‘Discover Cordova’ Series- A Summer Success
When’s the last time you went on a safari, searching for wildlife on a miniature scale? If you participated in our ‘Bug Safari’ event, it would be quite recent. Science Center Education Specialist, Meadow Scott, developed a 3-part ‘Discover Cordova’ series for kids
On the ‘Bug Safari,’ kids used these specialized magnifiers to explore the details that make bugs unique.
Photo credit: Shannon Polhemus
and families this summer, aimed at getting people outside to explore. Meadow explains
that she gears these interactive events around “encouraging people to hang out outside, with curiosity,” and leaves much room for free exploration and interaction with the environment.
In the ‘Bug Safari’ event earlier this summer, kids used special magnifiers to get a good look at tiny critters they found on Ski Hill. Kids analyzed the details that separate insects from worms, spiders and gastropods, which is an important skill because, as Meadow explained, “part of science is finding those similarities and categorizing things as a way of understanding them.”
How are spiders and insects different? Education Specialist, Meadow Scott, helps kids differentiate between different types of bugs on the ‘Bug Safari’ event.
Photo credit: Lauren Bien
In addition to the ‘Bug Safari,’ Meadow also ran the ‘Flower Power’ and ‘Tidepooling for Tots’ events, which brought kids and parents out to discover wonders of both land and sea. During the ‘Flower Power’ event, children learned pollination basics and then explored Ski Hill, looking for clues about how different flowers attract pollinators. Whether children explored on their own, completed a flower scavenger hunt, or dug into the details of a chosen flower, they gained insight into how different flowers evolve various mechanisms of reproduction.
The more recent ‘Tidepooling for Tots’ event brought kids and families to Orca Beach to search for marine invertebrates. While sea stars and hermit crabs were the overarching crowd pleasers, kids were also introduced to other seagoing creatures, including marine snails and gunnels. Though our ‘Discover Cordova’ series has come to a close for the
summer, we hope it sparked curiosity that will be sustained throughout the year. There’s always something to discover outside; all you need is a little time and a keen eye for detail!
Tidepooling on a beautiful day in Cordova.
Photo credit: Amy Brodbeck
On the ‘Tidepooling for Tots’ event, kids found all kinds of marine creatures and kept track of their discoveries.
Photo credit: Meadow Scott
