CCE had a few creepy crawly guests of honor visit this past Monday. CCE Librarian, Mrs. Toft, invited Clay County Conservation's AmeriCorps aide Ms. Brooklyn to join all Library classes K-6th grade in highlighting their monthly library theme of "Animals Near and Far."
Ms. Brooklyn brought in some fantastic animals to view. The Fox Snake, indigenous to our local area, was a surprisingly fun and docile first guest during to her presentation. The children were able to pet it, while learning about its' diet, habitat and physical traits.
Next up was another local find, a salamander. This damp and smiley animal was a hoot to watch as Ms. Brooklyn would pretend her finger was a worm and the animal would try to snag a bite. The children all shook his tiny hand, as they learned that petting him would not be wise due to his ability to soak up all chemicals on our skin.
The final friend was an animal from afar, a Curly Haired Tarantula. They learned that this small, furry animal throws its hair at enemies and when touched can irritate the skin.
The oddest fact of the day was about the salamander. Ms. Brooklyn said that salamanders, like other amphibians, close their eyes while eating so that they can use their eyes to push the food down their throat! How strange!
Mrs. Toft and students were grateful for Ms. Brooklyn's visit and want to thank Clay County Conservation for providing such fun, interesting and educational fun to their Library studies!