Hello From the Van

This week we dive deeper into natural disasters and explore Earthquakes! We answer the questions:

- What causes earthquakes? 

- How to prepare for an earthquake?

and

- What to do during and after an earthquake. 

A HUGE Thank-you to this Weeks Educational Resources:

US Geological Survey Website

UC Berkeley Seismology 

University of Utah Seismology 

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

Cougar, Panther, Mountain Lion, Catamount, Red Tiger...it goes by a lot of names! But this week, we're just calling it the puma. Join us as we talk about this amazing cat and it's incredible life. 

References: 

Exposed Wildlife Conservancy, "Cougar Life Cycles".

Mountainlion.org, "Evidence of a Lion's Presence", published 01/01/2010

Select Latin America.UK, "9 Interesting Facts You May Not Know About Pumas" 

NATHAB.com, "Cougar,Puma, Panther, Mountain Lion Names". 

National Parks Service, "Your Safety Around Mountain Lions", nps.gov. 

MountainLion.org, "Risk and Recreation", published 04/06/2024

Cougar Sounds from the following YT videos: 

Clips from Big Cat Rescue:
   • Biggest Cat That Purrs And Meows   

Clips from Wild Nature Media:
   • Chirping Mountain Lion - Full Sequence  

Clips from BigCatDerek:
   • A squeaky mess! | COUGAR MEOWS & LEOPARD H...   

Clips from coyotecams:
   • Mountain Lion Screams, Growls, and Purring...  


Clips from Parliament of Owls:
   • The Powerful Puma Screams!  

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

Wonder why kids and college students get a week-off of school around March and April each year? This week we research the answer! 

#hellofromthevan #familyfriendlypodcast #familypodcast #education #homeschool #homeschoollesson 

Citations/Works Cited

 de Ridder-Symoens, Hilde: A History of the University in Europe: Volume 1, Universities in the Middle Ages, Cambridge University Press, 1992, ISBN 0-521-36105-2, pp. 47–55

 "Semester". Oxford Living Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on July 13, 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2018.

The History of Spring Break: A look back into the history of Spring Break as the future looms uncertain. By JYeh / 02/24/2022, The Waltonian. 

When do UK universities and colleges have holidays?". Prepare for Success. University of Southampton/UK Council for International Student Affairs. Archived from the original on 29 July 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2018.

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

Is it a bee or a wasp? A hornet or a yellow jacket? Today we learn about the differences between all four, as well as which one is most likely to sting you. We finish the episode with family-friendly tips on how to support native pollinators. 

For our visual podcast (same audio, with images that explain what you're hearing) check-out our youtube channel at Hello From the Van. 

works

https://www.massaudubon.org/nature-wildlife/insects-arachnids/bees-wasps

https://aqua.org/stories/2025-05-20-mistaken-identities-bees-vs-wasps

https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/insects-invertebrates/bee-vs-wasp-whats-the-difference

https://www.fws.gov/initiative/pollinators/how-you-can-help

https://www.westernexterminator.com/wasps/what-do-wasps-eat

https://beeswiki.com/are-bees-insects/ bee wiki, “are bees insects?”

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/what-do-wasps-do.html natural history museum, “what do wasps do?”

images: 
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/11/8/2224 
wikipedia, “hymenoptera” entry. 

https://kids.mongabay.com/are-wasps-and-hornets-types-of-bees/ 

science direct, ants and bees https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/s0960982213010567 

yellow jackets https://www.msmosquito.org/yellowjackets

san mateo county, “yellow jacket trapping”. https://www.smcmvcd.org/yellowjacket-trapping 

rescue pest control, “the difference between a paperwasp and yellowjacket”. 

adam’s pest control https://www.adamspest.com/blog/2021/june/friscos-comprehensive-guide-to-yellow-jacket-con/

university of kentucky, “stinging insects” by michael f. potter and g. mark beavers https://www.uky.edu/ag/entomology/psep/cat8wasps.html 

https://www.crittercontroltriangle.com/north-carolina-hornets-wasps-bees-yellow-jackets/ 

https://aqua.org/stories/2025-05-20-mistaken-identities-bees-vs-wasps 

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? We don't know! But we do know a lot of other chicken facts! In this episode we're talking all about the modern chicken, how eggs get to grocery stores, and lots of other fun chicken fact. We round out the episode with some super fun chicken jokes. 

Looking for a visual podcast? We're on Youtube! Same podcast but with fun visuals to illustrate what we learn. Give us a like and a follow! 

CITATIONS: 

BCSPCA, 10 Fun Facts About Chickens

Farmers Almanac, How Fresh Are Super Market Eggs

Country Living . com, 35 Chicken Jokes

Smithsonian Magazine, T-rex Linked to Chickens, Ostriches by Hugh Powell

Organic Valley Coop, Why Does the US Refrigerate Eggs by Caroline Carlson

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

Disclaimer: No actual bad words are used in this episode. We're family-friendly around here. 

In this episode we discuss the history of foul language and how cultures change language through time. Parents, this is a great jumping off point for discussions of what is appropriate in your home and why. 

Looking for more?? We have a visual podcast over on Youtube under Hello From the Van! 

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

This week we tackle the philosophical question, "What makes a plant a weed??" It's a lesson in personal preference, lost knowledge, and ecology. Prefer a visual podcast? Each episode is also available on Youtube at Hello From the Van!

SOURCE CITATIONS: 

Escape of the invasives: Top six invasive plant species in the United States

April 19, 2013 by Emily Grebenstein, https://www.si.edu/stories/escape-invasives

Invasive Plants:What is an Invasive Plant Species?

https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/invasives/index.shtml

Non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration; and,

Whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. (Executive Order 13112).

 "National weeds lists". Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2012.

  "Invasive and Noxious Weeds". USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Retrieved 25 August 2012.

  US Fish and Wildlife Service, Don't Touch These Plants! By Courtney Celley.

  https://www.fws.gov/story/dont-touch-these-plants

  Arizona Department of Agriculture, Native Plants and Rules. 

  https://agriculture.az.gov/plantsproduce/native-plants

   "Carnegiea gigantea (Engelm.) Britton & Rose". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved November 30, 2020.

   BB Barns, Five Beneficial Weeds to Keep. Copyright 2026. 

   https://bbbarns.com/five-beneficial-weeds-to-keep/

  Protecting and Restorying the Sonoran Desert Ecosystem in Saguaro National Park. By Perry Grissom. Department of the Interior. Published 09/30/2022. https://www.doi.gov/wildlandfire/news/protecting-and-restoring-sonoran-desert-ecosystem-saguaro-national-park#:~:text=The%20Sonoran%20Desert%20ecosystem%20in%20Saguaro%20National,a%20strike%20team%20of%20invasive%20species%20experts

 Volunteers band together to tackle worsenting problem at old fish hatchery: 'Starts smal until they explode'. By Jennifer Kodros. Pubished October 18,2025 https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/volunteers-band-together-tackle-worsening-101500933.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9sLmZhY2Vib29rLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAFpVenJB_GBW3sEp30PUawNhc239d-elG7vBImjqYgdvE54Oja6-hyTjiYBE1M-xIq6bMXciUDQT0jMsL9bWVT0yabY0BAO-jSziZrNIWp66W4c9nwsgRMKJIDJubK6O8SErybO-3lwd_krfNEdXjDNAh5GC-UBqDFclFQsxs8G

Invasive Species Info, US Department of Agriculture-- Forest Service (FS) USDA National Invasive Species Information Center.  https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/bipartisan-infrastructure-law-prior-funding#:~:text=are%20integrated%20throughout-,U.%20S.%20Department%20of%20Agriculture%20%E2%80%93%20Forest%20Service%20(FS),shown%20in%20the%20table%20below.&text=*In%20FY23%2C%20$5%2C000%2C000%20was%20allocated,from%20another%20provision%20within%20BIL.

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

Disasters, let's talk about them! This week we discuss the difference between different types of natural and environmental disasters and how to prepare for the worst. As always, this is done in a family-friendly and educational way. 

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

We've recently been plagued by the flu at the Faatz household, which has led to a lot of questions about emesis (vomit). In this episode we delicately talk around the subject, which animals can do it and which cannot, and why. For the queasy among us, please note that we do our best to handle this topic in the most sterile way possible.  

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com 

I recently found myself on a fieldtrip without internet access...and realized I know next to nothing when it comes to butterflies and moths. Come with me as I learn more about these winged insects, their similarities, and their differences. 

Stuck in your van too? Give us a follow for more educational resources. 

Youtube: Hello From The Van! 

Instagram/Facebook @HelloFromTheVan

HelloFromTheVan.com