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Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Portage Library, Reading Council to host kids' Pollinators and Poetry workshops March 14, 21, 28

 
This worker bee is carrying pollen on her legs. Kids, do you know why? (Photo © and courtesy Gustavo Bourdieu)

HOUGHTON -- Calling all junketeers! Kids in grades 1- 6 are invited to use recyclable materials and just plain ol’ junk to build all kinds of pollinators including bees, birds, bats, beetles, ants, butterflies, flies, moths and more and have fun writing poems about them at the Portage Lake District Library.

Pollinator-making workshops will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays, March 14 and March 21, and from noon to 3 p.m. on March 28. Plenty of recyclable supplies and all manner of tape, glue, staplers, string, and dowels will be on hand for the construction. Kids are also encouraged to bring their own clean junk with them to the workshops.

On Saturday, March 14, Upward Bound students from Finlandia University will read stories about pollinators and show youtube videos about these important creatures. Upward Bound students will also read sample poems about pollinators to inspire kids as they begin to interact with and think about their own pollinator creations. Kids will have time during each session to write poems that describe the creatures they are creating.

Throughout this event, kids will learn why pollinators are important and what can be done to protect them. They may attend as many workshops as they choose in order to complete their creations and poems. On Saturday, April 4, from noon to 3 p.m., kids who participated in this workshop will give a performance at the library to introduce and describe their pollinators and read their poems. There will be a party afterwards to celebrate their accomplishments.

The pollinators and poems will be on display in the library during April in celebration of National Poetry Month.

This event is sponsored by the Copper Country Reading Council in partnership with Michigan River of Words and the Portage Lake District Library.

Library programs are free and everyone is invited. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 and ask for Chris.

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