Spring Weather!

We've been having some wild weather this spring! This hail was from the 5/21 storm, the rainbow with lightning was a week later. 

I was wrapping up a long work week grading some papers when a loud "thunk" startled me. This poor little cedar waxwing was sitting in the snow - dazed and confused. I did my usual rescue drill and photo op, and off it flew with no apparent damage.

Bird Identification Lesson

The sixth graders are learning about the importance of field marks in identifying the local birds that visit the feeders outside the classroom. I was able to borrow a teaching collection of preserved birds from the NYS Museum so the students could get a closer look at wing bars, crowns, and eyebrow stripes, etc...

More pictures to come!

Action at the Feeders

Andrew F. takes a turn a bird photography. Nice work!

Goldfinch

Red bellied woodpecker

Cardinal (female)

Goldfinch

Cardinal (male)

Sparrow

How cold was it?

Today, the courtyard thermometer read -5 degrees Fahrenheit. It was a perfect opportunity to toss a cup of hot water into the air and watch it vaporize!

A Common 'Cents' Lab

Bird Photography

Extra credit opportunity! 

If you'd like to check the pH of rain water, collect some of this weekend's rain in a small, lidded, very clean container and bring it to school Monday. You may use the pH paper to analyze it and report your findings to the class. 

If you want to practice taking photos of birds, stop by study hall 9th period.

Addy's shot of the female cardinal...

and a tufted titmouse.

A proud blue jay

Female house finch

Constructing Molecules

Eighth graders have been working on molecular models in the chemistry unit. Not too many atomic models escaped.

Which subatomic particle is involved in chemical bonding? Put your answer in a comment and gain a bonus point on your quiz Friday!

Pond Ecosystem

All the fish from the courtyard pond have been caught and placed in a temporary home in Room 313. Many thanks to all the students who spent time fishing for them!

Another Successful Rescue

An exciting day in the world of science! An unfortunate collision with the classroom window rendered a little gold finch temporarily stunned and bewildered. A quick rescue, some gentle care and warmth from the 6th graders, and the finch was released back into the wild. We'll see it again at the bird feeders this winter and include it in our Cornell Project FeederWatch Project.

Many thanks this week!

These are some salt crystals that formed after the salt water solution was evaporated. Thanks Aric and Cassie! Extra credit opportunity: make some salt or sugar crystals at home. Use your solubility curves to figure out a saturated solution and bring in the results!

Thank you, Chase, for the blue jays!

 Thank you for the Praying Mantis, Logan! The sixth graders were able to see a predator-prey relationship in action.

Check back next week for more pictures from the good camera, which got left behind at school.

Microscope Friday! Sixth grade students learned how to make a wet mount slide. They were able to view all kinds of protists from the pond.

Friday Field Investigation

6th graders collecting organisms for our bottle ecosystems.

October Activities

8th graders Cassie and Nick working on the Mixture Separation Lab using the property of DENSITY!

After a year long break from the blog, an interesting field trip prompted me to start it up again. I took the sixth grade class outside to observe some of our local populations, and Joe S. found this amazing Wolf Spider. Note it has more than one set of eyes!