Hi everyone,
This will be our final post and we would just like to sum up everything we have done thus far. When we started this project we were very excited to work with Glenside Elementary School and we are happy we were given the opportunity to help the kids of Glenside. When we decided to focus our research paper on nature deficit disorder we realized it was perfect for working with Glenside. Although our original plan which was to work with Glenside and participate in a Science Night where we would have science related activities to do for the kids. We weren’t able to help host a science night at Glenside because we were not able find a common time to have it with the other teams involved. Fortunately we were still able to create activities for the kids to take home and complete. We created bird feeder kits which consisted of pine cones and birdseed and so they can take them home, add peanut butter, roll in seeds, and hang up somewhere outside. We also created a worksheet for the kids to complete which also had a little scavenger hunt to find things such as a rock, stick, bug etc. We did this to connect with our research topic in hopes to get the kids outside to explore nature. As one of our final tasks we presented our service and knowledge about nature deficit disorder. We presented using a Prezi, the clickable link to our presentation is below. We learned a lot about nature deficit disorder and the importance of environmental education in schools during this project. I hope you all enjoyed following us throughout this crazy but knowledgeable experience.

http://prezi.com/7mmkux3l4rqm/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share

Thank you!

The Environmental Avengers

As the weather is getting nice outside and summer is approaching, the Environmental Avengers want to encourage everyone to get outside and get moving. Through our research we have learned a lot about Nature Deficit Disorder, which is the lack of time kids and adults spend outside in nature. Many do not know but this can lead to many problems for people who suffer from this. Nature Deficit Disorder can lead to multiple things such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, childhood depression, ADHD, and asthma. This is why it is so important to get outside and get into nature!

Hopefully this encourages all of you to start spending more time outside,

Environmental Avengers

On April 19 the Environmental Avengers suited up and got ready to share our project with others. We set up a board in Gaige that displayed our community service project, our research topic, and how our community service project was connected to our research topic. Below is a picture of our board that we presented. We even gave out small bags of bird seed as souvenirs! Using the board we explained to fellow students and faculty that for our research we researched Nature Deficit Disorder, which is the lack of kids and adults getting outside and exploring nature. This is made worse by the fact that there is little to no environmental education in schools. Our pine cone bird feeder projects were intended to get kids outside into nature and have them explore and learn more about the world around them. We wanted to help them become more actively engaged with nature. Through this small project we are hoping to inspire them to spend more time outside in the environment and less time inside on technology.

Speaking of limiting the amount of time spent inside on technology, its time for us to get outside into nature.

Until next time,

Environmental Avengers

On April 15 the environmental avengers assembled to start making the pine cone bird feeder kits to give to the kids of Glenside Elementary. We had previously made about 25 and on this day we made an additional 25 kits. In each kit the kids are given a small bag of bird seed as well as a pine cone. We tied strings to each of the pine cones to make it easier for the kids to hang them on a tree at their homes. The students can then take the pine cones and cover them with peanut butter. Next they add the bird seeds and the bird feeder is complete. They can then hang it outside on their favorite tree! Along with each kit, students were given a handout. The handout was created to get the kids interested in the bird feeders as well as getting them outside to explore nature. Below are pictures of the project!

Here is a copy of the handout in case you want to make one for yourself!

 

Environmental Avengers signing off,

 

The Environmental Avengers are working hard to get our research paper done. We have figured out who is writing what and have started the paper hoping to finish it this week. Soon we will move on to working on our trifold for the community awareness and our presentation for our class. This weekend we are planning to make the educational kits for our projects!

Stay tuned for more information on our educational kits,

The Environmental Avengers

 

Hi everyone,

We have been working very hard to obtain research about Nature Deficit Disorder to complete our EACAP research paper which focuses on human beings, especially children, spending less time outdoors resulting in a wide range of behavioral problems. We have also just finalized the service we will be performing! We will be bird feeder preparing kits consisting of pine cones, seeds, and nuts to give to all the kids in pre-k through 3rd grade to take home and make bird feeders. They will take these kits home and complete them by adding peanut butter to the pine cone and sticking seeds and nuts to the peanut butter. We hope that all the kids will hang up the pine cone bird feeders somewhere outside. We will also prepare a worksheet for the kids to complete about what they observed with their bird feeders, i.e. what kind of birds came to the bird feeder. We also want to make a little poster for each class so the kids can bring in any pictures of where they hung the bird feeder or any bird that came to visit. From here on out, we will make and deliver the kits/worksheet/poster to the kids and continue to work on our research about Nature Deficit Disorder.

Keep checking back for further updates!

-The Environmental Avengers

On Sunday, February 21, Maddie, Lexie, and Kiara went to Glenside Elementary school and spoke with the vice principal, Ms. Houck, about our environmental project. We introduced ourselves and learned about Glenside Elementary and its students. Ms. Houck also gave us the list of projects that we could work on and what each project entailed. She was even open to us being able to come up with our own project! She was very excited about our help and encouraged us to be creative and to have fun. As a team we are very excited to be working with her and the school and can not wait to get started on our project.

 

From left to right:

Kiara

Criminal Justice major

Maddie

Psychology Political Science major

Craig

Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management major

Lexie 

Accounting major

Hi, everyone! Thanks for taking the time to get to know the members of the Environmental Avengers! Kiara, Maddie, and Craig are all in their second year of college, and Lexie is in her first year. We’re all very excited about this project and the opportunity to help out within our community in every way we can!