Monday, June 28, 2021, 9 a.m.
Join us for our Monday episode of Energy Express as we kickoff with a reading of “The Sloth That Slowed Us Down” with Chris Matlick, administrative director at the Mylan Charitable Foundation.
Next, we will find a calm place with Kerry Gabbert, visiting instructor at WVU Extension Service. Kerry and her son Sam will help us practice mindfulness with a guided meditation.
Our Wildlife Specialist Sheldon Owen and the senior program keeper at the Oglebay Good Zoo, Courtney Snyder, take us on a visit to the zoo to see Sweet Pea the sloth and learn some nifty sloth facts.
To end the episode, our West Virginia 4-H health officers teach us about healthy connections and how to make a “me” map to show the people and things that are part of your life. For this activity, you will need a piece of paper, pen or pencil, and something to color with.
Tuesday, June 29, 2021, 9 a.m.
This episode starts with WVU Extension Service STEM Teaching Specialist Suzanne McDonald demonstrating a bean-in-a-bag activity. For this activity, you will need tape, water, a marker, bean seeds, paper towels and a plastic baggie.
Next, we will learn how to make an ecosystem in a jar from Jocelyn Crawford, 4-H youth development agent in Kanawha County.
To end the episode, STEM Program Coordinator Jason Fillhart will take us out to a stream to teach us all about aquatic macroinvertebrates.
Wednesday, June 30, 2021, 9 a.m.
Hopping into Wednesday, our WVU Extension Service Family and Community Development Agent Ami Cook will teach us all about bunnies. Her kids, Wyatt and Chloe, help her teach us how to do the “bunny hop,” so we can be active like bunnies!
Get those dancing shoes ready! Our Family and Community Development Specialist Lauren Prinzo and her son E.J. teach us how to stay active by adding some dance moves to our daily lives.
Tracey Valach, a health educator with the Family Nutrition Program, will demonstrate some of her favorite ways to prepare carrots. For these recipes, you will need carrots, plain yogurt, dry ranch seasoning, water, butter, honey, ground ginger, salt and pepper.
To round out the episode, our Wildlife Specialist Sheldon Owen is going to teach us about rabbit nests and what to do if we find one!
Thursday, July 1, 2021, 9 a.m.
Get your bellies ready for a yummy treat! Family and Community Development Agent Andi Hoover is going to help us make a fun “dirt” mix. For this recipe, you will need any type of chocolate cereal, dried cranberries, raisins, pretzel sticks, a granola bar, sour green licorice candy, walnuts and gummy worms.
Get ready to step into nature with our Outdoor Education and Recreation Program Coordinator Larel Teter as she takes us on a nature scavenger hunt at WVU Jackson’s Mill.
Next, we will learn about composting in a bucket from Emily Morrow, the agriculture and natural resources agent in Jefferson County. For this activity, you will need a bucket, a drill, green materials (grass clippings, plant material or food scraps) and brown materials (twigs, papers and wood chips). Adult supervision is highly suggested.
To finish the episode, Jodi Richmond, WVU Extension Service agriculture and natural resources agent in Marshall County, teaches us all about the soil beneath our feet.
Friday, July 2, 2021, 9 a.m.
To close out the week, we’ll spend some time with WVU Extension Service Family Nutrition Program educators down on the farm—Tasty Acres Farm, that is!
First, we’ll learn all about spinach with Amie Tutor. She’ll even read us a story, “The Talking Vegetables,” that teaches us about growing a garden.
Join Molly Poffenbarger as she prepares a delicious and nutritious spinach strawberry salad! For this recipe, you will need fresh strawberries, a bag of baby spinach, crumbled feta cheese, toasted pecans or walnuts (optional), and strawberry poppy seed dressing or another vinaigrette dressing of your choice.
Next, we’ll return to Amie Tutor to make some spinach seed tape that will make planting our seeds a little easier. For this activity, you will need a paper towel or toilet paper, seeds, a marker and Elmer’s glue. Happy planting!
Gorillas, cheetahs and elephants…oh, my! Shannon Ritchie will get us moving with some high intensity interval training as we act like our favorite animals.