Making Using Mixed Materials
Join us for a visit to this summer’s Imagination Celebration at the Bellefonte Art Museum. Tour the exhibits and interactive Maker Galleries – plus, tips for a fun, upcycled craft project!
Try it out! Gather recycled and natural materials such as branches, fabric scraps, yarn, beads, and feathers to create Wishing Wands!
You can visit the Imagination Celebration created in partnership by The Makery and the Bellefonte Art Museum, Friday through Sunday from noon – 4:30 p.m. through August 28th. Learn more at bellefonteartmuseum.org.
The Makery is a community art studio located on MLK Plaza in downtown State College at 123 S. Fraser Street and offers classes, summer camps, and Open Studio Saturdays. Learn more at themakerypa.com.
Soil Science
Who knew soil could be so important? Join us as we head out to the Susquehanna Shale Hillls Critical Zone Observatory to see why we should care about our soil.
Discovery Space
Come discover the newest part of Discovery Space of Central PA. It’s bringing a piece of the ocean to State College with their marine life exhibit and it’s right in “your backyard”!
Follow Discovery Space online:
Campfire Mac & Cheese
The final week of Cooking with Cassie & Kids will be something we can all do in our own backyard – make campfire Mac & Cheese!
Your Own Backyard
Sing along with Melanie to “Buffalo Gals,” “My Hat, It Has Three Corners,” and “Five Little Ducks.”
Interactive Murals
Learn about the incredible mural, Cahuitl, created by artist, Marissa Alise Baez as part of the C/O Commonwealth Exhibit at HUB-Robeson Galleries. Try it out! Time to get a little messy with mud and create your own mural.
- Step 1: Find a sidewalk or flat surface to make your mural
- Step 2: Reach your hands down into the mud or pigment and then onto the sidewalk
- Step 3: Continue step 2 to create a full circle of hand prints
Learn more about the exhibit and Marissa Alise Baez’s artwork.
See more of their work at marissabaez.net
Replicating Tendons and Ligaments – Robotics
Dr. Spencer Szczesny and his lab group teach us all about tendons and ligaments. We’ll also learn to make our own robot hand!
Pollinator’s Garden
Visit the New Pollinator’s Garden at the Arboretum at Penn State and explore the natural habitats for birds, pollinators and insects of North America. It’s an ecosystem and outdoor living science lab where thousands of species live and work!
Eggs-In-A-Hole
We’ll hide like a North American Prairie Dog this week with Cassie & Kids when we make egg-in-a-hole biscuits!
Music from North America
Melanie shares songs from some of the many countries in North America, including a Mexican lullaby called “Ahí está la luna.”
Nazca Lines | Sand Art
Learn about the amazing Nazca Lines of Peru and see how you can create art using sand!
Fossils and Ancient Climates
Dr. Peter Wilf (College of Earth & Mineral Sciences) talks about his work in Patagonia. Dr. Wilf works with ancient fossils to learn about ancient climates. We’ll also get to see what fossil can be found right here in Pennsylvania!
Aplaca Farm
Meet the Bakers and their adorable Alpaca family! This hidden gem in rural Huntingdon County is a go to place for families to get up close and personal with these soft, cuddly, and friendly camelids! Yes, they are part of the camel animal family! Find out how these mainly South American animals are now found in many parts of the United States!
- Visit Terrace Mountain Alpaca Farm at: terracemountainalpacas.com
- You can also check them out on Facebook.
- If you live outside our Central PA region, head here to see where there may be an Alpaca Farm near you in PA.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Cassie & Kids will move like a South American sloth this week and make sloooooow cooker pulled pork sandwiches.
Music from South America
Follow along with Melanie as she sings many songs about many different animals.
Chalk Art
Join street painting artists with Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts as they create beautiful chalk artwork. Grab your own chalk and have your own mini festival outside! View previous works at facebook.com/ISPCPFA as well as other artwork from Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts at arts-festival.com.
Environmentally Friendly Gardening
Visit Penn State’s Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, PA to talk with Dr. Francesco Di Gioia about how to grow vegetables with high tunnels, hydroponics, and other new and environmentally friendly techniques. Some of Dr. Di Gioia’s work has been done in Italy, on the continent of Europe!
A Hike Through Bear Meadows
Join Miss Carolyn and her Backpacking friends for a hike through Bear Meadows in the Natural area of the MidState trail and discover some of the similar plant and wildlife that is present here and in Europe!
Check out more about this beautiful area that you can explore here.
Reindeer Chow
Cassie and Kids will have Christmas in July this week as they make Reindeer Chow!
Music from Europe
This week Melanie introduces us to many nursery rhymes and songs that originated in countries in Europe! Follow along with familiar tunes such as Are you sleeping/Frere Jacques, London Bridge, and a beautiful waltz!
Dance and Drums of West Africa
Join Roots of Life for an introduction to the dances and drums of West Africa. Participants should have adult supervision and access to space in which they can move freely. Happy Dancing!
- Addtional Resources (pdf)
Archaeological Excavation
Dr. Kristina Douglass from the Penn State Department of Anthropology joins Eberly College’s Justin Hazelton to talk about her work as an archaeologist on the east African island of Madagascar. Justin will also show you a fun archaeological excavation activity that you can do at home.
Bilger’s Rocks
Discover 300 million year old sandstone rock formations and explore some interesting rock carvings and narrow passageways at Bilger’s Rocks in Clearfield County!
Find out more at: facebook.com/bilgersrocks
Fruit Salad
Cassie and Kids are back in the kitchen this week, making a fruit salad so that they can eat like an African Hornbill!
Music from Africa
Follow along with Melanie this week as we explore the continent of Africa! Sing along as she shares a counting rhyme and the traditional African lullabye, “Iro Ye.”
Gyotaku | Nature Prints
Artist, Michael Reimer, shares the origin of Gyotaku, which in Japanese means ‘Fish Rubbing’ or ‘Fish Impression’. Enjoy a demonstrate of how he makes fish rubbings and see how you can create other nature prints at home!
Try it out! Gather newsprint or any other type of paper, acrylic ink, foam brushes or other types of brushes.
- View Michael Reimer’s artwork at michaelreimer.com.
- Nature Printing Society: natureprintingsociety.org.
The Science of Climate
Paleoecologists Sarah Ivory and Katie Horisk explain how we can study plants in really warm places like Oman to better understand how the climate might change.
Backpacking on the Standing Stone Trail
Miss Carolyn as she travels with a group of backpacking friends to explore one of the highest areas in Central PA (not quite as high as the Himalayas in Asia though).
Along the way, learn how to set up a camp along the many trails you and your family can find along the Mid State Trail!
- Learn more about the Mid State Trail at: hike-mst.org.
- Learn more about the Standing Stone Trail at standingstonetrail.org
- Rocky Ridge is a “Natural Area”. You can find out a little more about them here.
Banana Pancakes
In Asia you might find some monkeys, which inspires Cassie and kids to wake up to make some banana pancakes!
Music from Asia
Sing along with Melanie to more songs about traveling, songs about animals, and songs with nonsense words. Melanie also shows us a song from East Asia played on the xylophone.
Aboriginal Bark Painting
Join Julia Nelson as we appreciate the incredible bark panting developed by Aboriginal Artists of Arnhem Land.
For additional resources visit:
Hurricanes
Dr. Jenni Evans, Professor of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science at Penn State, teaches us about hurricanes and her research with them. She shows us what Hurricane Ingrid was like in Australia and shows us a hurricane experiment you can do in your backyard.
Elk Country
Join Miss Carolyn as she explores an area of Central and Northern PA that is home to a special animal species – Elk! Just like in Australia where certain species like kangaroo and koala are found only in their native home! Learn about their natural habitat of these majestic mammals and how they are being protected and how you can visit and see and hear them “bugling”!
Chicken Philly Cheesesteak Pita
Inspired by kangaroos from Australia with their pouches, Cassie and kids show us how to cook a sandwich that is like a pouch… a chicken Philly cheesesteak pita.
Music from Australia
Melanie shows us how songs have patterns and what type of pattern makes a waltz. She also teaches us a song from Australia called “Waltzing Matilda.”
Colored Ice Art
Antarctica is covered with ice. Artist Jennifer Stoner shows us how we can make colored ice and use it to create beautiful artwork.
Glaciers
Justin Hazelton from Penn State Eberly College of Science talks with geologist and climate change expert Dr. Richard Alley about glaciers. Then Justin and his friend Hank show us how to make glacier goo from items in your kitchen.
Penn’s Cave
Join Carolyn on a journey through Penn’s Cave and see what it has in common with a cold, cold place like Antarctica.
Homemade Fish Sticks
Follow along with Cassie and kids in the kitchen as they prepare homemade fish sticks that both kids and penguins in Antarctica would enjoy!
Music about Traveling and Antarctica
Melanie teaches us all about Antarctica with a song she wrote. But first, sing along with songs about traveling, and help Melanie write a song about cicadas.
Jewelery
Follow along with Laura as she makes play jewelry out of things she finds around the house.
Insects and Where to Find Them
Kate teaches us all about different kinds of insects and where to find them.
Canoe Creek State Park
Environmental Education Specialist Heidi Mullendore gives Carolyn a guided tour of Canoe Creek State Park in Hollidaysburg, PA.
Viewers Requests
Sing along with Melanie to classics songs such as “The Wheels on the Bus,” “Little Boy Blue,” “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” and more.
Making Insects
Follow along with Laura as she makes a few insects out of construction paper and pipe cleaners.
Recycling
Kate celebrates the earth and shares ways we can help protect it, such as recycling.
Kinzua Bridge State Park
Join Carolyn on her visit Kinzua Bridge State Park in McKean County, PA.
Reusing and Recycling in Music
This episode’s theme in reusing and recycling. Melanie show us how a sea shell can be a musical instrument!
Daniel Tiger
Laura recycles some cans to make a Daniel Tiger themed craft!
Backyard Exploration
Kate invites you on a backyard exploration. What can you find in your own backyard?