RON TAYLOR
REFLECTIONS ON CREATIVITY: EXPLORING CREATIVITY IN NATURE BY RON TAYLOR This past Wednesday, April 22, marked the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day in 1970. In the generations before the modern environmental movement, few people understood their relationship to the delicate ecosystems that make up our planet. In 1970, everything changed. Activists, scientists and concerned citizens from all walks of life came together to celebrate our natural resource heritage and build a new understanding of the toll human activity was taking on the planet. Today we’re facing unprecedented global challenges, and there may never be a better time to reflect on how we can strive to be better stewards of our planet. With many children home from school indefinitely, now is a perfect time for parents to use creative activities to help steer children down a lifelong interest in environmental stewardship and conservation. There are countless opportunities to help turn curious minds into engaged citizen naturalists. And it can all start with something as simple as the bugs living in your own backyard…. Bugs Galore! Nothing can ignite a child’s imagination quite like the alien and marvelous world of insects. These tiny ambassadors for conservation can be found in abundance in just about any nearby habitat imaginable – from backyards to county parks. And children are always fascinated by them. The world of insects is also a springboard for delving into any number of activities that teach important lessons related to environmental conservation. These activities can also make use of reused materials: For example, you can create a bug jar by rinsing out pretty much any kind of clear bottle or container and poking air holes in the lid. You can even cut the tops off plastic water or soda bottles and create a breathable lid by covering the top with netting or fabric secured around the rim with a rubber band. Mucking Around! Collecting aquatic insects by dredging a small net in a pond or stream is a great way to learn about water quality and pollution in aquatic ecosystems. All you need is a sturdy butterfly net, a few jars and containers, and a magnifying glass. Start by dipping the net into the waters and scooping up some mud, sediment, and/or pond vegetation. Then pull the net out of the water and place it flat on the ground. When children sort through the mud and algae, they’ll be delighted by the strange creatures that can be found writing within the muck. There are numerous websites that can help identify the specific invertebrates you’ve caught, and different insects can indicate different things about the quality of the water they live in. Mayfly larvae, for example, need very clean, pollution-free water in order to survive, so when mayflies live in a stream it usually indicates that water quality is very good. Scientists call these kinds of organisms indicator species because they can tell us a lot about the health of an ecosystem in which they live. Visit this website for a handy guide to common aquatic insects and what they indicate: (https://www.nps.gov/obed/learn/education/upload/OBED-Lesson-Plan-_Aquatic-Macroinvertebrates.pdf Pollinator Pals! Did you know you can create a butterfly feeder with little more than a plastic bottle and some sugar water? There are many ways to create butterfly feeders out of materials you probably already have on hand. (See detailed instructions here: https://www.angieslist.com/articles/attract-butterflies-making-diy-feeder-6-simple-steps.htm or here: https://www.guidepatterns.com/diys-to-make-a-butterfly-feeder.php ). Butterflies and other pollinators can be used to teach children important lessons about sustainable agriculture, pesticides, and pollution. You can go further to attract butterflies by planting native flowers in your backyard garden. It’s also possible to show children the entire butterfly lifecycle by rearing monarch caterpillars collected on milkweed plants. (sources for how to get started can be found here: https://monarchwatch.org/rear/) Nature Journaling! As you explore everyday bug habitats, consider creating a nature journal to document your findings. Nature journals can be as simple as a spiral notebook, or you can create one out of loose paper bound with string or ribbon (see here: https://www.ealt.ca/kids-blog/nature-journal) Nature journaling allows children to practice observing and recording observations about the specimens they find. Challenge your young explorers to sketch the specimens they collect and/or record as many sensory observations as they can — including what the bugs and their habitats look, feel, smell, and sound like. Recording observations is a great introduction to the methods scientists use to investigate the natural world. Ronald Taylor is the Public Education Coordinator for the Recycling and Waste Reduction District of Porter County. Since 2017 he has also served on the Board of Directors for the La Porte County Conservation Trust. As an avid nature photographer and amateur naturalist, he enjoys helping to build connections between people and the natural world. This article is part of a series, “Reflections on Creativity,” sponsored by the Center for Creative Solutions, celebrating April’s World Creativity and Innovation Week. Check out CenterforCreativeSolutions.com, #IamCreative wciw.org
- Start: 15 April 2020
- End: 15 April 2020
- Attendance:
- Location: N/A , , United States
