Project Feeder Watch begins...

Friday we started learning the names of birds so students can do accurate bird counts. Here are a few photos of some common birds. Can you name them?

Photo by Shelby G.

Photo by Lexi K.

Photo by Kelsey P.

Photo by Deedee L.

Molecule Models

Building molecular models lab was due Friday. Here are some pictures of your good work!

Safety Contracts Due!!

Don't forget 8th graders, if you want to participate in lab on Wednesday Nov 3, you need to have you Lab Safety Contract signed by you and a parent/guardian. No exceptions! It's all about safety!

The vocabulary crossword review is also due tomorrow.

Homework

Grade 8 - Can You Classify Matter & Atomic Structure worksheet

Grade 6 - Populations Assignment - Side 2 (10 fill in the blank questions)

Bring in a clear 2 liter bottle if you have one!

Quizzes Wednesday!

Sixth graders - quiz on Ecosystems

Eighth graders - quiz on Solutions

Curious me: I would not have thought spiders would still be out and hunting. This predator was sitting in a newly spun web waiting for prey. It's 51 F outside!

Busy Week!

I haven't posted in a while as the days start to blend together as we get into the school year. It was great to meet all your parents at Open House on Tuesday.

Sixth graders - you did a great job on the webquests about ecosystems this week. I was most proud of your behavior when we went out in the field today exploring the various ecosystems right on campus. If the weather holds out we'll go back out Tuesday and explore the stream valley and take another look at the forest ecosystem too. Meanwhile, just go outside your house and explore a bit to see what interesting populations you find.

Remember to do the vocabulary crossword puzzle to study for the quiz next week.

Eighth graders - We'll finish the SSB (sugar sweetened beverage) project on Tuesday and don't forget the quiz on Solutions. We'll have to work in the Density Challenge as well.

This little bird visited my yard this week, so I had it pose on my hand for a few pictures. I haven't been able to ID it yet though - some kind of sparrow but my bird book isn't very detailed. Can anyone help me ID this bird?

Mantis Monday

Thanks Michael, for bringing in the beautiful praying mantis. They are quite active and visible this time of year as they are getting ready to lay eggs, and the foliage where they hide is starting to die back for the winter.

An extra credit opportunity: using the visible markings on the meter stick, how long is the mantis from head to bottom end, ignoring antennae and legs? Click on the word comments below and leave your estimate.

HOMEWORK

SCIENCE 8 Homework due tomorrow 9/16 - DENSITY DRILL worksheet

Quiz Friday on Density!

SCIENCE 6 Homework due tomorrow 9/16 - SCIENTIFIC METHOD worksheet

Quiz Friday on Scientific Method!

Metamorphosis - Part A

One of the most frequently asked questions is how did a yellow, black, and white striped caterpillar turn into the green with gold flecked chrysalis? I spent the better part of this morning capturing the metamorphic process on video.

When I saw a caterpillar hanging in the shape of a "J", I knew things were about to change.

Here is what happened:

Caterpillar Club

It's getting crowded in the caterpillar jar(s) since I'm caring for 8 individuals. Seven are still caterpillars and one formed a chrysallis this morning. Here are five I managed to wrangle into one shot. The smallest one has increased its size by a factor of 10 over the past 5 days.

The dark splotch near the one on the far right is a shed skin. They wriggle out of their skin 5 times as they grow. Each stage is called an instar. The little one is instar 1 or 2, and the larger one is probably instar 3.

The caterpillars are growing! They eat only milkweed leaves so I have to find new leaves each day when I clean out their jar. As long as they are eating, they are also dropping frass (poop). Raising caterpillars is interesting, but you have to be responsible and keep them clean and fed. Easy when they are small, but as they grow, so do their needs.

Classroom guests

It's almost back to school time! I like to start the year with something interesting to study, so I've searched my yard for some of my favorite subjects: monarch butterfly caterpillars. I found two tiny caterpillars and one egg. The tiny one just hatched from its egg a few hours ago, the other one a couple of days ago. The dime is in the picture so you can judge their size by a familiar object.

I'll keep adding photos as they grow and eat. I think they'll be very large by the time Sept 7th comes.

English birds

Even on vacation I can't resist taking photos of birds. I met this cheeky Chaffinch in the north of England at an old Roman fort ruin being excavated. I stopped to eat a snack at a picnic table, and before I even opened it, this little bird approached me looking for a handout.

The next adventure:

http://www.earthwatch.org/exped/bidwell.html

Garden Discovery

Today I noticed my large tomato plant was missing many leaves. When I took a closer look I spotted the largest frass (caterpillar poo) I've ever seen. It took a couple of minutes before I spotted these two very large tomato hornworms.

Scientific name:

Manduca quinquemaculata

After they pupate in a few days, they will later emerge as 5 spotted hawk moths, also known as hummingbird moths, because they sort of look like a hummingbird, and sip nectar like one too. I have spotted an adult over the past weeks at my bee balm, so I guess these are her babies.