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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20200822T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20200922T235900
DTSTAMP:20260407T003844
CREATED:20191025T145437Z
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SUMMARY:Virtual BioBlitz @ Osceola Island
DESCRIPTION:Virtual BioBlitz @ Osceola Island\n\n\n\nJoin DLiA and the Tennessee Valley Authority for this free\, family-friendly virtual event where you can be a citizen scientist and learn about the natural wonders found at TVA’s wild lands!  \n\n\n\nUPDATE: This event has officially ended BUT you should totally check out Osceola Island\, anyway! It’s beautiful and full of neat biodiversity. You can still help us to catalog the animals and plants there by posting observations of the organisms you encounter to our iNaturalist project for the site. Happy hunting! \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat is this event?\n\n\n\nIt’s a bioblitz on TVA’s wild lands\, but virtual! \n\n\n\nWhat’s a bioblitz? It’s an effort to find and document as many species as we can find in a certain place. It’s also an opportunity for you to be a citizen scientist\, gathering real scientific data\, while also learning about the animals\, plants and other organisms that live around you! \n\n\n\nHere’s how to participate:\n\n\n\n(1) WATCH THE VIDEO\n\n\n\nWe’ll launch the event via YouTube on Saturday\, August 22nd at 10 am EDT. Watch our video introduction to Osceola Island and see some of the neat flora and fauna that live there. \n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n(2) VISIT OSCEOLA ISLAND\n\n\n\nFor the next 30 days (from August 22nd to September 22nd)\, we challenge you to visit beautiful Osceola Island. This beautiful site is located just below South Holston Dam\, south of Bristol\, TN in Sullivan County. The focus of our scavenger hunt (below) will be the Osceola Island Trail\, a 1.8-mile loop\, accessible via a footbridge. Park at the Osceola Island Day Use Area. \n\n\n\n\nOsceola Island parking (Google Maps)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n(3) COMPLETE THE SCAVENGER HUNT\n\n\n\nAt Osceola Island\, look for these plants\, animals\, and other groups of organisms and post your observations of them to the free mobile app\, iNaturalist.  \n\n\n\nThe scavenger hunt challenge: Make iNaturalist observations of organisms that you find at Osceola Island. The challenge is to observe a variety of species: find representatives from at least 10 of these categories. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPrintable version of this checklist with instructions: PDF \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n(4) WE SEND YOU A THANK YOU GIFT!\n\n\n\n\nFill out this short form when you complete the scavenger hunt and we’ll send you a TVA BioBlitz-themed neck buff as a thank you gift! \n\n\n\n\nForm for thank you gift (Google Forms)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout iNaturalist\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat is it?\n\n\n\niNaturalist is a really useful\, free tool for taking photos of lifeforms (animals\, plants\, fungi\, etc.)\, identifying them\, and making species observations. These observations help us learn about the world’s biodiversity. \n\n\n\nGetting started with iNaturalist\n\n\n\nDownload the free iNaturalist app to your Apple or Android smartphone. You can also visit iNaturalist.org from your web browser. Follow the prompts in the app to create a new iNaturalist account.Find a cool bug\, plant\, or other organism. Open the app and tap OBSERVE or the (+) sign to take a photo of your organism (or choose an existing photo from your camera roll).Tap WHAT DID YOU SEE? to identify your organism.Make sure your location and date are recorded.Tap SUBMIT or the check-mark icon to submit your observation to iNaturalist.Repeat! See how many different organisms you can observe around you!\n\n\n\nFor more tips and tricks for using iNaturalist\, check out their getting started page: https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/getting+started \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat life have we found at Osceola Island?\n\n\n\nHere are the Osceola Island species that have been documented on iNaturalist so far\, but there are many more waiting to be found! You can help us expand this list by adding your own observations! \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCheck out the full Osceola Island project page on iNaturalist to see more. \n\n\n\nFeatured in YouTube video\n\n\n\nShrubby St. John’s Wort (Hypericum prolificum) – This small\, perennial shrub is native to eastern North America. It has beautiful yellow-petaled flowers with sprays of stamens\, giving them a puffy\, rounded appearance. This easy-going native makes a great yard plant: it is tolerant of a wide range of soil types and moisture levels.  More infoGreat Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) – The largest heron in North America\, this common\, majestic bird is often found around freshwater and coastal habitats. It feeds primarily on fish\, but will also munch on amphibians\, small reptiles\, insects\, and small mammals. More infoWild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) – This small pale-purple wildflower is great for attracting butterflies\, bees and other pollinating insects. In fact\, its genus (Monarda) is fittingly called the beebalms. It is a member of the mint family and as such\, it’s leaves have a delightfully minty smell! Blooming in mid- to late summer\, it can be found in open glades and along trails and roadways. More infoLichens (many species) – Lichens are fungi that form a symbiotic relationship with certain algae and bacteria. Each side in this mutually beneficial relationship gets something: the algae and bacteria make food from light (photosynthesis) and share that with the fungi\, and the fungi provides a substrate and protection for its food-making partner. Lichens are everywhere–especially on trees and covering rocks–but they often go unnoticed. Check out this video about lichens from our iScience program.Witch’s Hat (Hygrocybe conica) – This beautiful red-orange mushroom bruises black when poked and prodded. We found many of these at Osceola Island in early August\, which is not surprising as this species can be gregarious (forming large clusters). More infoWhite-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) – This medium-large mammal needs no introduction: the white-tailed deer is common throughout North America\, particularly in the Eastern US. It feeds on a wide variety of plant life and is a surprisingly good swimmer. More infoChristmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) – This common fern is so named for its evergreen fronds that shine elegantly green among a sea of brown vegetation at Christmas time. It is one of a number of fern species found at Osceola Island. More infoBlack Ratsnake (Pantherophis obsoletus) – It is typical for this large snake to reach 6 feet in length. They are excellent climbers and are happy to seek out shelter in tree cavities. Their wide-ranging diet includes rats and other small mammals\, birds\, frogs\, and lizards. More infoMilkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillars (Euchaetes egle) – This moth species has a brightly colored caterpillar that is unusually gregarious (social) for most of it’s life as a larva. By forming brightly colored groups\, they warn predators not to eat them\, because like other tussock moth caterpillars they have hollow hairs that can “sting” anyone who grabs them. This species feeds on milkweed\, like monarch butterfly caterpillars\, feeding on several milkweed (Asclepias) and dogbane (Apocynum) species. More info\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nResources\n\n\n\nMap link to Osceola IslandiNaturalist project at Osceola IslandList of all our BioBlitzes with TVATVA RecreationVisit the Smokies? Contribute to our iNaturalist project thereLearn about our iScience schoolyard biodiversity program (grades 5-8)\n\n\n\nHave questions?\n\n\n\nAsk Will: will@dlia.org
URL:https://dlia.org/event/bioblitz-osceola-island/
CATEGORIES:Bioblitz,Fun,Kid Friendly,Science
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20200918T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20200918T150000
DTSTAMP:20260407T003844
CREATED:20191025T144625Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200908T132303Z
UID:3455-1600434000-1600441200@dlia.org
SUMMARY:Science at Sugarlands
DESCRIPTION:CANCELLED: Wetlands and seeps in the Smokies\n\n\n\nAlix Pfennigwerth\, Great Smoky Mountains National Park\, National Park Service\n\n\n\nUPDATE: The September Science @ Sugarlands talk has been cancelled but the October talk is still on. Join us next month for our final talk of the season! \n\n\n\nFor more information about this free event and to register\, please visit our main Science at Suglarlands page.
URL:https://dlia.org/event/science-at-sugarlands-7/
LOCATION:Sugarlands Visitor Center\, 107 Sugarlands Visitor Center Loop Rd\, Gatlinburg\, TN\, 37738\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20200929T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20200929T173000
DTSTAMP:20260407T003844
CREATED:20200828T145018Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210211T211330Z
UID:4068-1601395200-1601400600@dlia.org
SUMMARY:Schoolyard Exploration...Smokies Style
DESCRIPTION:Join our biodiversity-themed virtual teacher workshop\, co-organized by Discover Life in America and Great Smoky Mountains National Park Education Park Rangers. Participants will learn about activities that we use in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and how they can be adapted at home or around a schoolyard. This virtual workshop is free and open to teachers and educators for all grade levels in public\, private\, and home-school education. \n\n\n\nUPDATE SEPT 21: Wow! We’re excited that we’ve had some much interest in this workshop! Unfortunately\, all available slots and our waiting list are now both filled. Please stay tuned to our Facebook and events page\, where we will announce our next workshop very soon. Thank you for your interest! \n\n\n\nWhat to expect from the workshop\n\n\n\nThis 1.5-hour workshop will include an introduction to resources and a hands-on exploration that can be easily replicated at any schoolyard or at home. We will model the use of free virtual platforms that can enhance classroom and at-home learning. We will explore the world of the terrestrial macroinvertebrate\, learn how to navigate the iNatualist app\, and see how you and your students can participate in the Species SnapIt & MapIt project\, which contributes to a public resource called Atlas of the Smokies. \n\n\n\nTiming and location\n\n\n\nThe virtual workshop will take place over Zoom on Tuesday\, September 29\, 2020 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. ET \n\n\n\nWho can participate\n\n\n\nThe workshop is open to any teacher or educator\, for any grade level in public\, private\, home-school education\, informal education\, etc. Attendance will be limited\, so please register early. \n\n\n\nHow to register\n\n\n\nThis workshop is free but you must fill out the registration form to participate. Spots are limited\, so please register early. We will send out a Zoom meeting link with your registration confirmation and additional information as the workshop approaches. \n\n\n\nRegistration for this workshop is now closed. All available slots and our waiting list are now both filled. Please stay tuned to our Facebook and events page\, where we will announce our next workshop very soon. Thank you for your interest! \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBefore the workshop\n\n\n\nPlease download and set up the iNaturalist app to your mobile device before the workshop. It’s free and useful! \n\n\n\nDownload and install iNaturalist: Google Play store or Apple App store or just search for iNaturalistFollow the prompts to create an account and sign into the appOptional: Play around with the app. Explore and add an observation of an organism in your yard.\n\n\n\nWatch this video to get a primer on using the iNaturalist app: \n\n\n \n\n\n\nResources\n\n\n\nThe following are materials that will either be used directly during the workshop or that participants may find helpful later on. \n\n\n\nTerrestrial macroinvertebrates: \n\n\n\nTerrestrial Invertebrate Study – detailed instructions and resourcesIdentification guide for terrestrial macroinvertebrates (PDF)Inventory datasheet (PDF)Data collection worksheet – elementary (DOCX)Parks as Classrooms: Terrestrial Macro-invertebrates (YouTube video)Parks as Classrooms: Observation Skills – High School level (YouTube video)Parks as Classrooms: Observation Skills – Elementary School level (YouTube video)\n\n\n\nSpecies SnapIt & MapIt project: \n\n\n\nSpecies SnapIt & MapIt community science projectAtlas of the Smokies (free NPS web tool)iNaturalist project for Great Smoky Mountains National Park\n\n\n\nOther helpful resources: \n\n\n\niScience – DLiA’s biodiversity program for middle schoolsEducation at Great Smoky Mountains National ParkSmokiEEEs at HomeTremont Institute‘s programs for educators\n\n\n\nQuestions\n\n\n\nAsk Haley (haley@dlia.org)
URL:https://dlia.org/event/teacher-workshop-2020/
CATEGORIES:Education,Workshop
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