discuss-lfrf/discuss-lfrf.9804

I seem to be having problems once I get onto the ptk rainforest website.
When I click onto Interact and try to make a connection to anything listed
there or on educator a get a Javascript error line 70. What is this? Can
this be corrected? Help!Help Barbara Ryan
Dolan Middle School
Stamford,Ct.06906

Re: website problems

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: Re: website problems
Date: Wed, 01 Apr 1998 19:08:13 -0500
Back to top

Hello Barbara,

I had already replied to your message to me when I saw this. I have sent
you a message asking for information about your browser and computer. Once
I have this I can help.

The technology used at the website is two years old. In order to access the
site you need to be using at least Netscape 3.0 or Internet Explorer 4.0.
You can use these even on the slower computers and slower modems. I have
been able to access the site without problems using a PC that is a 386
upgraded to a 486, with 8 meg of RAM and using a 14.4 modem, but I do have
Netscape 3.0. Both Netscape 4.0 and Internet Explorer 4.0 can be downloaded
for free. Even people who have AOL accounts can use either of these
browsers on AOL.

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, DISCUSS-LFRF
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE, see:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov

At 07:12 PM 4/1/98 -0500, Barbara Ryan wrote:
>I seem to be having problems once I get onto the ptk rainforest website.
>When I click onto Interact and try to make a connection to anything listed
>there or on educator a get a Javascript error line 70. What is this? Can
>this be corrected? Help!Help Barbara Ryan
> Dolan Middle School
> Stamford,Ct.06906
>
>
>

website problems

From: Young_Karen/edu_snowline_serrano-high@omail.sbcss.k12.ca.us
Subject: website problems
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 1998 11:51:49 -0800
Back to top

I have the same problem on my 486 33Mhz computer at school. On my
pentium at home it works fine. It might be a good idea to make the page
accessible to those of us still in the computer stone age! Otherwise
the site looks fantastic.

Karen Young
Serrano High School
Phelan CA

> I seem to be having problems once I get onto the ptk rainforest
website.
> When I click onto Interact and try to make a connection to anything
listed
> there or on educator a get a Javascript error line 70. What is this?
Can
> this be corrected? Help!Help Barbara Ryan
> Dolan Middle School
> Stamford,Ct.06906
>

Re: website problems

From: Young_Karen/edu_snowline_serrano-high@omail.sbcss.k12.ca.us
Subject: Re: website problems
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 1998 12:01:43 -0800
Back to top

I was apparently a little too hasty with my "me too" about the website.
On my 486, I only have Netscape 2.0--I guess its time to upgrade.
Thanks for the info.

Karen Young
Serrano High School

> Hello Barbara,
>
> I had already replied to your message to me when I saw this. I have
sent
> you a message asking for information about your browser and computer.
Once
> I have this I can help.
>
> The technology used at the website is two years old. In order to
access the
> site you need to be using at least Netscape 3.0 or Internet Explorer
4.0.
> You can use these even on the slower computers and slower modems. I
have
> been able to access the site without problems using a PC that is a 386
> upgraded to a 486, with 8 meg of RAM and using a 14.4 modem, but I do
have
> Netscape 3.0. Both Netscape 4.0 and Internet Explorer 4.0 can be
downloaded
> for free. Even people who have AOL accounts can use either of these
> browsers on AOL.
>
> Eileen Bendixsen
> Moderator, DISCUSS-LFRF
> For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE, see:
> http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov
>
>
> At 07:12 PM 4/1/98 -0500, Barbara Ryan wrote:
> >I seem to be having problems once I get onto the ptk rainforest
website.
> >When I click onto Interact and try to make a connection to anything
listed
> >there or on educator a get a Javascript error line 70. What is this?
Can
> >this be corrected? Help!Help Barbara Ryan
> > Dolan Middle School
> > Stamford,Ct.06906
> >
> >
> >
>

CHALLENGE QUESTION - WEEK #5

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: CHALLENGE QUESTION - WEEK #5
Date: Fri, 03 Apr 1998 07:01:49 -0500
Back to top

***CHALLENGE QUESTION - WEEK #5***

Is the answer in the dictionary? Have you looked online? What other
reference books are there?

Take the Challenge!!!

In GEOsystem there's information about rainforests around the world,
including those on the fascinating island of Madagascar, which is said to be
the "4th largest island in the world." So our Challenge Question for this
week is "What are the THREE largest islands in the world?"

You are invited to send original student answers to: ebend@netlabs.net
Please include the words CHALLENGE QUESTION in the subject line of your

email. I will announce the classes that submit correct answers next week.

Answers are due by Wednesday, April 8 at 10:00 pm EST.

I apologize for the delay in posting this week's challenge question and
last week's winners. We had a storm go through Wednesday night and I could
not go online. This meant trying to do two night's work in one last night.
Last week's winners will be posted tonight.

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, DISCUSS-LFRF
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE, see:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov

Week #4 Challenge Question Winners

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: Week #4 Challenge Question Winners
Date: Sun, 05 Apr 1998 09:08:15 -0400
Back to top

***AND THE WINNERS ARE***

What color is a jaguar?

Hint--it's not as simple as you might think, and you need to keep looking
(just as you must do if you're walking in the rainforest!)

Well, even though the LFRF poster has a picture of a spotted black and
yellow jaguar, some of our Journals talk about scary encounters with black
jaguars in the rainforest. What's going on? Are jaguars black or spotted? It
turns out--BOTH. And it's not that there are different species with
different colorations. Even black jaguars have spots--it's just that black
hairs cover them up--one reason our "hint" said you had to look very
carefully.

Our question about the jaguar was a big hit this week. All the responses
talked about the spotted black and yellow jaguar. Mrs. Dwelley's second
grade class from Hydesville, California even had the parents involved in
this one. They thought that jaguars could be black while the students only
reported the more traditional black spots with beige, gold and white
coloring. Many of the other responses talked about black jaguars, but no
one realized that they still had spots.

Two classes sent in urls for our list. I thought I'd pass them along to
everyone.

My third grade class has been researching the color of jaguars. We
found that a jaguar has brownish yellow base fur with dark rosettes.
There are small spots or irregular shapes inside the rosettes. Some
jaguars are black. We have a website to share about jaguars.

http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/agarman/bco2ns.htm

Mrs. Florence's Third Grade Class
Sara Collins Elementary
Greenville, South Carolina

Sites we used
Jaguar
http://ds.dial.pipex.com/agarman/jaguar.htm

rainforest animals
http://www.wellpinit.wednet.edu/jscott/studpage/3/webdoc3.htm

What is a Black Panther
http://ds.dial.pipex.com/agarman/faq2.htm

Mrs. Wall's
Rainforest Trekers
John Wayland Elementary

***

The second week 4 CQ (submitted by one of our PTK Advocates (many thanks!)
was, "There's a breed of chicken that has made an unusual adaptation to life
in the Amazon Rainforest. What is the breed of that chicken and what is its
adaptation?"

Answer: the Amazon Aracana Chicken and it lays greenish eggs so they are
less visible in the Rainforest.

Many classes sent in adaptations of chickens, but no one found this one.
Guess (sorry, Seuss-fans!) there are no "Green Eggs" web sites...

***

In the end everyone was really a winner this week. All of the classes
talked about their research and what they had learned.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Mrs. Florence's Third Grade Class, Susan Hurstcalderone's students at
Blessed Sacrament School, Mrs. Wall's Rainforest Trekers at John Wayland
Elementary, Mrs. Dwelley's Second Grade from Hydesville, California, Sarah
Balace-Trim' fourth graders at the Brussels American School, and Mitchell

Luban from Mrs. Hammonds' class who submitted answers this week.

I've received two responses already to this week's Challenge Questions.

Don't be the only school to miss out this week. Answers are due back by
Wednesday, April 8, 1998 at 10:00 EST. I will post the winners Wednesday
night so that schools going on spring break will receive the message before
they leave.

Good Luck!!!

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, DISCUSS-LFRF
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE, see:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov

"THIS WEEK" IN "LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST"!!!

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: "THIS WEEK" IN "LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST"!!!
Date: Mon, 06 Apr 1998 00:23:58 -0400
Back to top

Welcome to "THIS WEEK" IN "LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST"!!!

This Tuesday students and teachers everywhere are invited to travel to one
of the most amazing places on earth - the heart of the Amazon Rainforest.
In Program 1, "MISSION TO PLANET EARTH," we will see the mightiest river on
Earth, learn about leaf-cutter ants and the cecropia tree, and get to meet
some of the researchers who study them up close and personal. And if that
isn't enough you will also have the opportunity to interact with
world-class experts.

For the first time, LFRF will not only answer a few, selected e-mail
questions directly, on air, during the live program, but also provide a

panel of researchers to individually answer e-mail questions submitted
during the program, and for the hour immediately following.

To submit questions: send a brief e-mail to

onair@passport.ivv.nasa.gov

If you like, you can provide a simple description in the subject heading
(e.g., frogs, ants, trees, etc.) but that's not necessary. You should soon

receive an answer back, and the entire "onair" archive of questions and

answers will soon be mounted online for future reference (in the INTERACT
section of the web site.)

Here's the stellar list of researchers waiting in Washington to interact
with your budding scientists:

Francisco Dallmeier, Tropical Ecology

Fred Engle, Measuring Tropical Deforestation though satellite imaging and
"ground-truthing"

Adrian Forsyth, Tropical ecology, specializing in entomology (and co-author
of the wonderful book, "Tropical Nature", referenced in the LFRF Teacher's
Guide.)

Tom Fritts, Amphibians and Reptiles (special interest in Galapagos Turtles
and Brown Tree Snakes)

Tom Lovejoy, Conservation Biologist and Counselor to the Secretary (of the
Smithsonian) for Biodiversity and Environmental Affairs (see "TEAMS"
Homefront)

Abelardo Sandoval, Bio-cultural diversity of the tropical rainforests
(who's prepared to take questions in Spanish as well as English)

Ted Schultz, Ants, especially fungus-growing ants

Marsha Sitnik, Director, Biodiversity Programs

Kim Nichols, Education and Outreach, Biodiversity Programs

Program 1: "MISSION TO PLANET EARTH," APRIL 7, will be broadcast over NASA
TV and PBS stations at 13:00-14:00 PM EDT. Some stations tape the live
broadcasts and show them at a different time, so check local listings.

***

Data collection begins on the Backyard Biodiversity Survey this week. The
form for data collection was posted to the debate list tonight. It is still
not too late to join us for data collection. Students will be going out
during the next two weeks to collect data and then return to their sites
two weeks later to observe the changes that have taken place.

If you have any questions about this activity, please do not hesitate to
contact Susan Hurstcalderone or myself
and we will promptly respond and let you know what you
and your class need to do.

***

Welcome to Syu who posted his introduction this week. Don't miss our first
live broadcast this Tuesday and take advantage of the opportunity to get

your questions answered in real time. We would love to have your feedback
on Tuesday's live broadcast and the opportunity to send questions to the
researchers. Teacher input is very important to this project.

Have a great week!

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, DISCUSS-LFRF
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE, see:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov

Denver area broadcasts

From: "Janet K. Cook"
Subject: Denver area broadcasts
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1998 20:16:29 -0600
Back to top

Just heard from our Denver PBS station Channel 6. Here's the scoop:

We will be broadcasting these programs on a one day delay...so our
broadcasts are April 8, 15, 22 and 29 at 1:00 p.m. Hope that helps,
Katie Eck
Instructional Services Coordinator
RMPBN

Janet K. Cook
Sinclair Middle School
300 W. Chenango
Englewood, CO 80110
(303) 781-7817 (w) (303)806-2000 x1904 (vm)

LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST--onair@passport

From: Geoffrey Haines-Stiles
Subject: LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST--onair@passport
Date: Tue, 07 Apr 1998 00:14:14 -0400
Back to top

Marty, Lorey and other members of DISCUSS-LFRF!

We've not been "sloth"-ful... in fact we have some great images of sloths
for tomorrow's live program, but...

...just in case you did not read your recent Updates or other messages, we
wanted to let you know about a pretty neat opportunity to let your students
tap directly into one major source of information about rainforests and
bidiversity... the experts of the Smithsonian Institution, in close to real
time. Go ahead, we'll let you tape the program and re-live it later, and
take advantage of this unique real-time opportunity. Here's how... and hope
to see you (OK, read about you) online!

Onwards and Upwards,

GHS

***

ONAIR@PASSPORT... Real-time e-mail experts, and how to get connected

LFRF has benefited greatly from the cooperation of researchers working in
the INPA/Smithsonian project studying forest fragmentation: it's the kind of
personal involvement of scientists which has always characterized PTK projects.

But now you and your students have the chance for more direct and extensive
interaction with world-class experts than ever before.

For the first time, LFRF will not only answer a few, selected e-mail
questions directly, on air, during the live program, but also provide a

panel of researchers to individually answer e-mail questions submitted
during the program, and for the hour immediately following. It's an
experiment, so we hope you'll participate and help us push the envelope
during the 3 LFRF programs, and LIVE FROM THE POLES (April 28.)

Here's how to submit questions: send a brief e-mail to

onair@passport.ivv.nasa.gov

If you like, you can provide a simple description in the subject heading
(e.g., frogs, ants, trees, etc.) but that's not necessary. The questions
will flow into the Smithsonian Institution's Electronic Classroom, at the
National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., operated by NMNH's

Natural Partners Program, and be answered by specialists from the

Smithsonian's Biodiversity Programs. You should soon receive an answer back,

and the entire "onair" archive of questions and answers will soon be mounted
online for future reference (in the INTERACT section of the web site.)

Thanks to all at the Smithsonian! Let us know how this works for you and
your students.

Here's the stellar list of researchers waiting in Washington to interact
with your budding scientists:

Francisco Dallmeier, Tropical Ecology

Fred Engle, Measuring Tropical Deforestation though satellite imaging and
"ground-truthing"

Adrian Forsyth, Tropical ecology, specializing in entomology (and co-author
of the wonderful book, "Tropical Nature", referenced in the LFRF Teacher's
Guide.)

Tom Fritts, Amphibians and Reptiles (special interest in Galapagos Turtles
and Brown Tree Snakes)

Tom Lovejoy, Conservation Biologist and Counselor to the Secretary (of the
Smithsonian) for Biodiversity and Environmental Affairs (see "TEAMS" Homefront)

Abelardo Sandoval, Bio-cultural diversity of the tropical rainforests
(who's prepared to take questions in Spanish as well as English)

Ted Schultz, Ants, especially fungus-growing ants

Marsha Sitnik, Director, Biodiversity Programs

Kim Nichols, Education and Outreach, Biodiversity Programs

And live on camera in Brazil, there'll be Rita Mesquita and Claude Gascon,

answering questions on the forest and on frogs. Program 1: "MISSION TO
PLANET EARTH," APRIL 7, should be quite exciting adventure. See you there!
Geoff Haines-Stiles
Project Director, PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE & the LIVE FROM... specials
"electronic field trips to scientific frontiers"
Real Science, Real Scientists, Real Locations, Real Time
vox: 973.656.9403 * fax: 973.656.9813 * mobile: 908.305.7061
alt. e-mail: ptkghs@aol.com
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov
Antarctica... Stratosphere... Hubble... Mars... Rainforest... the Arctic,
and more

Today's Broadcast and Onair Archives

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: Today's Broadcast and Onair Archives
Date: Tue, 07 Apr 1998 18:17:47 -0400
Back to top

Dear Discuss-lfrf Members,

It has been great to hear all of the wonderful comments about today's

broadcast. What a thrill to have the kids questions answered so quickly.
You should have seen the smile on one of my students faces when I told my
tenth period class that his question was mentioned by one of the scientists
as one of the great questions from the kids. We had spent the period
yesterday working on our questions.

The archive for the onair questions is already on the LFRF web site. To see

the questions and answers go to http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov/rainforest and
under INTERACT click on On-Air.

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, Discuss-lfrf

Super program!!

From: bauma@mail.unionsd.k12.ca.us (Alice Baum)
Subject: Super program!!
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 14:48:40 -0800
Back to top

What a wonderful program we watched today!! Thanks so much to all of you
who put so much time, energy, and enthusiasm into it!

Alice Baum
California

Re: onair@passport

From: Ginny Dexter
Subject: Re: onair@passport
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 17:26:28 -0700 (PDT)
Back to top

Dear Geoff and LFR staff,
Wow, wow, wow, what a job well done! The broadcast was absolutely
fantastic! I could tell that the students were loving it! They loved the
way the frog sounded and now want to bring in their frogs! The students
submitted a lot of questions as they are each researching a rainforest
animal and have been on-line looking up information. They were very

excited about the panel of scientists available to answer their questions!

AND the answers are already in. You should of seen their faces when they

realized that they had their answers already. What a great way to do an
interactive show. Yesterday, the students got to play the food-web game,
and they have spent three periods in the computer lab reading and
researching in the Live from the Rainforest website and so they were very
ready for this broadcast. Next week we are out but our local PBS station
is broadcasting locally so our students can still see the program.
Thanks again for a job well done!!! It was beautifully done and we
really appreciate all the hard work it took to get this program to us!
Ginny, Hydesville School, Hydesville, CA

Re: Today's Broadcast and Onair Archives

From: "Janet K. Cook"
Subject: Re: Today's Broadcast and Onair Archives
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 19:44:41 -0600
Back to top

TEN PERIODS??? Either you have a very long school day or very short
periods. How do you do labs with such short times? Why do you have so many
periods? I die with 45 minutes per class--wish we had another hour in the
day so we had more time. Does anyone else have challenges with short
periods? How do you handle it?
janet

PS Glad everyone seems to have enjoyed the broadcast. I know they've
worked hard. We get to see it tomorrow afternoon. Sure hope our bond
issue passes! A satellite system is one of the items!
Janet K. Cook
Sinclair Middle School
300 W. Chenango
Englewood, CO 80110
(303) 781-7817 (w) (303)806-2000 x1904 (vm)
-----Original Message-----

Today's Broadcast and Onair Archives

From: "Janet K. Cook"
Subject: Today's Broadcast and Onair Archives
Date: Tuesday, April 07, 1998 4:32 PM
Back to top

>Dear Discuss-lfrf Members,
>
>It has been great to hear all of the wonderful comments about today's

>broadcast. What a thrill to have the kids questions answered so quickly.
>You should have seen the smile on one of my students faces when I told my
>tenth period class that his question was mentioned by one of the scientists
>as one of the great questions from the kids. We had spent the period
>yesterday working on our questions.
>
>The archive for the onair questions is already on the LFRF web site. To see

>the questions and answers go to http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov/rainforest and
>under INTERACT click on On-Air.
>
>Eileen Bendixsen
>Moderator, Discuss-lfrf
>
>

Re: Today's Broadcast and Onair Archives

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: Re: Today's Broadcast and Onair Archives
Date: Tue, 07 Apr 1998 21:58:36 -0400
Back to top

We actually have eight full periods which are 42 minutes each. Periods 4,
5, 6, and 7 are each 22 minutes long because they are lunch periods, but in
a regular class meeting at that time the class meets for two of those
periods. The other 22 minutes is added to a math class or language arts
class so that it meets for an hour.

Eileen

At 07:44 PM 4/7/98 -0600, Janet K. Cook wrote:
>TEN PERIODS??? Either you have a very long school day or very short
>periods. How do you do labs with such short times? Why do you have so many
>periods? I die with 45 minutes per class--wish we had another hour in the
>day so we had more time. Does anyone else have challenges with short
>periods? How do you handle it?
>janet
>
>PS Glad everyone seems to have enjoyed the broadcast. I know they've
>worked hard. We get to see it tomorrow afternoon. Sure hope our bond
>issue passes! A satellite system is one of the items!
>Janet K. Cook
>Sinclair Middle School
>300 W. Chenango
>Englewood, CO 80110
>(303) 781-7817 (w) (303)806-2000 x1904 (vm)
>-----Original Message-----

Today's Broadcast and Onair Archives

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: Today's Broadcast and Onair Archives
Date: Tuesday, April 07, 1998 4:32 PM
Back to top

broadcast

From: "Amanda Buice"
Subject: broadcast
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 08:44:23 -0400
Back to top

The broadcast yesterday was excellent. The children were impressed that

their questions were answered so promptly. We are turning our room into a
rain forest, researching animals, listening to tapes of rain forest
sounds,... Thanks for all the hard work!!!!

Amanda Buice
Lamar Co. Elementary

RAINFOREST WEBCHATS TODAY! TALK ABOUT LATE-BREAKING NEWS...

From: Geoffrey Haines-Stiles
Subject: RAINFOREST WEBCHATS TODAY! TALK ABOUT LATE-BREAKING NEWS...
Date: Wed, 08 Apr 1998 09:42:58 -0400
Back to top

Hello, All:

The LFRF team in the Amazon and in the US have been delighted with the
positive responses we've heard so far from teachers and students to
yesterday's live program.

And though generator problems and last-minute schedule changes--as
ever!--are making things "subject to change", we want to plug ahead with
what we always billed as a bit of an experiment: the first-ever live webchat
from the Amazon.

Guest Rita Mesquita (whom you saw on camera yesterday) should be on hand
this morning, though since we may lose power, and she has to leave earlier
than expected this afternoon, GHS as Project Director (and just back from

the rainforest) will also be on hand to answer questions as a pinch-hitter.

So, point your browsers to:

http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/chat/prj_ltc/mesquita/main/chat.cgi

We are planning rainforest chats TODAY April 8th from 10:00-11:00 Eastern
and from 15:00-16:00 Eastern (for those western time zone teachers and
students.) We hope to work out the bugs (sorry, insects) this week, and plan
more widely publicized LFRF Amazon webchats for the next 2 weeks.

Thanks to Quest and RSPAC for the assistance in setting things up... and,

Onwards and Upwards, in real-time learning,

GHS
Geoff Haines-Stiles
Project Director, PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE & the LIVE FROM... specials
"electronic field trips to scientific frontiers"
Real Science, Real Scientists, Real Locations, Real Time
vox: 973.656.9403 * fax: 973.656.9813 * mobile: 908.305.7061
alt. e-mail: ptkghs@aol.com
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov
Antarctica... Stratosphere... Hubble... Mars... Rainforest... the Arctic,
and more

Challenge Question Winners - Week #5

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: Challenge Question Winners - Week #5
Date: Wed, 08 Apr 1998 23:28:58 -0400
Back to top

***CHALLENGE QUESTION WINNERS WEEK #5***

In GEOsystem there's information about rainforests around the world,
including those on the fascinating island of Madagascar, which is said to be
the "4th largest island in the world." So our Challenge Question for this
week is "What are the THREE largest islands in the world?"

Answer:
1) Greenland
2) New Guinea
3) Bornea

Australia is a continent and therefore is not considered an island.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Joey M. and Stephen L. of the St. Brendan School, Stephanie Wong, Jamie
Jenkins and Mindy Crowell from Mrs. Buice's class, Kyle Bess and Mrs.
Maris's Homeroom at Jefferson Elementary, Mrs. Wall's fourth grade at John
Wayland Elementary, Mrs. Dwelley's Second graders, Michael C. from
Eastridge School, Mrs. Ryan's 7th grade science class, and Mrs. Ryan's
French group at Dolan MS, and Melissa Armelin and Colleen O"Neil from

Science 6AB at Blessed Sacrament School for submitting correct answers this
week.

Mrs. Wall's fourth grade also submitted their url:
http://www.tigerx.com/trivia/islands.htm

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, Discuss-lfrf
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE, see:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov

Challenge Question Week #6

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: Challenge Question Week #6
Date: Wed, 08 Apr 1998 23:39:40 -0400
Back to top

***CHALLENGE QUESTION - WEEK #6***

Many of last week's winners used the almanac to find their answers, but I
think you are going to have to look further than the almanac this week. Our
first correct response was submitted less than 10 hours after the question
was posted. Great job Joey M. and Stephen L. Who will be first this week?

Take the Challenge!!!

What feature, used to tell how old a tree may be, is missing from most
rainforests? Why?

You are invited to send original student answers to: ebend@netlabs.net
Please include the words CHALLENGE QUESTION in the subject line of your

email. I will announce the classes that submit correct answers next week.

Answers are due back by Tuesday, April 14 at 10:00 pm EST. This is one day
early because I will be at the NSTA Convention the rest of the week. I will
post the winners and the next question Tuesday night.

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, DISCUSS-LFRF
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE, see:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov

Re: Great Backyard Biodiversity Study

From: Ginny
Subject: Re: Great Backyard Biodiversity Study
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1998 23:54:41 -0700
Back to top

Dear debaters and LFRF's,
My students and I had a great experience today with the backyard
biodiversity survey. And I have to share this with you! Have any of you
heard of the Headwaters Rainforest? It is in the community that I teach.
Just outside of this virgin oldgrowth redwood forest are families that live
in our district with a "backyard" of redwood forests. It is a unique
experience for our students to compare and contrast tropical and temperate
rainforest and allows me an avenue to to teach appreciation and value for
both. So we took our school bus today and six meter sticks, thermometers,
plastic bags, stakes, clipboards and pencils and headed for Maggie's
"backyard". What a wonderful experience. I made each student a survey
sheet to use for collecting their data on each species; that, I am
including below.
Next week we are out for break, but the following week they will do
their second study of the site, after they have had time in class to
hopefully find the scientific name for each of their organisms and had an
opportunity to view them under microscopes. I feel this is a great
experience for my students and I to take a 'new look' at the incredible
environment that we live in and also to learn about another rainforest
like/and unlike our own. We are looking forward to sharing our study with
all of you and to find the similarities and differencies.
Ginny, Hydesville, CA

Biodiversity Survey Data Collection

Your name: ___________________________________
Students in your group: __________________________
Date: ______________
Time: ______________
Latitude and Longitude of site: _____________________

Your group needs to choose a plot that is one square meter.
You will be recording and counting the different species in this meter square.
Name of species/genus _______________________
How many are in your plot? ____________________

Describe the amount of light for your plot (full shade, part sun or full
sun): _________________________________

Write the temperature of your plot in Celsius:
_____________________________________________

Describe the amount of moisture for your plot (very dry,
dry, moist wet (standing water): _____________________
______________________________________________

Describe the organism you observed in detail: Color, size,where you found
the organism (above ground or how deep below ground):
_____________________________ ______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________

On the back of this sheet make a map of your plot and draw your organisms
that you are observing.

Re: Great Backyard Biodiversity Study

From: Ginny
Subject: Re: Great Backyard Biodiversity Study
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 08:13:58 -0700
Back to top

Re: Primary Reference on Rainforest

From: Sally Dwelley
Subject: Re: Primary Reference on Rainforest
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 15:43:54 -0700 (PDT)
Back to top

For all the K-2 teachers who are looking for a fun way to teach the
rainforest, I would heartily recommend ROBERTO'S RAINFOREST. It's a
product of Interact, learning through involvement. (800) 359-0961. We
haven't decided about turning our whole room into a rainforest yet!
Enjoy, Sally Dwelley
Hydesville Elem.

Concentration

From: 4cooks@msn.com
Subject: Concentration
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 22:09:45 -0400
Back to top

Ok guys, take the challenge. I did the concentration puzzle in 25 moves on my first try. Who can beat me?!
:-) janet

LIVE FROM THE AMAZON--WEB CHATS THIS COMING MONDAY AND

From: Geoffrey Haines-Stiles
Subject: LIVE FROM THE AMAZON--WEB CHATS THIS COMING MONDAY AND
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 11:46:52 -0400
Back to top

Hello, Advocates and "Discuss"-ants (leaf-cutters or not!)

If you are subscribed to UPDATES-LFRF and you already noted the rare chance
to "web chat" live with researchers appearing on next Tuesday's LFRF program
2--dump this note forthwith to save time.

But if you've not heard about this unique opportunity--for students in
class, or teachers whose youngsters are on recess but who want to gather
background on LFRF--READ ON.

We tested the chat system and the software end to end last week with a few
pioneering teachers and program 1 guest Rita Mesquita, and it all worked
well. We hope this week that the generators will keep working and no
torrential rain will interrupt the satellite link, and so enable us to
deliver what we can, with some pride, billboard as "the first-ever
educational Webchats direct from the heart of the Amazon rainforest" this
Monday and Tuesday, 4/13 and 4/14.

Given the number of schools on break and this shorter than usual notice,
these chats will >not< require the usual pre-registration, but they will be
moderated.

Joining us between 13:30-14:30 Eastern on Monday 4/13 will be small mammal
expert MARCELO LIMA (see this week's UPDATE for his Biography.) Good topics
would be monkeys, genetic analysis and habitat conservation--as well as what
makes for good food at a rainforest field camp!

Between 09:30 and 10:30 Tuesday, our guest will be SUSAN LAURANCE (see TEAMS
online for more.) Topics for Susan can include birds, rainforest ecology,
and international comparisons of forest fragmentation.

As noted above, both Marcelo and Susan are guests during Tuesday's live
program. And we hope that providing times which work for both East and West
coasts will mean we'll get lots of participation from LFRF activists.

Conserving resources as befits a rainforest project, we're recycling the
same address as for last week: so point your browsers to:

http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/chat/prj_ltc/mesquita/main/chat.cgi

Many thanks to NASA Quest (which prototyped this kind of educational web
chat) and NASA RSPAC for setting up these unprecedented interactive experiences!

Hope to see you online! And happy chatting.

GHS
Geoff Haines-Stiles
Project Director, PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE & the LIVE FROM... specials
"electronic field trips to scientific frontiers"
Real Science, Real Scientists, Real Locations, Real Time
vox: 973.656.9403 * fax: 973.656.9813 * mobile: 908.305.7061
alt. e-mail: ptkghs@aol.com
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov
Antarctica... Stratosphere... Hubble... Mars... Rainforest... the Arctic,
and more

This Week's Panel of Scientists

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: This Week's Panel of Scientists
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1998 14:47:43 -0400
Back to top

Dear Discuss-lfrf Members,

We had many positive responses to our panel of scientists last week.
Teachers expressed how excited students were to have their questions

answered so quickly. Others talked about students who had plugged along all
year without a great deal of success and the smiles on their faces when

their questions were answered. We will offer this excellent opportunity
again this Tuesday during our second live broadcast - WORLDS BENEATH THE
CANOPY.

To submit questions for Tuesday's broadcast: send a brief e-mail to

onair@passport.ivv.nasa.gov

If you like, you can provide a simple description in the subject heading
(e.g., fish, birds, mammals, termites, etc.) but that's not necessary. The
questions will flow into the Smithsonian Institution's Electronic Classroom
at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., operated by

NMNH's "Natural Partners" Program, and be answered by specialists from the

Smithsonian's Biodiversity Programs. Students should soon receive an answer

back, and the entire "onair" archive of questions and answers will be
mounted online for future reference (in the INTERACT section of the web site.)

Thanks to all at the Smithsonian! Let us know how this works for you and
your students.

Here's the impressive list of researchers waiting in Washington to interact
with your budding scientists:

Mike Braun--Birds and their evolution

Russell Greenberg--Ornithologist--Tropical forest birds and birds that
migrate to the tropics

Mary Hagedorn--Fishes, especially electric fish

Michael Robinson--Director of the National Zoo, and a specialist in the
behavior of tropical animals (who'll also be an on-air guest, speaking about
rainforest issues and how we study them)

Abelardo Sandoval--Bio-cultural diversity of tropical rainforests

Charles Handley--Mammals of the western hemisphere, especially bats

Matt Kane--Termites and how they recycle the rainforests and impact global
warming

David Nickle--Entomologists specializing in katydids, grasshoppers and
accessing the canopy.

Kim Nichols--Biodiversity Programs and general ecology

Marsha Sitnik--Biodiversity Programs and general ecology

Encourage your students to take advantage of this unique opportunity to
"Pick a Scientist's Brain"! As always, be sure they're sending questions
relevant to the program, and not asking something they can easily look up at
school or online. Given the high quality of the questions asked last time,
we're all looking forward to getting the next set of student inquiries.

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, DISCUSS-LFRF
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE, see:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov

"THIS WEEK" IN "LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST"!!!

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: "THIS WEEK" IN "LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST"!!!
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 1998 22:44:54 -0400
Back to top

Welcome to "THIS WEEK" IN "LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST"!!!

Between web chats, live broadcasts, and our panel of scientists this should
be an exciting week. Even if you are on spring break you can still
participate, and there is more to come over the next couple of weeks.

Monday, April 13:
13:30-14:30 Eastern (17:30-18:30 UTC)
Web chat with Marcelo Lima. Good topics would be monkeys, genetic analysis
and habitat conservation--as well as what makes for good food at a
rainforest field camp!

Tuesday, April 14:
9:30 and 10:30 Eastern (13:30-14:30 UTC)
Web chat with Susan Laurance. Topics for Susan can include birds,
rainforest ecology, and international comparisons of forest fragmentation.

13:00-14:00 Eastern (17:00-18:00 UTC)
Program #2 World's Beneath the Canopy. In program #2 we will get to meet
the howler monkeys and dung beetles we've heard about, and go hunting for
bats. Our guests will be Marcelo Lima and Susan Laurance. The major theme
of the program is the mutualistic relationships between the plants and
animals living in the rainforest. Activity 2.3 in the LFRF Teacher's Guide,
"The Tropical Rainforest Food Web Game", is an excellent lead in to this
broadcast.

13:00-15:00 Eastern (17:00-19:00 UTC)

Our panel of scientists will be answering students' questions sent in by
e-mail to:

onair@passport.ivv.nasa.gov

This had such a positive reaction in classrooms last week that I really
encourage you to participate in this unique opportunity. Good topics for
this week are birds and their evolution, bats, biodiversity, katydids, and
termites and how they recycle the rainforest and impact on global warming.
For a complete list of this week's guests and their specialties see
Friday's updates-lfrf or the message I posted to the list yesterday.

***

"THE GREAT MOLD RACE"

Over the next several weeks we are inviting classes to participate in the
Great Mold Race. Using Activity 2.4.2 in the LFRF Teacher's Guide students
will first explore the variables that affect mold growth and then a contest
can be staged for the fastest or slowest mold growth. "Mold Races" can be
set up in matching disposable test tubes lying side by side. Dark
environments can be created using foil coverings. Winners can be determined
when the mold reaches the far end of the test tube!

Once you have declared your "Mold Race" winner send me the results. We will
publish a list of the winners at the end of April or the beginning of May.
I must warn you, though, that my room is the mold spore capital of the world.

***

STUDENT WORK

We would like to feature the work of your students on the Live From The
Rainforest web site. To submit student work send me a message and I will
give you instructions on how to send your samples or follow the
instructions in the "Classroom Connection" section of "INTERACT". Marilyn
Wall sent us pictures of the covers her students made for their rainsticks.
They will be placed on the web site this week. Take a look! We would love
to see this section grow over the next couple of weeks!

***

Reminder:

Challenge Questions are due back Tuesday, April 14 by 10:00 pm EDT.

I will be at the NSTA convention from Wednesday, April 15 until late
Sunday, April 19. If you send me a message during that time don't think
I've forgotten you. I will not have access to my e-mail. You will receive

an answer as soon as I return.

Have a great week and see you online at our web chats!

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, Discuss-lfrf
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE see:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov

SPECIAL EDITION: LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST Update April 13,

From: Geoffrey Haines-Stiles
Subject: SPECIAL EDITION: LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST Update April 13,
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1998 23:47:39 -0400
Back to top

LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST Update April 13, 1998 Volume 7, Issue 20
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Special Edition: late-breaking news from LFRF
NASA-TV pre-empting LFRF #2: alternate C-band coordinates provided!
Interact!
LFRF #2: an outline script to help establish "anticipatory set"

***

With the hours ticking down to tomorrow's live broadcast, this bulletin will
focus only on three important points:

1) confirming satellite coordinates for PBS Ku-band carriage, and alerting
you to NASA-TV C-band pre-emption

2) two unique opportunities for interaction, and

3) providing an outline script.

***

Satellite coordinates

Ku-band
PTK's LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST (LFRF) program 2, "Worlds Beneath the Canopy"
and program 3, "Connect Globally, Act Locally", will be fed live from 13:00
Eastern-13:59:29 on April 14 and April 21 respectively. Running time is
59:29. Test time (bars and/or slate) from 12:30-13:00 Eastern.

Satellite coordinates:
Ku-band, GE-3 (87 degrees West), transponder 13 Horizontal, 11960 Mhz, audio
on 6.2 and 6.8

C-band
C-band coverage on NASA-TV is being pre-empted by live interaction between
Vice President Gore and the Space Shuttle.

HOWEVER...
An additional C-band signal is available, from 13:00-14:00 ONLY (e.g., no
test time) on Telstar 5, transponder 17C. (On April 21, this will be
Transponder 18C)

This C-band signal, initially acquired by PTK as a service for Alaska's PBS
stations in preparation for LIVE FROM THE POLES, is a turnaround from GE-3.

TROUBLE NUMBERS:

Primary technical trouble number:
at MSU TV Center: 601.325.1332

Back-up/alternate technical trouble number:
uplink truck: 601.325.8625

***

Interactive Opportunities: Webchat and ONAIR@PASSPORT...

Webchats: Live from the Amazon, and direct to a computer near you...

Between 09:30 and 10:30 Tuesday, April 14, 1998, our guests will be Susan
Laurance and Marcelo Lima (see TEAMS online for more.) Topics for Susan can
include birds, rainforest ecology, and international comparisons of forest
fragmentation. Given the number of schools on break and this shorter than
usual notice, this chat will not require the usual pre-registration, but
will be moderated. Go to:

http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/chat/prj_ltc/mesquita/main/chat.cgi

Both Marcelo and Susan are guests during Tuesday's live program.

###

ONAIR@PASSPORT... a panel of rainforest experts at the Smithsonian

During LFRF, world-class scientists will answer not just a few e-mail

questions on air, but also provide individual answers during the program and
for the hour immediately following. Here's how to submit questions: send a
brief e-mail to

onair@passport.ivv.nasa.gov

If you like, you can provide a simple description in the subject heading
(e.g., fish, birds, mammals, termites, etc.) but that's not necessary. The
questions will flow into the Smithsonian Institution's Electronic Classroom
at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., operated by

NMNH's "Natural Partners" Program, and be answered by specialists from the

Smithsonian's Biodiversity Programs. Students should soon receive an answer

back, and the entire "onair" archive of questions and answers will be
mounted online for future reference (in the INTERACT section of the website.)

***

Program outline for student orientation:

Program 2 "WORLDS BENEATH THE CANOPY"
Continuity script, Rev 2, as of 4-13-98
To air live April 14, 1998, 13:00 Eastern

VTR = tape package rolled from MSU
GFX = graphics element from MSU

Segment times appear in (parens) and program running time
(e.g. time from the top of the show, which is 13:00 Eastern,
straight up) in [angle brackets] End of show is 59:19:59

1) UNDERWRITER ANNOUNCE / VTR (00:10) [00:10]
NSF and NASA logos, rainforest bgd., voice over
LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AND THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS
AND SPACE ADMINSTRATION
2) TEASE / LIVE pan/zoom from Ariau (00:30) [00:40]
CAMILLE VO
CAMILLE LIVE:
WHAT YOU ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW IS A LIVE PICTURE DIRECT
FROM THE HEART OF THE AMAZON RAINFOREST

THROUGH THE TREES OF THE FOREST CANOPY YOU CAN SEE GLINTS
OF THE RIO NEGRO

NOW, GO AHEAD, BRAZIL, SWITCH TO THE OTHER CAMERA

OK, WHAT WE ARE SEEING NOW ARE SOME WOOLY MONKEYS WHICH
LIVE CLOSE TO THE ARIAU AMAZON TOWERS, AN ECO-TOURIST LODGE
WHICH IS THE LOGISTICS BASE FOR OUR SERIES OF LIVE PROGRAMS

2A) CONTENT tease VTR (00:30) [01:10]
CAMILLE VO
"Last time this time", includes "Cristina and Florida", and Sao Paulo
scene-setters!
EDIT AT MSU, 4/13/98

Clips from LFRF #1: frog sounds, fish sounds, ants
LAST TIME WE WENT OUT AT NIGHT TO HUNT FOR FROGS

LISTENED TO THE SOUNDS OF ELECTRIC FISH

AND GOT UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH LEAF-CUTTER ANTS

Edit from new sequences
THIS TIME, WE'LL MEET HOWLER MONKEYS AND DUNG BEETLES

SEE HOW RESEARCHERS STUDY RAINFOREST BIRDS

GO OUT ONCE MORE AT NIGHT, BUT THIS TIME LOOKING AND
LISTENING FOR BATS

AND GET A STUDENT'S-EYE VIEW OF LIVING AND WORKING IN THE
FOREST.

Double box shot
FISH BIOLOGIST CRISTINA COX WILL INTERACT WITH STUDENTS IN
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA

Snippet of high speed sequence
AND WE'LL ALSO SEE HOW THE TV SIGNALS GET BACK HERE TO
NORTH AMERICA

SP scenes
AND TAKE QUESTIONS FROM SAO PAULO BRAZIL SINCE WE'RE LIVE
ALL ACROSS BRAZIL, NOT JUST IN THE UNITED STATES!!!

2B) CAMILLE / LIVE MSU (00:15) [01:25]
CAMILLE to camera, show welcome on teleprompter
Name super
I'M CAMILLE McCUE AND WELCOME, STUDENTS IN BRAZIL AND
NORTH AMERICA, TO "LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST"

NOW LET'S GO RIGHT BACK TO BRAZIL MARCELO

2C) MARCELO / LIVE riverbank (00:15) [01:40]
2D) WV INTRO / LIVE WV (00:15) [01:55]
CAMILLE live VO waving kids and cutaways
WE'VE GOT STUDENTS FROM WALNUT CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL, IN
ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, WITH US LIVE AT NASA'S "CLASSROOM OF THE
FUTURE", IN WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA HI KIDS!

AND BACK DOWN IN BRAZIL SUSAN LAURANCE
2E) SUSAN / LIVE platform (00:15) [02:10]
2F) CAMILLE / LIVE MSU >AND< SI, DC (00:20) [02:30]
CAMILLE to camera: "get your pencils for interaction address", and throws
to show open
CAMILLE TO CAMERA
CONTINUES VO SHOTS OF SI
AND WE'VE ALSO GOT A PANEL OF RAINFOREST EXPERTS AT THE

SMITHSONIAN IN WASHINGTON, DC, READY TO ANSWER YOUR E-MAIL
QUESTIONS GRAB A PEN OR PENCIL TO WRITE DOWN THAT
ADDRESS

LOTS TO DO, SO LET'S GET GOING WITH "LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST",
PROGRAM 2, "WORLDS BENEATH THE CANOPY"

3) SHOW OPEN / VTR with music and VO (00:45) [03:15]
program titles (Eng. & Port.) VO & music on tape

4A) SUSAN'S CAMERA / LIVE BRAZIL (01:00) [04:15]
CAMILLE elicits live VO comment (ONE) from SUSAN, about what we are
seeing RIGHT NOW
Place and SUSAN and LIVE supers
CAMILLE VOICE OVER LIVE SHOT:
SUSAN, SHOW US A LITTLE OF WHAT YOU AND OUR CAMERA CAN SEE
FROM RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE
SUSAN:
SHOWS AND TELLS
CUT BACK TO CAMILLE AND SWITCH CAMERA IN BRAZIL TO MARCELO
CAMILLE:
SUSAN, GREAT WE'VE GOT LOTS OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU, BUT
FIRST, MARCELO AND THE MONKEYS WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO SHOW
US?
4B) MARCELO'S CAMERA / LIVE BRAZIL (00:20) [04:35]
CAMILLE elicits live VO comment (ONE) from MARCELO, about what we
are seeing RIGHT NOWMONKEYS!!!
Place and MARCELO and LIVE supers
MARCELO:
SHOWS AND TELLS

5) CAMILLE / LIVE & GFX (00:40) [05:15]
INTRO SMITHSONIAN
CAMILLE:
WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE TRULY ARE "LIVE FROM THE
RAINFOREST" HOPE THOSE MONKEYS DON'T GET TOO PLAYFUL
WITH OUR CAMERA CABLES!!!

BUT EVEN IF THEY DO, WE'LL STILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR
QUESTIONS DOWN IN THE ELECTRONIC CLASSROOM OF THE
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY'S "NATURAL PARTNERS"
PROGRAM WE'VE GOT A VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE GROUP OF EXPERTS
STANDING BY TO TAKE YOUR E-MAIL QUESTIONS HERE'S A QUICK
INTRODUCTION BY NAME AND SPECIALITY

MICHAEL ROBINSONDirector, The National Zoo

MARY HAGEDORN, Fishespecially electric fish

DAVID NICKLEEntomologist (katydids, grasshoppers, etc.)

SANDEVAL ABELARDOBio-cultural diversity

RUSSELL GREENBERGBirds

MARSHA SITNIKEcology

(or KIM NICHOLSEcology)

CHARLES HANDLEYMammals, especially bats

And MATT KANETermites

TO GET ANSWERS FROM THESE EXPERTS DURING THIS LIVE PROGRAM
ONLY AND FOR ONE HOUR AFTER, E-MAIL YOUR QUESTION TO:

ONAIR@PASSPORT.IVV.NASA.GOV

IF YOU LIKE, PUT A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE QUESTIONFISH,
BIRDS, TREESIN THE SUBJECT LINE AND WE HOPE YOU'LL GET AN

ANSWER BACK REAL SOON

CAMILLE TO CAMERA
WELL, OUR PROGRAM'S CALLED "WORLDS BENEATH THE CANOPY"
SO LET'S INTRODUCE THE ENVIRONMENT WE'RE GOING TO EXPLORE
TODAY

6) FROM CANOPY TO UNDERSTORY / VTR & GFX (02:30)

[07:45]
CAMILLE VO
LAST TIME WE SAID THAT THE AMAZON BASIN
SO VAST IT'S LARGER THAN THE ENTIRE CONTINENTAL UNITED
STATESWAS IN FACT MANY DIFFERENT PLACES, SHAPED BY THE
ACIDIC, BLACK WATERS OF THE RIO NEGRO (NEH-GROW) AND THE
SEDMINENT-RICH WHITE WATERS OF THE RIO SOLIMOES (SOLLY-MOYS)

BUT IT'S JUST AS TRUE THAT TRAVELING ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY
FEET, FROM ROOT TO TREE-TOP, TAKES YOU THROUGH MANY
DIFFERENT WORLDS

THE TALLEST TREES IN A RAINFOREST ARE CALLED "EMERGENT"
THEY STICK UP 10-20 METERS ABOVE THE THICK CANOPY.

THEY ARE HOME TO MAJESTIC CREATURES SUCH AS HARPY EAGLES
AND COLORFUL BUTTERFLIES.

THE CANOPY ITSELF IS SO THICK THAT IT ALMOST APPEARSAS ONE
EXPLORER SAIDLIKE A THICK GREEN CARPET, A "FOREST ABOVE A
FOREST".

THIS IS WHERE MONKEYS NOISILY TRAVEL AERIAL FREEWAYS

AND WHERE SLOTHS LAZILY MUNCH THEIR FILL

THIS IS WHERE THE WORK OF THE FOREST GETS DONE, WHERE CHECK
PER CENT OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS HAPPENS.

HERE THE LEAVES ARE SO THICK THAT 90 PER CENT OF THE SUN'S
LIGHT IS EATEN UP BY PLANTS, AND IS ALMOST ENTIRELY BLOCKED
FROM REACHING THE REGIONS BELOW. IF YOU'RE A PLANT, THIS IS
WHERE THE ACTION IS, WHERE YOU WANT TO BE

BUT THERE'S MORE THAN ONE WAY OF GETTING UP TO THE SUN!

FOR EPIPHYTES, "AIR PLANTS", THE STRATEGY IS TO HITCH A RIDE ON
SOMEONE'S ELSE'S TRUNK TO SAVE YOURSELF THE EFFORT AND
ENERGY OF BUILDING ALL THAT WOODY STRUCTURE

EPIPHYTES, IN TURN, ARE HOME TO FROGS AND SALAMANDERS, AND
INSECTS WHICH EAT THE TADPOLES! AND, IN FACT, THEY SOMETIMES
HELP THEIR HOST TREES. IN WHAT IS CALLED A MUTUALISTIC
RELATIONSHIP THEY ALSO PROVIDE POOLS RICH IN NUTRIENTS WHICH
THEIR HOST WILL SOMETIMES TAP.

BUT IF YOU'RE A STRANGLER FIG, YOU'RE JUST A "PARASITE"YOU
TWINE AROUND A HANDY TRUNK, AND WIND YOUR WAY UP TO THE
SUN, AND THEN SEND ROOTS BACK DOWN FOR MOISTURE WHO
CARES IF YOU HUG YOUR HOST TREE TO DEATH? BY THEN YOU'RE UP
WHERE IT'S BETTER, AND BETTER, AND WHERE THE SUN IS AND
YOU'RE HOME FREETHOUGH YOUR HOST WILL SLOWLY WITHER
AWAY

WAY DOWN BELOW, IN THE UNDERSTORY, IS WHERE LIFE BEGINS AND
ENDS WHERE THE DECOMPOSERSFUNGHI AND TERMITES
RECYCLE FALLEN LEAVES AND DEAD BRANCHES AND ORGANISMS
RELEASING RAW MATERIALS BACK INTO THE CYCLE OF LIFE.

RAINFOREST SOILS ARE SUPRISINGLY THIN AND LACKING IN
NUTRIENTS, SO IT'S THIS PROCESS OF DECOMPOSITION WHICH
NOURISHES NEW LIFE.

IT'S SO EFFICIENT THAT BRANCHES ROT AWAY IN WEEKS, AND ALL
THE DEAD BODIES SOON NOURISH NEW LIVES.

ONLY A FEW CREATURES TRAVEL FROM BOTTOM TO TOP BUT LEAF-
CUTTER ANTS SOMETIMES CLIMB 300 OR MORE METERS UP AND DOWN
AND UP AND DOWN IN A NIGHT TO HARVEST PLANTS AND FLOWERS TO
TAKE BACK TO THEIR NESTS

LIVING SYMBOLS OF HOW IN THE RAINFOREST, THE WEB OF LIFE IS AN
ORGANIC WHOLE MUCH MORE THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS.

AND IT'S THIS RICH AND INTER-RELATED WHOLE THE MANY "WORLDS
BENEATH THE CANOPY", THAT WE'LL EXPLORE IN THE REMAINDER OF
THIS PROGRAM.

7) AMAZING AMAZONIA, #1 / VTR (00:30) [08:15]
# of species of plants, animals, insects

8) INTERACTIVE Q&A #1 / LIVE & VTR (04:30) [12:45]
CAMILLE brokers:
PLEASE NOTE: FOUR QUESTIONS TOTALA CHANGE FROM
THE FIRST RUNDOWN!!!WV, WV, SAO PAULO, WV

9) SMITHSONIAN #1 / LIVE & GFX (00:30) [13:15]
CAMILLE ON CAMERA
NOW FOR MORE REAL-TIME INTERACTION THIS TIME BETWEEN FISH
BIOLOGIST CRISTINA COX FERNANDES, AND STUDENTS IN FT. MYERS,
FLORIDA!

FLORIDA IS HOME TO THE CONTINENTAL U.S.'S ONLY TROPICAL
RAINFOREST A MANGROVE FOREST AND STUDENTS FROM CHECK
NAME HIGH SCHOOL TOOK US ON A QUICK TOUR

10) CRISTINA AND FLORIDA #1 / VTR & GFX (05:00) [16:45]
10A) KIDS TOUR OF FLORIDA
10B) FLORIDA/CRISTINA INTERACTION

11A) CAMILLE / LIVE (00:20)
[16:25]
lead to tape
CAMILLE:
THANKS, GUYS WE'LL BE BACK WITH CRISTINA AND THE FLORIDA
STUDENTS LATER

BUT NOW LET'S GET OUT INTO THE TERRA FIRME (TERRA FUR-MAY) OR
LOWLAND RAINFOREST NORTH OF MANAUS WITH SUSAN TO SEE
HOW SHE GENTLY GETS HER "HANDS-ON" THE BIRDS SHE STUDIES
11B) NETTING KNOWLEDGE / VTR (04:30) [20:55]
Chapter head:
SUSAN working with birds
SUSAN super

12) SUSAN Q&A #1 1 / LIVE (03:00) [24:05]
WV LIVE, SAO PAULO VTR, WV LIVE, ALL WITH PLACE AND
NAME SUPERS

13A) STUDENT CORRESPONDENTS / LIVE (00:30) [24:35]
CAMILLE bridge/lead
WELL, WE HOPE BY NOW YOU'VE GOT THE IDEA THAT STUDENTS ARE
THE STARS OF "LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST", ALONG WITH THE
RESEARCHERS AND THE FOREST

SO WE SENT ONE OF OUR INTREPID HIGH SCHOOL CORRESPONDENTS
OUT TO ONE OF THE FIELD CAMPS USED BY SUSAN AND HER
COLLEAGUES, TO BRING YOU THIS REPORT ON WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LIVE
AND WORK, SLEEP AND SWIM, IN THE RAINFOREST!!!
13B) CAMP 41: A STUDENT'S VISIT / VTR (03:00) [27:35]
name super: SASHA H-S
13C) MILLBROOK IN PERU / VTR (00:45) [28:20]
NOW SOME OF OUR STUDENT CORRESPONDENTS HAVE BEEN
VENTURING EVEN FARTHER "AFIELD"

LAST TIME YOU SAW MILLBROOK SCHOOL, NEW YORK, INTERACTING
WITH BIRD EXPERT MARIO COHN-HAFT

THOSE STUDENTS HAD JUST GOTTEN BACK FROM A PRETTY INTENSE
LEARNING EXPEDITION TO THE PERUVIAN AMAZON

NOW YOU CAN "READ ALL ABOUT IT" AND SEE SOME MARVELOUS
IMAGES OF THEIR TRAVELS ON THE WEB GO TO
GRAPHIC
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov/rainforest
AND CHECK OUT THE
GRAPHIC
TEAMS
SECTION, AND LOOK FOR
GRAPHIC
"MILLBROOK IN PERU."

THERE YOU'LL FIND SOME EXCITING TALES OF ZIP-LINING IN THE
CANOPY AND SOME POETIC REACTIONS TO THE ROMANCE AND
BEAUTY OF THE RAINFOREST
13D) COSTA RICA '98 / VTR (01:00) [29:20]
AND THERE'S MORE

RIGHT NOW, A GROUP OF STUDENTS FROM SUMMIT HIGH SCHOOL IS
ON LOCATION IN COSTA RICA

WEB ADDRESS, TEAMS, CR 1998
READ ABOUT THEIR TRAVELS ONLINE, AT OUR LFRF SITE, IN THE
"TEAMS" SECTION, UNDER "COSTA RICA 1998" AND FIND OUT HOW
TO SEND >YOUR< QUESTIONS TO >YOUR< STUDENT
CORRESPONDENTSBUT THAT'S JUST FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS
SINCE BY NEXT WEEK THEY'LL BE BACK AND WE HOPE TO HAVE
TEACHER MARTY STICKLE AND A FEW STUDENTS DOWN THERE IN THE
SMITHSONIAN FOR OUR LAST PROGRAM!!!

14) AMAZING AMAZONIA #2 / VTR (00:30) [29:50]
sound quiz

15A) CAMILLE / LIVE (00:15)
[30:05]
CAMILLE lead to VTR
HOLDS UP TEACHER'S GUIDE
UP IN THE TREETOPS DOWN IN THE RIVERS RAINFOREST
RESEARCH IS AS DIVERSE AS THE RECORD NUMBER OF SPECIES TO
BE FOUND HERE
HOLDS UP GUIDE
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE 40 OR MORE ACTIVITIES SIMULATING
RAINFOREST RESEARCH WHICH YOU CAN FIND IN OUR TEACHER'S
GUIDE

SO WE THOUGHT WE SHOULD GO OUT INTO THE FIELD TO SHOW YOU
JUST HOW VARIED THE WORKING LIVES OF OUR PARTICIPATING
SCIENTISTS CAN BE
15B) TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES / VTR (04:00) [33:05]
chapter head: FIELD RESEARCH: TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
montage of all doing their respective things
JUST AS THE FOREST HAS MANY "WORLDS" BETWEEN CANOPY AND
UNDERSTORY, RESEARCH HERE INVOLVES MANY DIFFERENT TOOLS
AND TECHNIQUES.

Marcela climbing
THE CANOPY IS A SCIENTIFIC FRONTIER ONLY JUST BEGINNING TO BE
UNDERSTOOD IN THE PAST DECADE.

MARCELA SANTAMARIA FROM COLOMBIA STUDIES THE INTERACTION
BETWEEN CANPOY BIRDS AND FRUIT-BEARING TREES. BUT TO THAT
SHE'S HAD TO LEARN CLIMBING TECHNIQUES THAT WOULD NOT BE
OUT OF PLACE ON A MOUNTAIN IN THE ALPS OR HIMALAYAS

Ropes, etc.
THIS IS HER FIRST SEASON CLIMBING

BUT WITH CAREFUL SUPPORT FROM JURUNA, HER "MATEIRO"WHICH
MEANS "WOODSMAN"SHE'S ABLE TO GET UP THERE WHERE THE
BIRDS AND MONKEYS MAKE THEIR HOME

Emilio
DOWN BELOW, IN THE DIM UNDERSTORY, EMILIO BRUNA'S POLLINATES
AS MANY AS 280 HELICONIA FLOWERS A DAY BY HAND!

HE'S STUDYING THE INTERACTIONS OF HUMMING-BIRDS AND
FLOWERS, AND HAS TO CAREFULLY NOTE AND MEASURE EACH
PLANT AND THEN METICULOUSLY COAT THE STAMENS WITH
POLLEN

BACK AT CAMP, MOST EVENINGS SEE HIM CAREFULLY TRANSCRIBING
FIELD NOTES TO FORM THE BASIS FOR FUTURE REPORTS.

Bill at the computer
BACK IN MANAUS, TEAM LEADER BILL LAURANCE.

HIS RESEARCH TOOL IS A COMPUTER AND HIS "FIELD"A RICH
FOREST OF DATA, 20 YEARS OF INFORMATION REVEALING WHICH
SPECIES THRIVE AND WHICH DWINDLE AS THEIR HABITATS CHANGE

Marcelo in the brush
FOR MARCELO LIMA, TRAPS ARE THE ONLY WAY TO CAPTURE THE
ELUSIVE SMALL MAMMALS WHICH ARE HIS TARGETS.

BUT THOUGH THE AMAZON IS ONE OF THE PLACES MOST RICH IN
SPECIES ON THE ENTIRE PLANET, THERE ARE STILL VERY FEW
INDIVIDUALS OF EACH SPECIES AND MAMMALS ARE MUCH RARER
THAN PLANTS AND INSECTS.

SO OFTEN, FOR MARCELO, PATIENCE AND PERSISTENCE ARE JUST AS
IMPORTANT AS HIS TRAPS THE MORNING WE WENT OUT WITH HIM HE
CAPTURED NOT A SINGLE SPECIMEN!

MARIO COHN-HAFT HAS ANOTHER WAY OF TAKING NOTESHE
RECORDS BIRD SONGS TO HELP DOCUMENT WHICH SPECIES LIVE
WHERE

BUT TO INCREASE HIS CHANCE TO STUDY THEM CLOSE-UP, HE PLAYS
THEIR SONGS BACK, ENTICING CURIOUS BIRDS TO COME IN CLOSE
TO CHECK OUT WHAT MUST SOUND LIKE A RIVALOR A POSSIBLE
MATE!

AS MARIO SHOWED THE BIRD-LOVING STUDENTS FROM MILLBROOK
SCHOOL, HE ALSO USES A COMPUTER TO CREATE SONOGRAMSA
SOUND-PRINT, WHICH LETS HIM ANALYZE THE CALLS

PRESTON ALDRICH ALSO USES HIGH TECHNOLOGY IN THE
RAINFOREST. HE WORKS ON THE GENETICS OF TREES, "PLANT
GENEALOGY"TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH TREE IS PARENT, OR
CHILD, TO ANOTHER

HIS TOOLS INCLUDE DRY ICE AND VACUUM FLASKS TO LET HIM STUDY
PLANT DNA BACK IN THE LABORATORY.

AND THE LAB'S WHERE HERALDO VASCONCELOS (VASS-CON-SAY-
LOSS) AND HIS ASSISTANTS CATEGORIZE ANTS SPECIES TO TRACK
WHAT MAKES COLONIES FLOURISH OR DECLINE

AND RITA MESQUITA, (MES-KEE-TAH) WHOM WE MET LAST TIME,
CAREFULLY MEASURES THE SIZE OF TRUNKS AND LEAVES TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT MAKES A FOREST LIVE AND DIEOR COME BACK TO LIFE.

THOUGH THESE RESEARCHERS ALL USE VERY DIFFERENT TOOLS AND
TECHNIQUES, THEY SHARE A LOVE FOR THEIR WORK AND THE PLACE
WHERE THEY SPEND LONG DAYS AND NIGHTS.

16) MARCELO Q&A #1 / LIVE (03:00) [36:25]
CAMILLE, WV, MARCELO, CAMILLE, E-MAIL/S.I., MARCELO,
WV, MARCELO

17A) CAMILLE / LIVE (00:15)
[36:40]
CAMILLE:
AS WE HOPE YOU CAN SEE, WHEN IT WORKS, SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY
LETS US DO THINGS THAT WOULD PREVIOUSLY HAVE SEEMED LIKE
MAGIC INTERACTING DIRECTLY WITH THE RAINFOREST

BUT LIKE MOST MAGIC, IT TAKES A WHOLE LOT OF WORK TO MAKE IT
HAPPEN

HERE'S WHAT WENT ON BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE "LIVE FROM
THE RAINFOREST" A REALITY, AS WE BROUGHT OUR SATELLITE GEAR
ALL THE WAY FROM THE GREAT LAKES OF AMERICA'S MID-WEST TO
THE AMAZON

17B) INTERACTING VIA ACTS / VTR (02:30) [39:10]
chapter head:
THE TRIP BEGAN AT NASA LEWIS, CLEVELAND OHIO

IT WAS OFF BY ROAD, TO MIAMI INTERNATIONAL

"WHAT DA YA MEAN, THIRTY FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS AND 40 BOXES?
OKAY WE'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU!" AND THEY DID

SO IT WAS ON-TO PLANE 1 AND OFF TO RIO

36 HOURS AND >TWO< PLANES LATER MANAUS, BRAZIL

BOAT ONE DOWN TOO MANY STEPS AND ACROSS A CREAKY GANG-
PLANK

THE ALL-IMPORTANT SATELLITE DISH, NEATLY WRAPPED FOR
TRAVEL

BY THIS TIME WE WERE WONDERING, DID WE REALLY NEED TO BRING
ALL THIS?

THEN IT WAS TIME TO "HOT ROD" UP THE AMAZON A GREAT VIEW,
BUT SOME OF US WERE PRETTY TIRED

OFF THE MAIN DRAG AND UP THE ARIAU RIVER TROPICAL
RAINFOREST AT LAST!

DANGER LURKED ROUND EVERY CURVE INCLUDING MONKEYS WHO
TOOK A VIOLENT LIKING TO OUR CAMERA!

GUESS FOR ONCE "TRANSHIPPING" WAS JUST THE RIGHT WORD!

SPACE-AGE SATELLITE GEAR GOT PACKED INTO A CANOE, AND DOWN
A SIDE CHANNEL

THEN IT WAS UP SOME NARROW, RICKETY STAIRS FROM PLANE TO
BUS, BOAT AND CANOE, AND NOW OUR PROJECT ALL DEPENDED ON
STURDY SHOULDERS AND MUSCLE POWER!

SUCCESS THE DISH WAS FINALLY POINTED!

NOW IT WAS TIME TO HOOK IT UP AND TEST IT OUT NASA ENGINEERS
JOHN DIAMOND AND GREG KUBAT SET TO WORK.

IT RAINED, IT STOPPED THEY BUILT SOME MORE, IT RAINED SOME
MORE AND CABLE AFTER CABLE WAS CAREFULLY PLUGGED IN
PLACE, AND TESTED, AND RE-TESTED

FINALLY AFTER THOUSANDS OF MILES AND HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF
WORK, ALL WAS IN PLACE TO SEND THE "LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST"
SIGNALS BACK TO YOU!

17C) HOW THE SIGNAL GETS BACK / GFX & VTR (00:30)

[39:40]
How the signal gets back (NASA animation and original graphic [signal
path])
CAMILLE: LIVE VO GRAPHICS
FROM THE AMAZON THE SIGNAL GOES UP TO THE ACTS SATELLITE

THEN DOWN TO NASA'S LEWIS RESEARCH CENTER

THEN VIA A BIG FAT TELEPHONE LINE TO MISSISSIPPI STATE WHERE
OUR ENTHUSIASTIC CREW MIXES IN ALL THE OTHER ELEMENTS

THEN BACK UP TO A DOMESTIC SATELLITE AND OUT TO PBS
STATIONS

AND ALSO, SIMULTANEOUSLY, TO AN INTERNATIONAL SATELLITE
CARRYING THE FINISHED PROGRAM ALLTHE WAY BACK TO BRAZIL, VIA
TV CULTURA, SAO PAULO

PHEW, MAKES ME DIZZY JUST THINKIN' ABOUT IT!

18A) CAMILLE / LIVE (00:15)
[39:55]
CAMILLE:
AS YOU CAN SEE IT'S QUITE A COMPLEX >TELECOMMUNICATIONS<
NETWORK THAT BRINGS THIS TV PROGRAM TO YOU

BUT IT'S AN >EVEN MORE< COMPLEX BIOLOGICAL NETWORK THAT
MAKES THE RAINFOREST WORK

SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE PLAYED THE "TROPICAL RAINFOREST FOOD
WEB GAME" AS SUGGESTED IN OUR TEACHER'S GUIDE

HERE'S WHAT "FOOD WEB" MEANS IN REALITY AS RESEARCHER
ELLEN ANDRESEN SHOWS US HOW HOWLER MONKEYS AND DUNG
BEETLES ARE INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS OF SEED
DISPERSAL AND PLANT GROWTH

18B) MONKEYS, BEETLES AND SEEDS / VTR (03:43) [43:25]
chapter head

19) AMAZING AMAZONIA #3 / VTR (00:30) [43:55]

20) INTERACTION / LIVE & TAPE (TOTAL 04:00) [47:55]
CAMILLE, WV, SUSAN, SAO PAULO VTR, MARCELO

21A) CRISTINA & FLORIDA #2 (04:00) [51:55]

22A) CAMILLE / LIVE (00:20)
[52:15]
CAMILLE:
WE'VE LOOKED AT CREATURES THAT LIVE IN THE TREE-TOPS AND IN
THE UNDERSTORY AND MOST PLACES IN BETWEEN BUT, YOU KNOW,
NIGHT-TIME IS A KIND OF "PLACE", AN ECOLGICAL NICHE JUST A REAL
AS ANY OTHER "WORLD BENEATH THE CANOPY" AND IT'S NIGHT-
TIME WHEN BATS EMERGE AND RESEARCHERS LIKE ENRICO CHECK
NAME COME OUT TO STUDY THEM
22B) GOING BATTY / VTR (03:42) [56:15]
CAMILLE VO

22C) ROBINSON IN DC / LIVE (01:00) [57:15]
CAMILLE:
THANKS, CRISTINA AND FLORIDA

NOW MIKE ROBINSON IN WASHINGTONWHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF
THE MOST INTERESTING QUESTIONS YOU'VE SEEN COME IN OVER THE
PAST HOUR?
MIKE
Ad lib response
CAMILLE:
MIKE, I UNDERSTAND THAT AT LEAST SOME OF YOU WILL BE STAYING

ON TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR ANOTHER HOUR AFTER THIS LIVE
PROGRAM SO, MANY THANKS TO YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES FOR
PROVIDING THIS INCREDIBLE RESOURCE

CAMILLE TO CAMERA:

YOU'LL SOON BE ABLE TO FIND ALLTHE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
ONLINE

23) CAMILLE / LIVE, VTR & GFX (00:30) [57:45]
CAMILLE to camera, with graphics and roll-in
LFRF web site address
HOW TO CONTACT PTK super
CAMILLE:
IN FACT YOU CAN FIND "BIOGRAPHIES" AND "JOURNALS" FROM MANY
OF THE SCIENTISTS YOU SAW IN THE RAINFOREST AS WELL AS
"TRAVEL-LOGS" FROM OUR STUDENT CORRESPONDENTS A VIDEO
ARCHIVE OF THESE PROGRAMS, AND EVEN THE SOUNDS OF HOWLER
MONKEYS AND FROGS, >AND< SOME GAMES TO STRETCH YOUR MIND
WHILE HAVING FUNALL ONLINE AT THE "LIVE FROM THE
RAINFOREST" WEB SITE THAT'S
GRAPHIC:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov/rainforest
CAMILLE: HOLDS UP KIT:
AND IF YOU WANT TO GET THE TEACHER'S GUIDE OR MULTIMEDIA
KIT, CONTACT:
GRAPHIC:
PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE VIA PHONE AT 973.656.9403
OR VIA E-MAIL AT:
PTKEA@AOL.COM

24) "BYES" FROM ALL SITES (open time!!!) [58:19]

25) END CREDITS / VTR (01:00)
[59:19]

26) UNDERWRITER ANNOUNCE / VTR (00:10) [59:29]

Challenge Question Winners - Week # 6

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: Challenge Question Winners - Week # 6
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1998 22:22:16 -0400
Back to top

***CHALLENGE QUESTION WINNERS WEEK # 6***

What feature, used to tell how old a tree may be, is missing from most
rainforests? Why?

Answer:
Annual growth rings, since heat and humidity mean growth is constant.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
John Young, Sherry and friends in Mrs. Buice's Class, Mrs. Wall's Fourth
Grade, Stephanie Wong, Janet K. Cook's class, and Michael.C from Ms.
Logsdon's fourth grade class.

***

Mrs. Wall's Fourth Grade class sent another one of their great urls.

Dear LFRF Challenge Question Makers,
We hurried to get this question done because we Spring Break STARTS 3pm
today. We discovered some interesting facts in our search on the
Internet. We found a great page for Mrs. Wall on a science lesson on Tree
Rings. We thought it was cool.The url for this page is
http://www-sci.lib.uci.edu/SEP/CTS/TreeRing.html . We think other
teachers might like this too.

Mrs. Wall's Fourth Grade
John Wayland Elementary
Bridgewater, VA

***

It was great to see classes sending in their answers before spring break.
Terrific work everyone and we hope you are enjoying your break!

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, Discuss-lfrf
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE see:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov

Challenge Question Week # 7

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: Challenge Question Week # 7
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1998 22:56:48 -0400
Back to top

***CHALLENGE QUESTION - WEEK # 7***

One of the memorable moments from LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST will be the
piece in the first broadcast with Claude Gascon holding the frog that was
making the wonderful sound. So we decided this week's challenge question
would be about frogs.

What is the common name for the largest frogs in the world?

You are invited to send original student answers to: ebend@netlabs.net
Please include the words CHALLENGE QUESTION in the subject line of your

email. I will announce the classes that submit correct answers next week.

Answers are due by Wednesday, April 22 at 10:00 pm EST.

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, Discuss-lfrf
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE see:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov

Re: LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST--onair@passport

From: LoreyH717
Subject: Re: LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST--onair@passport
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1998 14:01:58 EDT
Back to top

Although my school is not on line as yet, I want to thank you for the site:

http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/chat/prj_ltc/mesquita/main/chat.cgi

I enjoyed reading chats and will give information to my students.

We're on vacation this week but will return on the 20th of April.

I love the images of the rain forest raining down other things besides rain
and also everything in the forest screaming, biting, etc for survival and
competition. It's these images and journals and information that I bring back
to my students that make studying the rain forest so interesting.

Loretta Henke
PS 7
New York City

Program 2

From: cxtdm@eiu.edu
Subject: Program 2
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1998 23:55:58 -0400
Back to top

Hats off again to GHS, EA, the PTK crew and the collaborating scientists for another outstanding program. As I watched the broadcast with my students, I was reminded of the profound nature of the PTK experience. I believe that PTK is truly ahead of its time in making use of cutting edge technologies to turn our classrooms into global learning centers - while bridging continents and languages. Keep setting the standard of excellence.

Tim McCollum
Charleston Middle School
Charleston, IL

April 14 Program

From: planetarium@muncie.k12.in.us (Planetarium )
Subject: April 14 Program
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1998 08:40:33 -0600
Back to top

Thank you again Passport To Knowledge for providing wonderful learning
experiences for our students here in East Central Indiana!

The excitement of participating in the lessons and activities as well as
the " LIVE FROM " event on the dome here at the Muncie Community
Schools Planetarium continues to generate enthusiasm for science education
among students.

Peggy Motes
MCS Planetarium
Muncie, Indiana

Live from the rain forest PBS Schedule for NEw York

From: LoreyH717
Subject: Live from the rain forest PBS Schedule for NEw York
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 15:13:41 EDT
Back to top

Hi:

I finally found the broadcast schedule for New York. Live from the Rain
Forest is being broadcast on 4/2l-Tuesday at 1:00 PM on Channel 13.

I look forward to taping it. I had difficulty finding it in my TV Guide but
found it on the PBS web site-local listings by state.
http://www.pbs.org

Loretta Henke
PS 7
New York City

"THIS WEEK" IN "LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST"!!!

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: "THIS WEEK" IN "LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST"!!!
Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 07:41:13 -0400
Back to top

Welcome to "THIS WEEK" IN "LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST"!!!

"CONNECT GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY" April 21, 13:00-14:00 Eastern

U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will be joining LFRF for the first few segments of
Tuesday's program (subject to the always possible late-breaking changes in schedule). We hope PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE will be able to "connect" her "globally" simultaneously to youngsters in North and South American.

Also featured will be Antonio Nobre, head of INPA's GISLAB/Remote Sensing Facility, and Miro Honzak from the Czech Republic. Canadian researcher Claude Gascon will be back once more to help sum up the series.

If you are unable to access the programs via broadcast television, you can still link in via the Internet. Courtesy of NASA Quest/Learning Technologies Project, you can watch and listen via Real Video. Simply visit the LFRF web site on the day of the live broadcasts and follow the links provided at the top of the Home Page: you can also easily download the audio and video
plug-ins if you don't already have them (allow some extra time to do this!)

***

Web Chats

We still HOPE to offer a final Web Chat with INPA's remote sensing chief, Antonio Nobre, on Tuesday morning (09:30-10:30 Eastern), but technical and scheduling issues mean final arrangements have not yet been confirmed. WATCH FOR FINAL CONFIRMATION AND THE WEB ADDRESS MONDAY!

***

"ONAIR@PASSPORT" - New Procedure!!!

To make things smoother for students and experts alike, our Web gurus at RSPAC have come up with a form, to be found on the LFRF Web site (http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov/rainforest) in the INTERACT section. It's a simple fill-in-the-blanks form, for "student first name", "initial of last name" (to protect privacy), school name, and a check off box to indicate the subject matter of the inquiry. That should speed question to the expert best equipped to answer, and get the answer back directly to students.

This week's group of researchers and their specialties include:
Astrid Caldas: insects
Jim Comiskey: forest dynamics
Fred Engle: deforestation & remote sensing
Carol Kelloff: plants
Betty Meggers: people of the forest
Robert Robbins: butterflies
Don Wilson: bats
Kimberly A. Nichols: general ecology

We also hope that several of our "Student Correspondents" from Summit High School's recent field trip to Costa Rica will also be available at the Smithsonian to answer questions during and immediately after the third program.

Thanks to all at the Smithsonian!

***

Student Work

We would love to place more samples of student work on our web site. For instructions on how to submit your work contact me at ebend@netlabs.net.

Reminder:

Challenge Question answers are due back Wednesday, April 22 at 10:00 EDT.

It was great to see several of you at NSTA this past week! Let's hear your comments about the live broadcast, your students' reactions to receiving answers from the scientists, and what you are doing in your classroom.

Have a great week!

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, Discuss-lfrf
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE see: http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov

"Ask the Scientist" CuSeeMe Videoconferences

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: "Ask the Scientist" CuSeeMe Videoconferences
Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 23:06:29 -0400
Back to top

Dear Discuss-lfrf Members,

Several people mentioned that they would like to try using CuSeeMe. I
thought you might be interested in these videoconferences.

Here are our upcoming "Ask the Scientist" CuSeeMe videoconferences:
Reflector: 128.42.249.172 (if it isn't working, try 198.64.198.250)
We will sometimes broadcast our conferences in COLOR only.
Let us know by the chat window if you can't see it, and we'll change to
gray *or* download the latest version of Enhanced CU-SeeMe!

April 20, 1-2pm CDT: "Mysterious Mercury" (SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES)
Talk with JPL scientist Daniel Winterhalter on Mercury and the reasons to
revisit this amazing planet.

April 21, 10 - 11 am CDT: "Planets Under Construction".
(SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES)
Live broadcast of the NASA Press conference about planets around other stars.
Scientists from the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston will be online

to answer questions from our CU-SeeMe audience.
-----------
As always, use the "chat" (or "talk") window to ask questions - the
speaker's comments will be summarized there for folks with low-bandwidth
connections. (If "talk" or "chat" doesn't show up on your menu bar,
download the most recent Cu-Seeme software from Cornell or WhitePine).
Part of the "Public Connection" (funded by NASA's Digital Library
Technology Program).

For more information about our program, and the rest of the schedule,
see

http://space.rice.edu/ and now http://spaceupdate.com

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, Discuss-lfrf
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE see:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov

Re: Great Backyard Biodiversity Study

From: Ginny
Subject: Re: Great Backyard Biodiversity Study
Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 18:46:22 -0700
Back to top

Great telecast today! My students and I really enjoyed it! Thursday we
return to our Biodiversity Survey Site to do our second count. This week
we looked up the scientific name, species and genus of each of our
organisms. Tomorrow each of my students turn in their reports of the
animals they researched. Are we still planning to have the students post
their results from the survey? Thanks, Ginny

Re: Great Backyard Biodiversity Study

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: Re: Great Backyard Biodiversity Study
Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 22:55:13 -0400
Back to top

Ginny,

Yes, we are still planning to have the students post their results from the
survey.

My classes went outside today to complete their survey. Our Internet
connection is down at school, so it will take a couple of days to get our
results to the list.

I encourage everyone to post their data as soon as possible. The spring
break for many classes came at the wrong time. Now that most of the schools
are back in session we would love to see more classes posting their data.
If you have not had a chance to go out and collect your data there is still
time to participate. The time between spring break and the end of the year
always seems to be when the kids need a change of pace. The Backyard
Biodiversity Survey is the perfect opportunity to do some real science and
also get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather.

Eileen

At 06:46 PM 4/21/98 -0700, Ginny wrote:
>
>Great telecast today! My students and I really enjoyed it! Thursday we
>return to our Biodiversity Survey Site to do our second count. This week
>we looked up the scientific name, species and genus of each of our
>organisms. Tomorrow each of my students turn in their reports of the
>animals they researched. Are we still planning to have the students post
>their results from the survey? Thanks, Ginny
>

Team biographies

From: cae@charleston.k12.il.us (Carole Everett)
Subject: Team biographies
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 14:40:57 +0100
Back to top

Please help. My class would like to e-mail questions to members of the
LFRF team. We have read your biographies and would like to ask you some
questions. We need some addresses.

Re: Team biographies

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: Re: Team biographies
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 18:23:17 -0400
Back to top

Carole,

I am very sorry, but one of the things we never do is give out the e-mail
addresses of the scientists. They have very busy schedules and we
appreciate the time that they give to us for our project, but they would be
overwhelmed with messages if we gave out their addresses.

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, Discuss-lfrf

At 02:40 PM 4/22/98 +0100, Carole Everett wrote:
>Please help. My class would like to e-mail questions to members of the
>LFRF team. We have read your biographies and would like to ask you some
>questions. We need some addresses.
>

Challenge Queston

From: Barbara Ryan
Subject: Challenge Queston
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 20:29:56 -0400
Back to top

Hi my 7th grade science students at Dolan Middle School in Stamford CT
researched and came up with the Goliath frog or it is sometimes called the
giant African frog.
Barbara Ryan 7th grade Science

CHALLENGE QUESTION WINNERS WEEK # 7

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: CHALLENGE QUESTION WINNERS WEEK # 7
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 23:38:43 -0400
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***CHALLENGE QUESTION WINNERS WEEK # 7***

One of the most memorable moments from LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST will likely
be the segment in the first broadcast where Claude Gascon held up that frog
which was making that wonderful sound. So we decided this week's challenge
question should be about frogs.

So, what is the common name for the largest frogs in the world?

The goliath frog is the largest known frog. It reaches a body length of
30.5 cm (12 in) and overall length from nose to toe of about 91 cm (3 ft).
Goliath frogs inhabit west central Africa.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Michael. C and his friend, David, from Ms. Logsdon's fourth grade class,
Travis Howlett, Mrs Vermeer's fourth grade science class, especially

Jeffrey who found the answer, Tom S., Scott S., Ryan B. and Luke M. from
Mrs. Regner's third grade class, Mrs. Haataja's seventh grade science
class, Tom, Wheeler, Crosby, Will, Allison and Kayla from Ms. Hammonds'
class, Mrs. Dwelley's class, especially Brenden, Daniel M. and Tammy S.
from Dublin Middle School, Ms. Ryan's students at Dolan Middle School,
Laura B. in Mrs. Florence's third grade, and 6AB and 6CD from Blessed
Sacrament School

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, Discuss-lfrf
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE see:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov

CHALLENGE QUESTION - WEEK # 8

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: CHALLENGE QUESTION - WEEK # 8
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 23:41:15 -0400
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***CHALLENGE QUESTION - WEEK # 8***

One of the most fascinating animals that we have met in LFRF is the sloth.
So this week's challenge question is about sloths.

What is the maximum speed of the three-toed sloth?

You are invited to send original student answers to: ebend@netlabs.net
Please include the words CHALLENGE QUESTION in the subject line of your

e-mail. I will announce the classes that submit correct answers next week.

Answers are due by Wednesday, April 29 at 10:00 pm EDT.

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, Discuss-lfrf
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE see:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov

Re: Team biographies

From: "Janet K. Cook"
Subject: Re: Team biographies
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 21:58:06 -0600
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Dear Carole and others wanting to send in questions:

There are two ways to submit questions to the scientists. One is through
the website:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov/rainforest click on Interact, then Researcher
Q&A, then click on the address to open the Internet Mail account.

The other is to just send a direct e-mail:
question-lfrf@passport.ivv.nasa.gov

Either way, it ends up at our "Smart Filter" team. These tireless workers
route the questions, either to the appropriate scientist if it's a new

question or sending you the answer if it's a question that's been answered
previously.

Feel free to send more questions even though the last program has been

broadcast. The scientists will still be happy to answer questions. (I'm

still getting the answers asked to the Live from Mars scientists!)

Thanks for your interest in the program, janet

Janet K. Cook
Sinclair Middle School
300 W. Chenango
Englewood, CO 80110
(303) 781-7817 (w) (303)806-2000 x1904 (vm)
-----Original Message-----

Team biographies

From: "Janet K. Cook"
Subject: Team biographies
Date: Wednesday, April 22, 1998 2:41 PM
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>Please help. My class would like to e-mail questions to members of the
>LFRF team. We have read your biographies and would like to ask you some
>questions. We need some addresses.
>
>
>

New participant in discuss-lfrf: Joyce Osborn

From: "Dennis & Joyce Osborn"
Subject: New participant in discuss-lfrf: Joyce Osborn
Date: Thu, 23 Apr 1998 20:26:53 +0900
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Hi! I'm a second grade teacher working at and American school in an air base
in Okinawa, Japan. My class is currently studying the environment and how
to take care of it. We are very interested in projects that we can do to
help save the rain forests. Today we brainstormed some things that we could
do to help and came up with a few ideas:
1. begin a poster campaign to help the community know that we should stop
buying products that cause the rain forest to be cut down (e.g. wood
products from rain forests).
2. Write letters to the president and congressmen letting them know of our
concern and encouraging them to support plans to save the temperate rain
forests.
3. Have bake sales of other fund-raising projects to earn money to send to
groups who are trying to save the rain forests.

We would appreciate any other suggestions you might have.

Joyce Osborn
jdosborn@kdn0.attnet.or.jp

Re: New participant in discuss-lfrf: Joyce Osborn

From: "Janet K. Cook"
Subject: Re: New participant in discuss-lfrf: Joyce Osborn
Date: Thu, 23 Apr 1998 22:19:06 -0600
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How about purchasing items from local industries in rainforest
areas--handmade clothing, baskets, cashews, etc.? Here is a site that lists
a variety of such products: http://www.pbs.org/tal/costa_rica/products.html
the theory is if people can make as much or more money by harvesting the
rainforest products than by farming or clearcutting, they will preserve the
forest instead of cutting it down. janet

Janet K. Cook
Sinclair Middle School
300 W. Chenango
Englewood, CO 80110
(303) 781-7817 (w) (303)806-2000 x1904 (vm)
-----Original Message-----

New participant in discuss-lfrf: Joyce Osborn

From: "Janet K. Cook"
Subject: New participant in discuss-lfrf: Joyce Osborn
Date: Thursday, April 23, 1998 7:20 AM
Back to top

>Hi! I'm a second grade teacher working at and American school in an air
base
>in Okinawa, Japan. My class is currently studying the environment and how
>to take care of it. We are very interested in projects that we can do to
>help save the rain forests. Today we brainstormed some things that we
could
>do to help and came up with a few ideas:
>1. begin a poster campaign to help the community know that we should stop
>buying products that cause the rain forest to be cut down (e.g. wood
>products from rain forests).
>2. Write letters to the president and congressmen letting them know of our
>concern and encouraging them to support plans to save the temperate rain
>forests.
>3. Have bake sales of other fund-raising projects to earn money to send to
>groups who are trying to save the rain forests.
>
>We would appreciate any other suggestions you might have.
>
>Joyce Osborn
>jdosborn@kdn0.attnet.or.jp
>
>

Girls and Technology

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: Girls and Technology
Date: Sat, 25 Apr 1998 22:38:49 -0400
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Dear Advocates and Discuss-lfrf Members,

The topic of equity between boys and girls in math and science seems to
have surfaced once again. Just in the last few days I have seen several
messages from organizations that are trying to deal with this issue. One
organization is looking into why girls in schools, actively using
technology, seem equally involved and excited about technology up until
grade six, but this does not continue through middle school and into high
school. Even one of the speakers at our Career Day, yesterday, asked my
students if girls were as good as boys with computer games. Their response
was very divided, but they did admit that I knew something about technology.

I have had a number of people ask me if I see a difference in my classroom.
They always seem surprised when I say that I don't. Yet, when they visit my
classroom or see work from my students they agree that girls and boys do
participate equally. One of the things I have always liked about teaching
science is that as I move from topic to topic and from project to project
different students have a chance to excel. This is due to their ability and
not because of gender. Many of the competitions - clay boats, paper
airplane - I have conducted in my class have been won by girls as well as
boys. The Incredible Light Bulb-Egg Drop Challenge activity from last
year's LIVE FROM MARS was a great example of equity. Every student was
actively involved in designing their "interplanetary lander" and most of
their landings were successful.

I would love to hear about some of your experiences on this topic. Do you
find girls participating equally in your classroom? Are girls as
comfortable with computers as boys? Does this carry over to PTK projects?
Do you notice a difference in the involvement of girls and boys?

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, Discuss-lfrf
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE see:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov

Re: Girls and Technology

From: Ginny
Subject: Re: Girls and Technology
Date: Sat, 25 Apr 1998 20:17:03 -0700
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Very interersting subject! I see little to no difference between my girls
and boy students in science and technology interest and ability. The
students I am teaching now I also had last year and so have covered many
units in physical, life and earth science. I took them to NASA Ames
Research Center and they got to talk to female as well as male scientists
and engineers and they were all equally interested. The only unit that I
have taught in science where I have thought that boys came in with more
knowledge than girls is electricity, making circuits, etc. The boys
genuinely come in with more experience and interest. I am not sure why, but
my guess from raising two boys is that they spend more time with legos,
technics and robotics and start building and exploring this area at an
earlier age and continue this through their childhood.

The unit I am teaching now, rainforests, seems to be the most popular of
all for both girls and boys. They loved the study of the animals and
their unique adaptations to rainforests. I am so glad to have had the
opportunity to teach this unit. I had no idea that they would be so into
it. My guess would be that there will be more women in science than ever
before from this generation of students. I hope I am right!
Ginny Dexter

4/21 broadcast LFRF

From: LoreyH717
Subject: 4/21 broadcast LFRF
Date: Sun, 26 Apr 1998 16:10:59 EDT
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The 4/21 LFRF broadcast was the only one I taped unfortunately and I brought
it into school on 4/23/98 and the students enjoyed it very much.

Loretta Henke
PS 7
New York City

Re: 4/21 broadcast LFRF

From: RdgTchrSAF
Subject: Re: 4/21 broadcast LFRF
Date: Sun, 26 Apr 1998 16:31:03 EDT
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We are so excited!!! South Carolina ETV has chosen our class to be on their
program Brainwaves because of our involvement with Live From the Rainforest.
My third graders are beside themselves!!!! We are taped on May 21.

Susan Florence
Greenville, South Carolina

Re: 4/21 broadcast LFRF

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: Re: 4/21 broadcast LFRF
Date: Sun, 26 Apr 1998 22:22:51 -0400
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Loretta,

The other two programs will be available for purchase within the next few
weeks. As soon as they are available I will let everyone know. We are
hoping to fix the audio problems in the final version of the third broadcast.

Don't forget to tape this week's Live From The Poles. Since you are in NYC
you can get it on channel 13 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm on Tuesday, April 28.

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, Discuss-lfrf

At 04:10 PM 4/26/98 -0400, LoreyH717 wrote:
>The 4/21 LFRF broadcast was the only one I taped unfortunately and I brought
>it into school on 4/23/98 and the students enjoyed it very much.
>
>Loretta Henke
>PS 7
>New York City
>

"THIS WEEK" IN "LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST"!!!

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: "THIS WEEK" IN "LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST"!!!
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 00:16:45 -0400
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Welcome to "THIS WEEK" IN "LIVE FROM THE RAINFOREST"!!!

Actually our title this week should be "LIVE FROM THE POLES". This week is
the 17th annual National Science and Technology Week sponsored by the
National Science Foundation. The theme this year is Polar Connections:
Exploring the World's Natural Laboratories.

As part of this exciting week PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE will present "LIVE FROM
THE POLES" on Tuesday, April 28, at 13:00-14:00 Eastern. LFP will take us
to the ends of the earth to meet scientists who conduct research in the
Arctic and the Antarctic. The broadcast will feature real-time interaction
between students in the US and researchers at America's South Pole station,
and also between youngsters at the Imaginarium in Anchorage, Alaska, and
scientists and polar experts from the Smithsonian's Arctic Studies Center
and NSF's Office of Polar Programs, live on camera in Washington, DC, at
the National Museum of Natural History.

We will continue our practice of having experts available to answer
questions from students during the broadcast. The topics for this week
should include research in the Arctic or Antarctic, global climate change,
and what is it like to live and work in the most extreme environments on
earth. Our guests will include Mike Ledbetter (arctic research and global
climate change), Dave Bresnahan (living and working in the Antarctic), Guy
Guthridge and Winnie Reuning and scientists from the Smithsonian's Arctic
Studies Center including director William Fitzhugh.

You will find the form to submit your questions at
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov/ptk_poles.html (Note that this is a new
address.) You will find a simple fill-in-the-blanks form, for "student
first name", "initial of last name" (to protect privacy), school name, and
a check off box to indicate the subject matter of the inquiry. That should

speed your question to the expert best equipped to answer, and get the

answer back directly to the students.

Extensive background on the Antarctic may be found on the sites originally
developed to support two earlier PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE electronic field trips.

LIVE FROM ANTARCTICA: http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov/antarctica
LIVE FROM ANTARCTICA 2: http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov/antarctica2

***
Reminder:

Challenge Questions are due back Wednesday, April 29 at 22:00 EDT.

Congratulations to Susan Florence's class. Let us know about experience on
Brainwaves. If you have any student work for our Classroom Connection
please contact me and I will explain how to submit your work. How are your
mold races going?

Have a great week!

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, Discuss-lfrf
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE see:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov

Re: Girls and Technology

From: Lani Black
Subject: Re: Girls and Technology
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 1904 10:10:42 +0000
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Dear Eileen and All,

In the 4th grade, I notice almost no difference between girls and boys
in using the technology. They are both eager to play games on CDs, and
research on the internet. There has been equal interest writing to
keypals, but maybe a slight difference- the girls tend to e-mail people
with questions about their webpages, hoping that they will respond.

One way I try to treat the kids equally when calling on them to give
demonstrations, practice, etc. is by using "calling cards", cards that
have each student's name on them that I draw randomly. I also call on
kids "boy, girl, boy, girl".

Lani Black
4th grade
Naches Valley Intermediate
Naches, WA
I personally have been e-mailed by two highschool students wanting
more information about rainforest and recycling-one was a boy and one
was a girl!

Re: Girls and Technology

From: "Mrs. Black's students' mail"
Subject: Re: Girls and Technology
Date: Wed, 29 Apr 1998 14:43:58 -0800
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Internet Biodiversity Survey Data to Share

Students in your group: Cody, BJ., Ricky, and Erica
Date: 4-20-98
Time12:51
Latitude and Longitude of site: 47degrees n 121degreesw

Name of species/genus: Black Beetle

How many are in your plot? seven

Describe the amount of light for your plot: shady

Temperature of your plot in Celsius:70 degrees F

Describe the amount of moisture for your plot:dry

Describe the organism you observed in detail: rocky shady grassy

Students in your group:Maegan,Courtney,Danny,Alex
Date: 4/20-21/98
Time:12:40 p.m.
Latitude and Longitude of site:47 degrees N. 121 degrees W.

Name of species/genus:Ant,Water Skiper,Jr.

How many are in your plot? three

Describe the amount of light for your plot:very sunny

Temperature of your plot in Celsius:30 degrees Celsius

Describe the amount of moisture for your plot:very dry

Describe the organism you observed in detail:green,purple,brown, rocky,
dirty,it was found above ground on a hill by a ditch.

Students in your group: Jason, Brandon ,Jessica, and Hayley
Date: 4-21-98
Time: 12:51
Latitude and Longitude of site: 47 degrees N 121 degrees W

Name of species/genus: wasp, stink bug, potato bug, caterpiller, water
skipper,and and a small grass hopper.

How many are in your plot? six bugs

Describe the amount of light for your plot: full sun

Temperature of your plot in Celsius: 25 Celsius

Describe the amount of moisture for your plot: dry and sandy

Describe the organism you observed in detail: We got weeds, grass,sand,
leaves,flowers,and rocks.

Students in your group: Kylie, Amber, Brandon, Andrew
Date: 4-12-98
Time: 12:45
Latitude and Longitude of site: 47 degres North 121 degres West

Name of species/genus: Wasp,Water Skipper,Two Bettles

How many are in your plot? Four

Describe the amount of light for your plot:
it was very sunny out.

Temperature of your plot in Celsius: 100 celsius.

Describe the amount of moisture for your plot: It was moist.

Describe the organism you observed in detail: plants were green and purple.
bugs

black and yellow.

Students in your group: Jasmine, Tyler, and Dustin
Date:4-28-98
Time: 12:41
Latitude and Longitude of site: 47 degrees North & 121 degrees west

Name of species/genus: Waterskipper,moth,and worm larva

How many are in your plot? 4

Describe the amount of light for your plot:full sun

Temperature of your plot in Celsius:85 degrees C.

Describe the amount of moisture for your plot:Dry

Describe the organism you observed in detail: Water skippers black,half of
on inch.
Moth white with green spots,1 inch. Worm larva 2 cm, it was black and
red.Flowers
they were like weeds. They were yellow and purple flowers ,weeds ,grass
above ground.

Students in your group:Shawn,Nick,Ryan,And Claudia
Date:4-29-98
Time: 12:15am.
Latitude and Longitude of site:47 degrees N 121 degrees W

Name of species/genus:leather jackets,pill bug,and an ant

How many are in your plot? 6

Describe the amount of light for your plot: full sun

Temperature of your plot in Celsius: 33 C

Describe the amount of moisture for your plot:dry

Describe the organism you observed in detail: ant: black, small ,and lives
deep under ground
leather jacket: slimy, shiny, and lives above ground.
pill bug:small, gray, hard, and lives above ground or under ground.

Biodiversity survey

From: Lynn Hammonds
Subject: Biodiversity survey
Date: Wed, 29 Apr 1998 16:25:58 -0700 (PDT)
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Teacher's Name Lynn Hammonds
School: Rancho Santa Fe School
Date: 4/23/98
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Latitude: 31 degrees
Longitude: 117 degrees
Temperature: 70 degrees

Full Sun
Moist soil

605 blades of wide green grass
1 centipede
1 rolly polly
2 flies
7 very small red ants
patch of moss with 160 blades
2 brown worms

This is what we saw.
Ms. Hammonds Class
Rancho Santa Fe, CA

***************** Lynn Davis Hammonds ******************
*********** Rancho Santa Fe School ***************
****** Rancho Santa Fe, California **********

CHALLENGE QUESTION - WEEK # 9

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: CHALLENGE QUESTION - WEEK # 9
Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 00:03:38 -0400
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***CHALLENGE QUESTION - WEEK # 9***

In honor of National Science and Technology Week this week's challenge
questions will be about the Arctic and Antarctic.

What is the warmest temperature on record for the Arctic? Antarctic?

What is the coldest temperature on record for the Arctic? Antarctic?

What is the average humidity for the Arctic? Antarctic?

Why is Antarctica so much colder and drier than the Arctic, even though the
two regions are the same distance from the equator?

You are invited to send original student answers to: ebend@netlabs.net
Please include the words CHALLENGE QUESTION in the subject line of your

e-mail. I will announce the classes that submit correct answers next week.

Answers are due by Wednesday, May 6 at 22:00 EDT.

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, Discuss-lfrf
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE see:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov

CHALLENGE QUESTION WINNERS WEEK # 8

From: Eileen Bendixsen
Subject: CHALLENGE QUESTION WINNERS WEEK # 8
Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 00:03:30 -0400
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***CHALLENGE QUESTION WINNERS WEEK # 8***

One of the most fascinating animals that we have met in LFRF is the sloth.
So this week's challenge question is about sloths.

What is the maximum speed of the three-toed sloth?

Answer:

The maximum speed of the three-toed sloth is 0.15 mph.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Mrs. Haataja's 7th grade science class at Cranbrook Kingswood Middle
School, Mrs. Dwelley's Second Grade, Alex Singer and Mrs. Maris's Homeroom
Class, Steven C. from Ms.Brehm's 5th grade class, 6AB and 6CD from Blessed
Sacrament School, and the fourth graders at the Brussels American School

Sarah Balace-Trim's fourth graders at the Brussels American School actually
moved at the speed of sloths down the hall.

"We have half-meter tiles in the building, so several students when into
Sloth-1 for a while - we had NO running in the halls!"

Eileen Bendixsen
Moderator, Discuss-lfrf
For more information about PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE see:
http://passport.ivv.nasa.gov