Photo by Brian Willson
Bird DAY!
The L.C. Bates Museum will host a day celebrating and exploring the world of birds on May 15th from 1-3pm. Families are invited to drop in to discover sounds and calls of birds, touch feathers, look at bird skulls and feet, and construct a paper bird to bring home. At 1pm the Bird Walk along the trails will be lead by writer and type designer Brian Willson, of Rockport, who began birding after he moved to Maine from Texas thirty years ago. Willson fell in love with the local wildlife and particularly enjoys bird-listening—identifying species from their songs—and photographing our many small, colorful wood-warblers. Participants are encouraged to bring binoculars and wear weather appropriate clothing as the program will be rain or shine. The admission to the museum is $3 for adults and $1 for children.
“NO CHILD LEFT INSIDE”
Give your kids the world this summer!Enroll your children in our hands-on, interactive day programs and they will explore fascinating topics through active encounters that spark children's natural curiosity and creativity. Each program is from
9am until noon and will often include outside activities like walking along the wooded trails, exploring the lovely fields, or dipping a net in a lily pad filled wetland. Sign up soon to save a spot! Appropriate for all ages.
Pre registration is required. The price is $7 dollars per participant each day or $30 dollars for each week.
Monday June 20
th - Bald Eagle day- Exploring Birds of Prey
This program explores birds of all types but focuses on the amazing birds of prey. Children will go on a bird walk, dissect an owl pellet, explore the collections, and make bird art to bring home.
Tuesday June 21
st -
Buggin Out! Celebrate the diverse and truly incredible world of the insect on a museum insect tour, a walk along the trails and a fun bug craft. Children will look through insect glasses, walk like a bug, and examine many species under a magnifying glass.
Wednesday June 22
nd -Reptiles Rule!
Although
Maine only has about 9 species of snakes compared to
Florida’s 57 different types, we will delve into
Maine reptiles to discover the fun of our scaly friends. Children will discover the many types of reptiles from
Maine and beyond by listening to crocodile sounds, touching snake skin, and looking at lizards from warmer climes.
Thursday June 23
rd -
We love Rocks Rocks and minerals are many a young person’s passion for good reason! Easy to collect, and often remarkably beautiful, rocks offer the opportunity for us to crack open geodes, move compass needles, draw on paper, and look under a black light at their incredible glow. Children will enjoy a fun exploration of bedrock, different types of soil, and making their own mini rock collection.
Friday June 24
th -
The Amazing Life at the Pond
The incredible lives of wetland animals will be explored up close with nets, buckets and magnifying glasses. Each child will create a small nature journal of the animals they discover in the pond from insect to crustacean to amphibian. Please wear boots or footwear you can get wet!
AND especially for the students who may still be in school until June 23rd, the museum will repeat the first three program days the following week! Added dates:
Monday June 27th - Bald Eagle day- Exploring Birds of PreyTuesday June 28
st -
Buggin Out! Wednesday June 29
nd -Reptiles Rule!
Comments from 4th grade students on the L.C. Bates Museum
nature series brought to their classrooms.
(Each school had eight to ten programs including: Wetland habitats, Coastal habitat, Forest habitat, Maine birds, Insects, Animal Skulls, Endangered/Invasive/Extinct, Rocks and Minerals, Trees, and Fossils.)
“What was your favorite new thing you learned about?”
My favorite thing was everything.
My liked it when she brought in the snail and how it eats dirt and muck.
Fossils are amazing.
A piece of poop that a dinosaur pooped out. (We discussed “coprolite” which is fossilized scat.)
1. Talking about rocks in clothes. 2. Doing the feather experiment. 3. Putting on bug glasses.
To see REAL animals and snails and the crafts!
The dinosaurs, the rocks, and the live animals.
The rock was so soft we could write with it.
My favorite new thing I learned about? Trees!
You could blow bubbles through a branch.
My favorite thing was rock and minerals and also rocks!!!
The forest part was the best.
ALL!!!! Eyes to the front likes to hunt.
Turtles have huge shells.
I love to do the insect one every day it was so fun!
Some metals make sparks. (we demonstrate flint.)
That a rock can be a magnet!
I learned that some rocks can change color in a black light.
There is a rock that floats!
She taught us about beer. (We hope this means bear.)
How big a dinosaur toe bone was.
We learned why the eagles were getting extinct.
It is fun learning about bones.
Mica. I like it.
“Have you learned new ways to help your environment? Can you give any examples?”
She taught us to take care of the environment.
I learned about how the recycle is important and the Asian long horned Beetle is bad.
We can clean the world and save animals and some die because of trash.
Recycle!!!!!
Don’t kill bees because they help all the plants.
Not destroying animal habitats.
Don’t kill animals.
I pick up trash around my yard.
Yes, we can stop throwing trash in lake, ponds, and oceans now.
You can stop the Asian long horned beetle.
Pick up trash.
I learned to take care of animal homes.
Call someone if you see an Asian Long horned Beetle.
The DDT harms the earth.
Don’t spray DDT in a farm.
Bats are not bad because they eat bugs.
You can find rocks, stop pollution, rescue animals or something like that.
Not to kill bugs all the time.
Do not bother animal homes.
Don’t spray stuff in the woods cause it could kill them.
Don’t buy objects that kill living creatures.
Yes, give bread crumbs to fish.
Do not litter because bags look like jellyfish which are turtles favorite snack.
I would take care of the sea.
Do not treat the world bad.
To help the old animals find a better home.
To help all the animals out there.
“What else would you like to see taught in the programs?”
How the polar bear habitat is being destroyed.
More animals! I love animals!
Nothing, we got everything down.
I’d like to be taught more about fossils and other things like fossils.
I want to learn about all creatures, rocks, and everything.
Animals today that were related to dinosaurs.
Whales! Trees!
How did dinosaurs die?
I would like to see domestic animals.
More live animals!
Plankton. Sea Animals.
Bones!
Nothing, cause you covered it.
All things about cats. Eagles also.
All about fish.
More about animals, ferrets, and rocks.
What is wolf fur like?
Rainforest animals.
Even more fossils!
How salt got in the water.
The difference in warm blooded and cold blooded animals.
I want to learn about piggies.
How did people evolve?
Alligators and crocodiles.
“Do you have any other comments you would like to add?”
Your museum is my favorite museum.
I hope to go to the L.C. bates museum someday.
I love this program!
I will always remember you. Thanks.
I think you did an awesome job showing us all those things!
The presentations were fun, exciting and entertaining. There were a lot of things that I already knew, but then it taught me more things about it!
I enjoy the museum because it is fun and cool plus it is entertaining.
I like everything that you brought to school and shared them with us.
Please come in again because I will miss you.
I liked how she said her stuff and she used good words to tell us about it.
Ms. Sanborn, Your museum is the best.
I love Fred and trees.
L.C. Bates is fun.
The lady was really helpful, friendly, and respectful.
You people rock and you are the best. Can you bring live animals next?
You did a very good job, keep it up!
You are awesome. I love science. I hope to visit your museum soon.
Cool. Excellent. Awesome.
I think the bear presentation was awesome.
It was pretty neat to have her and thank you for teaching me all the stuff.
I love what you taught us.
Please learn more!
She was so nice and kind to us. She told us and helped us understand about things.
Dinosaurs RULE!
Turtles rock!! P.S. it was fun!
You guys to a good job explaining stuff.
I love how when you come it makes school funer.
I LUV IT!
You rock! (common comment form kids.)
I want to see you again. Ok?
I want her to come back.
Ms. Sanborn, you did a very great job teaching us about nature. You are very pretty and intelligent. I hope to learn more about this. Thank you.
Thank you for everything
When I grow up I want to be just like you.