Wow, we had a busy month here at Willow Bend Environmental Education Center during the first month of 2020! Check of this recap of our January programs and events.
Science Saturday: Winter Tales, Plus New 2020 SS Passports!
Willow Bend had an amazing kick off to 2020’s Science Saturdays with our Winter Tales event on January 4th. Thank you to the Jones Benally family for joining our event and sharing traditional Dine winter stories. We also introduced our new Science Saturday passports! Get a stamp for every Science Saturday that you attend with your family in 2020. If you collect four stamps by our December Science Saturday, you can earn a prize! Pick up a passport and get your first stamp at our next Science Saturday: Archaeology on March 7th, between 9am-1pm.
Adult Workshop: Basics of Wildlife Tracking with Geoffrey Gross
Geoffrey Gross, Coconino County Natural Resource Supervisor, facilitated an engaging Basics of Wildlife Tracking adult workshop on January 11th. Seventeen participants joined Geoffrey on a hike around Sawmill Park/the FUTS trail, as well as an indoor presentation on tracking 101. Geoffrey also brought lots of impressive plaster and bronze track castings that he has made over the years. A huge thank you to Geoffrey for spending your Saturday with us.
Teacher Workshop: Climate Change and Renewable Energy
Through our Wind for Schools partnership, as well as support from the KidWind Project, the City of Flagstaff, the Arboretum at Flagstaff, and Prometheus Solar, Willow Bend hosted a teacher workshop on climate change and renewable energy for 20 Arizona educators. The Climate Change portion was covered by Jillian Goulet, Sustainability AmeriCorps VISTA member, which introduced teachers to the Climate Action Challenge, covered the climate action tool kit and shared loads of resources teachers can use in their classroom for teaching climate change. Michael Arquin, CEO and Founder of the KidWind Project, joined us at Willow Bend Center (all the way from Saint Paul, MN) to facilitate the renewable energy portion of the workshop. Michael introduced the KidWind Project and the KidWind Challenge, and demonstrated several wind activities that teachers could easily do in their classrooms. Our KidWind Challenge in Flagstaff is coming up, and it’s not too late to sign up (link below). We would like to thank Whole Foods for donating a pastry tray and coffee for the teachers to enjoy. REGISTER FOR THE FLAGSTAFF KIDWIND CHALLENGE Tuesday, April 21, 2020, 9-2PM at the Arboretum at Flagstaff (Sign-up required)
Classroom Program and Field Trip Highlights
- Members of Mountain Elementary School’s Environmental Club joined Willow Bend for tours of the Recycling Center.
- We visited over 30 classes (at Flagstaff Junior Academy and Marshall Elementary) to deliver programs on waste reduction.
- Willow Bend staff visited multiple grades at Kinsey for a variety of programs on Walnut Canyon, winter weather, insects, and more!
Did Willow Bend visit your classroom in February? Submit a small write-up and we will feature it in our blog (content by students encouraged)! E-mail submissions to melissa@willowbendcenter.org.
What’s coming up in February? Join us at these community events:
02/07 (1PM) – First Friday Recycling Center Tour
02/08 (10AM-12PM) Adult Workshop: Growing and Gardening with Native Plants
02/22 + 02/23 – (9AM-3pm) Teacher Workshop: Story Maps in the Classroom
02/29 (several sessions to sign up for): Family Science: Annual Eagle Celebration
Check out our calendar for more information.