Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Educator News Update
Educator News
Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center has new nest-cam overlooking the property's great blue heron rookery. Check it out and see what the birds are doing today.
Take Kids Fishing this spring. No fishing rod? No problem! We have fishing equipment you can borrow at several DNR offices and state parks and facilities. There is no charge to borrow the equipment -- just enjoy your day of fishing in Wisconsin and return the equipment in the condition you found it in so the next person can enjoy it. Questions? Contact Theresa Stabo, 608-266-2272.
"Air, Air Everywhere" Poetry Contest Announced. Wisconsin teachers can help celebrate Clean Air Month this May through the Department of Natural Resources' annual Air, Air Everywhere Poetry Contest. Teachers can submit original poems or riddles created by their students to the DNR as part of the Where's the Air? [PDF] activity in the Air, Air Everywhere Activity Guide. The guide aims to teach 3rd, fourth and fifth grade students about air quality and the importance of clean air. As part of the activity, students complete simple sensory experiments to discover the characteristics of air and then write a poem or riddle describing air. The complete Air, Air Everywhere guide [PDF], which includes ten activities, can be downloaded from the DNR web site. Hard copies may also be ordered by sending in your name and mailing address. Contact Lindsay Haas at 262-574-2113. Deadline: Friday, May 16.
Forest Exploration Kit for Early Childhood Education: Help young children get in touch with nature through a new resource kit you can check out to explore the forest in your backyard or neighborhood. The new kits, developed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources through a grant from the Wisconsin Environmental Education Foundation, are now available for loan from the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education and the Wisconsin Child Care Information Center. The kit contains two activity guides with fun hands-on explorations and samples of many DNR publications to help you teach about Wisconsin’s trees, birds, wildlife, flowers, and much more. Simple tools are included to aid with exploration including: identification guides, bug box, magnifying lens, animal cards, and more. Take one of the reading books and share it with children outdoors in the shade of a tree. Create recycled art using ideas from one of the booklets. Put kids in motion with music and movement selections, and then build a tree as a healthy snack. Contact the resource centers directly about checking out this kit; then take a safari in your neighborhood, no experience necessary.
Outdoor Explorer Backpacks Available at Libraries. Warmer weather will bring opportunities to get kids outdoors to enjoy spring's splendor, so check out a backpack and hit the trail with books, identification guides, bug box, magnifying lens, animal cards and much more to help kids and adults discover our natural resources together. Use it in your backyard, neighborhood, and anywhere you travel. The following libraries have been chosen to pilot test the packs which will be available through inter-library loan. Ask your librarian about the Outdoor Explorer Backpack and plan to get kids outdoors and moving. This project is funded in part through the Wisconsin Environmental Education Foundation.
- Milton Public Library
- Elkhart Lake Public Library
- Clear Lake Public Library
- Kenosha Community Library
- Matheson Memorial Library, Elkhorn
- Cudahy Family Library
- New Holstein Public Library
- Lake Mills Public Library
- Bonduel Public Library
- Land O' Lakes Library
- Black Creek Village Library
- Baraboo Public Library
- Platteville Public Library
- New Berlin Public Library
- Campbellsport Public Library
- Kendall Public Library
- Western Taylor County Public Library
E-cycle - You know that your old TV or cell phone isn’t supposed to go in the trash. And you probably also know that it should be recycled. But do you know why it’s so important to recycle your old electronics? Or what happens to them once they leave your hands? Or how Wisconsin’s electronics recycling law may represent the future of waste management? Find the answers to all of these questions and much more when you order the DNR’s new, FREE “World of Difference” poster (WA-1629). Done in anime style with only a few words, the front of the poster depicts the life of an electronic device from mining to disposal. The back of the poster is packed with information, discussion questions, prompts for further research and a link to a related activity aimed at middle and high school students. This poster will soon be followed by a behind-the-scenes video at an electronics recycling facility. You can view and order the poster online.