5/30/2008

Summer Science

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

DSC00032 

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

DSC00020 DSC00021

Canada Geese

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Canada_Goose.html

http://www.lovecanadageese.com/

DSC_0084 rivalgoose

  • 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 

House Finch

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.

Goldfinch 1 Goldfinch 2 

American Goldfinch Goldfinch 3

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

DSC00035  DSC00034

General Info in Venomous Snakes in America

http://www.venomous.com/

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.

DSC00105

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.

eyed click beetle 1    Eyed Click Beetle 2

eyed click beetle 3

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

Blackeyed Susan 1a 

Blackeyed Susan 3a   Blackeyed Susan 2a

blackeyedsusan2 Blackeyedsusan5

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

Coreoposis and Ant

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

Queenanns Lace 

Queenanns Lace2 and Firefly

queenannslace1

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)

day lillya  daylily in bloom1 daylilya

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

 

batchlor button white batchlor buttons

photos by our 11yod

Wildflower Garden

http://www.americanmeadows.com/QuickGuideToWildflowers.aspx

http://blue-ridge-photos.com/

http://people.virginia.edu/~lmm6n/Wildflowers.html

http://www.virginiawildflowers.com/

Wildflower

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

Catus bloom 1 Catus Bud Catus Bloom catus and spider

Gladiola

2a 5a

Photos by our 11yod

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladiolus

http://pss.uvm.edu/pss123/bulglad.html

1 comment:

  1. 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.
    Thanks for your kind comment.
    Jenn
    www.homeschoolblogger.com/jenn4him

    ReplyDelete


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