Kicking Off a Summer of Discovery
From festival to forest to field, there is much to discover across the Blue Ridge during the summer. Check out what we have been up to with our friends!
From festival to forest to field, there is much to discover across the Blue Ridge during the summer. Check out what we have been up to with our friends!
A Weekend of Music and Fun
On June 15th, we had the opportunity to not only participate in the Wayne Henderson Music Festival, but also to provide the 2019 children’s activities. Despite the past record of rainy days, the sun paid a visit for the day to make the weather even more beautiful for the full day ahead. Throughout the day while getting to listen to the amazing performances, we got to make journals, leaf poundings, buttons, and other crafts. In addition to creating things together, we also got to listen to storytelling and participate in rope trick lessons, courtesy of some of our incredible volunteers.
Konnarock Discovery Day Camp: Session I
On June 17th, we kicked off the first session of our Discovery Day Camp based out of Konnarock! Despite the prevailing storms that came throughout the week, we got to participate in activities that focused on every aspect of the nature around us. From collecting and learning about different trees of the area, to having first-hand experiences with native and non-native animals, everyday was a little adventure.
Galax Discovery Day Camp: Session I
This past week, Blue Ridge Discovery Center had the pleasure of providing Discovery Day Camp for kids in the Galax area! Every day was focused on a different aspect of nature. We explored all things from birding to stream ecology and hydrography! The students learned so much, including what constitutes an owl pellet (pictured). All in all, the week was a success and our campers walked away with a greater appreciation for the physical world around them.
Discovery Day Camp Photo Album
Educational resource planted last Fall shows us life!
Last fall, BRDC, led by Sarah Osborne, planted a brand new butterfly garden on the grounds of the Galax High School as part of the Fall 2014 Middle School Enrichment Program. The results a year later are astounding!
On September 15th we started a second Young Explorers Club with seventeen pumped up 10-13 year olds. The program kicked off our 2015-16 Galax After School Enrichment Program. We will be meeting with the kids two days a week and taking one extended Saturday field trip each month during the school year. The Young Explorers will earn a Junior Naturalist Certificate over the course of 2015-16.
For our first session the group gathered to discuss official club items in the classroom. After talking about the array of subjects we will be studying and what it means to be a naturalist, we honed in on insects in preparation for an October 17th field trip to the Hokie BugFest in Blacksburg. Our first club activity was to visit the butterfly garden on school grounds to do some maintenance and field investigation.
Last fall, BRDC, led by Sarah Osborne, planted a brand new butterfly garden on the grounds of the Galax High School as part of the Fall 2014 Middle School Enrichment Program. The results a year later are astounding! The garden is lush with life and the sharp eyes of the students quickly discovered a Monarch butterfly, then a caterpillar, then a bigger caterpillar, then three chrysalises and a caterpillar forming it's chrysalis! They were ecstatic to say they least!
Monarch Caterpillar
Hanging Caterpillar
Monarch Chrysalis
Monarch Butterfly
In the short time available the students weeded out the crab grass, collected seeds to be planted in the spring and found an array of insects in the garden. We are looking forward to studying the garden in detail during the coming weeks. The students will also be building a club insect collection to be entered into the insect collection contest at the Hokie BugFest.
What a fantastic resource for young scientists to explore life! Every school needs a pollinator garden.
Let the Students Go Outside!
"Teach 'real world' skills" ; from the Galax Gazette, July 11, 2010.
A letter from Lauren Kamoda of Hillsville:
"I’m a rising senior at Carroll County High School.
I’m 17 years old.
In my educational life, I have come to the realization that no one in the school system teaches you about real life.
You are taught to the Standards of Learning in every class. Then every once in a while you will have a teacher to tell you “This is something that you will use every day after you graduate.” Will you really?
I attended the Wytheville regional governor’s school for 10 days. I took a philosophy class with Liza Fields, and in that class I learned more in 10 days than my entire grades K-11 learning experience.
We took walks, hiked up Sandstone Mountain, had class discussions, and asked questions that can’t be asked in regular school.
My suggestions to improve the learning experience for the upcoming classes are as follows: let the students go outside!
We sit inside to learn about biology, when biology in its natural environment is outside!
Class discussions — everyone has an input, let them share it. It builds trust, respect, and confidence — all things you need in the "real world."
-Lauren Kamoda,
Hillsville
Direct source links:
-Newspaper e-article:
http://www.galaxgazette.com/content/teach-real-world-skills
-Scanned article:
2010 Crossroads Event, Galax, Virginia
Thank you for sharing your art!
Sharing the wonders of nature with others is a great way to spread knowledge and awareness.
April 22, 2010
-A summary of the Crossroads event-
After a successful morning guiding kids at the Dunson Farm,
Devin and Scott returned to the western side of Grayson County to perfect their terrariums, snack and further prepare for the evening event at the Crossroads Institute in Galax. Leading up to both the farm outing and the evening demonstration, Devin had brought ID card booklets that Shannon and family had assembled, display towers that Brent constructed, and tools for exploring and drawing. As well, he managed to catch three spring peepers the night before at his parents' pond. During that previous day Scott spent nearly all of it on his knees, rooting around in the woods and streams for snakes and salamanders, turning over rocks, logs, peaking into spring heads, and lifting up sheets of old tin...the result of which were two black rat snakes, one black racer, one ring-necked snake, three slimy, one spring, one dusky and one not-so-sure-about salamanders.
White-spotted Slimy Salamander, Plethodon cylindraceus
Made evident at the Dunsons' was how powerful a draw are live critters. That evidence was repeated indoors that evening. Joining Devin and Scott was Allen Boynton in tow with both box and painted turtles. We set up in a designated room, lining up the tanks with critters...including tadpoles, one spotted sunfish, and dragonfly and damselfly nymphs gleaned from the Dunson ponds.
Given that it was a school night
, and that we were the only kid-oriented thing going on, we had no idea if any kids would be on hand. Perished was that thought, as we began to see a steady stream of young folks show up, usually with a parent, and all the interest one could handle. Devin managed one end of our presentation with attention to both critters and kid driven artistic documentation of what they were seeing. Following through, he captured the sketches with camera (see the
). On the other end, Allen and Scott managed critter preservation while allowing the kids to catch the aquatic beasts over and over again, including heavy turtle attention.
Most of the younger crowd
was between the ages of 3 and 10. However, it is important to mention that people of all ages took more interest as the word got out. We heard some tall tales from those who have had a variety of (snake) experiences, and kept open the door to the full range of interests shown. The set-up lasted for three hours, and just guessing, BRDC hosted at the least 25 kids and 15 adults. What was especially telling were the repeat 'customers'...those that would go but could not stay away. One boy spent most of his time with the box turtle. One girl kept dragging her mother back from other ongoing activities, to return to the aquatic tank. Her fascination with what the murky waters held defined her mother's schedule.
BRDC thanks
Felicia Hash, who wears many hats for the Grayson County office, and Kathy Cole, whose work with the Crossroads intersects that of Felicia's. If it had not been for the two of them, we would have not had this great opportunity.
The Io moth & caterpillar- some amazing natural designs
On a nature walk this morning at Stump Pass State Park in Englewood, FL, our group came across two caterpillars of the Io moth (see photo). At this stage they are a striking light green, with a red and white stripe along their sides. The younger caterpillars are brown to orange-brown. Although we were tempted to pick this beautiful green caterpillar up, I knew that this species has poisonous spines that can cause a lot of pain. One might assume that the green coloration is for camouflage, although it is so bright that it might even be considered a warning coloration along with the red/white stripes. The branched, poison-bearing spines pack a powerful jolt to any potential predator.
Strangely enough it was about three years ago that I saw the adult of this strange moth at our farm in Galax, VA. The unusually colored adult moth appeared on a window screen one morning where it must have been drawn to the lights the night before (see photos). With the wings closed the moth is cryptic in the right background and would presumably escape detection by most predatory birds. If it is detected and is poked, it opens its wings and reveals a marvelous set of false eye spots (see photo). Many moths have eye spots on their hind-wings that mimic an owl's face or just provide something scary for a bird to think about. But the Io moth has what I consider the most impressive set of eye spots. But even so I am amused that a bird would find this intimidating.
One again we can be amazed by the evolutionary process that can lead to the development of such a remarkable pattern. The variety of animal coloration is a never ending source of wonder.
Bill Dunson
Englewood, FL & Galax, VA