 |
|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
The mission of
the PEBC
is
to be a vehicle for understanding
and appreciating the natural
wonders in our own backyards.
Winter 2012 Public Programs
Food for our Feathered Friends Program The Prairie Ecology Bus Center offers a variety of naturalist programs for the general public primarily in the summer and winter months. The programs change each season and current classes are listed below. All programs are located at Sparks Park, 935 North Hwy. 86 in Lakefield, unless otherwise noted. To attend any of these programs, we ask that you pre-register at least two business days ahead of time, unless otherwise noted, so that we can be sure to have enough supplies for everyone. We may also need to inform you of any changes or updates. You can register by calling the PEBC at 507.662.5064. Volunteers Wanted! Do you have a hobby or skill that you'd like to share with others? If so, contact the PEBC! We are looking for folks who'd be interested in leading a class either in winter or in the summer. Give us a call to share your ideas and we'll work with you to organize and schedule a class or even a tour. No teaching experience necessary - just a willingness to share a favorite hobby or craft. See what we are offering at Sparks Park - and check back often for new listings or date changes! |
Program Name |
Program Details |
Program Description |
| Nature Packs |
"Birding Adventures" "Geology Rocks!" "Nocturnal" "Outdoor Skills"
|
FREE!! Check out one of PEBC's Nature Packs today for a weekend or for family vacation fun!! The Nature Packs are designed with families, youth groups, schools and home schools in mind. Each pack contains activities suitable for both individual explorations, as well as, groups. Packs can be checked out for up to two weeks at a time. You will be resopnsible for lost packs or broken equipment. For more information, call the PEBC at 507-662-5064. |
ALL NEW! CSI 4-H Club Opportunity |
Locations (in Lakefield) Middle School or Sparks County Park Dates: Oct. 25; Nov. 22; Dec. 20; Jan. 24; Feb. 28; March 27 Time: 3:30-5:30 p.m. |
The Prairie Ecology Bus Center (PEBC) and Jackson County Extension have teamed up to bring a new 4-H Club opportunity for youth in grades 4-8! Open to current 4-H members and nonmembers. Participants in this club are eligible for other 4-H and PEBC activities. Do you like solving mysteries? Can you handle seeing blood, slime and other nasty things? Are you interested in science and experiments? Would you like to know how to analyze blood, fingerprints and other types of evidence? Are you prepared to investigate a crime scene? If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions, then this club is for you! The CSI club meets once each month for super-sleuthing; exciting experiments; and hands-on activities to lean how experts solve mysteries. You'll learn the How To of the Who Done It with expert staff from the PEBC, Extension office, Chief of Police and more! Club participation is not limited to Jackson County residents. Out-of-county neighbors are invited to join, too! Transportation is available through school busing and Western Community Action Bus (WESCAP). To register or for more information, call the Jackson Co. Extension office at 662-5293. |
After School Eco Club "Wild Ones"
|
February: Art of the Animal 2/7 SSC; 2/9 Windom; 2/13 Mt. Lake; 2/21 Riverside; 2/23 Pleasantview; 2/24 Immanuel March: Grossology - The Icky, The Yuck & the Gross! 3/7 SSC; 3/8 Windom; 3/16 Immanuel; 3/19 Mt. Lake; 3/20 Riverside; 3/21 Pleasantview |
Once again, the Prairie Ecology Bus Center is offering a FREE, once-a-month after-school program at each of the following elementary schools: Pleasantview in Lakefield, Riverside in Jackson, SSC in Heron Lake, Immanual Lutheran in Lakefield, Mountain Lake in Mountain Lake, and Winfair in Windom. Dates will vary by school (see details on left). After school programs are open to students in grades 3-6. To find out more, call the PEBC office at 507-662-5064.
|
Storybook Science: Groundhogs
|
•Saturday, February 4 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Pre-School - 1st Grade |
They say the groundhog has a magical gift and can tell us when spring will be here. Could this really be true or is it just a silly story? Also known as the woodchuck, this small animal indeed has many talents. Come find out what they are through fun activities and a story book. |
Recycled Greeting Cards
|
Cancelled/Lack of Registrants •Saturday, February 4 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Open to youth ages 13 years & up |
Do you have boxes full of beautiful leftover or used greeting cards and you don't know what to do with them? Here is an opportunity to turn them into something new! Bring with you 15 of your favorite cards (new or used) to make a gift box, a basket, an ornament, CD mobile, and a new greeting card. We supply the rest of the materials. Once you learn these crafts, you can go wild creating more at home for yourself or for friends! |
Full Moon Owl Prowl
|
•Tuesday, February 7 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. Open to all ages |
This will be a real hoot! Join a PEBC naturalist on a night hike through the moon-lit woods and learn about our local owls. We'll use owl callers to try to get the owls to talk and maybe even have them fly in to check us out. Snowshoes will be available if necessary - be sure to wear winter boots and dress for the weather. |
Oh, Knots!
|
•Thursday, February 16 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. Open to you in grades 3-6 (Adults welcome, too!) |
We may not like knots in our kite strings or knots in our shoelaces, but some knots are very handy to have! Maybe you'll do a little fishing this winter or some canoeing next spring. Perhaps you'll sit around the campfire or do some camping. There are special knots you can use for all of these activities that you won't want o be without! Learn handy knots and dazzle your friends and family with clever rope tying skills! You'll even make a knot kit to take home! |
Winter Games
|
•Saturday, February 18 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Open to youth grades K-6 |
Do you suffer from cabin fever? That means it's time to come over to Sparks Park and have some winter fun! Join a PEBC naturalist to rediscover the winter wonderland all around you. We will become snow detectives and track the animals that call the park home. You will also leave your own tracks as we make snow art and snow forts! Of course after all that fun we'll have to head back inside for a winter craft and hot cocoa! Dress for the outdoors. |
Solar and Alternative Energy at Home and on the Farm - Special Guest! |
•Friday, February 24 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Open to adults |
Join guest speaker, Gregg Heide, and PEBC staff for this informative talk on using solar panels to power your home or farm! Mr. Heide, an Iowa-based advocate for farmer-owned alternative energy, will give a presentation on the large solar array he recently installed. He is an expert in investing in small alternative energy projects in both Iowa and Minnesota so don't miss this unique opportunity to explore alternative energy options for your home or business! Refreshments will be served. |
The Ice-Age Monsters of Minnesota |
•Tuesday, February 28 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. For youth in grades 2-6 (parents can attend for free!) |
Sheets of ice a mile thick cover much of Minnesota. Huge, strange animals roam the cold, windswept plains: woolly mammoths, giant sloths twenty feet tall, bears as big as a car! Welcome to America - 15,000 years ago. Learn about the freakiest, biggest, meanest creatures to ever roam Minnesota while playing games and making a craft in this fun-filled program. |
Animal Tools & Tales |
•Tuesday, March 6 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. For youth in grades 3-6 (parents can attend for free!) |
Nutcracker, snowshoes, paddle, coat and radar. What do these things have in common? If you said animal tools, you are right! These are just some of the cool tools animals have built in to help them survive. Join PEBC staff as we learn what animals have these tools, how they use them and many more quirky critter features through funny activities and goofy games. |
Log Cabin-Fever - Pioneer Games
|
•Tuesday, March 13 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. For youth in grades 1-4 (parents can attend for free!) |
Minnesota, 1880. The winter is long and cold on the prairie. Everyone is bored, stuck inside and restless. What to do, what to do... Video games! Nope - try again! TV! Not a chance - there's no electricity! Text a friend! Maybe with a pencil and paper... So what's a kid do for fun? Play games! Join a PEBC naturalist and learn fun activities and crafts that your great-great-great grandma and grandpa used to play to survive the boredom of the endless Minnesota winters. Log cabin not required. |
Maple Syruping
|
•Saturday, March 17 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Open to families and adults |
How are trees and breakfast related? Maple syrup, of course! Winter is coming to an end, days are getting longer and the sap is starting to run. If you've ever been curious as to how trees are tapped and how syrup is made, you'll want to sign up for this delicious class! Join PEBC staff to learn the history and traditions of pioneers and Native Americans in maple syrup making! Dress for the weather - we will be outside part of the time. Each family will receive their own stainless steel spile & hook! |
Storybook Science: Sounds of Spring |
•Saturday, March 31 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Pre-School - 1st Grade |
The first day of spring is March 21! Ribbit, ribbit is one of the many sounds we might hear this spring as frogs and toads come out of their winter homes. Trickle, trickle. Spring brings warmer weather which melts any snow and ice which trickles through streams and rivers. Chirp, chirp. Spring brings birds who are busy making nests and laying eggs. Join us to learn more about these sounds with a story book and a short hike through Sparks Park! |
Birding for Beginners
|
•Saturday, March 31 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Open to youth and adults
|
How many times have you seen a bird and wished you knew its name? Or, perhaps, you couldn't find it in a bird guide? Birding for the beginner can be intimidating! But fear not! Help is on the way. In this class, you'll learn the basics of how to really SEE a bird; to recognize several common birds by sight and sound; and practice identifying them using binoculars and field guides as we stroll through Sparks Park looking for our winged neighbors! No experience is necessary. Bring your own binoculars or use ours. Wear good walking shoes and dress for the weather. |
You can download the full schedule and program descriptions here:
Download current January-March Program Schedule (pdf file)
(You will need Acrobat Reader to open a pdf file.
If you don't
already have it, you can download it here--it's free!)
Pre-registration is required for all programs a minimum of two business days prior to program unless otherwise noted. Please call 507.662.5064 to pre-register or send an email to: ecologybus@ecologybus.org
Class fee is payable at the time of the program unless otherwise noted. To send pre-payments, please mail checks to PEBC, PO Box 429, Lakefield, MN 56150. Interested in becoming a member and receive program discounts? Membership information is available at the PEBC office or online.