As a friend of
"e" inc. we want to share with you all the things we've been doing lately. Read below on:
- Program Recap: Nature Days
- Boston Properties, lead sponsor of the "e" inc.'s Wild and Scenic Film Festival
- Recap the 2019 Summer Science Discovery Program
- Pictures from Boston's Climate Strike and reflections from Dr. Ricky Stern
- and how Cambridge is taking on Climate Change with "e" inc.
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Fall is here and with it comes that sense of ‘excitement’ as the school year gets underway. At
“e” inc., we’ve piloted a new way to engage children in the science of their planet. Through support from the
National Forest Service, this October,
“e” inc. began “Nature Days.” By traveling to the exquisite Broadmoor Sanctuary in Natick,
“e” inc. involved 5th graders in the beauty of the biological world and the science processes that drive it.
This October, children from four Boston elementary schools - the Bradley, St. John, Conley, and Josiah Quincy -- each made a trip to this 624-acre site replete with woodlands, watersheds, streams, meadows, and rock outcroppings. Our students explored several distinct ecosystems – noting the similarities across all and the special properties of each. They used special scopes to investigate beneath the water’s surface, seeing a plethora of beings in the watershed. They walked across meadows to find various birds. They collected and looked at leaves to note distinct markings and structures.
“My students absolutely loved being able to observe and to interact with the several natural ecosystems. They greatly enjoyed the activities that welcomed close observations and interactions with the creatures found in each habitat.”
What was so much fun to see were the changes in attitude across all the kids by end of day. Before the trip, children were worried about bugs and bites and were spraying themselves up with all kinds of protections against same. The fear of what was in the natural world that might harm them was palpable. Then...after a few minutes investigating underwater beings through scopes, and catching things like damselfly and dragonfly larvae in clear containers to see their behaviors, the children became enamored of all of them! By the time they were in the woodlands, the children were catching and observing anything that moved – crickets, moths, grasshoppers – everyone was their friend. What a shift of focus!
Animals seen at Broadmoor included: turtles, hawks, crickets, blue jays, pike fish, mallards, nuthatches, titmice, flickers, Great Blue Heron and white tail deer. Oh yes, and crickets!
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The Wild and Scenic Film Festival, sponsored by
Boston Properties, is coming to Boston
January 25th 2020
The Wild and Scenic Film Festival (WSFF) is a national tour of curated films about the planet that goes across the US each year.
“e” inc. is excited to be the Boston host of this amazing collection of funny, moving, and at times, whimsical documentaries about our Earth.
Please join us this January at Atlantic Wharf, 290 Congress Street, for a lovely evening of food and wine tastings, as well as, sets of films that will move and amaze you.
We will have voting for our favorite films, desserts and coffee, raffle and auction items and a set of films that will open your eyes to many wonderful new ideas.
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Early Bird tickets to Friends groups go on sale November 12, 2019
All View tickets go on sale December 16, 2019
All proceeds from
WSFF
will bring planet science & student engagement to children & youth across Greater Boston
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Summer Science Discovery Program:
To Infinity and Beyond!
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“e” inc.
’s Summer Science Discovery Program has crafted another great 2-week program taking kids to both outer space and to the bottom of the oceans in our Frontiers program this summer. Here are some of the many photos of our campers, ages 6-12, fully immersed in the fun of learning and doing science.
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“e” inc. Joins the Climate Strike
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At “
e” inc., we believe that individual and group activism is a key ingredient to making lasting change for the planet. This is especially important when pressing for changes in climate
policies. We can think of no better example, in recent memory, where action was used well, than the September
Climate Strike
engineered and carried out by youth across our city and our Commonwealth.
“e” inc. was proud to be one of several organizations voicing their disappointment and distress regarding the lack of solutions and action about Earth’s Climate Emergency.
At our
CLIMATE STRIKE table, hundreds of people: youth from across Greater Boston, parents with young children, adults and seniors, used our materials to create over 300 placards that gave voice to their concerns. In addition, hundreds added papers to our Action Wall – sharing their thoughts about the question “Why are you at the
STRIKE?”
Since our beginnings,
“e” inc. has always promoted action as a central element in its work with children, youth, and adults. In order to shape a world that is humane, it is imperative to not only understand the science of our planet but to also commit to conserve and protect it.
From plastics in the seas to massive wildfires to environmental refugees, our world is strained.
How we address these challenges in the next few years will matter more than
anything else we do. Are we brave enough to take a giant leap toward simplicity? Can we do with less and see such a shift as the way forward?
“e” inc. was honored to be at the CLIMATE STRIKE with its message of ACTION. This is the selfsame action we, at
“e” inc., teach in every one of our science classes every single day. Conserving, protecting, making a difference. We cannot start soon enough.
Dr. Ricky Stern, Executive Director
“e” inc. -- the planet science learning & action center
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“e” inc. in after school programs:
Climate Change program is
now at East End House in Cambridge
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It is week 5 of the Planet Protectors program and the children at the East End House After School Program are delving into the fascinating topic of Climate Change. It is quite a powerful curriculum and each new lesson adds to the story of what changes are happening in our atmosphere and our Earth. Through a grant from the City of Cambridge’s Energy Alliance Department,
“e” inc. is able to go to East End House weekly.
At present,
“e” inc. is teaching kindergartners. You may ask,
“Can such young children understand this science?”
“Can they appreciate the implications?”
Staff educator Emily Dunleavy says that, “interestingly, the answer is a resounding ‘Yes.’” At first, helping the children understand the difference between the day’s weather and an overarching climate system was a challenge. Then, by lesson 3, everyone was on-board. They loved the activities, which of course, make the ideas fun and available. We have tackled: what is atmosphere, what is energy, how do we get CO2, what is a fossil/a fuel/and a fossil fuel? In one activity kids layer pudding + chocolate bits + cookies + more to re-enact the creation of fossil fuels. If they can explain back the layers, then it is dessert time!’
During the latest lesson, children tracked ways CO2 is added to Earth by placing squares of tape with each CO2 idea onto a globe. Suddenly, they realized that the globe was covered with tape squares! How could this be? No wonder we are in trouble!
This is
“e” inc.’s second year with East End House and we love the positive work going on throughout their building. It is a gift to teach here.
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