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Classroom Earth
The National Environmental Education & Training Foundation (NEETF) offers Classroom Earth, a website for parents and educators interested in locating quality environmental education curricula and resources. The website has information for K-12 teachers, after-school program coordinators, and home-schooling parents.
A Gingerbread House: Classic Holiday Fun
  Yesterday, I attended a gingerbread house making workshop at Macrina Bakery in Belltown. Making a gingerbread house? Now that's some old-fashioned holiday fun. From the smell of the spicy gingerbread, to the careful squeezing of the tube of royal icing, to the particular placement of each piece of candy...what could be more fun?
Gingerbread house building is a great family activity, and can even work in the classroom setting. One trick is to use graham crackers instead of gingerbread to cut down on time and expense. Just provide each child with a pile of graham crackers, a tube of royal icing, a piece of cardboard (to transport their creations home), and a bowl full of assorted candies. Oh yes, and a baggie of coconut provides a dusting of snow on their wintertime landscape.
The careful planning and construction of a gingerbread (or graham cracker) house is a lesson in art, science, and architecture. Review different roof shapes beforehand. Discuss the design of the house and the landscape. Have students help you cook up the royal icing and determine why the recipe makes such a strong, edible glue. Most of all, this activity is good old-fashioned fun.
Travels with Water Presentation (Feb 7)
Travels With Water: Where the Water Goes in Puget Sound
An "Exploring Puget Sound" presentation
Date: February 7, 2008
Location: REI Flagship Store, 222 Yale Ave. N. Seattle, WA
An "Exploring Puget Sound" presentation by Curt Ebbesmeyer, Oceanographer. Just like blood circulates through the human body, water flowing through Puget Sound is of vital importance. Unlike blood flow, however, the flow of oceanic and river waters through the Sound remains poorly understood. Join oceanographer Curt Ebbesmeyer, a world renown expert in ocean currents who has studied myriad flotsam such as Nike sneakers, tub toys and hockey gloves spilled from cargo ships, as he considers the Sound's circulatory system from places of stagnation to places where flows are as rapid as the Gulf Stream. Curt Ebbesmeyer earned a bachelor degree in mechanical engineering at California State University (Northridge, 1965) and Master of Science (1968) and PhD degrees (1973) in oceanography from the University of Washington. From 1965 to 1974 he was employed as an oceanographer by Mobil Oil Corporation, and from 1974 to 2005 as a consultant for Evans-Hamilton, Inc., a private oceanographic consulting company. During those years he published many scientific papers, dozens of which dealt with water movement throughout Puget Sound. He was appointed to blue ribbon panels by two governors of Washington state to assess the status of marine waters in the Pacific Northwest. He has been the subject of hundreds of radio, TV, newspaper and magazine interviews. During 1996 to 2007, he published the Beachcombers‚ Alert, a quarterly newsletter devoted to all things afloat worldwide. For more information:http://www.pugetsound.org/index/siteevent-details-action/id.336
Soulumination
Today, I stumbled upon a holiday sale taking place just a few blocks from my house. The sale was organized by a local non-profit called Soulumination. This organization provides beautiful, loving portraits of terminally ill children and parents, for free. After purchasing some incredible handmade greeting cards at the sale, I came home and visited Soulumination's website to learn more. I was stunned at the beauty and grace of the photographs, and the stories of local families touched by the lives of their children. Please explore their website and learn more about this amazing, generous organization.
Family Snowshoe Expeditions!
Snowshoe Expedition: Family Editionwith the Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center (Pacific Science Center)
Venture into the winter wonderland of Snoqualmie Pass for an exciting family snowshoe adventure. Follow the trail of a snowshoe hare, ground squirrel or raven. Look for signs of animal life, including tracks, scat, fur, burrows, and more. Participate in introductory activities, then strap on snowshoes and hit the trail. No prior snowshoe experience is necessary. Expect to walk 2-3 miles during the program. Bring a sack lunch to eat along the way and we will provide the hot cocoa.
Information for all trips:
The fee includes snowshoes, trail pass and interpretive guide. No dogs allowed.
Ages: 8 to adult. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Fee: $40 adult; $35 child
Dates/Times:
Saturday, January 26, 2008, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday, February 16, 2008, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday, March 8, 2008, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This program is available to large groups at a discounted price. To learn more about the opportunity to explore Snoqualmie Pass with your group, call Pacific Science Center Registration at (206)443.2925.More winter programs at Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center can be found here:http://www.pacsci.org/slough/winter_break_camps.html
Online auction to support Uganda charity
Help BabyLegs bring holiday cheer to Uganda on World AIDS Day, December 1, 2007BabyLegs is hosting an eBay auction December 1-8, 2007 to promote AIDS awareness and help alleviate AIDS suffering in Africa. The auction begins at 6 pm on December 1st and ends at 6 pm on December 8th. All donations are tax deductible, thanks to our non-profit partner, A World Institute for a Sustainable Humanity (A W.I.S.H.).Check out the beautiful handmade jewelry, baskets, and artwork featured in this charity auction. BabyLegs is a cool Seattle company that makes leg/arm warmers for babies.
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