THERE'S A CHILL IN THE AIR--AUTUMN IS OFFICIALLY HERE!

Although autumn began on September 22, it wasn't until this weekend that it really felt like fall. It's downright cold out there. Despite the chill, I ventured out to the Queens County Farm Museum to celebrate the harvest and pick up several pumpkins to carve and/or paint. They have a great working farm here--lots of cool-weather plants were still growing...leeks, lettuce, kale, broccoli and more. You can even buy fresh eggs from the farm's chickens. There are also animals on the farm and they love kind, gentle visitors. I especially enjoyed watching the pigs rummage around with their big, square snouts.

The Queens County Farm Museum dates back to 1697 and occupies New York City's largest remaining tract of undisturbed farmland. The 47-acre farm is the only working historical farm in the city and is the longest continuously farmed site in New York State. The site includes historic farm buildings, a greenhouse complex, livestock, farm vehicles and implements, planting fields, an orchard, and an herb garden. For more info, go to: http://www.queensfarm.org

Praying Mantis Feasts on Monarch Butterfly!

Hey fourth-graders! I've been thinking about our first unit, Food Chains, and lo and behold, I wake up this morning and find a praying mantis eating a monarch right in my backyard. A praying mantis is a stealthy hunter. Because it eats meat (butterfly is meat!) it is a carnivore. The butterfly eats nectar from plants and is therefore a herbivore. Do you know who might eat the praying mantis?

ARE YOU READY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL?

I am!
After a great vacation in Israel and Jordan (that's me floating in the DEAD SEA!), I'm getting my lessons ready and preparing to go in and set up the room for you guys. I'm very much looking forward to seeing some of my former students and meeting my new ones. It's going to be a great year full of hands-on experimentation and learning.

So why is it so easy to float in the Dead Sea?
The Dead Sea has a LOT of salt in it. I saw chunks of salt some as big as snowballs! Salt water is heavier (denser) than regular water. People can float in regular water, but since salt water is even denser, it is even easier to float in the Dead Sea.

Summertime!

I hope everyone is having a good start to the summer. Well, I spent a few days up North and did a short hike at Mount Ascutney in Vermont. There I saw several butterflies flying around. I didn't know what they were, so I quickly tried to identify it when I got home. It is a White Admiral butterfly. We have Red Admiral butterflies in Brooklyn, but I've never seen a White Admiral. If you want to see some butterflies close to home, check out the butterfly bushes in the school garden on McDonald Avenue. I've recently seen Red Admirals and Painted Ladies there.

I also saw this pretty pink flower. I also researched it when I got home, and I believe it is a Deptford Pink. (Related to the carnation.)

Finally, I went to the Path of Life Garden in Vermont. It's a meadow-like garden with sculptures and paths. You follow the paths, which takes you through the stages of life from birth to childhood (you walk through a maze of bushes!) to middle age to death and rebirth. I got to sit with the Buddha for a while to reflect.

WELCOME TO THE SCHOOLYARD!

Today, we had the most amazing visitor in our schoolyard. Right before students lined up to go to classes this morning, this amazing Polyphemous Moth with a six-inch wingspan was sighted on the school wall, right near the kickball field. Mr. Carlisi started taking photos, then Ms. Rubens, and some students ran upstairs to let me in on this great find. Then I snapped this photo!

Polyphemous moths are giant silk moths that are native to our area. The caterpillars (see below) feed on a variety of tree leaves, like oak, maple, birch, and sycamore. Then they wrap themselves in a leaf and spin a cocoon inside, which is where they stay until they emerge. After emerging, the moths mate and the female lays eggs. The moths do not have mouths and do not eat. They only live about a week to ten days.

I believe our visitor was a male because males have thicker antenna so as to detect a chemical put out by the females. This is an ADAPTATION that females use to be found by a mate.

The four eye spots are also an ADAPTATION to scare away predators. The eye spots are transparent! This moth gets its name from the Greek myth of Cyclops Polyphemus, the monster with the one eye. Polypheous moth are usually nocturnal, so I'm not sure why it was flying around the schoolyard in broad daylight today!

ATTENTION SOON TO BE FIFTH GRADERS!

 

The Urban Nature Club is for fifth-grade students extremely interested in nature. Most of what we do is plant and maintain the school garden, so an interest in plants is essential. We may also do some bird watching and other nature activities. Some of the gardening is hard work and you WILL get dirty, so you must be willing to literally DIG IN. While we will spend time outside, sometimes we will be inside planning the garden or learning how to study nature. The Urban Nature Club is fun, but it is also a time to learn. Every student will be EXPECTED to keep a nature journal, which includes writing and nature illustrations. Some of this will have to be done at home. Good behavior and cooperation is a must! You also must be able to follow all instructions, have excellent attendance, and work well with others. Please apply only if you can’t imagine yourself doing anything else. The club will most likely meet on Mondays after school, but that time might change. Thank you for your interest, Ms. Seitz

Please answer the following questions on a clean sheet of lined paper. The paper MUST have a heading with your name and class. The writing MUST be neat and legible, but students will not be judged on spelling or sentence construction. Enthusiasm and commitment is what I’m looking for. The questions MUST be answered fully. In the event that many students submit an application, the strongest candidates will be chosen by lottery.

1. Please explain in two sentences or more why you want to be a member of the Urban Nature Club.

2. Please describe in two sentences or more any experiences you have had in nature or gardening. Don’t worry if you haven’t had much experience. If you haven’t, please tell me what you are most interested in learning from nature and gardening.

3.  What are some of your interests outside of school?

4.  What about nature and gardening appeals to you? In other words, what do you like about these things? Please answer in two sentences or more.

5. Finally, why should you be chosen to be a member of the Urban Nature Club? Convince me that this is a good fit for you. Answer in two sentences or more.

That’s it! Good luck to everyone!

DUE DATE IS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012. THEY CAN BE LEFT IN MY MAILBOX. LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

ATTENTION FOURTH-GRADERS