Stepping Out of the City

It was a chilly day, but the sun was out in full glow. So I headed out of Brooklyn for the afternoon, and visited Bear Mountain--about an hour and a half north of the city. In the summer, Bear Mountain is teeming with visitors, but the frigid temperatures only bring out the real nature lovers....like me! Visited the Trailside Museum and Zoo (suggested donation only $1!) and saw some fantastic owls, a tremendous eagle, a prickly porcupine, a curious possum, some gorgeous snakes and frogs, and even some Eastern coyote. Most of the animals here are either injured or orphaned. All the animals are stationed along a trail that has some very informative nature signs. Even Ms. Seitz learned a thing or two, like maple syrup can be made from Red Maples (but it doesn't taste as good as syrup made from Sugar Maples.)

Remember, it might be cold, but step out into nature anyway....either by exploring the woods in Prospect Park or another city park, or by venturing a bit out of the city for a new lens on the great out of doors! Happy trails!

What are Variables?

The fifth grade has just started a unit on variables, which is important to understand when undertaking any scientific experiment. A variable is any "thing" that might change or be changed in any experiment. Three are three types of variables:

Independent Variable: The variable you intentionally change or test. It's what you're curious about.
Dependent Variable: The variable that you observe and/or measure. It's the variable affected by the independent variable.
Controlled or Constant Variables: All the other variables. These are the variables that remain the same throughout the investigation. You do not change them.

What is a Bulb?

It's that time of year again! Bulb planting time! While some flowers are grown from seeds in the spring and summer, other plants start out as a bulb. A bulb is an underground storehouse and flower factory. Within the bulb is just about everything the plant will need to sprout and flower at the appropriate time. Bulbs planted in autumn must go through a significant cold period (winter) before they will flower in the spring. Cut open a bulb and this is what you'd find:

Some bulbs are edible, like garlic, which we recently planted in the school garden. You break apart the bulb and plant each separate clove.

Other bulbs are not edible like daffodils and crocuses.

And while we may not eat tulip bulbs, squirrels love them, so when planting tulip bulbs, always cover the soil surface with chicken wire or screen to prevent squirrels from digging them up.

Exciting Day in the School Garden

The Urban Nature Club had oodles of fun today when it "discovered" an enormous grasshopper in the garden. (Actually, Ms. Seitz has seen the grasshopper three times before in the last two weeks.) Apparently, this gorgeous grasshopper has taken up residence in the garden, preferring the third raised bed, which is filled with herbs. Some of the club was eager to hold the grasshopper, which often jumped ever so far, sometimes leaping from student to student. Others were a little cautious when it came to insect intimacy, but they promise that next time, they'll try to get a little more comfortable with this herbivorous creature.

Eagle Street Rooftop Garden

I went on an amazing tour today of a farm, yes a farm! on the rooftop of a Brooklyn warehouse. It is amazing. They grow all sorts of things here, like peppers, herbs, flowers, eggplant. You name it! And it's a viable business. They sell their produce! Not only is the farm organic and wonderful, but it has a beautiful view of the East River and Manhattan. Everything looked so lush and delicious. The folks at the garden say that preying mantises have even found the garden, as well as spiders, insects and birds. They also have chicken and sell the chicken eggs. And there's rabbits as well. A real garden, in Brooklyn, 6,000 square feet way up on top of a roof. It's open to the public too, so you can go check it out!

IT'S TIME FOR SCHOOL!

Although I had a wonderful summer--I traveled to Australia and enjoyed its very different flora and fauna--I am excited to be starting a new year with all of you! Most of you have brought in your notebook and supplies and a hearty thanks goes out to your parents for donating the paper towels, pencils, sponges, etc. It is so greatly appreciated.

Fourth-graders can look forward to their first unit exploring food chains and ecosystems, while fifth-graders will become scientific engineers as they build a protective container for a raw egg. Stayed tuned for more information on The Great PS 230 Egg Drop!

This year I have one third grade class, Ms. Williams, and one second grade class, Ms. Birchfield, as well. Third graders will soon get started on a Measurement Unit, in which we will investigate the metric system used by scientists. Second graders will explore sand, silt and clay and how they are related to rocks, pebbles and even boulders.

Some of you may have seen the photo of me on the science room door in which I am holding a koala bear. Check out this one of a python checking me out! Wow!

There's a Grackle in my Garden

This is the Grackle in my Garden

I don't usually see Grackles in my garden, but today a flock of six or seven were busy checking out my bird feeder. Grackles love to travel in large flocks (that's a "crowd" in bird world). Grackles are a type of blackbird. They have long tails, glossy, iridescent bodies and spooky yellow eyes. (By the way, I love their spooky eyes.) I noticed them turning over dead leaves and other debris looking for food. Grackles are also noisy. As soon as I slowly opened the door to the garden, they scattered into the trees and started chattering, most likely telling each other to keep their distance from the human intruder.

Exploring the Properties of Water - Fourth Grade

Water is pretty amazing. It not only comes in three forms: solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas (water vapor), but it covers most of our Earth--97 percent to be precise!

Water is also extremely important to ALL living things. In some organisms, up to 90% of their body weight comes from water. Up to 60% of the human body is water; the brain is composed of 70% water, while the lungs are nearly 90% water.

Insects called water striders can skate on water because of a unique property called SURFACE TENSION. Surface tension is caused by water molecules sticking together at the surface, creating a kind of "water skin."

And while most liquids contract (get smaller) when they get colder, water is different. Water contracts until it reaches 4 degrees Celsius and then it expands until it is solid. Solid water is less dense than liquid water because of this. If water was like other liquids, then there would be no such thing as an ice berg, the ice in your drink would sink to the bottom of the glass, and ponds would freeze from the bottom up!

Water is constantly being recycled through a process called "The Water Cycle."  Now sing this little ditty to the tune of "She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain."

Water goes around in a cycle, yes it does!

Water goes around in a cycle, yet it does!

It goes up as EVAPORATION

Forms clouds as CONDENSATION

Then comes down as PRECIPITATION

Yes it does!

Urban Nature Club Goes Birding in Prospect Park

Today the Urban Nature Club grabbed their binoculars and headed to Prospect Park to watch birds at the "secret" bird feeders, generously filled by Brooklyn Bird Club President Peter Dorosh. What a great day! We saw chickadees, downy woodpeckers, white-breasted nuthatches, cardinals, juncos, white-throated sparrows and even a red-winged blackbird. We also spotted many empty birds' nests in the now leafless trees. (Oh yes, winter is a great time to go bird nest hunting!)