URBAN HEAT ISLAND BOOK

 Another idea, still being tweaked!, is a simple book illustrated with stamps- or drawings by students-- to illustrate FAQ's about Heat Islands and ideas for mitigating the effects.

 How do you make a "hands on project" about Urban Heat Islands" ??   I scoured what is currently being offered and cobbled together two ideas into this Tin Can Green Roof project. Placed in the hot sun, students can measure the difference in temperature between the dark sides of the Tin Can with the coolness of the moss covered green roof.  

Monarch Season

 Magical Monarchs! It's hard not to be in awe of these creatures. Here is a video of one that hatched on our back deck recently:

https://youtu.be/3a-6YCyyG4A

Thanks to Chip Kaufmann for filming.

I fell in love with this children's book  that tells the story of the international collaboration between scientists and citizen scientists that led to the discovery of the winter habitat of Monarchs in central Mexico. 

Projects this Fall included Monarch Butterfly puppets and stamp books and cards.

Biddeford Art Walk

 Pollinators at the Art Walk

Holly Culloton from Biddeford Community Gardens shared a table with me at the Biddeford Art Walk this month and we promoted pollinators with Monarch Butterfly puppets and Mason Bee Hotels made from Japanese Knotweed and recycled coffee tins. 

Wearable Monarch Butterfly wings coming soon!

Julie's Bicycle

 I've been introduced to the climate emergency non-profit from the U.K., Julie's Bicycle by the International Teaching Artist Collaborative.

You can hop on Julie's Bicycle here: https://juliesbicycle.com/

Lots of great information and inspiring, creative projects.

Birchbark  Workshops

My latest workshops have explored birchbark as a material and a valuable tree with a rich history in human culture around the world.

Particularly valuable as one of the first trees to appear after a wildfire. Seeds and bark provide food for forest animals and the waterproof bark has been used for canoes, in housing , and has medicinal properties.

The Gear Project

The New England Mosaic Society virtual exhibition at the Charles River Museum of Industry.Waltham,MA. The gears will be installed at the Ruins Project in PA this spring.https://ruins.sagermosaics.com/ My gear honors the legacy of coal which built our industries but often at a price. The red glass is symbolic of lives lost in mine disasters and is surrounded by hematite named after the greek word for blood and sometimes called the Iron Rose. Each section of the gear contains a piece of polished jet, which is lignite coal and used in Victorian times in mourning jewelry. The rose in the center is an enduring symbol of passion but also of sacrifice.