Spring has Sprung in a Deciduous Forest

After our first observation of spring life. We went out for our second about three weeks later at the same locations as last time. Everything that we did the first time either produced more or died. We saw that the cones on the end of the pine tree branches had gotten bigger. There was more butterflies than last time, flowers had already bloomed, their was bugs flying around, and the grass was really green unlike last time when it was brown. I could hear birds chirping and a little wind that made the leaves blow back and forth. As I was listening I could feel the light wind blow through my hair and I could feel the warmth of the sun as it beamed down.

We left the edge of the field to go down the hill, through the trails, and down to the pond. As we got to the pond it was all open so the sun was beaming down more than in the field but this time there was a medium wind that rocked the branches back and forth. When I got done feeling how the nature was I stopped to see what i would hear on this beautiful day. I heard the wind whistling as it went through the trees and the water as the wind blow it up on shore. This time though there was a lot things I could see other than last time. I saw the pond in front of me with trees all around the pond except in one spot. But in that one stop is were I could see a bus garage with a lot of buses and other vehicles in that area. The trees around the pond were blooming and their was a dock that went out in the pond. Plus their were female cones and pine cones growing around the pond that were dying.

When we left the pond we went down the trails until we found a good spot on the creek. As I walked down the trails you could hear the water rolling down the stream, then you could hear the scuffling of leaves as people walked down the trail, and the sound of branches cracking as they rock back and forth from the wind. This sight was very different than the last it was cooler because the trees provided shade and it was a light wind because the trees were taking all the impact of the wind. But I saw a couple little frogs. Someone tried to catch the but they would always get away. We also seen a crawfish, trees blooming, leaves, and a water strider gliding across the creek

Animal Ears Lab

1. Our lab on April 4, 2011 was on if you have big ears does it help you hear farther away. For example animals in the wild that have bigger ears so they can can hear if any predators are around. Some animals have bigger ears so they can find there food. So for our lab we are going to see how far you can hear a pen click with a regular ear and a enhanced ear.

2. So we are going to stand in front of some one that has a pen that clicks. Every time you hear it click you take one step back. You do that tell you can not hear the clicking anymore with a regular ear. Then when you are finished with that you measure how far you are away from where you started. After that you take a paper plate and cut a triangle in it then slide it behind your ear. Do the same process again and see if you get farther or shorter than you got with your regular ear.

3.

Students	Distance with Normal Ear	Distance with Enhanced Ear
Jessie	27.9	52.9
Albert	55	50
Reese	45	60
Tangie	68.6	58.6
Brandon W.	58.6	78.6
Kasey	25.3	15.3
David	40.6	55.6
Emily P.	30.6	25.6
Sierra	53.8	55.6
Stephanie	34.4	47.8
Raeshar	57	63.7
Rayshawn	47.6	41.6
Montez	45.6	30.6
Devon	51.6	87.9
TJ	40.6	63.3
Travis	50.6	55.6
Conner	89.7	128.9
Brandon H.	58.6	87.2
Emily S.	64.7	76.3
Total	945.8	1135.1
Average	49.8%	59.7%

4. Did the addition of the larger ear make a difference in the distance at which you were able to hear the pen click? Explain

Yes it did but it depends on what is around you when you are doing this lab. Like for example the wind could be blowing really hard in your ears, the direction the wind is blowing, what is in front of you (column), people talking, and other noises that affect how far you can hear.

5. Animals with big ears

 Kangaroo

Fennec Fox



Jerboa

Kudu

Elephant

Animals without big ears

Ear less seals- because it helps them dive better

Polar bear- Because they don't have the capacity to hear far away

Hippopotamus- Because they are mostly in the water and they don't need to hear far away

Ecotower Obseration #3 4/8/11

1. Betta fish ( we have one that is alive)
Crickets ( We put six crickets in at first and now all are dead)
Snails ( Two snails in the ecotower are dead now)
Worms ( The three that we put in their are buried in the soil and don't know if they are dead or alive)

2. We think that the algae is still good and keeping the fish alive. We think the animals up at the top died because they weren't getting enough oxygen and the plants were beginning to die. But the worms are still unknown because we can't see anything to tell if they are dead or alive. Then the snails died and the snails shells were floating at the bottom of the bottle.

3. Bean plants (The three bean plants grew tall but are starting to die)
Algae ( Stayed alive but are turning brown)
Other plants ( The plant that was alive in our first observation is starting to die)

4. We think that the bean plants and other plants are starting to die because they are not getting any carbon dioxide. We also think the algae is turning brown because it isn't getting enough oxygen.

5. The water is getting a little darker yellow tint with particles floating around in the water. Plus some of the algae is turning brown and sinking to the bottom.

6.

7. I predict that most likely the fish will die next since the algae is beginning to die. The fish might live but eventually it will die. I think the plants up top will die since their not getting into carbon dioxide.

EcoTower Observation #1 3/25/11

1. Betta fish ( we have one that is alive)
Crickets ( We put six crickets in at first. The next day we on spotted four and then when we sealed the tower all of them died.)
Snails ( We put two snails in the ecotower and both are alive)
Worms ( The three that we put in their are buried in the soil and don't know if they are dead or alive)

2. We think the fish and snails are still alive because they are able to survive off the algae and the oxygen from the water. The crickets and worms are dead because, we believe, the carbon cycle failed. We were unable to see the worms to observe if they were dead or not.

3. Bean plants (Put three beans in the soils and a week later they all sprouted up)
Algae ( Stayed alive before and after we sealed the tower)
Other plants ( We put two other plants on the land area and one of them died and the other survived)

4. We think the bean seeds grew because they were able to grow roots in the soil. The soil stayed moist to bring the seeds alive. One of the plants that was given to us by Mr. Jennings, grew successfully. But the other plant died because the roots were unable to grow into the soil. The algae is still alive because it is in the water, providing it with moisture and oxygen.

5. When we sealed our ecotower the water was clear but now after a week it has a yellowish tint when you look in it.

6.

I didn't expect the cricket to die so soon i thought they would die but i thought the carbon cycle would have worked and kept the crickets alive at least for a little while.

7. I think that the water part of our ecosystem will keep progressing as if it was out in the world. I think the water will keep getting dirtier and dirtier after weeks go by. But  I also think the bean plants will grow more and more plus i am not sure but think the worms are still alive and keep nutrients in the soil.

Ecotower Sealing Day

Why we did this this project?
We did this project to make a mini ecosystem and do something that would show all three cycles working at once. Plus plan how to use the energy pyramid by using biotic and abiotic factors to support our animals.

Emily S.- one bottle, duck tape, fish, crickets, worms, snails, grass, and strainer
Travis- soil, caulk gun, and caulk
T.J.- bottle and gravel
Mrs. Richardson- algae
Mr.Jennings- Plants

The three water cycles used in our project was water, carbon, and nitrogen. The animals in our ecosystem are bata fish, crickets, worms, and snails. Grass, algae, and other plants were used as the producers for our ecosystem.

I did not sneak a peak at our ecosystem and did what i was suppose to do.

Succession and Abiotic Factors

As the world evolves every day the abiotic and the biotic drastically change. Abiotic factors are things that are not or haven't ever been alive. When biotic factors are organisms that were alive at one point. For Rayshawn and my experiment today we investigated on how succession influences surface temperature. We got the temperature from different surfaces with different textures.

The relationship between succession site and temperature is the less shade the higher the temperature. A biotic factor that influences the temperature of each site is the trees because they provide the shade that changes the temperature

Signs of Springs

Sign 1

Location: Edge of practice football field

For our first sign of spring at our first site we spotted a female cone starting to bloom on a pine tree. Plus their was honey suckle growing up the tree with the female cones on it. The weather was really nice, it was in the 50's with a light wind enough to lift your hair up a little bit. As we stood still we could hear crows crowing and a whistling noise as the wind blew through the trees.

Sign 2

Location: Down beside the pond

As we walked down the pond we spotted little pine cones and female cones growing on little trees beside the pond. If you looked close at the female cones they had pollen on them that's name is Alder cat kins. That's another sign of spring for our second site. When we were taking our observations we heard a bird fly over cawing. Then you could hear the trees rocking back and forth in the woods as the wind picked up a little since our first site. You could really feel how nice the weather was their because it's really open. Even though the wind picked up a little the sun was still beaming down. While standing by the lake Mrs. Richardson told us it was 54 degrees outside.

Sign 3

Location: Back in the trails of the woods

As we were walking down the trail towards our third site we spotted a butterfly fluttering through the trees. That is a huge sign that spring is coming and when we walked a little bit further their was spring growth on a trees. It was the beginning stages of the tree about to bloom. The only thing I really heard was leaves crunching as people walked on them and the water going down the stream of the creek. It was a little chilly in the woods because we were in the shade. But the wind was only blowing every now and then but it wasn't even enough to pick up a piece of paper.

Sign 4

Location: The front circle of the school

For our forth and final site to find signs of spring we were in front of the school. As soon as we got to the site i automatically spotted the trees starting to bloom. Almost all the trees in front of the school started to have red blooms on the edge of their branches. We were in a open field so the sun was beaming down which made it a little warmer but their was a light wind that gave you chill bumps when it blew. But it was only strong enough t blow the branches of the trees back and forth. Plus thats what we could hear was the branches making a knocking noise as they hit each other.

Day 5 site #1, #2, #3, #4

For our first site of the day we left the high school and went around back. we walked right into the woods on the trail and that was our first site. It was a four way trail, if you went straight it would lead you to the pond. If you went left or right it took you back in the woods. Behind us was the high school that we came from. If you stood still you could hear the cars passing by on the road, the wind blowing and rocking the trees back and forth, and leave blowing across the ground. We seen big rocks, a concrete bridge, a lot of pine trees and ferns, and a lot of dead leaves on the ground. The temperature was nice outside the temperature was about 75 degrees and it was a strong wind. Enough wind to blow my hair all around.

Our second site we went down beside the pond and down the hill. When we got to the bottom of the hill and crossed the creek. We walked down the creek for awhile then got on to the trail. Then we broke off the trail to the pond again this was our second site. While we were doing our observation we could see the back of a blue and white house. We seen baby craw fish, frogs, and dragonfly larva all in the creek we were at. Their were still dead leaves everywhere and sticks that had broken off from other trees. You could hear dogs barking up at the house, the scuffling of leaves as people walked on them, and a light wind that blow through the trees enough to make a whistling noise. It was still fairly warm at our second site with a light wind and if you were in the sun it got hotter than it really was.

For the third site we were kind of running out of time so we rushed towards the school. We walked the trail tell we were getting close to the pond. Then when we got about twenty meters from the pond we stopped for our third observation. It wasn't that loud at our third site all you could really hear was scuffling of leaves when people walked and the sound of the water going down the creek. As soon as we stopped some one spotted a frog in the creek. We also saw sticks, rocks, logs, trees, and dead leaves. Their was a very light wind, the sun was beaming down on us, and it seemed like it got hotter outside.

On our forth and final site we walked up the trail tell we got to the pond. We walked along the side of the pond tell we got to the end. That where we started our final observations. As we walked in front of the pond you could see geese and ducks swim on top the pond. The pond was very open like a field. Their was a bus garage with a lot of buses on top of the hill. The pond was surrounded by trees and had a dock that went about 10 meters out in to the pond. It was pretty hot because the sun was beaming down which made it feel 10 more degrees hotter that it was, and there was a light wind but not enough to pick up your hair. You could hear a crow in the woods crowing, the wind blow through the trees to make a whistling noise, and the waves comes up on shore.

Organism

Species

Population

Community

Ecosystem

Site Observation Day 4

Animal Kingdom

Name: Bald-faced hornet
Scientific name: Dolichovespula maculata
Kingdom: Animal
Location: You go behind the high school and down to the pond. You cross the bridge then go down the bank. When you get to the bottom of the hill their is a creek. You cross the creek then walk down the trail. Walk down the trail tell it forks off in two directions. Their is a log in between the forks that has fallen down.

Name: Canada Geese

Scientific name: Branta canadensis

Kingdom: Animal

Location: When you leave the high school you go out the back towards the woods. You go down the trails across the bridge and their is a pond on your right. That's where the geese were at.

Name:Northern green striped grasshopper
Scientific name: Chortophaga Viridifasciata
Kingdom: Animal
Location: When you leave the high school you go out the back towards the woods. You go down the trails across the bridge and their is a pond on your right. The grasshopper was in the grass beside the pond.

Name: Oyster mushroom
Scientific name: Pleurotus ostreatus
Kingdom: Fungus
Location: You go behind the high school and down to the pond. You cross the bridge then go down the bank. When you get to the bottom of the hill their is a creek. You cross the creek then walk down the trail. Walk down the trail tell it forks off in two directions. Their is a log in between the forks that has fallen down.

Name: Fungus
Scientific name:
Kingdom: Fungus
Location: You go out the back the school towards the woods. When you get to the trail you keep straight to the pond. Walk along the side of the pond until you get to the end. Go down the hill to the creek and walk down the creek. Then the stick is on the right side of the creek on the ground.

Name: Red Raspberry Slime Mold
Scientific name: Tubifera ferruginosa
Kingdom: Fungus
Location: You go behind the high school and down to the pond. You cross the bridge then go down the bank. When you get to the bottom of the hill their is a creek. You cross the creek then walk down the trail. Walk down the trail tell it forks off in two directions. Their is a log in between the forks that has fallen down.



Eubacteria Kingdom

As we were walking down the creek Mrs. Richardson told a student to pick up the log. He picked up the log and a Oder came from under the log. Mrs. Richardson explained to the class that the smell that came was caused by Eubacteria.

Protist Kingdom

None

Archaebacteria Kingdom

None

Plant Kingdom

For our final kingdom you can find this almost every where. There is trees and plant all around the world. They proved the oxygen that keeps the plant alive. But their are all kinds of plants. You have pine trees, ferns, roses, grass, and apple or orange trees.

Day 3 Site #1, #2, #3, #4

Photo by: Emily R. Seay

Site #1

We went down the hill beside the bus garage for our first site. All i heard was talking and people stepping on leaves making a scruffling noise. The bus garage was right above us at the top of the hill. Their was a creek that went under the road we were standing on. I saw a car passing by as I looked through the fence and the woods and saw trees and leaves on the ground. While we were taking these observations it was winter season, chilly, and it was a light breeze.

Photos by: Emily R. Seay

Site #2

When we got done with our first site we walked up the hill beside the bus garage. Down the path towards our next site. As we walked down the trail we spotted a woodpecker holes on a tree. Plus their was saw dust on the ground below the holes. But that was just part one of the site. We went down a little further and their were termite holes in the tree. But the hearing and feel were the same thing. You could the wind blow between the trees and the leaves blow across the ground. As we were making our observations we seen trees, leaves, and the trail. It was still chilly with no breeze.

Photo by: Emily R. Seay

Site #3

We went down the path a for awhile tell we got to a log with another woodpecker hole in it. It was a dead log that looked like it has been on the ground for a couple of years. It wasn't on the trail but it was about 10 meters off to the side. There was also fungus on the log, trees, leaves, and briers. The temperature was cool with a small breeze. I heard tuffling of leaves and people talking.

Photo by: Emily R. Seay

Site #4

We got done with our third sight and walked down the path for a little longer. We spotted out our first sign of life. It was eaten accorns that a squirrel must have ate. Their was also trees, leaves and half way through our observation a crow flew above us crowing. It was a light breeze, cool temperature, and the ground was wet. We heard the crow crowing, scruffling of leaves, and the wind blowing.

Day 2 Site #1, #2, #3, #4

Photo by: Emily R. Seay

Site #1

For our second day out in the field we went behind the school down to the pond. While out at the pond we saw close to 30 geese. Also as you can see in the picture we saw vehciles, garage, trees, leaves and deer tracks beside the pond where we were standing. We could hear the geese and the water coming up to the shore. As we heard that the wind was blowing through the trees and made them rock back and forth. As we stood next to the pond you could feel the cold wind blowing and it was winter outside.

Photo by: Emily R. Seay

Site #2

For our site we went down besise the pond at the creek. It was still very cold, it was less wind, and it was still winter. We heard the water going down the stream. As a bird flew by chirping we could hear the wind blowing through the trees still. While all of this was going on we saw a crawfish going up stream. after everyone came to look he got scared and hide under the the leaves in the creek Plus we were in the woods so we were surrounded by trees.

Photo by: Emily R. Seay

Site #3

As we traveled down the the creek a little longer. Our teacher spotted a Vernea pool. it a mini pond that frogs and other creature lay there eggs in. They lay there eggs there because fish don't live in it so the frogs don't have to worry about their eggs. We were surrounded by trees and dead leaves. We heard the wind and the water going down the stream. It was still cold, with a mid wind chill, and it was winter.

Photo by: Emily R. Seay

Site #4

For our final site of the day we were still back in the woods but not as far as usual. We walked the trail then stopped next to a huge log. The teacher spotted out a White Breasted Nuthatch on a pine tree. The class took pictures and then sat down for a rest as we observed. We heard the wind blow through the trees the pick up leaves as the we heard the water go down the stream. We saw a log, trees, creek, leaves and the White Breasted Nuthatch. It was still winter outside and the wind was blowing pretty heavy.

Day 1 Site #1, #2, #3

Photo by: Emily R. Seay

Site #1

             For our first day out in the field we did three observations hearing, sight, and feel. Our first observation we heard a train, people talking the wind blowing through the air, leaves blowing in the woods, and the wind blowing the trees back and forth. Then we saw birds, mud, trees, cars, grass field goal and the school. For our finally observation we felt the wind, it was cold, it was winter, and the temperature all made it cold outside.

Photo by: Emily R. Seay

Site #2

            The second site we did on our adventure we did the same three observation just at a different place. The second site was in the woods and not out in a field. On the second site it was almost the same as the first but a little different. We heard people talking, the wind, the leaves blowing, and the trees blowing back and forth. At the second site we seen a turkey feather, trail, snow, and trees. The feel was a little warmer because the trees were blocking the wind but it was still cold, snow on the ground, and it was winter season.

Photo by: Emily R. Seay

Site #3

            For my third and finally site for this day we were in the woods but deeper. We heard the wind blowing through the trees blowing back and forth as the leaves skipped across the ground. Then we saw a stomp with lichen ( a type of alga that is composed of fungus with a greenish, grey yellow look and it grows on leaflike, crustlike, and branches) on it, a deer rub, trail, snow, leaves, and trees all at our third site. It was still cold, windy, winter but it was so cold outside snow was still on the ground.