Hancock County families can beat cabin fever and shake off the winter doldrums with a family “treasure hunt” Feb. 26, 6-8 p.m. at Zion Lutheran School’s gymnasium. Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center is sponsoring an evening of free, educational and entertaining activities designed for families to learn and interact together when the Children’s Museum comes to New Palestine, with the National Geographic’s “Treasures of the Earth.” Zion Lutheran’s PTL will be providing concessions during the event.
A few of the 7 activities and interactive presentations planned:
Tools of Discovery Examine and identify authentic tools in an archeologist’s pack: pointed trowel, margin trowel, line level, folding ruler, hand sifter, brushes and more. Learn how each tool is used in an archaeological excavation.
Secrets under the Sea For years, no one recognized the “rocks” and coral in 10 feet of water in the Caribbean Sea as a pile of 26 cannons among pieces of anchors. Assemble a science experiment and take it home to observe and learn about what happens to metal objects in saltwater environments.
Tomb Readers Families will translate hieroglyphs in a pharaoh’s cartouche to discover who was buried in the longest, deepest, and most complete tomb in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings.
“No dream is too big, no dreamer too small,” says the movie, “Turbo.”At Dani’ Dreams, a lot of little hands plant the seeds of big dreams through innovative activities and events each year at Hancock County’s only outdoor education center.
Teachers, Scout Leaders, and other community groups, contact Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center to schedule your specially designed educational opportunity. We’ll tailor your experience to your needs at NO CHARGE. Contact Donna Griffin, director, at dgriffins@netzero.com or 317-640-4430.
Check out the first five of the Top 10 Dani’s Dreams memorable moments in 2013 (in chronological order):
1. April 12 Earth Day Dedication Event
The highlight of Dani’s Dreams Earth Day Event was a special presentation by Mrs. Deb Weiler’s fourth grade students at Sugar Creek Elementary in New Palestine. They are partnering with Dani’s Dreams on a composting project and are the perfect example of how young people can truly “Dream It – Do It” and share that knowledge with others. Thanks so much Mrs. Weiler and her smart and caring students – Sarah Adam, Sierra Patrick, Madison Schmitt, Mia Thomas, and Laney Scott.
2. Opening of Go Green Center
Dani’s Dreams is all about growing, discovering, becoming – little seeds are planted, take root and reach toward the sky. The Go Green Discovery Center opened April 12, 2013, is in the seedling stage, changing and morphing to meet the needs of Hancock County schoolchildren. Now it is the site of meaningful, environmental activities, crafts and demonstrations for all students in Hancock County. Watch it Grow!
3. Dream It – Do It! T-shirt Design and Essay Contest Winners Chosen
First Place – Ali Kinder
Hancock County students put their talents and creativity on display for the annual Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center T-shirt design and essay contest for 2013. Ali Kinder, a student at Zion Lutheran School is the winner of the T-shirt design contest. Kinder’s design was featured on T-shirts for the event. Second place went to Katie Taylor, a fifth grader at Zion Lutheran School and third place winner was Rylee Morris, sixth grader at Zion Lutheran School. The students’ interpretations of the “Dream It – Do It!” theme brought color and life to race T-shirts and even jump started a new organization that brought peace, comfort and hope to others – Emma Mann’s Peace Bear Project. Emma is the 2013 Essay Contest winner. Brock Turner, 2013 Lutheran High School graduate received the Dani Griffin Innovation in Education Memorial Scholarship.
4. Northern Night Concert kicks off Sixth Annual Dani’s Dreams Walk/Run
Up-and-coming band, Northern Nights set the stage Aug. 2 with a benefit concert at Zion Lutheran School. The next morning, more than 100 runners/walkers braved a damp summer morning to race/exercise on the cross country course and stadium track at New Palestine High School to raise funds for environmental education in Hancock County.
5. Dani’s Dreams Club Activities
Dani’s Dreams Club took root in 2013, as members filmed an informational video and environmental reports, planted and tended vegetables and flowers in the Community Garden and went on a bug expedition. Join Dani’s Dreams Club when it expands this year to include an online component as well as the popular after school events and activities. Be a part of our reporting team, which will be covering environmental issues in videos to be aired in the Go Green Center and also creating an online newsletter.
Check out the next post for the other five Top Memorable Moments at Dani’s Dreams in 2013!
The last event of this busy year at Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center will be this Thursday, December 5, 3:30-5 p.m. We will be getting ready for winter – planting fall bulbs, making bird feeders, painting bird houses, and talking about migration and hibernation. We’ll also be decorating for the holidays, making and hanging ornaments, and stringing popcorn. Make an ornament to take home for your tree! Hot chocolate and Mama Nita’s special cinnamon pizza will be keep everyone warm and fed. All children in Southern Hancock are invited – Dream It – Do It!
Planting bulbs in the fall is the most effective time to plant because they blossom just in time for spring.
• Choose a healthy bulb.
• Choose a good location. The location needs to have good drainage and exposure to the sun every day.
• Plant the bulb with the pointed side up.
• Plant the bulb three times as deep as their width.
• Replace the soil on top of the bulb and water.
• Water your bulb throughout the fall and winter especially if it is dry.
• Enjoy your new flower!
Kids, we’ll not only be decorating for Christmas but for spring as well as we will be planting bulbs in the newly named Grandparents Garden in our Dreaming Tree Place. Plant and dream and hope for a colorful garden after winter’s cold and snow.
See you Thursday, Dec. 5, 3:30-5 p.m. at Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center – Get Ready for Winter!
The last event of this busy year at Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center will be this Thursday, December 5, 3:30-5 p.m. We will be getting ready for winter – planting fall bulbs, making bird feeders, painting bird houses, and talking about migration and hibernation. We’ll also be decorating for the holidays, making and hanging ornaments, and stringing popcorn. Make an ornament to take home for your tree! Hot chocolate and Mama Nita’s special cinnamon pizza will be keep everyone warm and fed. All children in Southern Hancock are invited – Dream It – Do It!
WHY DO TREES LOSE THEIR LEAVES?
Many of the trees around this area are deciduous trees. This means the trees lose their leaves every year during fall/winter. The reason a tree will lose its leaves is because if the leaves on deciduous trees did not fall, the water in the leaves would freeze and the tree would die. http://www.wisegeek.com/why-do-some-trees-lose-their-leaves.htm
EVERGREEN TREES
Evergreen trees keep their leaves year round. They also mostly have needle type “leaves.” Deciduous trees lose their leaves seasonally and are also known for being brightly colored before they shed their leaves during the fall.
Join us at Dani’s Dreams as we decorate the trees in the Outdoor Education Center for this Holiday Season! Take an ornament home as well. – Dream It, Do It!
The last event of this busy year at Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center will be this Thursday, December 5, 3:30-5 p.m. We will be getting ready for winter – planting fall bulbs, making bird feeders, painting bird houses, and talking about migration and hibernation. We’ll also be decorating for the holidays, making and hanging ornaments, and stringing popcorn. Make an ornament to take home for your tree! Hot chocolate and Mama Nita’s special cinnamon pizza will keep everyone warm and fed. All children in Southern Hancock are invited.
Dream It – Do It!
Tips on caring for our feathered friends:
• Provide the essentials to attract winter birds to your backyard:
• Birdhouses and piles of tree limbs give birds places to stay warm and avoid predators.
• Small fountains, with running water, won’t freeze over like birdbaths can in cold weather.
• Bird feeders will keep the birds coming back. Different types of food appeal to different species. Look at pet stores for suet, a solid cake made of lard,berries, seeds and nuts, and black oil sunflower seeds, which almost any bird will eat. Both are good high-fat energy sources for winter birds, according to Bird Watchers Digest.
All area children are invited this Thursday, 3:30 to 5 p.m. to Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center – Dream It – D0 It – make your own bird feeder, paint bird houses and fill bird feeders and string popcorn for old fashioned garland the birds love!
Discovery was the name of the day Nov. 25 when Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center took Zion Lutheran preschoolers on a special “Dig It” expedition. About 80 preschoolers became archaeologists and found “treasures” of the earth – rocks and minerals, gemstones, fossils and arrowheads. They then filed their collection reports and took home a favorite item to show their parents.
Teachers, Scout Leaders, and other community groups, contact Dani’s Dreams to schedule your specially-designed educational opportunity. We’ll tailor your experience to your needs at NO CHARGE. Contact Donna Griffin, director, at dgriffins@netzero.com.
With fall and harvest approaching, nearly 40 children of all ages descended on Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center Sept. 19 to “Celebrate Our Farmers.” Local farmer Brian Kleiman talked about the technology and science of farming and answered questions from the students. The competition began soon after and teams took off on a Nature Scavenger Hunt, returning with fuzzy wooly worms, sticks, leaves and lots of beautiful things! After a bountiful harvest of farmer’s market snacks, the afternoon event ended with a haywagon ride generously provided by local farmer Doug Schildmier.
Thanks so much to Mr. Kleiman and Mr. Schildmier, men who contribute so much to our community! Dani’s Dreams thanks our farmers for all they do!
FULL HARVEST
MOON September 19, 7:13 A.M. (Eastern Time)
The Harvest Moon is the full Moon that occurs closest to the autumnal equinox. At this time, crops such as corn, pumpkins, squash, and wild rice are ready for gathering.
Today from 3:30-5 p.m., Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center will be celebrating the harvest moon and the people who make the harvest happen – our farmers.
Local farmer Brian Kleiman will talk with the children about his career, haywagon rides, Farmer’s Market snacks and Farmer’s Almanac activities are planned.
The first 20 students will receive a FREE Dani’s Dreams T-shirt. A limited number of Dani’s Dreams Dream It-Do It race T-shirts will be available at half price – $5. The class with the most participants (at least 5 people) who attend and sign in will receive a $50 classroom grant.
At the September equinox: * Autumn starts in the Northern Hemisphere, and spring begins in the Southern Hemisphere. * The Sun is directly over the equator at local noon.
The autumnal equinox brings fall at 4:44 P.M. this SUNDAY, SEPT 22.
Look up to the sky and marvel at God’s majestic creation!
Come to Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center 3:30 p.m. Sept. 19 and Celebrate Our Farmers. Find out about farming, enjoy farmer’s market snacks, haywagon rides and Farmer’s Almanac activities.
Plant for the future at Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center….we need your help! Brighten your spring with these beautiful fall bulbs and make a difference for science education in Hancock County. Your order is shipped directly to you. Order now and get a free gift!
Hancock County families can beat cabin fever and shake off the winter doldrums with a family “treasure hunt” Feb. 26, 6-8 p.m. at Zion Lutheran School’s gymnasium. Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center is sponsoring an evening of free, educational and entertaining activities designed for families to learn and interact together when the Children’s Museum comes to New Palestine, with the National Geographic’s “Treasures of the Earth.” Zion Lutheran’s PTL will be providing concessions during the event.
Dani's Dreams Outdoor Education Programs 