In this Second Edition of Elachee's E-Newsletter...

• "NightFall" Annual Elachee Family Fall Festival Coming Up Soon!
• Check out weather conditions in the Chicopee Woods with our new Weatherhawk System!
• "Wild Georgia Math"--An exciting new Elachee program for third graders.
• What's in the Woods? Something fun to look for while hiking in our beautiful early fall Chicopee Woods.
• "Did You Know?" Important events at Elachee, past, present and future.

Elachee Presents NightFall Saturday, Oct. 24th and Friday, Oct. 30th, 6-9pm

Enter the nighttime forest for a non-scary adventure at this popular annual Elachee event! Learn about nocturnal creatures from our costumed naturalist staff and collect some treats along the way. In addition to crafts, face painting, and exciting night hikes, we will offer stargazing with our resident astronomer on the telescope pad, and a very entertaining and informative live animal presentation. Come prepared for a fun and educational evening for the whole family!

Admission to NightFall is $3 for members and $5 for non-members. Children under 2 admitted free.

What's NEW at Elachee...

Check Out Elachee's New Weather Page Featuring Weatherhawk:

Thanks to the generosity of the Shirley Family Foundation, current weather conditions at Elachee and the Chicopee Woods area now only a click away! Elachee's website features a new weather page which shows all all of the current local weather conditions from radar maps to 5-day forecast.

The page is made possible by a software system called Weatherhawk, purchased through an education grant graciously provided by the Shirley Family Foundation. Weatherhawk provides current weather conditions around the clock, which is valuable information for classes about to visit Elachee on a field trip, or for those planning a hike in the Chicopee Woods. And because the system can illustrate current and historic data in easy to comprehend ways, Weatherhawk will also be a great learning tool in our popular Weather Alert environmental education program for students.

New Elachee Education Program: "Wild Georgia Math!"

Our neighboring Hall County School System is at the country's epicenter for the "Singapore Math" concept of instruction, and we decided to see for ourselves what the excitement was all about. We asked permission to send one of our instructors to a Singapore Math workshop sponsored by the district. She returned to us brimming with enthusiasm and creative energy. "Wild Georgia Math", an exciting blend of of math and Georgia habitat study for 3rd graders, was the end result.

Students use their math skills, Singapore-based or conventional, to solve clues that help them identify specific Georgia plants and animals. The accompanying trail hike combines animal and habitat study with standards-based math including geometry, computational skills, measurement, and more.

Elachee is piloting this exciting new program for 3rd graders and hopes to expand it to other grades in the very near future.

What's in the Woods? Early Fall at Elachee.

Sassafras, which can be observed along our woodland trails, is a medium sized tree with three different shaped leaves. One is an unlobed simple leaf, one is mitten-shaped, and one is three-lobed (see illustration.) When the leaves are crushed they smell like "Froot Loops!" The tree is deciduous, and the leaves turn beautiful shades of orange before dropping.

Also, look for the Dogwoods with their bright red berries. The bright color of the berries is to signal the birds that they are ripe and ready to be eaten. In turn, the birds are instrumental in spreading the berries (seeds) throughout the forest.

Did You Know?

• Safari, Elachee's biggest fundraiser and social event of the year was another great success on September 19th, and everyone enjoyed themselves in the new covered venue out of the weather. This dinner and silent/live auction is held every fall at the center, and we look forward to seeing all our many friends and supporters at next year's Safari!
• The next Stars Over Elachee at Chicopee Lake is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 25th, from 6:30-8:30 pm. Learn more about astronomy and how to use a telescope to view the night sky. Suggested for adults and children 8 and older. Program fees: $10 per adult; $5 per child between 2 and 12 years old. Free for members. Call 770/535/1976 for more information and to reserve a telescope.
• The next Adopt-A-Stream training is scheduled at Elachee for Friday, March 26th from 6-10 pm and Saturday, March 27th, 9am-4pm. An intensive 1.5 day workshop about monitoring streams leads to certification by GA Adopt-A-Stream. $5 materials fee. Call Elachee at 770/535/1976 to preregister.