THIS POST IS ALWAYS CHANGING. CHECK BACK TO SEE WHAT WE ARE DOING.
In the summer we do natural science. ( anything that occurs around us where ever we may be that can be defined as science)
All photos in this post are by our family.
We will be making a nature notebook with homemade paper and some sort of natural binding. This notebook will house notes and observations on animals and plants in our neighborhood.
- History of Paper Making
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blpapermaking.htm
http://www.wipapercouncil.org/invention.htm
http://www.paperonline.org/history/history_frame.html ( great timeline)
http://www.ipst.gatech.edu/amp/education/museum_virtual_tour.htm ( very cool! )
http://www.ontariosciencecentre.ca/scizone/e3/paper/default.asp
- How to Make Paper
I use the plastic grids for yarn crafts found at the fabric or craft store instead of screen.
http://www.tutorials.com/06/0697/0697.asp
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf71713276.tip.html ( paper you can plant )
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf71713276.tip.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2223561_herbed-homemade-paper.html ( scented )
http://www.computersmiths.com/chineseinvention/paper.htm
- Nature Journals ( there are so many ways to do this )
http://homemade.truepath.com/nature2.htm
http://homeschooling.about.com/od/naturejournals/Nature_Journals.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_2060891_make-nature-journal-child.html
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/harmonyartmom/358825/
The Food Web ( how does this work in our neighborhood, Our park, our yard, the pond)
General sites on the Food Web
http://www.vtaide.com/png/foodchains.htm
http://www.geography4kids.com/files/land_foodchain.html
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/rainforest/animals/Foodweb.shtml
http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/citybugs/teachercorner/foodwebs.html
Food Web in the Forest
http://curriculum.calstatela.edu/courses/builders/lessons/less/biomes/deciduous/decweb.html
Food Web in the Soil
http://soils.usda.gov/SQI/concepts/soil_biology/soil_food_web.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_food_web
Food Web in the Pond
http://prisms.mmsa.org/review.php?cat=&rid=922
http://sciencespot.net/Media/pondwaterweb.pdf
- Animals ( we know these are in our neighborhood )
Squirrel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squirrel
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/eastern_gray_squirrel.htm
Fox
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/red_fox.htm
http://www.dailypress.com/features/dp-gl_naturenotes_0525may25,0,158869.story
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_Fox
Opossum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Opossum
Racoon
http://www.bear-tracker.com/coon.html
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/raccoon.htm
Black Cormorant
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Cormorant
Egret
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Great_Egret.html
http://www.twingroves.district96.k12.il.us/Wetlands/Egret/Egrets.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egret
Canada Geese
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Canada_Goose.html
http://www.lovecanadageese.com/
- Rock Dove ( pigeon)
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Rock_Pigeon_dtl.html
- Robin
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Robin.html
- Mockingbird
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Mockingbird.html
- Cow Bird
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Brown-headed_Cowbird.html
White Throated Sparrow
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/White-throated_Sparrow.html
House Sparrow
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/House_Sparrow.html
- Cardinal
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Northern_Cardinal.html
Blue Bird
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Eastern_Bluebird.html#map
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/House_Finch.html
- American Gold Finch
These photos were taken through our very old lead glass windows looking down on our wildflower garden. We have tried to get close while outside to get photos of this beauty but she always flies away. The day we shot these there were 2 males and this female in the garden.
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Goldfinch.html
http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/goldfinch.htm
- Bats
We love to watch bats in the early evening. They are so quiet and quick. The prey does not stand a chance!
http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/bats/photos.htm
http://www.southeasternoutdoors.com/wildlife/mammals/virginia-bats.html
http://www.batworld.org/batworld_centers/nova.html
http://www.eparks.org/wildlife_protection/wildlife_facts/bats/bat_house.asp ( build a bat house)
http://www.batcon.org/bhra/bhcriter.html ( build a bat house)
http://www.batworld.org/bcs/BWbathouseplans.pdf ( build a bat house)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_echolocation
http://www.cccoe.k12.ca.us/bats/
http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/bats.php ( has sound of bats)
- Snapping Turtle
We have an abundance of these in our neighborhood park. Our first year in the neighborhood we rescued an injured one. When we returned him to the pond we put fingernail polish on his back so we could identify him.
http://www.chelydra.org/snapping_turtle_train.html
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Chelydra_serpentina.html
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/turtle/Turtlecoloring.shtml
General Info in Venomous Snakes in America
http://www.backyardnature.net/snakvenm.htm
Copperhead Snake
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/copperhead.htm
- Water Moccasin Snake
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-watermoc.html
http://www.wf.net/~snake/moccasin.htm
Yes we took this picture. My daughter was just three and she wanted to pet this snake. We know God was watching over her! We were several yards behind her on the trail and we hear
" Oh look a pretty snake" He was about to molt and quite sluggish. Note the dull coat.
Rat Snake ( I really do not like these! )
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/black_rat_snake.htm
http://www.uga.edu/srelherp/snakes/elaobs.htm
Beetles ( sites for identification purposes)
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent425/compendium/coleop~1.html
http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/Coleoptera/col-home.htm
http://bugguide.net/node/view/60
- Wood Borer Beetles
http://www.esabah.com/Nature/InsectsWorld/PowderpostBeetles.htm
http://www.geocities.com/alphaexterminating/beetles.htm
- Eyed Click Beetle
Today we found an Eyed Click Beetle. Cool little dude! He was being pursued by a Cardinal. My 11yo set off to save him. Here are some sites with information on the Eyed Click Beetle.
http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek010515.html
http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s-2-9-1296,00.html
Photos by my 11yo.
- Firefly
http://eny3005.ifas.ufl.edu/lab1/Coleoptera/Lampyrid.htm
- Ladybug
http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/beneficial/lady_beetles.htm
http://eny3005.ifas.ufl.edu/lab1/Coleoptera/Coccinellid.htm
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/insects/Ladybug.shtml
http://www.geocities.com/sseagraves/schoolyardscience.htm
- Termites
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Termite
http://www.pestproducts.com/termites.htm
- Plants ( both natural and man planted)
Some sites on general information on plants and fun activities.
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/case1/c1facts2a.html
http://www.hhmi.org/coolscience/vegquiz/plantparts.html
http://www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/parts.html
http://www.hcs.ohio-state.edu/mgonline/Botany/pla01/00pla01.htm
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/plants/printouts.shtml
Black Eyed Susan We grow these in our wildflower garden. Pictures by my 11yod
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=RUHI2
Coreopsis These are also in our wildflower garden. Photos by our 11yod
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=COLA5
http://www.soonerplantfarm.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/specials.specDetail/recID/22/index.htm
Queen Anne's Lace We started with one plant and now have to cull each year! Photos by our 11yod.
http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek040715.html
http://lace.lacefairy.com/Fun/QueenAnnsLace.html
Daylily
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylily
http://www.gardenstategardener.com/roadsidedaylilies.htm Ours started out as these but crossed with the middle picture ( I do not have a clue...we bought it at lowes) and are now doubles. ( third picture)
photos by our 11yod
Bachelor Buttons or Cornflower
http://ipm.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/cency.htm Our state tech college identifies this as a weed!
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/wildseed/23/23.7.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornflower
photos by our 11yod
Wildflower Garden
http://www.americanmeadows.com/QuickGuideToWildflowers.aspx
http://people.virginia.edu/~lmm6n/Wildflowers.html
http://www.virginiawildflowers.com/
Prickly Pear Cactus
We use to live in the desert. ( Death Valley area) So it is only natural that we would have cactus in our yard. This prickly pear is the result of a single leave found by my oldest son on the side of road about 15 years ago. The plant is now very large and blesses us each year with beautiful blooms. I know it is an edible plant but have never had the desire to try it!
http://www.desertusa.com/magoct97/oct_pa/du_prkpear.html
http://www.wwmag.net/pricklycactus.htm
http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/pae/botany/botany_map/articles/article_23.html
http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,prickly_pear,FF.html
Photos by my 21yos
Gladiola
Photos by our 11yod
Well, I have to say your nature blog beats mine for interesting content. This summer mine has been about my tiny garden. I am hoping to do more nature study this school year.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind comment.
Jenn
www.homeschoolblogger.com/jenn4him