Spongy Keepy-Uppy

Earth Rangers

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June 1, 2023

78

Spongy Keepy-Uppy

Time:45 min

Difficulty:Easy

We’ve got a soap-prise for you: a new type of tennis that’s simply absorbing. Time to make your racket and get playing!

Here’s what you need:

A sponge for each player
A sturdy stick (like a wooden ruler or paint stir stick) for each player
An inflated balloon
Tape (like masking or duct tape)
A friend to play with!

Here’s how you do it:

Step 1:

To make your racket, tape your sponge near the top of your stick. You’ll want the sponge to stay put when you move the stick around.

Step 2:

Start playing! Your goal: Keep that balloon up in the air and don’t let it touch the ground. Work together to keep it up for as long as you can!

Tip (for outdoor play only):

Looking to cool off? Just dip your sponge in water and get ready to make a splash as you play!

How long did you keep the balloon in the air for? Tell us in the comments below!

Sheriff Pickles and the Plastics

Earth Rangers

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May 31, 2023

59

Stop right there, plastics! Don’t you dare try to escape!

Oh hey! You’re an Earth Ranger, right? Can you help me? I need to capture some bad plastics! Who am I? I’m Pickles of course! Sheriff Pickles. It’s nice to meet you.

My job as sheriff of this forest is to protect the animals that live here. That means looking out for baddies, like the Single-Use Plastic Gang. They all cause trouble but today I have three of them in my sights! I need your help to stop The 6-Pack Bandit, Victoria Baggins, and The Wrapper.

Who are they?

All three of these baddies pretend to help us:

The 6-Pack Bandit is a 6-pack ring that holds bottles and cans together.
Victoria Baggins is a grocery bag that helps us carry our food home from the store.
The Wrapper is plastic wrap that protects our sandwiches and snacks.

But things are not always as they seem! These plastics are not our friends, especially to me and my animal buddies. You know those super strong rings that the 6-Pack Bandit has? They can easily get tangled up around an animal’s legs or neck. What about Victoria Baggins and The Wrapper? They can trap animals too, but worse, they can also smell like food. One sniff and a hungry animal might gobble them up. And trust me…they aren’t tasty or good for them!

This is bad! How can we stop them?

If you find any of these baddies wandering the wild, pick them up! At home, try to not use them at all. That way they can’t escape and hurt us. It might sound hard, but here are some tips to help you get started:

The 6-Pack Bandit: This one is easy! Choose products that don’t come in 6-pack rings. There are lots of different drink brands that don’t use this bandit.

Victoria Baggins: Say NO to plastic bags when you’re at the store. Bring your own reusable bag instead! Backpacks or tote bags are really great for carrying food.

The Wrapper: Use a reusable container instead! This will help keep your food protected just as much as plastic wrap.

These are small changes you can do that will make a big difference to me and my animal friends.

Help Sheriff Pickles stop the entire Single-use Plastic Gang with the More Plastic More Problems Mission! Look for it in the Mission section in the Earth Rangers App!

Would you Rather #43

Earth Rangers

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May 29, 2023

164

Would you rather smell like…

A skunk or some stinkweed?

Tell us which one you pick in the comments!

More “Would You Rather” Questions!

Pixel Puzzler #27: The Great Reveal

Earth Rangers

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May 26, 2023

55

We’ve gotten 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 giraffe! How did you do? Tell us in the comments!

Tap here for more cool stuff like this!

Cheesy Lemur Toast

Earth Rangers

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May 25, 2023

52

Time:20 min

Difficulty:Easy

Don’t get caught in a snack lemur-gency!

Here’s what you need:

A slice of bread
Seaweed sheets
Cream cheese
Three small round fruits or veggies (blueberries, blackberries, grapes, carrots, etc.)
Scissors
Help from an adult

Here’s how you make it:

Step 1: Toast your bread!

Step 2: Spread the cream cheese over your toast. Make sure it gets to all the corners and isn’t too thin!

Step 3: Prepare fur patches and details. Cut the following shapes out of your seaweed sheets: a small square, two small triangles, two ovals, and one circle. Then cut all your fruits/veggies in half.

Step 4: Lay the small triangles on each corner at the top of your bread to make the lemur ears. Add the square piece in between the ears to make a forehead.

Step 5: Place the ovals under the forehead and ears. Add your fruits/veggies on top to make the eyes.

Step 6: Finally, add the nose! Lay the circle on the bottom half of your toast and add the other fruit/veggie to finish!

**Now that you have your fan-toast-ic lemur, it’s time to dig in!**

Win a Camera with Backyard Biologist!

Earth Rangers

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May 24, 2023

35

You don’t need to travel far to see awesome creatures and interesting plants! Just visit your nearest garden, park, pond, or field. You’ll be amazed at how much cool life is living in your own backyard. AND it could make you a winner!

The Backyard Biologist contest is back. Submit your best nature photo and you could take home one of this year’s super duper, amazing, and fantastic prizes: a Canon Rebel T7 Camera!

This year’s categories are…

Epic Landscape

From ocean views to mega mountains, and all the forests in between, this category is all about landscapes. Snap a picture that makes us feel like we’re out in nature with you.

Coolest Colours

Do you love bluebells? Can’t get enough of red foxes? Or are rainbows more your style? This category is all about colours! You could focus on one colour or all of them. Just make sure it’s a picture that makes us go “WOW!”

Wonderful Wildlife

When it comes to animals, we just can’t get enough. For this category, we’re collecting pictures of all kinds of wildlife. Send us pictures of creepy crawlies, cute mammals, funky fish, brilliant birds, and more. We’ll take them all! NOTE: no pets allowed!

The Prize:

The winner from each category will get 1 of 3 Canon Rebel T7 Cameras! It’s a small, beginner DSLR camera that’s easy to use and worth $650 each! It’s great for anyone who wants to take amazing shots and grow as a photographer.

BUT THAT’S NOT ALL! The winners will also get a chance to have their photograph put on display at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM).

The contest closes July 19, 2023, at 11:59 PM ET.

Click here to learn more and submit your pictures!

The Backyard Biologist Contest is generously supported by:

In partnership with:

Summer Jobs at Earth Rangers

Earth Rangers

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May 23, 2023

0

Are you or someone you know looking for a job this summer? If you’re under 30, love animals, and have a passion for the environment, Earth Rangers could be the place for you!

We’re looking to fill two roles: a Junior Multimedia Designer and an Assistant Event Coordinator. Read on to see if you qualify.

Junior Multimedia Designer:

Earth Rangers is looking for a Junior Multimedia Designer to help create educational materials for kids in digital graphic, audio, or video mediums.

Key responsibilities include:

Create visual assets for Earth Rangers Wild Wire blog and Earth Rangers social media channels
Create simple video content for the Earth Rangers Wild Wire Blog, Social media, and YouTube channel
Post articles on the Wild Wire Blog – Research and write simple articles related to animals and wildlife conservation- Develop simple eco-friendly activities for kids

Qualifications:

Graphic Design:
- Knowledgeable in Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, or equivalent
Video Design:
- Knowledgeable in Adobe Premiere or equivalent
- Basic understanding of WordPress editor
- Experience with audio recording and/or audio editing software is an asset
- Strong attention to detail

Mentoring:

The Creative Director will provide guidance and feedback on the design tasks and support with the required software

Assistant Event Coordinator

This Assistant Event Coordinator will assist Earth Rangers’ Development Manager in the planning, organizing, and managing of environmentally-themed events throughout the spring, summer, and fall of 2023. These events may be indoor or outdoor and will range from tree planting to community cleanups to nature photography workshops and more.

Responsibilities:

Assisting the Development Manager with event planning and organization, including event flow and logistics, invite and registration management, sourcing food and supplies, and creating signage
Accompanying the Development Manager to all events
Supporting the promotion of events across social media platforms
Maintaining records of all bookings, e.g. venue, catering, and taking payments where necessary
Assisting with creative decisions
Attending all meetings to act as a second point of contact
Ad-hoc duties at events include, but are not limited to, guest list management, registration, logistics, crowd control, catering, etc.
Helping set up and dismantle events efficiently through to completion

Qualifications:

Proficiency in MS Office, especially Excel, and Word
Working knowledge of social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram)
Excellent organizational skills
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Ability to lift 50 pounds
Some weekend work will be required
Passion for the environment, nature, and wildlife

To apply, send your resume to hr@earthrangers.com with the position name in the subject line.

Looking for something long-term? Check out our Careers page to see our other hiring opportunities!

Pawsitively Hilarious Jokes #3

Earth Rangers

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May 22, 2023

94

What type of market should you NEVER take your dog to?

A flea market!

Tap here for more cool stuff like this!

Pixel Puzzler #27: Part 1

Earth Rangers

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May 19, 2023

195

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.

Check back next week for the answer!

Tap here for more cool stuff like this!

Froggy Pencil Holder

Earth Rangers

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May 18, 2023

70

Froggy Pencil Holder

Time:25 min

Difficulty:Easy

Hopping to upcycle your plastic bottles? You’ll toadally love this Froggy Pencil Holder!

Here’s what you need:

2 plastic drink bottles (make sure you’re reusing ones you already have)
Scissors
Paint
Glue
Paper, felt, or foam sheets in 2 different colours

Here’s how you make it:

Step 1: Cut the top off your first bottle and the bottom off your second. For this craft, you’ll only need the first bottle and the bottom piece from the second. Why not save the rest for another craft?

Step 2: Paint the outside of your pieces the same color. When the paint is dry, flip the bottom piece upside-down and add two big eyes. This will be your frog’s head and the other piece will be your frog’s body.

TIP: You might need to do more than one coat of paint.

Step 3: Let’s add some details! What kind of pattern do you want to give your frog? You can paint a nice round belly on your bottle or add plenty of colorful spots.

Step 4: While your paint is drying, cut a tongue out of the first colour of paper/foam/felt, and cut a set of frog legs out of the second.

Step 5: Finish your frog by gluing the tongue to the inside of the bottom piece and the legs to the outside of the larger piece. Slide the frog’s head over its body and your new Froggy Pencil Holder is complete!

**Don’t froget to make your frog happy by adding pens and pencils in its belly!**

Finding a new way to use plastic is good for the planet, but you know what’s even better? Saying NO to plastic altogether! Take your eco-action to the next level and kick plastic out of the game for good! Look for Rangers vs. Plastic in the Challenges section of the app!