Learning from home can be fun when you Hug the Earth with the Miami County Park District and the Banana Slug String Band!

Hug the Earth Distance Learning

The videos are free to use and include fun instructional segments featuring members of the Banana Slug String Band. Creative characters and captivating illustrations bring the subject matter to life as students participate in hands on activities and sing along with the Slugs. The videos also inspire kids to go outside for experiential learning through hands on activities and fun experiments. We hope these educational videos would bring the spirit of the festival to students and help to provide a little normalcy for them.

During these educational videos, not only will you be exploring and discovering throughout this whole virtual adventure. You will be singing  and dancing along with the BSSB and then going outside for some fun learning adventures after the video! 

Academic Standards

Follow this link to the academic standards for the nine different education videos, or click individual academic standards listed next to the video links.
 

Kids hunting mushrooms

FBI - Academic Standards -  Video Link

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you are going to get to Explore, and Discover the secrets of decay in ecosystems with none other than the FBI!

RESOURCES: FBI Coloring Page and Word Search

ACTIVITIES: 

  • There is fungus all among us and if you look closely you may get to meet a giant talking Mushroom!
  • Have you ever held a billion of anything in your hand? Today is your day! FBI agents can be really small. Search that soil carefully!
  • You will go into training to find FBI agents simply by using your nose. (decomposition sometimes is most discoverable by smell!)
  • Be prepared to spend some time on your belly as you look for evidence of the FBI secret agents of decay!

depiction of food chain

Food Chain - Academic Standards -  Video Link

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you are going to get to Explore, and Discover the secret links to Mother Nature’s Food Chains!

RESOURCES: Food Chain Coloring Page and Word Search

ACTIVITIES: 

  • Did you ever wonder where to get a delicious packet of sunshine to eat?  We will take you there!
  • You will be inducted into the FOOD CHAIN detective crew and we will train you how to find evidence of those elusive Producers, Consumers, Predators, Prey and Decomposers
  • Keep your eyes and ears open so you don’t miss out on your guest teachers today –The Plant Man, Buzz, Hippity Hop, Big Cat and Twitchy! Quite the line up of teachers! 

Igneous Metemorphic SedementaryHeat and Pressure - Academic Standards - Video Link

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you are going to get to Explore, and Discover ROCKS made of Fire! ROCKS that morph! And ROCKS that surprise you with what is in their layers! 

RESOURCES: Heat & Pressure Coloring Page and Word Search

ACTIVITIES: 

  • Learn a new language today: Rock language - rocks have a story to tell if you know how to read them
  • Become a Rock Star as you play the part of Sedimentary Rock and layer it down.
  • Enjoy a rock hunting and collecting adventure - discover all the uniqueness of every rock which gives you clues on how they are formed.
  • Join Professor Banana Slug and Doug Dirt as they teach you the best of the Rock Games. 

Kids playing under a tree

I'm a Tree - Academic StandardsVideo Link

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you are going to get to Discover! Explore! And Compare Trees and animals and how they depend on each other!

RESOURCES: I'm A Tree Coloring Page and Word Search

ACTIVITIES: 

  • Find out how trees are different and how they are alike!
  • What kind of gifts they give to us and other animals
  • There are leaf piles to tunnel under and leaf games to play as you sort through all the sizes and shapes
  • You may even find yourself upside down under a tree!
  • If you are lucky you will even get to meet Twitchy the giant squirrel!
  • Look for the special reward to earn a leaf tattoo!

kids playing under a bug

No Bones - Academic Standards - Video Link

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you are going to get to Explore, and Discover those creatures who have no bones inside!

RESOURCES: No Bones Coloring Page and Word Search

ACTIVITIES: 

  • You will have the chance to meet Buzz who will tell you exactly how it is from an insects point of view!
  • Have you ever been on an exoskeletonhunt? Today is the day!
  • We will be calling upon you for insect detective work- Can you do it? Can YOU lie quietly on the ground observing ants? Can you find the log with six legged friends in it?
  • We will be calling upon the artist in you to make an insect portrait
  • And just wait till you hear about insect super powers!

Diagram of a tomato planRoots, Stems, Leaves  - Academic Standards - Video Link

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you are going to get to Explore, and Discover six plant parts that the whole world needs!

RESOURCES: Roots, Stems, Leaves Coloring Page and Word Search

ACTIVITIES: 

  • Discover the secrets of the amazing 6 plant part structures that plants and people need!
  • What plant part will you find in the mysterious plant part bag
  • We will turn you into a plant actor (you may even find your toes - playing the part of roots of course)  in the soil and your feet up a tree stem!
  • Look for your invitation to become a member of the tree stem’s perfect fit club!
  • See if you can catch up to The Plant Man and challenge him to play plant part tag!

Water cycle cartoon

Water Cycle Boogie - Academic Standards - Video Link

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you are going to get to Discover! Explore! And become a part of the amazing water cycle!

RESOURCES: Water Cycle Boogie Coloring Page and Word Search

ACTIVITIES: 

  • Be prepared to get your feet muddy while experimenting with the disappearing evaporating puddle!
  • Discover artwork in the clouds of condensation
  • And have you ever captured some precipitation during a sunshower?
  • There are stories to be told as Doug the Drop moves through the water cycle. 
  • Fun characters await you on this journey!

Weathering Erosion Deposition

Weathering, Erosion, Deposition - Academic Standards - Video Link

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you are going to get to explore, and discover awesome landforms and how in the world these land masses are continually shapeshifting! 

RESOURCES: Weathering, Erosion, Deposition Coloring Page and Word Search

ACTIVITIES: 

  • Today you will become a mountain builder!
  • You will unleash the power of weathering, erosion and deposition upon your very own mountain!
  • The discovery will be yours as you experiment with rock freezing!
  • Be prepared for to embark upon a wild and zany landform field trip with zee Professor Banana Slug!

What do animals need illustration

What Do Animals Need - Academic Standards - Video Link

DESCRIPTION: During this virtual adventure you will get to explore, and discover animals, their habitats and what they need to survive

RESOURCES: What Do Animals Need Coloring Page and Word Search

ACTIVITIES: 

  • I’LL share with you the secret: food, water, shelter,that’s where it’s at. An animals home is called its habitat. 
  • Be prepared to knock on the doors of some unusual homes to meet animals in your own backyard! 
  • You will even get a chance to create a special habitat to invite new animals to your neighborhood!
  • But through it all watch out for the nutty professor who goes wacky looking for habitats!
     
Troy Foundation Logo

Contributors

Covington - Fraternal Order of Eagles (Post 3998)

Troy Fish & Game Club

Piqua Veterans of Foreign Wars (Post 4874)

Troy Masonic Lodge (Franklin Lodge 14)

Miami County Park District Volunteers In Parks

 

Special Thanks to 

VideoBranch

Rick Mack of Mack n' Morris Entertainment

Tom and Pauline Persing

The Banana Slug String Band