Nature Net News
Your portal for nature tips
& tricks for exploring nature with your kids
February 2010
Goodnight Moon
"Slowly, silently, now the moon
Walks the night in her silver shoon."
Walter de La Mare
Dear Reader, The moon has inspired poets, songwriters, young lovers, and artists. It also has a pretty important effect on how the natural world works. Find out more about our closest celestial neighbor in this month's Nature Net News, and think about an evening trip out to the Lussier Family Heritage Center to watch it shine over the Madison area. Enjoy! Kathe & Sarah |
The moon is responsible for the tides in the oceans. Tides are created because the Earth and the moon are attracted to each other, just like magnets. The moon tries to pull at anything on the Earth to bring it closer. The Earth is pretty solid and holds onto almost everything. However, water is always moving and the Earth cannot hold onto it. This enables the moon's force to be able to pull at it. Each day, there are four tides--two high tides and two low tides. The ocean is constantly moving back and forth from high tide to low tide.
What to Do This Month:
Go Moon Gazing. Watch the moon as it rises from the East and check out what phase it is in here!
Read Moon Myths
Chang'e--The Woman on the Moon (China)
The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter's Daughter (Japan)
Selene and Endymion (Greek)
Cloud Catcher and the Moon Woman (Ojibwa)
Rabbit and the Moon Man (Native American)
Explore the moon! You've heard of GoogleEarth, but now you can check out GoogleMoon!
Tricks of the Trail for Parents:
Midnight Moon
Waiting for the moon can be a very exciting, but tiring experience for your little ones, so make sure to let them regain their sleep by sleeping in the next morning!
Instant Outdoor Expert:
The Big...
There is a theory that the "Big Bang" created the universe. There is another theory about how the "Big Whack" created the moon. A planet sized something hit Earth 4.6 billion years ago, causing a huge cloud of "vaporized rock" to exit the atmosphere. This rock then started to clump together until the moon was created. Read more about the "Big Whack" from NASA's page!
Featured Nature Net Site
Nature Craft
Lussier
Family Heritage Center
The Lussier Heritage Center's mission is to provide an environment that supports and encourages the discovery of the history, culture, and resources of the Dane County Region, the Nine Springs E-Way, and Lake Farm County Park through recreation, interactive programs, special events, and interpretation.
The Center offers numerous recreational opportunities including boat launch and picnic facilities, campgrounds, hiking and cross-country ski trails, and playground equipment.
Go moon gazing surrounded by the crisp, cold beauty of nature this
month.
Moon Surface
What you need: thick paper plate, 1/2 cup flour per
plate, 4 tablespoons water per plate.
1. Mix flour and water together to make a paste. The paste should be the consistency of putty. You don't need to add all of the water if your mixture gets sticky enough, or if you feel it's not sticky enough, feel free to add more water.
2. Take a handful of paste per plate and then use fingers to create a "moonscape" with mountains, craters, and valleys.
3. Allow your finished "moonscape" to dry overnight
or until it is dry to the touch.
preschooleducation.com)
Suggested Reading:
"Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown (baby)
"Nico Visits the Moon" by Honorio Robledo (baby)
"Papa, Please Get The Moon
For Me" by Eric Carle (baby-8)
"Walk When the Moon is Full" by Francis Hamerstrom (4-8)
"The Moon Seems to Change" by Franklyn M. Branley (4-8)
"The Moon Book" by Gail Gibbons (4-8)
"Long Night Moon" by Cynthia Rylant (4-8)
"Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon" by Catherine
Thimmesh (9-12)
