Do you know what a detective is? A detective is someone looks for clues, makes discoveries, and sees things that others may have missed.
It's easy to become an EcoPals Nature Detective! All you need to do is to pay close attention to the world that's right outside your door! What do you see when you go outside? What do you hear and smell? What are all the things you enjoy touching? What have you noticed that other people may have missed?
The EcoPals Nature Detective Contest will give you a chance to share all the things you have discovered in your backyard, neighborhood, or places that you have visited. Is there a beautiful flower growing in a pot on your porch? Seen any unusual spider webs lately? Have you been to a lake or pond and watched a school of fish? Maybe you have noticed the shadow of a favorite tree. Maybe you have just seen a special kind of animal for the first time.
Take a look at the list of topics on the EcoPals Nature Discovery Topics page. Get some ideas about things you can search for over the next several days. When you are ready, draw four pictures and select a title for each one using the choices from the EcoPals Nature Discover Topics page. For example, if you saw a lizard sunning itself on a rock, you could draw the lizard and title it: "A Special Creature" or perhaps "Something Small." Can you find another topic that might work for a lizard picture? What about "I Almost Missed This!" How you title your drawing is up to you. Be creative! Use your imagination!
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
- 2 EcoPals Nature Detective Entry Forms
or 2 pieces of blank paper
- a pencil or pen
- crayons, markers or color pencils
- Print out TWO copies of the EcoPals Nature Detective Entry Form.
You will notice that each page has two blank frames. If you don't have a printer, you can make these pages. All you have to do is draw a line down the middle of two sheets of blank paper and make the frames yourself. (Look at the EcoPals Nature Detective Entry Form to see how to divide your paper.)
- Read the EcoPals Nature Discovery Topics page.
Click here to download
This will give you some ideas of things to look for while you are outside being an EcoPals Nature Detective! You may want to print out the EcoPals Nature Discovery Topics page and carry it with you during your explorations.
- When you are ready, draw four of your favorite discoveries. You should draw one picture in each of the four frames on your papers. Be creative! There are no wrong answers! Make your pictures as colorful or as detailed as you can.
- When you are finished with each drawing, give it a title using one of the choices from the EcoPals Nature Discovery Topics page. Write it underneath the picture on the line provided on the entry form. If you are using your own paper, draw a line under your picture and write the title. If it is hard for you to write on such a small line, it's okay to ask an adult for help!
Click here to download
- When you are finished with all four pictures, submit your entries to EcoPals at this address:
EcoPals Contest
P.O. Box 774,
Longmont, Colorado 80501
Attn: Nature Detective Contest
Include your EcoPals nickname and your mailing address or parent/guardian's email address on the bottom of each page. This way the EcoPals team can notify you if you are a prize winner. Ask your parent/guardian's permission before entering. All entries should be postmarked by April 1, 2000.
- If your parent or guardian would like a general overview of guidelines for EcoPals contest, they can find them at the EcoPals website. They are in the Contest Area under the Games & Fun Page.
- We will be posting the winners of the contest in the Winners Scores area. Good luck!
- If your parent or guardian would like a general overview of guidelines for EcoPals contest, they can find them at the EcoPals website. They are in the Contest Area under the Games & Fun Page.