Curiosity and wonder can sprout from watching seeds grow into plants. For this activity, a variety of seeds are placed on a wet paper towel within a plastic bag that is then taped to the window. Instructional videos demonstrating how to do this can be found online, or you can use my 6-step cartoon with […]
Youth are amazing leaders. During the ups and downs of 2020, teens and tweens from churches in Capitol Region Watershed District have been moving water knowledge to water action for their churches, communities, and neighborhoods! Macalester Plymouth United Church, St. Anthony Park Lutheran, Christ on Capitol Hill, Galilee Lutheran, and participants from a variety of […]
Are field trips and educator trainings offered at Blaine Wetland Sanctuary? Yes, the next course offering of “Environmental STEM at Blaine Wetland Sanctuary,” a 3-hour course for educators, is on Saturday, August 29th from 9am-12pm. Future trainings will take place throughout 2020 and 2021. Registration is required and can be done through the City of Blaine […]
35 Ways to Notice Nature this July… July is a great month to hone your noticing skills! Sit and listen. Watch the clouds. Count the ants. Smell the flowers. Can you notice, find, or create everything on this “Noticing Nature” list for July? Give this a try… an easy scavenger hunt for your neighborhood park. Find an object […]
1. Consider a “Bee Lawn” in care of pollinators. Truth: bugs are beneficial. Planet earth, including your food supply and neighborhood bird population would not be the same without them. Here are a few resources to check out: “Where Have All the Insects Gone?” National Geographic article at https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2020/05/where-have-all-the-insects-gone-feature/ Pollinate Minnesota at https://www.pollinatemn.org Your Lawn […]
Where is your neighborhood on this map? …and where do your rainwater and snow melt go? Growing Green Hearts is connecting churches and neighborhoods with their watershed using water education and water quality actions. This 2020 project called “Connecting the Drops: Water in Church Neighborhoods of Capitol Region Watershed District” is grant-funded by Capitol Region […]
This list of 50 ways to celebrate Earth Day’s birthday combines knowledge to action along with being and noticing nature where we live.
Students and families notice nature in their neighborhoods then plan a green trip to a far-off, very different place. This project taps into interdisciplinary and enviroSTEM strategies to bring together math, reading, science, social studies in a playful way…all for family fun during the COVID-19 days of shelter-in-place.
Growing Green Kids City & Systems Engineering Design Challenge™ Welcome to the Growing Green Kids City & Systems Engineering Design Challenge™! This playful lesson series is designed especially for kids and families practicing “social distancing” during March/April of 2020. All ages are welcome to participate. Science, math, reading, art, engineering, social studies, leadership and more are all tied together in […]
By Heidi Ferris, Growing Green Hearts COVID-19 is here and many kids will be at home…with parents…and we’ll all be driving each other crazy! It’s a great move for our community, but hey, there’s a misconception we need to address: Screen time is not the only way to learn in 2020. Let’s all be aware that “social […]