Nutty for Nature: Pond Scum
It doesn’t matter how old I get, the summer still brings with it a yearning to return to my old stomping grounds – the pond. As kids, some of my fondest memories are of mucking about in the pond. My brother, Petey, and I even had ‘frogging birthdays’. Rather fitting really that summer brings with it childhood memoirs of time spent at the pond, as ponds are the old stomping grounds for many critters in the spring & summer. A pond is in fact a ‘creature nursery’.
Here are a few of my favourite childhood pond nursery pals:
And a few that spend their lives in the pond:
Pond waters teeming with life, you just have to slow down to see it. Heres two ways that I’ve done this:
Building a Pond Scope
Supplies:
- yohgurt / ice cream container
- saran wrap
- elastic band
- exacto knife
- Get an adult to help you cut out the bottom of the container.
- Cover new opening with saran wrap and fasten it to the container with an elastic band.
- Stick the saran wrap side of the container in pond water, hold still and and watch to see what swims by. It works just like a pair off goggles. Be patient and try not to stir up the water.
Creating a Temporary Treasures Aquarium
Supplies
- pond water
- pond dipping nets
- clear glass container
- door screen
- Fill glass container with pond water.
- Use a dip net and run it over the vegetation in the pond. Empty the contents of the net into the aquarium.
- Cover the opening of the container with door screen and place in the shade.
- Let the water settle and watch the critters inside that you didn’t even realize were there.
- Many of the critters are babies and leave the water as adults, so don’t keep the critters more than a couple of days before returning them to where you found them.
Have fun and remember to be respectful of the critters and the pond. Your visiting their home.
For more science fun, check out my science camp this summer.
Delta School District = a Social Media History Maker
Cross-post from DSD Youth Activities
Pretty impressed with the forward thinking of the Delta School District, as as far I am aware they will be one of the first school districts in Canada to fully embrace social media this summer, by actually offering students a course in it.
That’s right, the Delta School District is having me teach two mini-courses this summer on ‘Blogging and Storytelling’ and I’m pretty gosh, darn excited about it. I love Interactive Storytelling (which is a part of what using social media tools to tell story is), I love to share knowledge (especially that which excites me) and I love working with young people and seeing them get excited about learning.
So details on the classes? Here they are:
BLOGGING – STORYTELLING RESPONSIBLY & SAFELY (ages 10 – 15)
If our youth are going to blog, tweet or fire up flickr photos – on the new information highways – then might it be wise to teach them to do it in both a socially responsible and personally safe fashion? Join media arts specialist and Delta teacher Erica Hargreave as she helps students create their stories and characters online in a safe and responsible manner. This week of storytelling explores the use of social media tools which are becoming more and more a part of their lives. And of course … don’t forget your digital camera!
Fee: $70
ID 8153 July 6 -10 9:00 – 11:00 am Seaquam Secondary
ID 8154 July 13 – 17 1:00 – 3:00 pm Delta Secondary
Nervous about your child learning how to use social media? Well, I hate to say it, but it is just like sex. You can hide it from them, but that doesn’t mean they’re not going to experiment on their own. By showing young people the cool things they can do with social media and storytelling, we can encourage them to be safe, show them how to be safe and how to use the tools responsibly. I also might add, that it is the knowledge of how to use these tools safely and responsibly that a lot of businesses are looking to young people for guidance, opening those that know how to do this to a lot of opportunity.
Hope to see you and your young storytellers this summer!
Vancouver’s Got A New California Studio Teacher!
A little known fact, with working with some wonderful teachers, Ahimsa Media has a boutique set teaching division, Ahimsa Kids, geared to providing engaging and inspired teachers to teach child actors on-set in BC. Well, Ahimsa Kids had some very exciting news yesterday, they got their first ever California Certified Studio Teacher for teaching the young actors from LA!!!!
An enormous congratulations to Lori Yearwood on obtaining her California Studio Teaching License!!! We are so, so proud of you and appreciative of the hardwork you put into obtaining the certification! Well done you gorgeous girl!
