Vera kiddos are ready for a bug safari! MAS Photo
The elementary school kids at Vera Court Neighborhood Center are excited about a brand-new project they’re working on- their very own Field Guide! This semester they’re building their literacy and art skills by creating pages for their field guide. Each week the kids head off to a new park with a MAS educator and focus on exploring different subjects like birds, mammals, plants, and macroinvertibrates. They keep a careful list of everything they encounter, and the following week each student selects one organism to enter into their field guide.
Insect week was particularly exciting: the kids love bug safaris! No log was left unturned (except for the really big ones, that is) and they found slugs and roly-polys galore. There’s just something about peering down at a tiny bug through a magnifying glass that excites all kids – and some adults who are kids-at-heart too!
An American crow drawn by Vera Court kiddos for their field guide.
A mallard duck drawn by Vera Court kiddos for their field guide.
Reading and writing are important skills for all children to master, and both Vera Court and Madison Audubon work hard to support them in this endeavor. Many of these kids are bilingual (something most adults can't boast!) and may not get much practice speaking English at home. This field guide helps kids hone their writing skills when they think they're just having fun hanging out with their friends in nature.
This work was made possible by you! Thank you for helping Madison Audubon Society connect with kids and nature!
Written by Carolyn Byers, Director of Education
