Let’s put your identification skills to the test! Can you figure out what is hidden in this picture? Make your guess in the comments.
Pine Tree Cookies
Pine Tree Cookies
Time:30 min
Difficulty:Easy
We’ve got a tasty tree-t for you!
Why not some pine tree cookies to spruce your snacks up?
- 1 ½ cup flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup of butter
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Green food colouring (or matcha powder as a natural alternative)
- Rolling pin
- An adult to help with baking
Here’s how you make it:
Step 1: Add all your dry ingredients in a big bowl and add the eggs, butter and your green food colouring (or matcha powder). Mix until you form a dough.
Step 2: Divide your dough into two pieces. Roll it out on a board with a rolling pin.
Step 3: Cut triangle shapes out of your dough. Out of those shapes, remove 4 tiny triangles on each side. Lay your tree cookie pieces on a tray.
Chill the tray in the fridge for about 15-20 mins.
Step 4: Ask an adult for help to preheat the oven to 350°F.
When they are ready, put the cookies in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when the edges of your cookies are browned.
You’ve got yourself a forest of cookies! Time to dig in!
Would you Rather #57
Would you rather laugh like…
A fox or a hyena
Tell us which one you pick in the comments!
The Legend of Edmund and the Reindeer
Take a seat by the fire and listen up as Earth Ranger Emma tells the story of how one of the arctic’s most skilled bush pilots once got stranded in a December snow storm and got rescued by someone very unexpected.
Hey Earth Rangers! I hope you had a great end-of-year break. We have an awesome Arctic story to tell. In this episode, Emma will share the tale of a scientist she met during one of her first trips up north!
Old Edmund is a researcher with over ten years of amazing adventures in the arctic. One December, his ski plane got stuck in a big snowstorm while he was trying to fly home for Christmas. Wanna know what happened next? Listen to find out about the mistakes he made and what saved him in the end!
Emma got to have a close look at the ski plane Edmund used. It’s a special kind of plane with skis at the bottom, allowing it to glide across the snow. The plane is designed to slow down and stop on its own when landing. The downside? It can be easily pushed! During strong winds or storms, you have to tie the plane down, or it might slide away in the snow, leaving you behind.
What about the reindeer?
Deer are pretty smart! When they feel a storm is on the way, they look for shelter to stay safe. In a snowstorm, they look for protection near trees, thickets, or bushes. Finding shelter out in the open? That’s harder. Sometimes, you might see them hiding on the sides of hills to avoid the wind and snow. Or… a person and a plane!
Reindeer are full of surprises! Here’s a festive fact to wrap up the year: Did you know, that all of Santa’s reindeer are ladies? Yes! Normally, male reindeer lose their antlers in the fall. By Christmas, the only ones left with antlers are the girls, who lose theirs in spring.
What did you think about Edmund’s adventure? Do you have any fun holiday ventures of your own?
Let you know in the comments below!
Caption This: What is this heron thinking?
We need your help! This animal is trying to tell us something but we can’t figure it out! Do you know what this heron is thinking?
Post your ideas in the comment section below.
Homemade potpourri
Homemade potpourri
Time:10 min
Difficulty:Easy
When there are no flowers or fresh cut grass swirling around outside, coming home to a burst of cozy scents can be a real treat in the middle of the winter. Why not make your own at-home scents?
Here’s what you need:
- Pot, mason jar, or shallow heat-proof bowl
- Water
Here’s what you can use:
- Fresh needles from your favourite evergreen tree (pine, spruce, ect.)
- A piece of tree stump (the sappier the better)
- Cinnamon sticks
- Cloves
- Raw cranberries
- Orange slices or peels
- Dried or fresh peppermint leaves (hint: peppermint tea is often pure peppermint leaves)
- Dried or fresh rosemary
- Apple slices
- Cardamom
- Vanilla extract
- Grated nutmeg
Here’s how you make it:
Step 1:
Gather all your ingredients! You can pick any from the list, or come up with some of your own.
Step 2:
Put your ingredients into a heat-proof bowl (or a pot or mason jar) and fill it halfway with water.
Step 3:
Place this in a warm place (safely away from any pets or clumsy family members).
Somewhere like the top of a radiator, over part of a heating vent, or on the stove on the lowest setting if you’re using a pot.
Step 4:
Sit back and enjoy the woody winter scents that fill your home!
What winter scents did you pick? Got any “smells” that you already associate with winter? Let us know in the comments below!
Can you wolf-igure out what’s true or false: Reveal
Are you a myth-busting super ranger? Were you able to wolf-igure out what wolf facts are true and which are false?
We got a ton of great guesses in last week’s True or False, it’s time to find out who got it right! Are you ready for the great reveal?
The answers are…
- A wolf’s sense of smell is roughly 100 times stronger than a human’s – TRUE
Wolves have a very strong sense of smell – even better than dogs! This helps them to track prey as well as other wolves. Their smell also allows them to communicate with each other, and make sure they’re not too close to another pack’s territory. - Wolves are a threat to the elk population – FALSE
This is a myth often brought up to argue against the reintroduction of wolves into an area, from hunters and rangers who are worried that wolves may wipe out important game needed to eat.
There is no proof that wolves are a threat to the elk population that lives in their territories. Research shows that in some areas where wolves were reintroduced the elk population has even increased. This is thanks to wolves primarily hunting weak and sick elk, creating stronger elk herds. - Grey wolves are the biggest member of the Canidae family – TRUE
Canidae is the family of dogs, coyotes, foxes, and…wolves! Of all these animals, the grey wolf is the biggest one. They can grow up to 6.6 feet long and 2.5 feet tall. - Wolf packs are made up of Alphas, Betas, and Omegas – FALSE
The concept of an “alpha” wolf or any beta and omega is an inaccurate and outdated idea. This myth came from the idea that there are dominant or powerful “alpha” wolves who fight their way to the top, but in reality, a pack of wild wolves consists of families with parents and their children. The family works together to survive. As they grow older, young wolves might leave their parents’ pack to start a family of their own. - Wolves love to howl at the moon at night – FALSE
Wolves are often depicted howling at night under the moon, and while they do howl, it’s not at the moon! If you hear wolves howling at night, they’re most likely communicating with one another. There is no connection between wolves and the full moon. - Wolf pups don’t open their eyes for 2 or more weeks after they are born – TRUE
Wolf pups are born both blind and deaf. They open their eyes about 2 weeks after birth and take a few extra days to see shapes very well. During this time, they stay in their dens and are cared for by their parents.
Help Eastern Wolves with a Wildlife Adoption!
Head to the Adoptions Section in the App!
Pixel Puzzler #37: The Great Reveal
We got tons of great guesses on Part 1 of this Pixel Puzzler and now it’s time for the answer. Are you ready for the great reveal? Find out if you got it right!
The answer to this Pixel Puzzler is (drum roll please) a Hippo! How did you do? Tell us in the comments!
Pun-tastic Riddles #5
Pun-tastic Riddles #5
Time:15 min
Difficulty:Hard
Do you enjoy punny animal jokes? We’ve got some fun ones for you! Can you decode the punchline? Use our decoder key below!
Where do fish like to sleep?
What would’ve been a better name for a lion instead of King of the Jungle?
What speed do Seahorses swim?
