Vacation Bible School 2008 is a Rainforest Adventure
You are invited to five evenings of fun, fellowship and learning for the whole family.
Sunday, June 8 through Thursday, June 12
Dinner: 5:00-5:40 pm
Program: 5:45-8:30 pm
Location: St. Martin's
We will share meals, music, crafts, Bible stories--all while celebrating God's wondrous love in the tree top canopy. There is something new and exciting added this year, too--a hands-on science center.
Mark your calendar--you will not want to miss it!
Do you wonder what VBS at St. Martin's is like?
Take a look at last year's VBS at Avalanche Ranch.
Sunday, June 8 through Thursday, June 12
Dinner: 5:00-5:40 pm
Program: 5:45-8:30 pm
Location: St. Martin's
We will share meals, music, crafts, Bible stories--all while celebrating God's wondrous love in the tree top canopy. There is something new and exciting added this year, too--a hands-on science center.
Mark your calendar--you will not want to miss it!
Do you wonder what VBS at St. Martin's is like?
Take a look at last year's VBS at Avalanche Ranch.
Registration
Child / Adult Class Registration:
REGISTER TODAY at Rainforest Adventure VBS 2008
Youth / Adult Volunteer Registration:
VBS Volunteers Register Here at Rainforest Adventure VBS 2008
REGISTER TODAY at Rainforest Adventure VBS 2008
Youth / Adult Volunteer Registration:
VBS Volunteers Register Here at Rainforest Adventure VBS 2008
T-shirt Design Contest
Each participant at VBS receives a t-shirt. But first, put on your Rainforest thinking caps--the VBS t-shirt design contest runs through May 4. Entry forms are available at the Welcome Center and in Sunday School.
Meals
Sunday, June 8
Opening night is a Potluck dinner, so plan to bring your favorite dish to share on Sunday.
Monday, June 9 through Thursday, June 12
A family meal will be served for $3 per person. You can pre-purchase meal tickets at the VBS table in the elevator lobby on Sunday AMs starting in May.
Opening night is a Potluck dinner, so plan to bring your favorite dish to share on Sunday.
Monday, June 9 through Thursday, June 12
A family meal will be served for $3 per person. You can pre-purchase meal tickets at the VBS table in the elevator lobby on Sunday AMs starting in May.
Classes for Adults
Each evening different presenters will cover Christian living--in the midst of a delicate ecosystem--through scripture, creating spiritual space, and practical everyday practices that will benefit all.
Tom Spencer, known by many as the "Texas Gardener" on KLRU, will open the week of Adult VBS. He is now the CEO of Austin Area Interreligious Ministries. Tom has led a professional life as colorful and diverse as his gardens. Over the past 25 years his roles have included executive producer, radio host, author, landscape designer, photographer, and creator of the critically acclaimed gardening website soulofthegarden.com
Tom Spencer, known by many as the "Texas Gardener" on KLRU, will open the week of Adult VBS. He is now the CEO of Austin Area Interreligious Ministries. Tom has led a professional life as colorful and diverse as his gardens. Over the past 25 years his roles have included executive producer, radio host, author, landscape designer, photographer, and creator of the critically acclaimed gardening website soulofthegarden.com
Join the VBS Team
We welcome volunteers in all areas. A sign-up sheet is on the Children's Ministry bulletin board in the main hallway. Contact vbs@saintmartins.org or call VBS Director Debbie Alkire (512-921-9233) or Staff Contact Sharolyn Browning (512-476-6757 x 13)
Volunteers can register online, too: Rainforest Adventure Volunteers
Volunteers can register online, too: Rainforest Adventure Volunteers
Weekly Trivia
Test your Rainforest knowledge by figuring out the trivia questions of the week. Go on a discovery quest through the church each Sunday to locate the answers. Look for the questions in the leafy, green Rainforest box in the narthex or in the worship bags.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MAY 4
1. True or False: The rainforests are home to nearly 1/4th of the world's plant and animal species.
The correct answer is False. The rainforests are home to nearly half of the world's plant and animal species.
2. Rainforests produce nearly _____ of the oxygen we breathe.
a. 15%
b. 30%
c. 40%
d. 70%
The correct answer is c: 40%.
3. True or False: Almost 40% of the medicines we use come from the rainforests.
The correct answer is False. It is actually 25%, which is quite astounding when you realize that the rainforests only cover about 6% of our earth (last week's trivia).
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM APRIL 27
1. True or False: Some farmers leave several rows of crops unharvested on the edges of their fields to share with the wild animals.
The correct answer is True.
2. True or False: While rocks can be recycled many times during our lives, plants take millions of years to go through their cycle.
The correct answer is False. Plants can be recycled many times during our lives but rocks take millions of years.
3. Rainforests cover _____ of the earth's surface.
a. 6%
b. 15%
c. 25%
d. 35%
The correct answer is a: 6%.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM APRIL 20
1. True or False: The many vines weaving the canopy together cause problems for the rainforest.
The correct answer is False. The vines connect the canopy to create a healthy canopy environment and provide a means of travel for many of the canopy creatures.
2. Over ______ fruits exist in the rainforest and only about _____ are used in North America.
a. 500 fruits; 120 used
b. 5,000 fruits; 900 used
c. 1,000 fruits; 300 used
d. 3,000 fruits; 200 used
The correct answer is d: 3,000 fruits; 200 used.
3. True or False: One and a half acres of rainforest are lost every second.
The correct answer is True.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM APRIL 13
1. Dead plants and animals rot quickly in this major part of the rainforest sending nutrients back into the soil. What part is it?
a. The Forest Floor
b. The Canopy
c. The Emergent
d. The Understory
The correct answer is a: The Forest Floor.
2. At least ______ of the world's food originates in the tropical rainforest.
a. 10%
b. 30%
c. 50%
d. 80%
The correct answer is d: 80%.
3. True or False: Because trees in the canopy can be over 100 feet tall, they have special roots that grow above the ground to give them support.
The correct answer is True. There are two types: Prop Roots and Buttress Roots. Learn more about plants in the rainforest.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM APRIL 6
1. The Kinkajou lives in the rainforest canopy. It is also known as the "Honey Bear" because of its honey-colored coat. It is related to the _______.
a. Monkey
b. Ferret
c. Raccoon
d. Squirrel
The correct answer is c: Raccoon. It is nocturnal and sometimes mistaken for a ferret or a monkey but is not related to either. Learn more about the Kinkajou.
2. The top layer of growth is what major part of the rainforest?
a. The Forest Floor
b. The Canopy
c. The Emergent
d. The Understory
The correct answer is b: The Canopy.
3. Animals like the Woolly Monkey "hang out" in what major part of the rainforest looking for food?
a. The Forest Floor
b. The Canopy
c. The Emergent
d. The Understory
The correct answer is d: The Understory.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MARCH 30
1. The Coco-de-mer seed (also known as a Double Coconut, Coco Fresse, or Seychelles Nut) is the biggest seed in the world. It is as big as a _______.
a. Chicken
b. Rat
c. Opossum
d. Mocking Bird
The correct answer is a: Chicken. Some are even larger. Rare, the seed sells for hundreds of dollars and the export of it is strictly controlled by the Seychelle government. It is only found in two of the 115 Seychelle Islands. It is used for all types of decorative keepsakes. View pictures of the raw bean/seed and items made from it.
2. True or False: Jaguars, the fastest animal on earth, can be found living in the rainforests of Central and South America.
The correct answer is True.
3. Almost ______ of tropical rainforest in South America is in the Brazilian Amazon.
a. 15%
b. 30%
c. 40%
d. 55%
The correct answer is c: 40%.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MARCH 16
1. What are the four major parts to a Rainforest?
a. Top Layer, Canopy, Undergrowth, Forest Floor
b. Emergent, Tree Line, Brushy Layer, Ground Layer
c. Emergent, Canopy, Understory, Forest Floor
d. Sky Line, Tree Line, Brush Line, Forest Line
The correct answer is c: Emergent, Canopy, Understory, Forest Floor.
2. The Tropical rainforests can get about _____ feet of rainfall each year.
a. 3.75 feet
b. 6.5 feet
c. 8.25 feet
d. 10.50 feet
The correct answer is b: 6.5 feet.
3. The tallest trees grow in what major part of the rainforest?
a. The Forest Floor
b. The Canopy
c. The Emergent
d. The Understory
The correct answer is c: The Emergent.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MARCH 9
1. True or False: The rain stick was used in tribal ceremonies to pray for rain. In South America, it was made from a dried cactus and thorns.
The correct answer is True.
2. The rainforest canopy receives most of the sunlight. The leaves of the trees use energy from the sun and the process of photosynthesis to generate simple sugars (food) to nourish the plants and animals of the rainforest. How many feet above the forest floor does the canopy start?
a. 80 feet
b. 100 feet
c. 120 feet
d. 140 feet
The correct answer is 100 feet.
3. A vine that starts at the forest floor, reaching for the light in the canopy as it climbs and spreads from tree to tree is called a ___________.
a. Chain vine
b. Major vine
c. Minor vine
d. Liana vine
The correct answer is the liana vine.
Liana vines play an important role in forest dynamics including suppressing tree regeneration, increasing tree mortality, providing a valuable food source for animals, and physically linking trees together, thereby providing canopy-to-canopy access for arboreal animals. Read more about liana vines.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MARCH 2
1. As many as _____ insects live in the rainforest, including ants, bees, mosquitoes, moths, beetles, and butterflies.
a. 30 million
b. 80 million
c. 160 million
d. 230 million
The correct answer is 80 million
2. True or False: Toucans nest in hollow trees. Their eggs rest at the bottom of the tree on top of woodchips.
The correct answer is True. The babies are born blind. They are fed by both parents and leave the nest after about eight weeks.
3. Deforestation (the destruction of trees) accounts for the loss of nearly two-thirds of Central America's rainforests. That's nearly _____ acres a year.
a. One million acres
b. Two million acres
c. Three million acres
d. Four million acres
The correct answer is one million acres.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MAY 4
1. True or False: The rainforests are home to nearly 1/4th of the world's plant and animal species.
The correct answer is False. The rainforests are home to nearly half of the world's plant and animal species.
2. Rainforests produce nearly _____ of the oxygen we breathe.
a. 15%
b. 30%
c. 40%
d. 70%
The correct answer is c: 40%.
3. True or False: Almost 40% of the medicines we use come from the rainforests.
The correct answer is False. It is actually 25%, which is quite astounding when you realize that the rainforests only cover about 6% of our earth (last week's trivia).
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM APRIL 27
1. True or False: Some farmers leave several rows of crops unharvested on the edges of their fields to share with the wild animals.
The correct answer is True.
2. True or False: While rocks can be recycled many times during our lives, plants take millions of years to go through their cycle.
The correct answer is False. Plants can be recycled many times during our lives but rocks take millions of years.
3. Rainforests cover _____ of the earth's surface.
a. 6%
b. 15%
c. 25%
d. 35%
The correct answer is a: 6%.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM APRIL 20
1. True or False: The many vines weaving the canopy together cause problems for the rainforest.
The correct answer is False. The vines connect the canopy to create a healthy canopy environment and provide a means of travel for many of the canopy creatures.
2. Over ______ fruits exist in the rainforest and only about _____ are used in North America.
a. 500 fruits; 120 used
b. 5,000 fruits; 900 used
c. 1,000 fruits; 300 used
d. 3,000 fruits; 200 used
The correct answer is d: 3,000 fruits; 200 used.
3. True or False: One and a half acres of rainforest are lost every second.
The correct answer is True.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM APRIL 13
1. Dead plants and animals rot quickly in this major part of the rainforest sending nutrients back into the soil. What part is it?
a. The Forest Floor
b. The Canopy
c. The Emergent
d. The Understory
The correct answer is a: The Forest Floor.
2. At least ______ of the world's food originates in the tropical rainforest.
a. 10%
b. 30%
c. 50%
d. 80%
The correct answer is d: 80%.
3. True or False: Because trees in the canopy can be over 100 feet tall, they have special roots that grow above the ground to give them support.
The correct answer is True. There are two types: Prop Roots and Buttress Roots. Learn more about plants in the rainforest.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM APRIL 6
1. The Kinkajou lives in the rainforest canopy. It is also known as the "Honey Bear" because of its honey-colored coat. It is related to the _______.
a. Monkey
b. Ferret
c. Raccoon
d. Squirrel
The correct answer is c: Raccoon. It is nocturnal and sometimes mistaken for a ferret or a monkey but is not related to either. Learn more about the Kinkajou.
2. The top layer of growth is what major part of the rainforest?
a. The Forest Floor
b. The Canopy
c. The Emergent
d. The Understory
The correct answer is b: The Canopy.
3. Animals like the Woolly Monkey "hang out" in what major part of the rainforest looking for food?
a. The Forest Floor
b. The Canopy
c. The Emergent
d. The Understory
The correct answer is d: The Understory.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MARCH 30
1. The Coco-de-mer seed (also known as a Double Coconut, Coco Fresse, or Seychelles Nut) is the biggest seed in the world. It is as big as a _______.
a. Chicken
b. Rat
c. Opossum
d. Mocking Bird
The correct answer is a: Chicken. Some are even larger. Rare, the seed sells for hundreds of dollars and the export of it is strictly controlled by the Seychelle government. It is only found in two of the 115 Seychelle Islands. It is used for all types of decorative keepsakes. View pictures of the raw bean/seed and items made from it.
2. True or False: Jaguars, the fastest animal on earth, can be found living in the rainforests of Central and South America.
The correct answer is True.
3. Almost ______ of tropical rainforest in South America is in the Brazilian Amazon.
a. 15%
b. 30%
c. 40%
d. 55%
The correct answer is c: 40%.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MARCH 16
1. What are the four major parts to a Rainforest?
a. Top Layer, Canopy, Undergrowth, Forest Floor
b. Emergent, Tree Line, Brushy Layer, Ground Layer
c. Emergent, Canopy, Understory, Forest Floor
d. Sky Line, Tree Line, Brush Line, Forest Line
The correct answer is c: Emergent, Canopy, Understory, Forest Floor.
2. The Tropical rainforests can get about _____ feet of rainfall each year.
a. 3.75 feet
b. 6.5 feet
c. 8.25 feet
d. 10.50 feet
The correct answer is b: 6.5 feet.
3. The tallest trees grow in what major part of the rainforest?
a. The Forest Floor
b. The Canopy
c. The Emergent
d. The Understory
The correct answer is c: The Emergent.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MARCH 9
1. True or False: The rain stick was used in tribal ceremonies to pray for rain. In South America, it was made from a dried cactus and thorns.
The correct answer is True.
2. The rainforest canopy receives most of the sunlight. The leaves of the trees use energy from the sun and the process of photosynthesis to generate simple sugars (food) to nourish the plants and animals of the rainforest. How many feet above the forest floor does the canopy start?
a. 80 feet
b. 100 feet
c. 120 feet
d. 140 feet
The correct answer is 100 feet.
3. A vine that starts at the forest floor, reaching for the light in the canopy as it climbs and spreads from tree to tree is called a ___________.
a. Chain vine
b. Major vine
c. Minor vine
d. Liana vine
The correct answer is the liana vine.
Liana vines play an important role in forest dynamics including suppressing tree regeneration, increasing tree mortality, providing a valuable food source for animals, and physically linking trees together, thereby providing canopy-to-canopy access for arboreal animals. Read more about liana vines.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MARCH 2
1. As many as _____ insects live in the rainforest, including ants, bees, mosquitoes, moths, beetles, and butterflies.
a. 30 million
b. 80 million
c. 160 million
d. 230 million
The correct answer is 80 million
2. True or False: Toucans nest in hollow trees. Their eggs rest at the bottom of the tree on top of woodchips.
The correct answer is True. The babies are born blind. They are fed by both parents and leave the nest after about eight weeks.
3. Deforestation (the destruction of trees) accounts for the loss of nearly two-thirds of Central America's rainforests. That's nearly _____ acres a year.
a. One million acres
b. Two million acres
c. Three million acres
d. Four million acres
The correct answer is one million acres.
