Earth Day at the Zoo
Environment
April 17, 2004
In collaboration with the City of Waco, Magellan will partook in a festive celebration in conjunction with Earth Day to educate the public of our environmental concerns and indulge our appreciation for nature. This event will took place on April 17 at the Cameron Park Zoo where we offered fun activities such as bean-plant experiments for kids of all ages. Many other Baylor and city organizations were present to educate the public about water conservation, the Waco Wetlands Project, animal rescue, etc. Our role in this event was to emphasize global awareness in respect to the environment. There are many actions in dire need of implementation, these organizations are one of many who have joined together to care for an environment that is in much need of help.
The Magellan Society provided a bean seed planting activity for young children. Baby lima beans from the grocery store were used in this project. Lima beans that had been soaked over night in water to soften the shell were put into plastic cups stuffed with newspaper. The newspaper would then be watered. A small amount of water kept at the bottom of the cup would be sufficient for these seeds to sprout since the water would be absorbed by the newspaper to keep the seeds moist. Once the seeds sprouted and a sufficient root system developed, the plant would need to be transplanted to soil to stay alive. This project would give children a basic understanding of how seeds and plants work and hopefully give the children a motivation to develop a green thumb or an Earth-friendly attitude.