How does energy move through an ecosystem? What is a food chain or web? What different roles do plants and animals play in these interconnected webs? Let's look at all these webs! Energy Starts with the Sun Plants and algae have the amazing ability to do photosynthesis, the process of using …
elementary
Connections: Virtual field trip to Scarborough Marsh
This spring, schools were not able to take field trips to Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center. So the center's director, Maine Audubon educator Linda Woodard, created a virtual field trip with the help of three third-grade students from Wentworth School in Scarborough. Watch as they explore the marsh …
Elementary Connections: All About Habitat
What is a habitat? What do habitats provide? What different habitats are located near your home? What different types of plants or animals could live there? What is a Habitat? A habitat is somewhere an organism (plant, animal, etc.) lives and finds what it needs to survive: food, …
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 …
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 …
Elementary Connections: Life Cycles in Spring
How do different plants or animals grow and develop? What stages of life can you see around you? Do young plants and animals always look exactly like their parents? Step outside or peek out your window and you're bound to see new life this time of year. Birds are laying eggs or caring for their …
Elementary Connections: Nest Building Season
What do birds use nests for? How do they build them? What can we observe in our own yards and neighborhoods as birds enter nesting season? It's that time of year! Many birds are gathering materials, starting construction, and even starting to care for their young around the state of Maine. Even …
Connections: Releasing the turtle into the pond!
In case you missed it, Catherine Griset did a live broacast at 10 am Tuesday morning (May 12) to release a baby snapping turtle into the pond at the Gilsland Farm Audubon Center. Catherine Griset wrote about her seven months fostering the baby snapping turtle. Watch this video to see her release the …
Seven Months in the Life of a Snapping Turtle
Seven months ago, a nest of Snapping Turtle eggs hatched at the edge of the parking lot at Gilsland Farm. You can read about that eventful day and the decision to overwinter one of the hatchlings in a previous blog post, Introducing Our New Roommate: A Baby Snapping Turtle. After consulting …