Learning About Black Bears

 Today, Christine from the Black Bear Society came in and taught us all about bears.  She started her presentation showing us things that bears like to eat.  They like all kinds of berries, garbage (human food scraps), fish, bird seed from bird feeders, and skunk cabbage!

She explained to us that bears feed the trees.  When bears catch fish, they don't always eat the whole fish.  They eat the brain and the eggs (if there are any) and they often leave the fish to decompose somewhere in the forest.  This decomposing fish makes nutrients for the plants growing in the area.  If you look at tree rings and see a particularly good growth year, it might be thanks to a bear!  She also told us that scientists can determine a bear's age (once the bear has died) much the same way as we can tell a tree's age….they take a cross section of a bear's tooth and count the rings.  I learned something new today!

Then we sang a song about bears and learned some actions.

Your child has a brochure in his/her home envelope with more information from the Black Bear Society.  

It was so sunny and warm this afternoon.  And the slide was especially "staticy".  It doesn't show very well in these photos, but there was a lot of hair standing up at the bottom of the slide!

Tomorrow is "D" sharing day, please help your child find a household item beginning with "D".