Celebration onSaturday, April 21 from 11 am - 3 pm which will unveil exciting new interactive exhibits and programs. Winning artists will also receive a free ALNC membership for their family ($50 value).

Click here to find out more or here download anentry form. Entry forms are also available for pick up at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center.

Contest is open for ages 3 to 18 years old. One entry per child.  Winners will be contacted with further instructions. This entry form and artwork must be emailed to devcomm@naturenet.com, mailed, or dropped off at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center (Attn: Globe Contest, Aldo Leopold Nature Center, 330 Femrite Drive, Monona, WI 53716) by Noon on Wednesday, April 4^th 2012.

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!

Call of the Chorus Frogs!

Here's this week's phenology post:

• Watch for wood ducks arriving—did you know their arrival coincides with the birth of wolf pups?
• Look for spiders crawling out from their winter hiding places.
• Mosquito larvae are drifting to the surface of puddles and small ponds.
• River otter pups are being born in their dens.
• Attempting to impress mates, red-tailed hawks dive-bomb toward the ground at 120 mph!
• Listen for Chorus Frogs and Spring Peepers as they begin their spring calls. Click here to hear it!
• Keep an eye out for muskrats and herons along the water’s edge. 
• The garter snakes are coming out of hibernation.
• Canada geese are starting to lay their eggs.

 

See Your Art Go Global!

Kids—Your Art Can Be Seen “Around” the Globe at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center’s Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, April 21 from 11 am – 3 pm!

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’s free Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, April 21 from 11 am – 3 pm! To enter, draw, paint or make a collage of your favorite nature spot using the template on the back side of this entry form.  This could be your backyard, a park, ALNC or anywhere else that is special to you! Get creative—your art can include animals and plants or anything else you can imagine! 

Two entries 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 globe during the Aldo Leopold Nature Center’s Grand Opening Celebration onSaturday, April 21 from 11 am - 3 pm which will unveil exciting new interactive exhibits and programs. Winning artists will also receive a free ALNC membership for their family ($50 value).

Click here to find out more or here download anentry form. Entry forms are also available for pick up at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center.

Contest is open for ages 3 to 18 years old. One entry per child.  Winners will be contacted with further instructions. This entry form and artwork must be emailed to devcomm@naturenet.com, mailed, or dropped off at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center (Attn: Globe Contest, Aldo Leopold Nature Center, 330 Femrite Drive, Monona, WI 53716) by Noon on Wednesday, April 4^th 2012.