Crack the Egg

A Good Read-Aloud Book on Insects? Yes!

    Jean Henri Fabre liked to lay on the ground observing ants crawling and digging.  I've observed this tendency in my own son.  Whether or not he will do what Fabre did remains to be seen.  Fabre became a famous French entomologist.

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    The Dover translation of Fabre's Book of Insects is just plain fun to read, but is also an excellent book for any nature-loving kid or the kid who might think that bugs are boring.

 Sixteen Chapters include:

• the Praying Mantis
• Grubs
• Locusts
• the Anthrax Fly
• and the Glow-worm.

     He also includes a chapter on his first lessons in nature watching and why he wished to have his own bare spot for identifying and observing insects. 

     I love that Fabre's writing shows how he took his passion to a level beyond most people by patience, diligence, and persistence. 

• While he describes for us the Sacred Beetle rolling his ball of ground matter, he is also, unconsciously, describing how to observe nature in it's own setting. 
• When he writes about the bedroom and tunnel of the Cricket, he is causing us to see what the life of the insect consists of. 
• When he describes the queer body and head of Empusa with the "delicate appetites of the invalid," he is building for us a fascinating word picture of the world of entymology.

      Get this book and enjoy it with your own budding entomologist! 

 Robin

Creative Home Learning

 

 

 

 

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How To Homeschool At the Zoo: A Mini Unit Study

    You've visited the zoo a few times, now you'd like to connect what you see with what you are learning. Here are nine ways to do this!

STUDY TIPS FOR THE ZOO

1. Mark each animal by its (home) geographic location on a blank map.
2. Create a list for your kids to fill in of habitat, size, social unit (solitary or in groups), status (rare, common), wild food, and zoo food of one or more animals. 
3. Prepare a brief list of questions for your child to ask a zookeeper or docent. 
4. Choose one area of the zoo - primates, reptiles, or hoofed - to read the information and discuss.
5. Keep a log of the activity of one favorite animal at set times during the day. 
6. Keep a photo log of one type of animal at different times during the day, in various positions, or doing different things - eating, gazing, sleeping, walking, playing.

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7. Practice sketching or drawing an animal. 
8. Write a monologue of what an animal is thinking.
9. Make a game of finding evidence of enrichment activities for the animals - balls in the tiger den, frozen food in the polar bear enclosure, keepers tossing food to the seals, or hanging ropes for the monkeys.


   Final Two Tips!!

    Place any papers that you'll need on a clipboard for each child.  This gives them a hard surface and allows for neater writing, drawing, or marking.  Tie a pen to the clipboard, so it doesn't get left behind.

    Don't do so many activities that the zoo trip becomes a burden.  Keep learning enjoyable!

Robin 

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Reminder: Posts follow this schedule: Monday, Parents: Straight Talk and Inspiration; Tuesday, Best Homeschooling Resources; Wednesday, Great Hobbies, Activities, and Games; Thursday, Mini Unit Study; Friday, Entrepreneurial Club Info & Updates.

 

Bird, Raptor, Kestrel: Mini Homeschooling Science Unit Study

    For a fun, mini nature or science unit study, go with birds. Break it down even more by studying raptors or birds of prey. And, for a unique raptor, look to kestrels (or the American Kestrel).

    In a nature center near our home, lives a kestrel named Falco.  He had dropped uninvited into a family's picnic.  He wanted their hotdogs.  Apparently, he had been handfed, so he had no fear of humans and knew little about finding food for himself.  The St. Paul Raptor Center took him in and decided he couldn't be sent back into the wild because of his behavior.  This medium-sized bird with the rust-colored back found a permanent home in the nature center. 

    Kestrels make good study subjects for many reasons.

• They are common all over the United States, so they are not impossibl

  Image via Wikipedia

  e to find whether you're on vacation or at home.
• Kestrels are often found on telephone and utility poles or fence posts alongside roads, so you can spot them from a car.
• Like hummingbirds, but unlike other raptors, kestrels can hover in one spot while beating their wings rapidly.  This is usually followed by a swift drop onto prey below. Again, this pattern is easily viewable because they often dive after prey in ditches along roads and highways.
• And, kestrels are easily recognizable for amateur birders: a robin-sized bird, two dark "sideburns" in front and behind its eyes, and a rusty orange back and tail.

    Our favorite book about raptors is Raptor! A Kid's Guide to Birds of Prey.  Although some of its websites are defunct, it gives good lists of hawk watching sites, organizations to see live raptors, and sites where public banding demonstrations take place.  A selected reference list is also available for those who want to read more.

    Ideas for Kestrel Study

• Make a comparison chart of a kestrel's size compared to other falcons.
• Look for kestrels in a raptor center, nature center, or zoo. 
• Create art.  Kestrels make a great subject for painting, colored pencils, or crayons, because of their spectacular coloring.  If you can't draw one from real life, use a computer image or book picture to trace first.
• List the steps one should do and not do, if you find an injured or apparently tame wild bird.  Use a raptor center web site for specific instructions.
• Check out  http://kestrelwatch.ahc.umn.edu/kestrel_home.cfm for participating in a kestrel bird count.
• Find a bird supply store and ask if they have seen kestrels in your area.  Of course, farmers may see kestrels, but one could also ask those in apartments in large cities.  Many birds, even raptors, have adapted to our cities.  Are kestrels one of them?

    Put any information you collect in

• a lapbook,
• on a poster,
• in a binder or notebook with other mini studies.

    Be sure to note your own sightings of kestrels.  Whatever you do, though, don't feed them hot dogs!

Robin

 

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A Book for Gifted Kids and Animal Lovers

    Does your child have a strong sense of empathy for animals or people who get hurt?  It's not unusual for gifted kids to have a heightened sense of empathy.  Our daughter and son2 is particularly sensitive to helping the birds, rabbits, squirrels, stray dogs, and the neighbor's cats that end up in our yard. 

    Last summer, in particular, we had quite a medley of crippled and ill animals who took up residence under the bushes.  There was the rabbit with a lame leg who stayed near another rabbit that looked extremely ill.  Its right eye was enlarged and bloodshot.  It had a gaping wound across its face.  (We wondered if it had been attacked by a hawk from a nesting pair two yards over.)  Also, a squirrel with half a tail took up residence in one of the trees.  We named him Stumpy. 

    Then, there was the stray Persian with a fancy "lion cut."   We were literally backing out of our driveway for a week's vacation when we saw it.  Well, what would you?  It didn't take us long to coax it to us with food.  What did take a while was driving it to the animal control building on the edge of town.  We took along the missing cat notice our son remembered seeing on a utility pole.  We left a message where we were taking the cat and headed out.  (Happy ending! The owner picked up the cat within a couple hours.  It was an indoor cat who escaped and had been lost for four days.)

    Then, there was the hound dog behind the shed, the wild kitten in our van...you get the idea.  I'm not sure why our city house should have so many animal adventures!  But, because of our love for animals, the following book struck a chord. 

    On Parade: The Hidden World of Animals in Entertainment by Rob Laidlaw lays out some realities of many animals who are used in circuses, petting zoos, programs, and movies or TV.  I read the book before making it available to the kids, because, frankly, I was afraid it would be so upsetting, gruesome, or wildly exaggerated that it would leave them with a feeling of guilt or baffled helplessness. 

    However, I was glad I'd picked it up.  Upsetting, yes, but laced with hope in the explanation of the changes that have been made in the industries that utilize animals for entertainment.  Most of the pictures are normal photos of animals performing or inside cages.  Most are not shocking by themselves until you read that often they are in that small cage for 23 hours a day.  The text seems more factual than hysterical and backed by the author's observation and study.

    Should you preview it?  If your child is extremely sensitive to these issues or is young, most definitely.  Son2, the animal lover, read parts of it which we discussed.  He had outrage over some parts, concern over others, and questions about people's motives, their actions, and how animals are viewed as part of God's creation by different people.

    Did I agree with everything in the book?  No, but that doesn't take away from learning about a very real issue and the opposing views of it and how it should be changed.  Admittedly, coming from North Dakota, where rodeos are part of the culture, I had a hard time getting upset about them.  Which brings up another good discussion point - if one is familiar with something, how does that alter how you view it?  (I know some people who believe we are hurting our poor children by "sitting in the house all day" because we homeschool.  Ha! However, does this mean they are right?  But, could they be right?)

    The book covers dancing bears in India, Swim-With-the-Dolphin programs, the owls in Harry Potter movies, and greyhound racing.  It ends with a list of websites for specific information, a glossary, the answers to common arguments about animals in entertainment, and a list of ten ways to help animals, a few of which would be easy for a young child to tackle, if the interest was there.

    Meanwhile, I'll check outside and see what new animal may be using our yard as a rehab.

Robin

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Elephant Communication Book For Kids Learning Zoology

    As a homeschooling mom and animal-lover, I'm always on the lookout for good non-fiction animal books.  Science books about animals and facets of zoology that tell something new are not numerous in my opinion.  Elephant Talk: The Surprising Science of Elephant Communication  by Ann Downer is one of the few. 

    Elephant Flying Squads.  Jacobson's Organ.  New training programs for mahouts in Thailand and efforts to redirect crop-raiding elephants in Kenya.  This is not your typical "here is the trunk" elephant book for kids. 

    Zoologists and biologists are only beginning to understand the methods of elephant communication. (Much of the research in this area was done in the last 10-20 years, so the feeling of being on the cutting edge is evident in the book's text.)  Examples are drawn from African forest elephants, African savanna elephants, and Asian elephants found in the wild and in zoos. 

   In spite of the research which asks more questions than it answers, there is still much the reader can learn now.  (In fact, isn't that often what science does - finds more questions than answers?)  Facts about body language with their ears and trunks, the many vocalizations of elephants, and their ability to create infrasound and vibrations are covered. 

    The relationship between humans and elephants is discussed as well as work in conservation.  Apparently there is an effort to remove elephants from zoos and place them in sanctuaries.  I was not aware of this, but it would make a good discussion project.  Is it feasible?  With many remodeled and better zoos, is it necessary?  What is the purpose?  What are the drawbacks, if any?

    I think the best way this book could be read is to dip into it and read what is of interest.  A straight-through reading feels a bit like a textbook.  However, for those who want there is a good list of resources in the back, an elephant dictionary of calls, and websites for organizations that help elephants.  Kids who are interested in elephants, zoology, a career with animals, conservation, or working in zoos will like what they find here.

Enjoy!

Robin    

 

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Homeschooling and Pets: Why We Keep the Cats

     Currently, we have two cats named Buttons and Marbles.  Are cats good for our homeschool?  Or do they just add another layer of noise, hair, and worry to our already busy homeschooling days and home?  We thought this was worth thinking about since we got back from the vet. 

     We took them to the vet, because it's the right thing to do.  However, for the size of the bill, I was hoping to find out more than what we already knew.  They are healthy.  One could eat more.  The other should eat less.  I thought this evened things out, but apparently not.  (We have explained to each cat that they are just to eat what is on their side of the dish, but they don't listen.  And it's not that one pushes the other away.  One doesn't eat much (then throws that up) and the other eats all that's left.) 

     However, we did come up with some reasons to keep them.  In fact, we are astonished at how much they add to our lives.  Important things, too, not just the most efficient way to clean up vomit.

• PHYSICAL EDUCATION REMINDERS   -  We're sitting quietly reading and they suddenly streak through the living room and kitchen.  In case we miss the hint, they do this a few more times, sliding into the refrigerator when they take the corner too fast.  Oh yeah, time to move...
• HOW TO HAVE DISAGREEMENTS   -  Lay your ears back and try to stare down the other person.  If this doesn't work, run.
• WHEN TO STOP READING OR SHIFT POSITION   -  You've been reading too long if the cat lays down across the pages.  Petting her should take precedence.  Or you could move the book as long as you continue to pet her.
• TIME MANAGEMENT   -  You might have only three problems left, but they need to be fed NOW.  You will waste less time feeding them now, than explaining to cats that you have only three problems left eight times in three minutes and then feeding them.
• PRIORITIZING  -   You suddenly realize no one has seen the cat since the night before and you're late for music lessons.  What do you do?
• CLEANLINESS   -   Keeping a reasonably clean house is doable and important.  Doing a little cleaning each day, such as... the litter box, is preferable to cleaning a lot once a month.
• LAUGH THERAPY   -   Some people pay a lot of money to participate in laughter therapy sessions.  We save gas by doing therapy at home.  We get a brown paper bag and cut a hole in the side.  Or flash our shiny watch in the sun and watch the cats "catch" the sparkles. 

     After realizing how much the cats teach us, we decided it was a bargain to keep them.  No homeschooling home should be without at least one cat.  And two are better. 

Happy learning,

Robin

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Great Animal Book for Nature Study: Wild Turkeys

When we lived in South Dakota, we often saw wild turkeys on a certain road.  We had a few sightings in ditches while living in Pennsylvania, and now, inside a town of 100,000, we get to see a small number of wild turkeys regularly all year round in the parking lot of the church where my son has cello lessons.   So I was delighted to find another great book for animal lovers perfect for this time of year about the wild turkey.

Little Tom Turkey by Frances Bloxam is meant for young children, but as usual, an older child can learn from and enjoy it, too.  It is the rhymed story of a wild turkey chick and his desire to grow into a large tom.  Along the way, one learns of the life cycle of a wild turkey, its anatomy, behavior, feeding habits, and habitat. 

The author included a list at the back of the book that gives more explanation for common questions from kids.  Where do wild turkeys sleep?  How does a hen protect her eggs?  Do all turkeys strut? 

The book is an excellent read-aloud and there is a lot packed into it.  I need to remember to take the camera to cello lessons.  The wild turkeys are so large and so unafraid, we should be able to get a good close-up shot.  We can compare the pictures with the drawings in the book and get an idea what life stage the turkeys are in and whether they are toms or hens.  I'll let you know what happens!  What are your wild turkey sightings or tips for finding them?

Two Brothers, Birds, and Photography

Has your child ever tried to photograph birds?  It can be a great exercise in patience and perseverance.  Birds will move quickly, they do something interesting up in a tree behind leaves, or they fly away right as you hit the button on your camera. 

Richard and Cherry Kearton had the same problem.  Two brothers who lived in the late 1800s, they devised clever means of getting close to the birds and their nests for pictures.  And they didn't use digital cameras, either!

Climbing into trees, placing a camera within a hollow sheep, and even sitting inside a hollow ox allowed the brothers to be near nesting birds without scaring them away.  By the time Richard and Cherry were done, they had amassed enough pictures for a book.  Called British Birds' Nests, it was published in 1895.  (A paperback reprint is available in Amazon.)  What makes it special?  It was the first nature book illustrated with only photographs.  

Rebecca Bond has written and illustrated a charming picture book about the brothers for young children called In the Belly of an Ox: The Unexpected Photographic Adventures of Richard and Cherry Kearton.  Good for studies on photography, birding, and early 1900s British history, the book also shows some photographs of the brothers, a few of their egg and nest pictures, and their equipment and techniques.  

How to use the book in nature study?  Try your own camoflage techniqes for getting close to birds and their nests without startling them.  Make your own blind.  Use a box large enough to sit comfortably under with holes for shooting pictures and viewing or drape brown, green, or camo blanket over lawn chairs keeping a viewing hole open.  Of course, making as little noise and as few movements as possible is important. 

Once, when I had been very still while reading outside, a bird hopped at my feet and around me.  I also had a large hat and sunglasses on, so perhaps it didn't recognize me as anything other than a large lump.  Wish I had had my digital camera ready to go!  However, the experience was special, as I obviously still remember it, even without a picture.  Isn't that the beauty of nature study?   Special moments to carry with us throughout our days and lives.

5 Tips For Using an Animal Encyclopedia Across the Subjects in Home Education

We finally purchased an animal encyclopedia entitled Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide To The World's Wildlife.  I debated among a few with these criteria in mind. 

• Pictures:  many, with variety in poses and action, and with clear details of what is remarked on in the captions.
• Basic information such as geographical area where animal is found, size, family stats (whether found in groups or alone, number of young, etc.) must be clear, concise, and easily found.
• Other information:  what is something unique, special, unusual, rare, little-known, or fun to learn about this animal.
• Text: not so technical as to be boring, but not written for children in a simplified manner.

Animal fulfilled these requirements spectacularly!  The photos are vivid and varied.  What is described in the caption is seen in the picture.  For instance, you read about the tigers in an Indian reserve known to charge into a lake after its prey and the photograph is of a tiger in mid-leap, water splashing behind him.

Basic information is covered in short bullets with headers of length, weight, social unit, status, and any other category that may be interesting, such as tail (in the case of the tiger and primates) or plumage and migration (in the case of birds).

Other information is found in accompanying paragraphs where one learns that the Great frigatebird does not have waterproof plumage, so holds its wings above the water when feeding, and the wolverine is also called the glutton.

The text packs a lot of information into few words, but still maintains readability and interest.  My only issue with this excellent book is its assumption of the truth of evolutionary theory in its opening pages. 

From simple dipping into the book for fun to a more serious reading of mammals or amphibians, there are several ways to use this book across the subjects.  I've listed five ideas you might like to try.

1. Geography:  Choose a particular order such as Lagomorpha (rabbits, hares, and pikas) and map the regions they live in.  You'll find many that are only found in specific, small areas, such as the Amami rabbit.  It calls two small Japanese islands home.  The Volcano rabbit is only found in pine forests on volcanic peaks near Mexico City.  Yet, through mapping these and others, you will find rabbit species all over the world.  This can be a fascinating way to learn geography while focusing on a child's favorite animal. 
2. Zoology:  Choose a single species of animal and study everything about it.  The encyclopedia becomes the foundation for many stepping-off points.  For instance, one reads about the European pine marten found in Europe and Asia.  It is from the family of mustelids which are described and their anatomy, feeding, and reproduction explained.  There is also a paragraph on the fur trade which could be pursued.  Just by browsing, one sees there is a large range of related species further divided by lifestyle (burrowing, arboreal, semiaquatic, etc.).
3. Writing:  This subject can be incorporated into either of the above suggestions for the encyclopedia's pictures and text provide good ideas for either nonfiction or creative writing projects.  Pick 2 or 3 animals that could be found in the same area and create a story around them, only allowing them to act in their natural way.  Or, what happens when a domestic or exotic animal is introduced into a different habitat? 
4. Photography:  Find a few animal books from a library and compare the photographs of the same animal to those in the encyclopedia.  Which show more of the animal and its behavior?  Which action shots are effective and why?  How does each picture tell a story?  Look up the photo credits and find that photographer's website.  For example, glance at www.chrisgomersall.com to learn more about his career as a wildlife photographer and what cameras and lens he uses. 
5. Nature Study:  Enlarge your study of an animal to include its habitat and interaction with other animals and humans.  Can you find the animal where you live?  Which animals can also live in a city?  Would you see it if it did?  Practice sketching or tracing an animal from the book, then fill in the picture with what you know of its normal surroundings: an otter on a riverbank, a mountain goat on a rocky ledge, a lemur in the rainforest, or a coyote on a ranch.  Visit a zoo or animal park to see the animals, if it's not possible to view them in the wild.

I hope these suggestions get you thinking about the possibilities one can pursue with just an animal encyclopedia and a little ingenuity.  Most kids (and many adults) enjoy learning about animals.  Why not use it as a springboard for other subjects for instant motivation and interest?

9 Famous Dogs During the Gold Rush

I have a nine-year-old boy.  Does this automatically mean our family has a dog?  My son thinks it should.  However, we don't have a dog.  We are considering it, but have never had dogs, so really don't know what having one means.  Here's what we do know: we have a large yard which could easily be fenced.  We have two cats.  We learn at home, so we are here much of each day.  I don't want a puppy. 

While we think about it (and I would welcome any advice people have), my son continues to read books about dogs.  In another post I listed dog books by Jim Kjelgaard.  Now he found one titled Gold Rush Dogs, a nonfiction book with fascinating photographs from the early 1900s.  Each chapter speaks of a different dog, each a different breed, each well-known for a particular reason.  There is Togo and Balto who delivered diptheria serum to save lives, Faust who accompanied his mistress to fortune in Alaska, and Patsy Ann, a deaf bull terrier who greeted all the ships which docked in Juneau. 

This is much more than a book about famous dogs and their stories, though.  There is great history here about the Gold Rush, the Klondike, Canadian Mounties, dog team racing, mushing, famous men and women pioneers of the far north, and details about the living conditions in Alaska at this time. 

And any dog-crazy boy (or girl) can learn about the the Tahlatan Bear Dog, the Mastiff, St. Bernard, American Water Spaniel, Siberian Husky, Bull Terrier, and the Lapphund, a Norwegian Reindeer Dog. 

 

I'm not sure we would need a dog that could pull sleds and sleep outside in below-zero weather.  On the other hand, I remember our neighbor's dog when I was a kid.  He harnessed his Siberian Husky/wolf mix to a sled and we rode up and down the alley, dumping ourselves out when we got too close to the end.  That was fun, but I think that dog was more than I could handle!