Toad's Tadpoles

04/21/2026

NASA has unveiled one of the closest images ever captured of Jupiter—and the detail is truly stunning.

Swirling cloud patterns, enormous storms, and chaotic bands sweep across the planet, each one far larger than Earth itself. These massive systems have been active for centuries, and many are likely to persist for generations.

A powerful reminder of how intense and ever-changing our Solar System truly is.

04/21/2026

04/21/2026

Hey teachers, quick question. What do the ideal set of Google Slides for an art project look like to you? I've recently been getting more enthralled with all their possibilities.

Here's a grid view of a set I just made for a popular Koi Fish project, which I am linking to in the comments below. You are welcome to use and share the link as you wish, I plan to always keep it open. I'd just love to get feedback on how they work for you, and if you can think of anything else that would make them even better.

04/21/2026

It’s all about the biodiversity!

04/20/2026

DIY Rainbow Light Show

Sometimes, the best adventures are painted with light and laughter!

Ingredients:
- Empty cardboard tubes (toilet paper or paper towel rolls)
- Cling film (plastic wrap)
- Rubber bands or tape
- Permanent markers (variety of bright colors)
- Scissors
- Flashlight or phone light
- Craft stick or pencil (optional, for support)
- Dark room or dim lighting area

Directions:
1. Prepare the Film Lens: Cut a small square of cling film big enough to cover one end of the cardboard tube with some extra around the edges.
2. Color the Film: Use your permanent markers to draw bold rainbow designs on the cling film. Feel free to make stripes, swirls, or colorful dots!
3. Attach to Tube: Stretch the colored cling film over one end of the cardboard tube. Secure it tightly with a rubber band or tape, ensuring the film is smooth and taut.
4. Insert Light Source: In a warm, dark room, shine a flashlight through the open end of the tube, directing the light beam through the colorful film.
5. Create the Light Show: Gently rotate the tube or move the light around to create dancing rainbow patterns on your walls and ceilings.
6. Optional Handle: For easier maneuvering, insert a craft stick or pencil into the bottom of the tube as a handle.

Let your little ones explore their creativity and watch as they discover the magic of colors dancing around them. This is a delightful way to spend time together, making both memories and messes that are worth every moment.

Make a memory today, not just a mess.

04/20/2026

Eastern Tailed-blue (Cupido comyntas) butterflies are common across eastern North America in open fields, often in patches of clover or vetch. You’ll have to look carefully, though, this butterfly has a wingspan of just 3/4 inch. Males are a beautiful iridescent blue on the dorsal (top) surface of their wings. Look for them from March to October in the Piedmont.

Photo by D. Gordon E.Robertson, Flickr, CC BY-SA 3.0

04/20/2026

Native Wildflower Spotlight:
Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)

Wild Geranium, also known as Geranium maculatum, is a hardy, long-lived native wildflower that brings soft lavender-pink blooms to woodlands, meadows, and garden spaces. This early-season bloomer is a favorite among pollinators and adds graceful beauty to any native landscape.

🌿Ecological & Wildlife Benefits:
~ Excellent nectar source for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
~ Attracts beneficial insects, including native bees and syrphid (hover) flies.
~ Larval host plant for several species of moth caterpillars.
~ Seeds are dispersed by ants (myrmecochory), aiding natural propagation.

🌿Growth & Landscape Characteristics:
~ Clump-forming perennial, reaching 1-2 feet tall.
~ Blooms from mid-spring to early summer, with five-petaled lavender-pink flowers.
~ Deeply lobed, textured foliage provides interest even after flowering.
~ Thrives in partial to full shade but can tolerate some sun with adequate moisture.
~ Tolerates a variety of soil types, preferring well-drained, rich woodland soils.

💚Conservation & Gardening Notes:
~ Ideal for woodland gardens, shaded borders, and pollinator-friendly landscapes.
~ Low-maintenance and drought-tolerant once established.
~ Pairs well with trilliums, ferns, violets, and other woodland natives.
~ Deadheading can extend bloom time, but seed heads also provide interest.

With its delicate blooms, pollinator benefits, and adaptability, Geranium maculatum is a valuable addition to native gardens, bringing both beauty and ecological function to shaded landscapes!

04/20/2026

Featuring PBS KIDS Characters

04/20/2026

This “Artsy Thursday,” we celebrate the power of art in children’s lives. Through art, children explore their imagination and develop creativity, lessons no one understood better than Eric Carle, beloved children’s book author and illustrator. In 1998, Eric visited Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and showed Fred how he painted tissue paper to bring his stories to life. His many contributions to children will live on through his illustrations.

To encourage creativity today, we’re resharing our Fred Rogers coloring page. Click on the link and let the fun begin:https://www.fredrogersinstitute.org/files/resources/151/coloring-kindness.pdf

You can learn more about WOYC activities and resources by visiting the NAEYC website here: https://www.naeyc.org/events/woyc/plan-your-event



A photo from the Fred Rogers Institute Exhibit.

04/20/2026

🌈✨ Teachers, you inspire us so much, so give us a chance to brighten your day! We’re celebrating all the creativity you bring to your classrooms with a colorful giveaway from Crayola and ALEX AND ANI 🎉📚

Enter to win: https://teacher-appreciation.squarespace.com/

04/17/2026

Do you see it? 👀

The Camouflaged Looper (Synchlora aerata) feeds on the leaves of Lyreleaf Sage (Salvia lyrata), coneflowers (Rudbeckia spp.), bonesets (Eupatorium spp.), and many other native plants. This one is on Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum).

This caterpillar is called the Camouflaged Looper for a good reason. To avoid predators, they adorn themselves with fragments of the plant they’re feeding on! They clip off bits of flowers and leaves and attach them to their back with silk. When they moult or switch host plants, they even do a “costume change” to match their new host plant! 🤯

Photo by Judy Gallagher, Flickr, CC BY 2.0