Happy Earth Day!
by Ingrid Zabel
Last updated April 22, 2020
Celebrate the 50th Earth Day with us and learn about the wonders of the natural world, past and present. With so many challenges—habitat loss, plastic pollution, and climate change among them—Earth Day is a call to action, and action often starts with appreciation for and education about our world. We hope you enjoy this sample of the educational resources we have to offer, and that they inspire you to care for the environment we all share.
Essay
Essay by PRI Director Dr. Warren Allmon.
Videos
We could all use some Bat Basics! Celebrate Earth Day by learning about some of the amazing animals that live right here in Central New York.
Who better to learn about owl eyes and ears with than Oakley, the Cayuga Nature Center’s owl ambassador? Happy Earth Day, Oakley!
Celebrate Earth Day with a greenhouse gas demonstration. You’ll see what’s happening in the atmosphere, all in a beaker!
Having trouble picturing how climate change works? Join PRI scientist Dr. Alexandra Moore and take a look at the world in different wavelengths as she makes the invisible visible.
Celebrate Earth Day by watching a DIY video on building a wind-powered elevator for a doll-sized house! You can also find written instructions on our Learn@Home STEM Education page.
On Earth Day, we look forward and plan for a better future. We can also learn about the past. In Episode 1 of Fossils@Home, watch PRI scientist Dr. Jonathan Hendricks unbox some cool trilobite fossils!
See also Episode 2 and Episode 3 of Fossils@Home on PRI’s YouTube channel. After watching, you can impress your friends with your knowledge of tabulate corals and left-handed snails!
Why not meet an ancient, armored fish on Earth Day? Meet the Dunkleosteus (fossil and plush version) in this video.
Celebrate Earth Day #50 by watching Trees Awake! #1, the first in a series about tree phenology.
Phenology is the study of seasonal and cyclical changes in life, and springtime is when some of those changes we welcome the most are happening: buds are breaking, leaves are emerging, flowers are blooming. Want more phenology? See Trees Awake! #2, #3, and #4 on PRI’s YouTube channel.
Take a tour behind the scenes of the Paleontological Research Institution to see how our collection of over 7,000,000 fossil specimens is curated, stored, and used by researchers from around the world.
Online Exhibits
We are very excited to share that our "Bees! Diversity, Evolution, Conservation" special exhibit may now be explored online.
The online "Bees!" exhibit is a great way to learn more about these amazing and important insects while the Museum of the Earth is closed, or to have a closer look if you have already had a chance to visit the exhibit in person.
Our “Cayuga Lake, Past and Present” exhibit at the Cayuga Nature Center is now also online!
This exhibit lets you see into the past by telling the story of one specific site along Cayuga Lake at two different times: today and 300 years ago. . Learn about life in and around Cayuga Lake, how it has changed in recent history, and the implications of these changes for the future of the lake.
Learn@Home Activities
Coming THIS SATURDAY (APRIL 25, 2020):
Social Distance BioBlitz
24-hour Hunt for Species: Let's join together while still being apart, to count as many species as we can in the Tompkins County area!
From Saturday April 25 @10AM to Sunday April 26 @10AM., the Cayuga Nature Center is sponsoring a Social Distance BioBlitz in honor of the 50th Earth Day. Join us from wherever you are social distancing and contribute to our understanding of seasonal change in the Tompkins County area biosphere. We are calling all nature observers to photograph plants and animals in your neighborhood using the iNaturalist app (available for your smartphone--visit your favorite app store). iNaturalist is a crowd-sourced online application, so if you don’t know what your species is, no worries, someone else will! With your help we hope to get a snapshot of the seasonal variation from our surrounding hilltops down to the shores of Cayuga Lake. All ages, all experience, all locations are welcome – please join us!
Sign up for iNaturalist here: https://www.inaturalist.org/
Tutorials on using iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/video+tutorials
You’ll find lots of activities on our Learn@Home STEM Education page. Here are a few examples:
Fun Fossil Activities
On Earth Day we celebrate life on Earth, both living and extinct. Find lots of Fun Fossil Activities on our Learn@Home page.
Explore our Virtual Collection of 3D fossils on the Digital Atlas of Ancient Life. This is an invaluable collection for researchers, educators, and students, but it’s also fun for anyone to explore the interactive 3D images of fossils.
Hang out with Cecil the Coelophysis on Earth Day! Follow along on his Colossal Journey Through Time with coloring pages for kids (and the young-at-heart).
Learn about animal tracks with our Tracking Puzzle game (1.9 MB)
Earth Day is a great day to get outside and learn about trees. Our World of Trees packet will help guide you through some activities (1.9 MB).