Summer is almost here and school (as we've recently known it) will be done soon. For many people, summer in Maine means spending time in or near water. With over 6,000 lakes and ponds to choose from, perhaps you'll be finding yourself in the habitat of one of Maine's most iconic bird species: the …
Connections
Connections: Guided nature explorations
Focusing your time outside helps provide practice in looking and seeing, and increases the fun! Several examples of nature journaling and scavenger hunts have been offered here, on our Connections pages. They are a great way to share the wonders of the outdoors with others. Here are a few more …
Family Fun Connections: Shapes and Symmetry
Nature provides so many great ways to explore math concepts, and shapes and symmetry are a perfect place to start. After all, complex forms and patterns have been present in nature much longer than people have been around to describe them! Watch this week's video for a symmetrical butterfly art …
Family Fun Connections: Exploring Color
Nature is colorful year-round, if you know where and how to look. But there's something about the deepening shades of green in late spring, plus the pops of color from each new blooming tree, flower, or shrub, that make this a particularly nice time to explore color. Let's dig …
Elementary Connections: Decomposers
How are nutrients recycled in nature? What plants, animals, and organisms help with this process? Where can we observe this in our own yards and neighborhoods? Last summer, a huge, old tree fell in the woods at Gilsland Farm. No one was quite sure what caused it to happen right …
Connections: Exploring a Pond, Part 1
Typically, our spring program for middle schoolers at the Fields Pond Audubon Center involves some type of pond exploration. Exploring a pond is a great way to learn about how an ecosystem works. Predator/prey relationships, life cycles, and energy flow are all easily viewed in a relatively small …
Family Fun Connections: Neighborhood Trees
As we've gotten better acquainted with the trees we pass on our daily walks around the neighborhood, I love that they're starting to stand out as individuals. In the past I've talked about spotting differences as a precursor to identifying species, but those same skills are what have led to noticing …
Family Fun Connections: Exploring Texture
If you've ever been in a store, public bathroom, or museum with a young child, you know their urge to touch everything is strong. The good news is that, barring exceptions like poison ivy, nature is full of opportunities for truly hands-on exploration! Touching and manipulating the natural world …
Connections: Everyone Loves Hummingbirds
With their shimmering feathers and ability to hover and fly backwards, hummingbirds have always fascinated us. Historically, they have been seen as symbols of love, peace, playfulness, and joy. In nature, they signal the arrival of plants, flowers, insects, and warmer days to come. In Maine, the …