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At the last Bug Club the kids had fun making friends with snails!
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We want to hear from you. If you attended
THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND 2008 Summer Day Camp, please click on this link to fill out a brief online survey.
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Shop at Amazon.com and support Sarah's Science scholarship program. All purchases made at Amazon.com through the above link will generate 4%-10% referral fees, which will be used by Sarah's Science to provide scholarships to children who would otherwise be unable to attend our programs. Thank you.
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Greetings!
This Saturday my daughter, Riva, and I are offering
Mother/Daughter Science again. If you've
never been to this wonderful program, join us now. If you've been before, come back. I am occasionally asked why I hold this
program. Aren't gender gaps in science
and technology a thing of the past?
Isn't it unfair to boys?
I hold this program for girls like me, girls who love
science at a young age. When I was 8
years old, I wanted to be an oceanographer.
I had 11 large toads as pets and collected and trained butterflies. Needless
to say, my butterfly performances never made it to Barnum and Bailey! I wandered the empty fields near my home
looking for pollywogs and wild flowers.
But as time went on, something changed.
It wasn't my love for nature or oceanography that changed. To be quite honest, I'm not sure what
happened. I went from wanting
desperately to become an oceanographer to not believing I could do it. I wasn't good at math and I had a terrible
phobia of test taking. Somehow I got the
message that science as a career wasn't for me. I was good at languages so I
followed that path instead.
I've seen the same thing happen to so many young girls. The reasons are not simple. And we have made progress. But there is still a problem that needs addressing. Studies show that "girls' interest,
participation, and achievement in science decline as they advance in grade
levels. For example, in fourth grade, the number of girls and boys who like
math and science is about the same, but by eighth grade, twice as many boys as
girls show an interest in these subjects." (Science, Vol. 319, March 21, 2008) Research has also shown that informal
out-of-school programs that use hands-on activities increase girls' interest
and participation in science. (Ibid)
The National Science Foundation has done research that shows
that it is a myth that interventions that work to increase girls' interest in
science and technology run the risk of turning off the boys. The opposite is actually true. A new report from the American Association of
University Women from 2008 shows that as girls test scores increase, the same
holds true for boys. If girls' success
came at the expense of boys', you would expect to see boys' achievements
decline as girls' go up. This is not
happening. (Where the Girls Are, AAUW 2008)
This Saturday we'll have a blast as we combine science and
art. We'll be making electrical light-up
fairies for our first project. Then
after we share a potluck lunch, the girls will do a second project with Riva
while the moms meet separately with me to discuss ways to encourage our daughters'
interest and participation in science.
At our most recent Bug of the Month Club™ meeting on February 21 we made friends with the cousin of our beloved banana slugs: the garden snail. The kids were not the only ones who learned from the class; they brought in great information that they shared with me. Who knew that May 24 is National Escargot Day? I didn't, but plan on celebrating this year. You'll find some souvenir photos
of that event below. I am very excited about the next Bug Club meeting: it's my favorite, Mantis Mania, where we will learn how to raise and care for praying mantids. That fabulous class will take place on March 28. For more Bug Club photos check
out our scrapbook.
This year our spring camp features one of my favorite ecologies: the redwood forest. Through a series of exciting
lessons, we will learn about the majestic trees
that grace these forests and the special
conditions that make this one of the few places
in the world where these giants grow.
We will also explore the other fascinating plant
and animal inhabitants of this unique ecology,
including the salamanders, banana slugs,
owls, ferns, fungi and more. I hope to see you there.
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Mother/Daughter Science
You bet girls love science!!!
This workshop is designed to let girls
experience the joy of science and help mothers support their daughters'
pursuit of science. In this workshop we'll have a blast exploring
electricity. Design a fairy and add sparkle with your own
battery-powered LED. After lunch, while the daughters make a second
exciting hands-on science project, the mothers will break off to share
ideas and resources on ways to encourage our daughters in science.
This workshop is designed to let girls experience the joy of science and
help mothers support their daughters' pursuit of science.
Morning snack is provided. Please bring a dish to share for a potluck
lunch.
Space is limited - register early!
Location:
Lake Merritt United Methodist Church, 1255 First Avenue, Oakland
Date: Saturday, March 14, 2009
Hours:10:00 am - 2:30 pm
Cost: $85 for two (parent/child)
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Learn the life cycle and natural history of this most fascinating insect and raise your own pet praying mantis. From breeding drosophila (baby mantis food) to watching mantids emerge from their egg cases-experience nature's wonders up close.
You will take home:
- two vials of drosophila
- growing medium
- fruit fly booklets
- two praying mantis egg cases (50-500 baby mantids will emerge)
- two hatchery containers
- praying mantis booklet
Dates:
Sat. March 28, 2009
Time:
9:30 am -12 pm or 1 pm - 3:30 pm (same class repeated twice)
Where:
Lake Merritt United Methodist
Fee: $65.00 (includes all materials and a snack)
To Register for Mantis Mania, call (510) 581-3739 |
Spring Camp: Redwood Forests
This week at camp will be devoted to one of
California's unique and exquisite treasures: the redwood forest.
Through a series of exciting lessons, we will learn about the majestic
trees that grace these forests and the special conditions that make
this one of the few places in the world where these redwood giants grow.
We
will also explore the other fascinating plant and animal inhabitants of
the redwood forest, including the salamanders, banana slugs, owls,
ferns, fungus and more. On Wednesday (Oakland) and Thursday (Berkeley)
we will take a bus trip to a redwood forest.
In addition to
studying the redwood forest, we'll do fun, creative art projects, play
outdoors, create Lego structures, and watch science movies.
Oakland Location: Lake
Merritt United Methodist Church
1255
First Avenue, OaklandDates:
April 6 - 10, 2009
Hours:
8:00
am - 5:30 pm
Ages:
5 - 11; CIT 11-15
Cost: $100/day; $85/day - 5 days
Berkeley Location:
Black Pine Circle School
2016 7th Street, Berkeley
Dates:
April 6 - 10, 2009
Hours:
8:00
am - 5:30 pm
Ages:
5 - 11; CIT 11-15
Cost: $100/day; $85/day - 5 days |
 At our summer camp we blend the exciting science and nature studies developed
by Sarah Shaffer with art, music, hiking, swimming, and outdoor games.
Our goal is for every child to have a summer filled with outrageous fun
in a beautiful, natural setting. We say, "No child left indoors!"
Early positive experiences in nature help develop a lifelong love and
caring for the natural world. The weird and wonderful world of
nature provides a great way to "hook" kids on science. Hands-on
science projects and art activities connect children to the natural world,
increasing environmental awareness and instilling a deep caring attitude
about our world.
Please see the summer camp section on our website for information on the Weekly Themes and Project Highlights.
Oakland Location: Roberts Regional ParkDates: June 15 - August 28, 2009
Hours: 9:00
am - 3:00 pm;
Extended care available
8:00 am - 5:30 pm
Ages: 5-15
Cost: $300/week
if registration postmarked by 4/1/09See Registration Form for information
on discounts.
Berkeley Location: Tilden Regional ParkDates: June 15 - August 28, 2009
Hours: 9:00
am - 3:00 pm;
Extended care available
8:00 am - 5:30 pm
Ages: 5-15
Cost: $300/week
if registration postmarked by 4/1/09See Registration Form for information
on discounts.
San Ramon Location:Little Hills RanchDates: June 29 - August 21, 2009 (no camp July 13 - 17)
Hours: 9:00 am - -3:00 pm;
Extended care available 8:00 am - 5:30 pm
Ages:5-15Cost: $300/week if registration postmarked by 4/1/09
See Registration Form for information on discounts
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Featured Books
Here are a couple books to get you hyped about Mantis Mania:
 Mantises
By Sylvia Johnson & Satoshi Kuribayashi
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Library Binding: 48 pages
Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group (May 1984)
Available from Amazon.com
Unfortunately out of print (but still available), Mantises is the best children's book for getting good mantis information in an easy to read format. The pictures are fabulous and cover every aspect of a mantis's life and world. There is a lot that this book covers that does not appear in other books: where else would you learn that the eyes of a mantis are green in the day and turn brown at night to help its vision? The entire Lerner Natural Science Series is wonderful, and this is one of my favorites.
Backyard Hunter
By Bianca Lavies
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Puffin (June 1, 1995)
Available from Amazon.com
This book follows the lives of a group of newly hatched Chinese Mantids. Filled with large, detailed photographs, this is an excellent addition to a budding entomologist's library.
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Bug of the Month Club®
Calling all Bugsters!
Bug of the Month Club® is a series of monthly classes in which children ages 4-12 explore the bizarre and fascinating world of insects. Each class features a different insect, its habitat and its unique role in our world.
Praying Mantis
Learn the life cycle and natural history of this most fascinating insect and raise your own pet praying mantis. From breeding drosophila (baby mantis food) to watching mantids emerge from their egg cases-experience nature's wonders up close.
You will take home:
- two vials of drosophila
- growing medium
- fruit fly booklets
- two praying mantis egg cases (50-500 baby mantids will emerge)
- two hatchery containers
- praying mantis booklet
Dates:
Sat. March 28, 2009
Time:
9:30 am -12 pm or 1 pm - 3:30 pm (same class repeated twice)
Where:
Lake Merritt United Methodist
Fee: $65.00 (includes all materials and a snack)
Please call the office to reserve a space for this class; it tends to be the biggest of the year!  Next Bug of the Month Club®:
Bug Safari
Saturday, May 2
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Cool Links
 Located on University Avenue in Berkeley, Al Lasher's Electronics was founded
in 1960 by Alfred Lasher and continues to operate as a family run
business. This is not your usual electronics store; it is a repository for the extra parts of a century of inventing. Not only
do they stock new electronic parts, they also carry
many unique items that they've never thrown away. For the child who has been inspired by the various electrical projects we make and wants to go a step further, this is the place! All the motors, batteries, and LEDs they will ever need.
 For almost 70 years the Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park has been devoted to the
collection, growth, display, and preservation of the native plants of
California. Our state has a great variety of different plant ecosystems, and this place encompasses each of them, giving you all 160,000 square miles of
California in a garden that can be walked in a day.
As spring begins, this is a great place to take kids to experience the wonders of the native flora of California. In March you can expect many plants to be flowering, including redbud, pink-flowering currant, California poppy, trilliums, shooting
stars, wallflowers, fritillaries, fawn lilies, rock cress, and pussy
willows, as well as the trees beginning to leaf out.
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