USCC Provides Tree Labeling Fun for Kids
Fourth and fifth graders from PS 347's Sign Language and English as a Second Language School enjoyed a special field trip to Union Square Park last fall. USCC sponsored the event in collaboration with the school and Trees New York.
The children learned to identify the majestic trees in the park: oaks, elms and crabapples of the last century and recently planted dawn redwoods, northern catalpa, golden raintree, dogwoods, cherry and Japanese pagoda trees.
The kids helped install tree identification labels and got a wonderful hands-on learning experience that complemented the school's Plant Diversity curriculum. With the help of USCC Chair Edith Charlton and Board Member Edith Shanker, the children discovered curiosities like worms, bugs, acorns and other things in the soil, which they put in USCC-supplied "treasure bags" for futher discussion at school. They topped off their visit with a snack followed by a romp in the playground.
Kids and knights watch each other watching trees.
Trees are talked about.
Trees are studied.
USCC Turtle Walk in Union Square Park Charms Kids
As part of an event sponsored by USCC on June 8, about 20 children from two to 10 years old plus their parents watched as a Turtle named Lady Treptova walked around the sandbox in Union Square looking for a place to lay an egg.
Eric Lehman, her owner and USCC member, said that Lady was scheduled to lay her egg sometime during the first two weeks in June but that she might or might not lay it during this particular search for the proper spot.
Either she didn't want to lay her egg that day or couldn't find the proper place to put it, but she nevertheless fascinated the watching group for more than an hour with her slow, searching and determined perambulation around the sandbox.
The USCC Organizers, Board Chair Edith Charlton and Board Member Eadie Shanker, told the group at the beginning of Lady Treptova's trek that at this time of year turtles start thinking of one thing and one thing only: laying their eggs, usually searching for a sandy spot near the edge of a lake where they dig holes for their underground nests.
But, in the absence of a lake, "What is a busy New York turtle like Lady Treptova to do?" they asked the group, and the answer was obvious. She heads for the sandbox in Evelyn's Playground in Union Square.
Lady Treptova or one of her gal pals will be back in the Square next spring.
USCC Member Eric Lehman, Lady Treptova (in Eric's hand) and Board Member Edith Charlton before Lady's walk.
Kids watch turtle.
Turtle veers away from statue.
Kids crowd round searching turtle.
Kids still watch searching turtle.
Eric and Lady
Board Members Edith Shanker and Edith Charlton relax after Lady's walk.
