Our forest studies

Our Kindergartners and 1st Graders are deciding how to best tell tree species apart. They have been discussing the key features that all trees share and we are learning to notice the attributes that give us clues about which species a given tree might belong.

A typical tree guide requires significant amount of background knowledge; much of which we adults take for granted. Wouldn't it be great to have the students design their own tree guide -- deciding for themselves the features that they deem most important for telling trees apart?



We are working toward that goal. In order to categorize the leaves that they find, students have begun collecting fallen leaves around the school yard and are listing all of the traits and qualities that they notice. K/1's started making Venn Diagrams comparing and contrasting sets of leaves. One of our first comparisons included looking at a white mulberry leaf and a catalpa tree leaf. We are on our way to collecting data for creating a K/1 guide to trees!







Students also spent time outside yesterday, between rain showers, studying an elaborately decorated maple tree. But before they even began depicting coloration to their drawings, students carefully counted the branches and trunk formations; we were surprised to count at least 7 large branches that started very near the base and looked like the tree had multiple trunks.

Nature's Engineers

 We invited members of a silk lab to our school. And oh, wow, were we treated to an amazing presentation today!

I am forever grateful to Principal Investigator Fio Omenetto who came, along with Benedetto, a post-doc, and Alex, a graduate student, to talk to our students about the seriously mind blowing power of silk. I thought I already knew a fair amount about potential applications of biomimicry (imitating elements of nature to solve complex human problems). But today, thanks to the silkworm (and to some really smart biomedical engineers!) I could actually envision a future without our piles of trash accumulating in landfills.

It was inspiring to meet these scientists who are spending their life's work cleaning up our planet; creating everyday products made out of silk.  Fio and his lab members are figuring out how to manufacture electronic gadgets from a renewable, sustainable source.

Could we really hand off a cleaner world to future generations; one without plastic piling up in landfills and in trash heaps?! It's a beautiful vision!

Fio, Ben, and Alex came with beaucoup props: thin sheets that looked like plastic, screws, nuts and bolts, a femur bone, entirely made of melted down silk. And enough cocoons for every student to take one home.

Testable Questions

Recently we spent time brainstorming about possible research projects. Students excitedly offered their ideas about different questions that they would like to test using our silkmoths. 

Shown here (on right), a 4th grader lists her initial questions in her science notebook and illustrates a molting larva:

1. How much do they eat in 10 minutes? 

2. Do they make silk before the cocoon making? 

3. We have silk worms that are different ages but do they care about the younger worms?

After we talked about how scientists go about forming a testable hypothesis, the students decided to try their hand at changing their initial questions into testable statements.

The same 4th grader uses a microscope to enhance her observational drawing and translates her questions into statements (her changes shown here to the right).

Later, as a class, the students listed additional wonderings that they are interested in investigating:

1. Are larvae attracted to light?

2. Does the pupa die in its cocoon if it's too hot or too cold?

3. Do the larvae gain weight at different rates if they have been fed chow vs. fresh leaves?

4. What is the exact number of days from egg to adult moth?

5. What are the different weights at each stage (larvae, pupa, adult) of the life cycle? 

6. How much silk can we get from one cocoon?

7. How long does it take to form a cocoon?

The students will form these questions into testable hypotheses (based in-part on researching primary source material) and then pick one (or two) statements that they will pursue by experimental design. I'm looking forward to seeing how they decide to design a reproducible protocol in order to test their hypothesis!

The power of keeping a science journal!

Our second week of science class was a whirlwind of good things. The students are becoming more comfortable with using their science notebooks. Many of them are developing detailed and methodical observational drawings and some are adding their personal wonderings.

Here a 3rd grader writes, "Can they produce silk at this age?" He decides that he will try his next observation using the microscope; hopeful to spot silky strands.

Silk Road Begins

First week back at school was a huge success. After a full summer of curriculum planning and school renovation we feel ready for another fantastic year. Happily our student number continues to grow and our eager explorers make teaching science an absolute treat. The start of the year began again with eggs. This time we are investigating the silk moth life cycle. Our K/1 classroom and our combined 2nd, 3rd,& 4th-grade classroom each had a batch of 50 eggs.

2nd grader

I was relieved to find that the eggs began to hatch just as students arrived on the first day of school. Some of us even glimpsed a few critters emerge from their egg cases (see hours-old larvae enjoying fresh mulberry leaves in video).

The students soon began their observational drawings of the tiny silkworms and measured the lengths to be about 1/4 cm.

As the students use their science notebooks they will track the morphological changes of the larvae and document observations over the next month.

Plants for Caterpillars. Flowers for Butterflies.

We went outside with clipboards and graph paper one recent afternoon. Students sketched a plot of the garden shape (an elongated trapezoid) in order to plan their own butterfly garden.

Collectively they used tape measures to measure the dimension of the space and they made careful notes on their individual diagrams (mostly perimeter but some details on area for a few of the older students). They also noted any permanent features (such as the bench, fence, gate, and the garden boarder). We talked about the different butterfly species that are found in New England and the types of plants that they might like. 

We did some research to find out what types of plants are native to the area and which plant species are best for attracting butterflies! Later, working together with our art teacher, students made their own bubble diagrams with watercolor crayons. We lead students in a lesson about what a landscape architect might do and tools they might use in planning outdoor spaces. They drew colored circles to represent where they would like to ultimately place each plant in the ground. Students were reminded that many of our plants will grow both tall and wide over the next few months. Students decided to place the taller plants in back along the fence, the smaller plants in front, and to draw a path so that they will have space to step around the plantings for watering. 

Life Cycles Galore

We have officially welcomed spring with full embrace; immersing the classroom in all things related to the life cycle: frogs, butterflies, and chicks! After venturing out to “our” vernal pool several times, we were able to collect eggs and added them to our classroom tank. Kindergarteners have been documenting the developmental changes they observe in their “Tadpole Diaries” as the vernal pool eggs transitioned into small tadpoles and most recently into tadpoles with hind legs! The Ks &1st graders also worked together and transformed the block area wall into a vernal pool installation, replete with creatures found therein: turtles, snakes, dragonflies, frogs, and butterflies.

Our butterfly nursery has also been a huge success. We watched as all five hungry caterpillars ate and ate and ate, and then formed the stereotypical “J” that denotes the start of pupation. Soon our patience paid off, the five pupae transformed from dull, light drown chrysalises, into darkened ones speckled with more intricate colors. Students made careful observational drawings documenting the entire Lepidoptera life cycle. In addition, students are now experts on how moths and butterflies differ anatomically and behaviorally, and what life cycle features they share. We explored the many ways that butterflies contribute to pollination and how essential butterflies are to the food web.

Last week the adults began to emerge and we were rewarded with five beautiful Painted Lady Butterflies. We placed strawberry treats inside the net enclosure as the newly eclosed adults unfurled their wings. Today was warm enough so we set them free. Placing them on some sweet flower nectar - a nearby lilac bush - students begin strategizing about the best plants to add to our schoolyard garden in order to attract the butterflies back.

In March, when our chick eggs and supplies were delivered, students could hardly contain their anticipation. As we waited, a mere ~20 days, we busied ourselves by learning all about the hidden transformation underway inside the eggshells. Students delved into the biology of chick development, eagerly candling the eggs on day 16, and dissected the yokers and quitters. Once the adorable chicks hatched, we were fortunate to have chicken expert and author, Terry Golson, visit our school.

Terry read from her children’s book, Tillie Lays an Egg, and answered all our questions about chick care! We were surprised to learn that the type of chicken we thought we had was in fact another breed all together. Students are continuing to make careful observations of the chicks in order to document their behavior and determine the ratio of hens to roosters.