debate-lfrf-digest/v01.n004

debate-lfrf-digest V1 #4 owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)

backyard biodiversity owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)

Re: backyard biodiversity owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)

participate in backyard diversity activity owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)

Backyard Biodiversity Survey Data Collection Form owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)

[none] owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)

Plot Size for data collection owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)

Measuring One Square Meter owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)

biodiversity report owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)

Beers Street Middle School Data owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)Other ONAIR-LFRF archives

debate-lfrf-digest V1 #4

From: owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)
Subject: debate-lfrf-digest V1 #4
Date:
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debate-lfrf-digest Wednesday, April 8 1998 Volume 01 : Number 004

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Date: Tue, 31 Mar 1998 17:49:03 -0500

backyard biodiversity

From: owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)
Subject: backyard biodiversity
Date:
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Greetings from Kinsey Elementary in Sioux Center, Ia

My three fourth grade science classes spent their 30 minute periods outside on Monday because we knew there was more rain and snow coming today. Tomorrow we will have some time to examine what we found and will send in a report. Each class did three separate square meters in a specified section of the playground which is very large. If we aren't too late please count us in. Sorry we can't be involved in the video conferencing but don't have the necessary equipment and know-how.

Laura Vermeer

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Date: Tue, 31 Mar 1998 18:35:01 -0500

Re: backyard biodiversity

From: owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)
Subject: Re: backyard biodiversity
Date:
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Laura,

You are definitely not too late and that is true of anyone else who has not
had a chance to go out and start investigating. Next week we will move into
the next phase which will be data collection. Participation is still open
and will continue to be open throughout the month of April. We will accept
your data whether you can go out and collect once or twice. Even if you are
unable to go out and collect data you can still participate in the final
activity when we interpret the data. We encourage you to participate in as
much of the project as you can.

Weather is always a problem with outside data collection projects. We have
been fortunate in New Jersey this winter with very little snow and mild
temperatures. A week ago this past Sunday we had five inches of snow, our
only snowfall, and now for the past six days we have had temperatures
around 80 degrees and they are talking about how many records we've set. By
next week we will be watching the weather reports to choose the best day to
go out and collect our data. Hopefully it will be as nice as it is this week!

Eileen

At 05:49 PM 3/31/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Greetings from Kinsey Elementary in Sioux Center, Ia
>
>My three fourth grade science classes spent their 30 minute periods
outside on Monday because we knew there was more rain and snow coming
today. Tomorrow we will have some time to examine what we found and will
send in a report. Each class did three separate square meters in a
specified section of the playground which is very large. If we aren't too
late please count us in. Sorry we can't be involved in the video
conferencing but don't have the necessary equipment and know-how.
>
>Laura Vermeer
>
>
>
>

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Date: Sun, 5 Apr 1998 12:32:12 -0400

participate in backyard diversity activity

From: owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)
Subject: participate in backyard diversity activity
Date:
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I am a scientist participating in a program to improve science education in K-8 grades in southern Rhode Island. I am teaming with a 6th grade teacher who is piloting an STC kit called "Ecosystems". We are looking for extension activites for this kit and would like to consider joining the Backyard Biodiversity Survey. The students would begin observations in late April. Since I am an oceanographer studying marine ecosystems, I feel a bit of a fish out of water but would like to see if I can help the teacher despite limited dry ecology skills!

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Date: Mon, 06 Apr 1998 00:29:15 -0400

Backyard Biodiversity Survey Data Collection Form

From: owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)
Subject: Backyard Biodiversity Survey Data Collection Form
Date:
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This is the form we will be using for our data collection during the month
of April. If possible we would like everyone to collect data twice this
month. The first data collection will be either this week or next. The
second data collection will take place two weeks later. With many classes
going on spring break and the unpredictable weather we realize that there
may be classes who cannot meet this time frame. Please do not feel that
this means you cannot participate. The important thing is for students to
go out and collect data. If you can only collect your data once or the time
between data collection is more or less than two weeks that is fine. Each
group or team should fill out this form and post it to the debate-lfrf list.

***

Backyard Biodiversity Survey Data Collection Form

Teacher's Name:
School:
Group Name:
Date Data was Collected:
Time Data was Collected:
Latitude:
Longitude:
Temperature:
Describe the amount of light for your plot:
full shade
part sun
full sun
Describe the amount of moisture for your plot:
very dry (particles do not clump)
dry
moist
wet (standing water)
Describe each of the organisms you observed in enough detail so that
someone who hasn't seen it can draw your specimen. Include in your
description the common name (genus and species may be included),
coloration, size, and where you found the organism (i.e. above ground, 2 cm
below ground)

Susan Hurstcalderone and Eileen Bendixsen
Co-Moderators, debate-lfrf

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Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1998 07:05:44 +0300

[none]

From: owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)
Subject: [none]
Date:
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I have jest received the backyard biodiversity servey data collection form,
but did not participate in the debate. Can someone let me know if the
"plot" in the collection form is a specified size?

Thanks,
Donna Heroux
Nathanael Greene Middle School
Providence, RI

Donna Heroux

ric037@ride.ri.net

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Date: Mon, 06 Apr 1998 07:21:35 -0400

Plot Size for data collection

From: owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)
Subject: Plot Size for data collection
Date:
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Donna,

The students are going out and doing their survey on one square meter. We
have used a couple of ways to measure the square meter. Some classes have
simply placed 4 meter sticks down in a square. We also suggested that you
choose a landmark that will be in the same spot in two weeks and place
string down to measure the square meter. Most schools will not be able to
leave the string in place, so you need to use the landmark as the center or
find a way to map out where your spot is. Approximately two weeks later we
are hoping that everyone will go out and survey their area again. We are
counting all of the different species that we find in that square meter. In
the past each class has posted their data. For the Backyard Biodiversity
Survey we would like the data from each group or team and we encourage
students to post the data to the list. Before sending the data students
should have someone else in the class read their descriptions to see if
they can figure out what organisms are described. Please read all student
messages to the list before they are sent.

If anyone has any questions about how to conduct their survey, please post
your questions to the list. We find that there is usually someone else with
the same question. People have joined in the discussion at different times
and we don't always realize that we are not all in the same place.

Eileen

At 07:05 AM 4/6/98 +0300, Donna M. Heroux wrote:
>I have jest received the backyard biodiversity servey data collection form,
>but did not participate in the debate. Can someone let me know if the
>"plot" in the collection form is a specified size?
>
>Thanks,
>Donna Heroux
>Nathanael Greene Middle School
>Providence, RI
>
>Donna Heroux
>
>ric037@ride.ri.net
>
>
>
>

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Date: Mon, 06 Apr 1998 07:25:18 -0400

Measuring One Square Meter

From: owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)
Subject: Measuring One Square Meter
Date:
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This is another method for measuring your square meter that I received from
Sarah. I thought this had gone to the list, but just realized it only went
to me.

My class combined skills from social studies and science for their square
meter. We first prepared for the square by using string four meters plus
five centimeters. The two and one-half centimeters for each end were
marked with a pencil, and then at one-meter intervals the students tied
knots. We took four pieces of coat hanger wire, each about fifteen
centimeters in length, to use as the corners of our squares. The first
corner marker was placed on something we could go back to easily. Then the
students used their compasses to run north-south, east-west lines from that
corner. They tied the string to complete the square at the pencil
markings. There is no way I could have come up with twenty-eight
meter sticks to have done it the other way, so we had to come up with
something within our reach.

Regards,

Sarah

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Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1998 14:14:44 -0400

biodiversity report

From: owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)
Subject: biodiversity report
Date:
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Hi,

My name is Sara. I am reporting for Mrs. Vermeer's three, fourth grade science classes at Kinsey Elementary in Sioux Center, IA.

We went outside on the playground on the morning of March 30, 1998 from about 9:35 - 11:15. Each class had 30 minutes outside. Each class did three square meters. The temperature was about 40 degrees and the wind speed was from 3 to 8 mph. It was a misty rain. We found dead maple leaves, dried grass, a seed pod, sticks, one group had a hole in their square which could be a snake or gopher. Our playground is mostly just grass but one class was near some honeysuckly bushes and they found hundreds and hundreds of ladybugs under a Reese's Peanutbutter Cup wrapper and on sticks and leaves. They also found spiders, worms and maggots. And, sifting through the soil, they found seeds and a microspic beetle larva. They also found thorns and decaying ladybugs and clover, maple seed, fake flower and a feather. Our latitude and longitude here are 43 degrees north and 96 degrees west.

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Date: Wed, 08 Apr 1998 06:08:06 PDT

Beers Street Middle School Data

From: owner-debate-lfrf-digest@rspac.ivv.nasa.gov (debate-lfrf-digest)
Subject: Beers Street Middle School Data
Date:
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Teacher's Name: Eileen Bendixsen
School: Beers Street Middle School
Group Name:Jackie, Steph, Angela, & Malinda
Date Data was Collected: April 7, 1998
Time Data was Collected: 8:40 am EDT
Latitude: 40 N
Longitude: 74 W
Temperature:
Describe the amount of light for your plot:
full sun
Describe the amount of moisture for your plot:
moist
Describe each of the organisms you observed in enough detail so that
someone who hasn't seen it can draw your specimen. Include in your
description the common name (genus and species may be included),
coloration, size, and where you found the organism (i.e. above ground, 2
cm below ground)

When we were doing a science lab in science, we found lots of animals
that live underground. Some of these animals are: tomato bugs, worms,
earthworms. They were very interesting to us.

The description of a tomato bug is: they are oval shaped, are black on
top and white on the bottom, they have segments across their back, and
have about 12 legs that help them to walk.

A description about the worms that we found are: they are long and
slithery, brown in color, pointy on each end and round in the middle,
they also have a protective pouch for their young, and slithers very
slowly to get around.

The last description that we have for you is one of the earthworm: it is
very small in size, it curls into a bun when its scared or dead, its
brownish black in color with a white stomach, and live under the dirt or
dried up leaves.

Thank you for your cooperation and we hope you enjoyed our descriptions
of our science lab.

Steph, Jackie, Angela, & Malinda.

______________________________________________________
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End of debate-lfrf-digest V1 #4
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