For the third year in a row, Science Center staff took note of the leaves. The study is a simple one, but with great potential interest for the future. The goal is to determine whether or not the trees in our area are leafing out earlier than usual – “usual” the word to be determined […]
Each year, Science Center staff steps into the woods at dawn, braves the mosquitoes and counts the birds. In its fourth year, the Science Center’s Breeding Bird Circle Study focuses on four spots, three times in the month of June: the Sylvester Bridge (directly over a vernal pool), the Nelson Memorial Bench (in the old […]
“Those kids were outstanding,” said Jim Spinale, and he would be a good judge of that topic. The retired middle school science teacher spent decades working with South Shore kids on days just like this one. On Thursday, May 12, approximately 50 students from the Hanover Middle School joined naturalists and volunteers from the South […]
Summer camp across the South Shore YMCA will look a little bit different this year, and the reason for the change is making waves nationwide. YMCA of the USA recently chose ten associations across the country to participate in the Thingamajig© challenge, including the South Shore Y. The news was celebrated in an April 13, […]
The Captain Planet Foundation, an organization dedicated to funding educational programs that give students hands-on, project-driven learning experiences with real environmental outcomes, recently awarded the South Shore Natural Science Center an ECO-Tech Grant in the amount of $2500. The Science Center will use these funds towards its Student-designed Timed Irrigation System project. “We are so […]
The South Shore Natural Science Center staff has started a process that will lead to the deployment of 17 surface ocean drifters with students all over the region, thanks to support from 3M Corporation. On Thursday, February 25, the Science Center’s former director of education and camping and now association grant writer John Galluzzo led […]
Each year we take to the woods, the field and the pond to survey the avian life overwintering around the Science Center, and each year, for the first three years of the survey, results have fluctuated. Such is the case with general annual variation. Once this study hits thirty years, then we can start talking […]
“Once you have learned how to ask questions—relevant and appropriate and substantial questions—you have learned how to learn and no one can keep you from learning whatever you want or need to know.” The philosophy behind the quote This quote comes from a book from 1969 by Neil Postman and Charles Weingartner called Teaching as […]
For the third year, we’ve conducted a fall waterfowl migration survey on Jacobs Pond, and for the third year, we’ve been surprised by some elements of the count. Here are some raw numbers: 2015 Effort and Conditions: In all, we made 36 counts, 1 from each observation point for 18 weeks. In general, surveys of […]
It was cold overnight. It’s been an odd fall season. The ducks have not truly started migrating yet, which tells us that it hasn’t been cold enough for this time of year. But as the railing at the dock at Jacobs Pond is telling us, things are about to change. Maybe not tonight, but soon […]