Monarch Magic

While walking down the school's north sidewalk on September 6th, I spotted a female monarch butterfly visiting the pigeonberry, salvia, and green milkweed. I filed the event in my mind. On Friday as we were going to journal in the outdoor classroom, Anthony noticed a large caterpillar feeding on the milkweed. We collected it and found three more. Being in their 5th instar, we cut a stem full of leaves for each and put them in an unused reptile habitat.

When I arrived at school today, I checked out the monarch mansion. Lots of scat, 4 bare stems. No caterpillars. I scanned the entire container. Nothing. I gingerly pried off the lid and there they were. Four pupae.

Today I checked the Species Study spreadsheet and found a 6th grade  student, Sommer, who selected monarch's for her 3-year study. We went out during her advisory class and I showed her three sites with three different types of milkweed. When we examined the green milkweed, we found another caterpillar. It appears to be in its 4th instar. Sommer brought it in and put it in a capture box with fresh leaves. She's going to keep it in Mr. Rosenberg's classroom until it emerges.

                                           photo by Sommer

Fall Seeds and Hummingbird Rehab

During 7th period on Wednesday Mr. Brooks and I combined our classes for a propagation party. We are preparing to put in our fall/winter garden. 

Students whole heartedly supported the idea of a salsa garden so we are starting tomatoes, cilantro, three variety of peppers, and onions from seeds. Later, we will transfer them to larger pots and keep them in the greenhouse. We also started broccoli, leeks, and Brussels sprouts from seeds. We'll also be planting an assortment of other herbs and veggies including lettuce, carrots, radishes, spinach, beets, and parsley in our raised beds.

 

On Monday morning two students visited me before school. Anxiously they showed me an injured Ruby-throated hummingbird.

Emily was in Wimberley visiting her granparents this weekend. She was watching several hummers at a feeder when one crashed into a window. When it didn't fly off, Emily picked it up and brought it back
home with her. She provided it a sugar water mix and kept it in a cardboard box, and emailed a hummingbird rehabber. Based on info we found on the Internet, she started mixing crushed up ants in the sugar nectar. The site also showed how to hold the bird while offering it food. 

Today was day four, and Emily and "Petunia" are hanging in there.

Petunia checking out a fresh sprig of Esperanza.

Green Art Revisited

As promised, more designs from students in my Taste of Science classes. We'd love to hear which are your favorites so leave a comment.

Susan B.

Paola and Jennifer

Nicole V.

Paola J.

The Best of Green Art

I challenged my Taste of Science students to REvise the 3-R's (which, when I was their age, still meant reading, 'riting, and 'rithmatic). They brainstormed individually, in small groups, and ultimately as a whole class, appropriate "re-" verbs. Three themes emerged: rethink (reconsider, revisit, remind), restore (redo, renovate, rebuild), and replant (replenish, reintroduce, reestablish). 

Here are some of the early results. Feel free to comment on your favorite(s).

Enoch P.

Marcus G.

Haley S.

Izzy

Jonathan L.

Michael N.

More to come...

An Event to Remember

Our first Big Event offered 160 Green Academy students the opportunity to get an up close look at native raptors, snakes, and an assortment of botanical treasures.

A million thanks to our guest speakers: Sallye Delahoussye, Ed Sones, Jared Holmes, Stephen Scace, and David Bamberger.

Over the next three weeks students wishing to earn Green Certification will be declaring their species selection. Any plant or animal species native to the state and that has not already been taken by another Green candidate, is fair game.

We are currently looking for wildlife experts to serve as species mentors for our students. A mentor should be able to provide intelligent feedback on the student's three year study and help to coordinate field experience(s).

All photos by KayliPix.

Snakes Alive!

Today was Snake Day in all my classes. Many thanks to the Schwartz family for lending their pet Checkered Garter Snake (Thamnophis marcianus) to our classroom.

She arrived with five babies in tow. Each class examined and sketched the coloration and scale patterns. Students then had the opportunity to touch or hold her. Since exposure to salmonella bacteria is possible when handling reptiles, students sanitized their hands afterwards.

During the last 10 minutes of class we released a snakelet in what each class deemed as suitable habitat. We marveled how quickly they blended in with the leaf litter at each site. Here Green Growing student, Henry, lets the last little one go.