Blog Archives
Woodpeckers
Woodpeckers
July 23, 2011
Here we are back at our favorite state park again for a Saturday class. This time it’s about Woodpeckers!
As usual we arrived a bit early and Ms. Katherine was kind enough to let Austin (being the responsible 15 year old that he is) use her ZPix hand held microscope to show the littler ones all kinds of neat things she had prepared for a different class. Of course we just had to order one of our own ZPix once we got home.
At first we were the only ones there but a little while after the class started another family showed up. Ms. Katherine told us how to identify the different kinds of woodpeckers, what unique characteristics only they have, and in the above picture she explained why there is sap found around the outside of the woodpeckers nesting hole.
Snacks for Snakes
Snacks for Snakes
July 10, 2011
After attending the “Snakes Alive” event at Martin Dies State Park, we just had to come back the next day to watch the snake feeding.
Arriving early (as we always do where ever we go) has been a blessed chance to explore the exhibits freely before others show up. Ms. Katherine took the time to show the kids her “Curiosity Boxes” full of neat things about nature, for example one contained an Owl Pellet which I mistakenly thought was scat at first.
Snakes Alive!
Snakes Alive!
July 8, 2011
We LOVE Martin Dies Jr. State Park! We have hiked all their trails, our favorite is the Island Trail and we geocached there as well. I had noticed that they held classes on the weekends about nature. I have been wanting to go and attend one of these classes for a while now but with Stewart working Saturdays it just has not worked out, until now. I am very happy to say we managed to attend a class they held in the afternoon called “Snakes Alive.”
Ms. Katherine is the Ranger who gives the class in the nature center and she does such a wonderful job! She involves the kids and adults, works hard to set up the nature center to be an interesting interactive learning center, not to mention she has a wonderful personality!
Balloon’s Make the World Go Around
Balloon’s Make the World Go Around
June 6, 2011
We started studying the solar system in Astronomy this week. The project was to make a solar system out of balloons. Of course any time you drag out the balloons there is going to be a good time.
Adam tried to blow up a balloon extra big. He succeeded, he blew it up so big it popped!
Guided Hike ~Sundew Trail~
Guided Hike ~Sundew Trail~
May 13, 2011
I was looking around on the Beaumont Community Calendar hunting for something to do with the family when I saw there was going to be a guided hike on the Sundew Trail. I was excited, we had just studied about carnivorous plants in Science and the Sundew Trail had the Pitcher Plants and the Sundew plants which are both carnivorous. Although we had been to the Sundew Trail before it was in the fall and with the change of the seasons each trail can offer new and interesting things to study.
When we arrived at the trailhead no one was there. The hike was suppose to start at 10 A.M. so we waited a little while. The kids occupied themselves taking pictures of random critters around the pavilion.
Oh Happy Daze 