Category Archives: Nature Story Time

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole: A Spectacular Nature Story Time from the Museum of American Bird Art

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We are excited for our third installment of our Nature Story Time video series, so even in times where we need to be isolated, we can still be together. We hope to bring you a nature story time each week along with a little art project or nature exploration that you can do at home.

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole — Book Page Interior.jpg
Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klaussen. Candlewick Press in Somerville, Massachusetts

Please comment and let us know what stories you’d like to hear, what you like about the program, and most importantly how we can improve. If you missed it, our second nature story time was a Curious Garden. If you missed it, our first nature story time was Little Bird.

Our third story is Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klaussen. During these times of being isolated, it is restoring to go on nature adventures and find the spectacular and little treasures in nature right outside your door, on the sidewalk, and in your neighborhood. Enjoy the story.

Meet Mac Barnett and Jon Klaussen

Art Project

Make a Mole that Loves Digging Holes

Today we’re going to make an art project all about an animal that loves to dig: moles! Moles eat all kinds of insects that live underground. To find those insects, they dig. A lot! Some moles dig up to 150 feet of new tunnels every day.  

To do all that digging, moles need big, powerful front paws. They use them like shovels. Where are the eyes? Moles do have eyes, but they’re black and very small. Their fur is also very dark. That makes it very hard to see their eyes.  

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own mole: 

  • One piece of sturdy white paper 
  • Watercolors, a palette or plastic plate (for mixing), a brush, and clean water 
    • Note: You can use any art materials to make the mole, it doesn’t have to be watercolors. You could use crayons, markers, collage scraps of paper, or anything that you have with you.
  • A white crayon 
  • Scissors 
  • A pencil
  • Glue 

Step 1: Prepare your paper 

Cut your piece of paper in half. It doesn’t need to be perfect. We’re going to cut the mole body out of one half and the paws and nose out of the other.

Step 2: Make the body 

Use a pencil to draw the body of the mole on one of your pieces of paper. Moles have big, powerful shoulders to help them dig, so the body should be wide. Cut out the body. 

Step 3: Draw the whiskers and paint the body 

Use your white crayon to draw whiskers on the mole’s face. You won’t be able to see the whiskers yet, but when you paint the body, they’ll show up white. This is because watercolors don’t stick to crayon wax. Mix up a nice, dark brown with your watercolors. I used the darkest brown on my palette and added just a little black. Paint the body with long, wide strokes. Don’t worry if the paper curls up a little! Mine did when I first painted it, but it flattened out as it dried. Set the body aside to dry. 

Step 4: Make the snout and paws 

Take the other half of your paper. Use your pencil to draw a triangle for the snout. I made the corners of mine round. Draw a big paw with five long claws. You can draw your second paw now, or cut out the first paw and trace it to make the second. It’s up to you! I traced so that the two would be exactly the same.

Step 5: Paint the snout and paws 

Use your watercolors to mix up a light pink. Paint your paws and snout. Set them aside to dry. 

Step 6: Assemble! 

Use a glue stick to glue on your paws and snout. I used a thin black pen to add nostrils on the snout and some details on the paws. You’re all done! What sorts of cool things do you think moles find underground? 

 

Art Project Video by TerraCorp Service Member Dan Boudreau

SUPPORT OUR WORK and Donate to the Museum of American Bird Art

A Curious Garden: Nature Story Time from the Museum of American Bird Art

We are excited for our second installment of our Nature Story Time video series, so even in times where we need to be isolated, we can still be together. We hope to bring you a few nature story times each week along with a little art project or nature exploration that you can do at home. Please comment and let us know what stories you’d like to hear, what you like about the program, and most importantly how we can improve. If you missed it, our first nature story time was Little Bird.

A Curious Garden, By Peter Brown

Our second story is The Curious Garden by Peter Brown. Just like in Liam, these days it is restoring to look for the little treasures in nature and discover spring come alive right outside your door, on the sidewalk, little gardens, and in your neighborhood. Enjoy the story.

Nature Journaling Art Project

Blanketflower, photography by Sean Kent

Enjoy this wonderful art project created by Dan Boudreau, MABA’s incredible TerraCorp service member.

As we move further into spring, more and more plants will bloom. More and more wildflowers will blossom! If you look closely, you’ll see wild gardens growing all around you. To keep track of all the new flowers blossoming, you can keep a Spring Journal. Here’s how to make one. We’ll make a flower stamp out of cardboard to decorate the cover.

Materials

You’ll need:

  • A paper grocery bag
  • White paper for your journal pages (regular printer paper works great)
  • Paint, a paintbrush, and a palette knife (optional)
  • Twine or yarn
  • A hole punch
  • A black marker
  • Scissors
  • Cardboard from a cereal box

Step 1: Making the stamp

Draw a flower onto the piece of cereal box and cut it out. I made mine in the shape of violet wood sorrel, a wildflower that grows here in Massachusetts. What’s your favorite wildflower?

Step 2: Make the cover of the journal

Take the grocery bag and cut out a large rectangle. You’re going to fold it in half, so make it big! It should be a little larger than the pieces of paper that you’ll use for your pages. Once you’ve cut it, fold it in half hamburger-style. Then punch holes for your twine.

Step 3: Stamp the cover

Take the flower you cut from the cardboard and load up one side with paint. You’ll need more paint than if you were just painting the flower itself, so put it on thick. I used a palette knife, but a popsicle stick would work well too. Press the stamp paint-side-down onto your journal cover, making sure to press down every part of the flower. Stamp as many flowers on the cover as you want. I added more paint to my stamp after the second flower.

Step 4: Put the finishing touches on your flowers

Use a paintbrush to fill in any blank spots on your flowers. I mixed two shades of purple, and used a paintbrush to dab on a few spots of the darker purple to really make them pop! Now put your cover aside to dry.

Step 5: Put your journal together

Is your cover dry? Great! Fold your white paper in half and hole punch it. Put it inside your cover and use the twine to tie it all together. You’re all done! Now you have a place to draw all the wild and curious gardens that you’ll see this spring!

Thanks for joining us and hope you enjoyed the art project and nature story time.

Nature Story Time from the Museum of American Bird Art

We are excited to announce our Nature Story Time video series, so even in times where we need to be isolated, we can still be together. We hope to bring you a few nature story times each week along with a little art project or nature exploration that you can do at home. Please comment and let us know what stories you’d like to hear, what you like about the program, and most importantly how we can improve.

“There are no greater treasures than the little things… ~ Little Bird”

Learning to Fly, From “Little Bird” by Germano Zullo and illustrated by Albertine.

Our first story is Little Bird, by Germano Zullo and illustrated by Albertine. Just like in Little Bird, these days it is restoring to look for the little treasures in nature and discover spring come alive right outside your door, on the sidewalk, little gardens, and in your neighborhood. Enjoy the story.

Enjoy Nature Story Time

“May my heart always be open to little birds
who are the secrets of living…”

~ E.E. Cummings

Eastern Bluebird Art Project

Enjoy this wonderful art project created by Dan Boudreau, MABA’s incredible TerraCorp service member.

It’s spring and that means that Eastern bluebirds are headed back our way to make their nests and raise their young! The meadow behind the Museum has several bird boxes that bluebirds sometimes build their nests in. Want to make your own bird box scene with a brightly colored bluebird? 

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Watercolor paints, a brush, and clean water
  • A paper grocery bag (or brown construction paper)
  • Oil pastels, crayons, or colored pencils
  • Glue
  • A sturdy piece of paper or cardstock for your background
  • A small piece of cardstock or an index card for your bird
  • Black marker

Step 1:

Draw your bird shape onto the small piece of cardstock (I used an index card), then cut it out.

Step 2: Watercolor the bird!

First, wet the paper enough that it shines in the light. Be careful not to overwet it, though, or the paper will start to fall apart. Then, paint on blue for the back and orange for the chest. We’ll do the eye later. Put the bird aside to dry while you work on the box.

Step 3: Making the bird box

Cut a rectangle out of the grocery bag and use a black marker to draw a hole for the bluebird to get in and out of.

Step 4: Draw your background

Using pastels, crayons, or colored pencils, draw the sky and meadow onto your large piece of paper. Make sure to leave a blank spot to glue your bird box onto, since glue won’t stick well to crayon or pastel. I used pastels because I love being able to smudge and blend them to make a cool texture for the sky. 

Step 5: Assemble!

Now’s the time to glue it all together! To make a perch for the bluebird, I just cut a piece of the handle from the grocery bag and glued it right on. I did the same to make the post for the box. Now that your watercolors have dried, it’s also a good time to draw an eye on the bluebird. I used a black marker.

And voila! You’ve made an eastern bluebird in its spring habitat! The bird box provides important shelter for the bluebird and the chicks that will come soon. Can you think of anything else that bluebirds might need to live? Draw them in to your own art project!