Celebrate the land and our connection to nature with ALNC Reads.
VIRTUALLY: Enjoy these stories and activities all year long.
An Excerpt from The Land Ethic
What is The Land Ethic? How does developing a land ethic connect us to the Earth, to plants, to animals and to non-living things? What does it mean to build a land ethic and how is it done?
The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone
With a bit of patience, teamwork and goodwill, we can grow wonderful things! Spend some time this week getting your hands dirty and spreading your very own specks. With local greenhouses offering curbside pick up and mail order seeds an option, starting your garden is a wonderful way to celebrate the Earth, our living home.
The Earth and I
We each have our own relationship with the Earth, our friend. We take care of her and she takes care of us. Spend some time reflecting on the relationship you have with the Earth. What do you do for the Earth? What does the Earth do for you? Write down your reflections in your nature journal. While reflecting, keep your hands busy with a nature craft using sticks. Wrap sticks you gather on your hikes with yarn, string, tape or decorate them with chalk – let your imagination branch out.
Owl Moon
Birding is a great way to connect with nature! You could start by making your own bird feeder from objects found around your home to attract birds to your yard. Use your homemade binoculars to spot different birds and write down your observations in your nature journal. Finally, use ID books or the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website to discover interesting facts about the species you see.
Hug Time
During this time of social distancing, giving and receiving hugs is difficult. Even though we are unable to give hugs to many of our friends and family members in person, we can still practice our love for them by thinking about them, writing to them and calling, texting or video chatting with them. We can even start our very own hug lists of all the people, plants and animals we want to hug.
Because of an Acorn
This sweet story explores how the entire forest ecosystem is connected, from the tiny acorns to the giant oak trees, and everything in between. “This enchanting book effortlessly illustrates the vital connections between the layers of an ecosystem. Wander down the forest path to learn how every tree, flower, plant and animal is connected in spiraling circles of life. An acorn is just the beginning.” Stay tuned for simple activities you can do with your family and some actions you can take this Earth Week (or anytime) to help save forests. Activities include: building a food web, taking a seedy quiz, exploring a forest habitat and discovering more about oaks and forests.
Miss Rumphius
In this story, we learn about Miss Rumphius’s life and the promise she made to her grandfather as a little girl to make the world a more beautiful place. Discover what Miss Rumphius does and explore ways you can make the world around you more beautiful.
I Saw a Moose Today
Nature is all around us! It’s in our parks, in our cities and even in our backyards! Listen as Ms. Suzy reads ‘I Saw a Moose Today’ and then use your senses and imagination to discover all there is to see in your own backyard. Find your very own sit spot – or make one – and discover nature all around you.
