Aug. 29, 2013. Each year, the Watauga Cooperative Extension assists Watauga County’s Soil and Water Conservation District with Environmental Field Days.
Over 300 of the county’s 5th graders from the county schools come out each year to the Valle Crucis Community Park to learn about our environment, rotating through different stations. This year’s event will be held on Sept. 12 and 13.
An exciting addition to 2013’s Environmental Field Days will be “Mandy the Mayfly” Children’s Activity Book. Mandy the Mayfly has been a frequent guest in Watauga Co. classrooms over the past several years, teaching children the importance of clean waterways. Mandy is now the subject of a 16-page booklet of activities which teaches kids about the biological basics of the High Country’s river systems.
Children who attend Environmental Field Days will receive a free copy of the Mandy the Mayfly Children’s activity book. Through engaging activities, such as a scavenger hunt, the booklet will help them learn what makes a stream healthy for wildlife and humans.
This original High Country based workbook targets students from 3rd through 6th grade. The children’s activity booklet was produced by the Watauga River Partners in collaboration with the Watauga County Cooperative Extension and funding from the High Country Water Media Society, Flanigan and Pipes Land and Commercial Properties, Mast General Store, Brushy Fork Environmental Consulting, Footsloggers, Watauga Riverkeeper, Western NC Alliance, SOS Printing, and MountainKeepers. It includes original illustrations by local artist Carol Hancock.
Each child in the 5th grade who attends the Watauga County Environmental Field Days on Sept. 12 and 13 will receive a free copy of the activity book. The original “Mandy the Mayfly”, Joan Hearn – Watauga River Partner Volunteer- will be handing them out during the field day. Each child will participate in viewing live aquatic benthic macro-invertebrates (creek critters) with magnifying lenses and I.D. guides through the Watauga County Cooperative Extension station.
For more information about the Mandy the Mayfly Children’s Activity Book or to obtain a copy, please contact Wendy Patoprsty at 828-264-3061 or Wendy_Patoprsty@ncsu.edu.
For more information about water, click to www.wataugariverpartners.org.
You must be logged in to post a comment.