Second Nature: Winter Detective Walk By Savannah Teeple

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t’s that time again when we are experienc- still tons of critters that are scurrying about. ing harsh temperature fluctuations and As a winter detective, it is your job to search It’s that even timerandom again where we are experiencing harsh temperature maybe heavy snowfall. Many for clues of their presence. There are always fluctuations and random heavy Many of us find ourselves warming up in front of the of us find ourselves warming up insnowfall. front of animals around us even if we don’t see them! favorite movie or good not so fast! Winter is aforwonderful thefire fire with with aafavorite movie or good book.book. But These animals, who stay here the winter, time to explore But not soBundle fast! Winter is a head wonderful time to have adapted to live in the cold and snow. The nature. up and outdoors! explore nature. Bundle up and head outdoors! last S is Using The Four S’s for sign. Signs WinterWalk Walk Winter As a winter detective you can use the four are a very important because they A winter walk at this time of year might S words: sight, sound, smell and sign. To use understand which animals live in A winter walk thisidea time of year likemust a silly cold)you. ideaUse without seem like a silly (or at cold) without the might seem sight, you look(or around wide- the brightly without you actually seeing them colored leaves or seeds scattered the ground, buttoIobserve can assure nature is still ready to brightly colored leaves or seeds scatteredall all overopened owl eyes birds you, in trees, tracks in the morning frost left by excite you! Winter great waysquirrels for youcontinuing and your child over the ground, but I canwalks assureare you,a nature to playto inexplore the forest,and andget familiarized deer? Or a hopping rabbit? is still excite you! Winterat walks a pace. deer roaming in the fi eld. Do withready the to changing seasons theirareown Even though snow is you the notice main the topic of winter, there When you are looking at tracks great way for you and your child to explore and colors? What colors are natural or man-made? are plenty of other things to observe if snow has yet to arrive. Now that the trees arepattern bare, the thatfall the tracks make and getfoliage familiarized with the changing at the summer S is also for This ishave a timedied, whenyou the can begin to has disappeared, andseasons many of andsound. fall plants the tracks are moving in. Sometim their own pace. Earth becomes very silent. What do you hear? observe those treasures that were once hidden by warmer temperature. Did you notice the able to rock see detail, such as the num Even though snow is the main topic of winYou can hear many different sounds on chilly layers in your backyard that were once covered by milkweed? How about the maple tree that or claws. Other types of animal si ter, there are plenty of other things to observe winter days. Can you listen for dogs barking, food that housed songbird’s nest? areareonlyorabirds few chirping things toinlook for on your winter walk. You has are been chewed, feathe if snow has ayet to arrive. Now thatThese the trees the trees? If you listen birds, and even animal scat! now your to becoming winter detective, exploring changing Earth bare andon many of way the summer and fall aplants closely youby might be able the to hear the songs of and have died, you can begin to observe those chickadees and cardinals. Pay attention to the uncovering some of nature’s mysteries. Make a Nature Journal treasures that were once hidden by warmer sound your feet make as they travel through Now that you know the four S w temperature. you notice the rock layers in the changing forest. Is the ground as rough as BecomingDid a Winter Detective your backyard that were once covered by milk- it was during the fall? Or is it wetter and more and explore! To become an even b weed? How about the maple tree that housed a saturated? detective, your child can make wi As younest? may already know, many animals migrate foryou thewalk winter, but there are still songbird’s The thirdorS hibernate is smell. Once outside journals. You can simply use an o tons of thatthings are scurrying As a winter detective, it is your job to search for of your observatio These arecritters only a few to look for about. on of your house, begin to breathe in the crisp air. or youclues can record their presence. There areonalways animals You around uspick even we don’t them! Theseown animals, your winter walk. You are now your way might up if many smells see when you do homemade nature journal. T to becoming winter by exploring this, smoke from who stay ahere fordetective, the winter, have adapted tosuch live as inthe thesmell coldofand snow. the wood own nature the changing Earth and uncovering some of stove or maybe the smell of gingerbread baknature’s mysteries. ing in the oven. Using The Four S’s Second Nature is contributed by th Can you use your nose to smell the decaying at Bonnyvale Environmental Educa Becoming a Winter Detective leaves and spruce trees? Pay attention to the information, visit www.be Asyou a winter detective can use the S the words: Sight, Sound, Smell, Sign. ToFor usemore sight, As may already know,you many animals mi-four way air smells after a snowfall. Theand smells 802-257-5785 youormust lookfor around you.but Use wide owlare eyes to observe in trees, squirrels grate hibernate the winter, there areopened of winter always the mostbirds festive.

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continuing to play in the forest, and deer roaming in the field. Do you notice the colors? What colors are natural or man-made? S is for sound. What do you hear? You can hear many different sounds on chilly winter days. Can you listen for dogs barking, or birds chirping in the trees? If you listen closely you might be able to hear the songs of chickadees and cardinals. Pay attention to the sound your feet make as they travel through the changing forest. Is the ground as rough as it was during the fall? Or is it wetter and more saturated? S is also for smell. Once you walk outside of your house, begin to breathe in the crisp air. You might pick up many smells when you do this, such as the smell of smoke from the wood stove or maybe the smell of gingerbread

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parentexpress • December 2015

nter Detective Walk

ah Teeple

time again when we are experienc- still tons of critters that are scurrying about. rsh temperature fluctuations and As a winter detective, it is your job to search even random heavy snowfall. Many cluesyou of their are always baking in the oven.forCan use presence. your noseThere to smell the decaying leaves and spruce trees? Pay nd ourselves warming up in front of animals around us even if we don’t see them!is a time the Earth becomes very silent. attention to the way the air smells after a snowfall. This h a favorite movie or good book. These animals, who stay here for the winter, The smells of winter are always the most festive. The last S is for sign. Signs are a very o fast! Winter is a wonderful time to have adapted to live in the cold and snow. The important because they can help you understand which animals live in your area without you ure. Bundle up and head outdoors! last S is Using seeing them. Are The those Four tracks S’s in the morning frost leftforby a dancing deer? Or a hopping Byactually Savannah Teeple sign. Signs Walk rabbit? When you are at tracksyou observe the tracks make because and thethey direction Aslooking a winter detective can use thepattern four that arethe a very important can help you the tracks are moving in. Sometimes you are able to see detail, such as the number of toes walk at this time of year might S words: sight, sound, smell and sign. To use t’s that time again when we are experienc- still tons of critters that are scurrying about. understand which animals live in or your area ing harsh temperature uctuations As ainclude winter detective, itthat is your job been to search silly (or cold) ideaclaws. without the youand must look around you. wideOther typesflsight, of animal signs foodUse has chewed, from Are birds, without youfeathers actually fallen seeing them. those maybe even random heavy snowfall. Many for clues of their presence. There are always ored leaves or seeds scattered all opened owl eyes to observe birds in trees, and even animal scat! tracks in the morning frost left by a dancing of us find ourselves warming up in front of animals around us even if we don’t see them! ound, but I can assure you,a nature continuing play inwho the forest, and the fire with favorite moviesquirrels or good book. Thesetoanimals, stay here for the winter, deer? Or a hopping rabbit? y to excite you! Winter a is adeer But notwalks so fast!are Winter wonderful time toin the roaming eld. Dotoyou notice the havefiadapted live in the cold and snow. WhenThe you are looking at tracks observe the Making a nature journal nature. Bundle up and head outdoors! last S is or you and your explore child to explore and colors? What colors are natural or man-made? Using The Four S’s patternforthat tracks make and the direction sign.the Signs rized with the changing S is also for sound. This is a time when the Winter seasons Walk at As a winter detective you can use the four are a very important because theybetter can help the tracks are moving you you are Now that you know thebecomes four S words, go out andsmell explore! If you want to becomein. anSometimes even ace. very silent. What youand hear? A winter walk at this time Earth of year might S words: sight, sound,do sign. To use understand which animals live in your area able to seeYou detail, such as theuse number of toes ugh snow is the seem main topic of(or winwinter detective, you and yourmany child can make nature journals. simply an like a silly cold) idea without You canthe hear diff erent sounds on you. chilly sight, you must look winter around Use widewithout youcan actually seeing them. Are old those or claws. Other types of animal signs include brightly colored leaves or seeds scattered all opened owl eyes to observe birds in trees, e plenty of other things to observe winter days. your Can you listen for dogs tracks in the morning frost left a dancing notebook, or you can record observations in barking, your own homemade nature journal. Tobymake over the ground, but I can assure you, nature squirrels continuing to play in the forest, and food that has chewed, deer? Or been a hopping rabbit?feathers fallen from yet to arrive. Now that the trees are or birds chirping in the trees? If you listen own nature journal allareyou need is cardboard, paper, hole is your still ready to excite you! Winter walks a deer roaming in the field. Do you notice the puncher, scissors, and yarn (or When youanimal are looking at tracks observe the birds, and even scat! any of the summer and plants closely you might beFirst, able to hearoff thenatural songs great way fall for you to explore and colors? What colors are or of man-made? anything toand tieyour thechild pages together). start by gathering yourpattern scrapthatpaper and place them the tracks make and the direction familiarized with the changing seasons and at cardinals. you can begin toget observe those S is also for sound. This is ato time chickadees Pay attention thewhen the the tracks are moving in. Sometimes you are Make a Nature Journal on top of the cardboard. The cardboard acts as a book cover to protect your pages. Line up the their own pace. Earth becomes very silent. What do you hear? hat were once hidden by warmer sound your feet make as they travel through able to see detail, such as the number Even though snow is the main topic of win-punch You can hear many erent sounds chillyNext, cut a piece of yarn into of toes paper the and holesdiffalong theason side. Noworthat you know four Ssigns words, go out e. Did you noticeter,the rockwith layers in cardboard changing Isthree the ground as rough claws. Other typesthe of animal include there are plenty of other the things to observeforest. winter days. Can you listen for dogs barking, three individual pieces and feed the yarn through the holes. Tie the yarn to make your pages stay food that has been chewed, feathers fallen from ard that were once covered by milkand explore! To become an even better winter it was during the fall? Or is it wetter and more if snow has yet to arrive. Now that the trees are or birds chirping in the trees? If you listen birds,your and even animal scat! and many of the summer and fallaplants might be to ablehold to hearall theof songs of treasures! about the maplebare tree that housed a saturated? in place. You now have winter closely natureyoujournal your You can record your detective, child can make winter nature have died, you can begin to observe those chickadees andyou attention to the nest? The thirdphotographs, S is smell. Once walkPay outside journals. You simply use an acan Nature Journal observations with sketches, orcardinals. stories. All you need toMake do now is explore theold notebook, treasures that were once hidden by warmer sound your feet make as they travel through e only a few things to look for on your house, to breathe crisp and air. orasyousome can Nowrecord that youyour knowobservations the four Sthe words,in goyour out temperature. Did you notice thenature rock layers in begin outdoors with yourof journal. a spot outdoors spend time observing thePick changing forest.in Isthe the ground as rough walk. You are now your way might pick up many smells when do and more youron backyard that were onceYou covered by milkand explore! nature To become an evenTo better winter it was during the fall? Or isyou it wetter own homemade journal. make your sights, smells, sounds, and signs. weed?by How about the maplethis, tree that housed a smell saturated? detective, your child can make winter nature g a winter detective, exploring such as the of smoke from the wood own nature songbird’s nest? third S is smell. Once you walk outside journals. You can simply use an old notebook, ng Earth and uncovering some of stove or maybe theThe smell of gingerbread bakThese are only a few things to look for on of make your house, begin to breathe in the crisp air. or you can record your observations in your Remember, fresh and cold air can a huge difference ysteries. ing the oven. You might pick up many smells when you do own homemade nature journal. To make your your winter walk. You are now on in your way Second Nature is contributed by the naturalists beat the winter blues. After winter walk to to becoming a winter detective, by exploring Can you use your your tothe smell decaying this, nose such as smellthe ofthink smoke from the wood own nature at Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center. ng a WintertheDetective changing Earthyou and uncovering some of or maybe thefeel smell of to gingerbread bakleaves and sprucestove trees? Pay attention the about how feel. I can guarantee you will For more information, visit www.beec.org or call mysteries. ing in the oven. may already know,nature’s many animals once mi- you way the smells after a snowfall.toThe smells Second Nature is contributed by the naturalists empowered andair your child 802-257-5785 Can go you inside use your nosetalk to smell the decaying at Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center. Becoming a Winter Detective bernate for the winter, but there are of winter are always the most festive. leaves and spruce trees? Pay attention to the about all your winter findings over a hot cup of cocoa.

Second Nature: Winter Detective Walk

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As you may already know, many animals migrate or hibernate for the winter, but there are

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way the air smells after a snowfall. The smells of winter are always the most festive.

For more information, visit www.beec.org or call 802-257-5785

parentexpress • December 2015

parentexpress • December 2015