Another Student Example!

Once again we get a great example of learners working at home on things that are of interest to them! I can't say enough how excited I am seeing this type of work!

Here is one of our students James Cao sharing his observations of some caterpillars found in his home garden.

Observation Notes Linked here: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B07Ii08sIK8HQlRBaUlqTkg2cnc/edit?usp=sharing

Video Observation #1

Video Observation #2

Footage from the Trail Camera! Incredible!

We have some great new footage from Mrs. Willmore and the Trail Camera! Learners...check your observations and see if you were correct.

Tuesday Night - Wednesday Classes

Wednesday Night - Thursday Classes:

Meadow track...new species

This was from a much smaller creature! We have some peanut butter left!

Great tracks today!

Great tracks today in our meadow box! Can you tell what they are?

Learners are excited to see great tracks!

Tracking Boxes for Thursday, August 29th...

Meadow Tracking Box

Baseline 

Bait was set at 2:00 p.m.

Well Tracking Box

Baseline

Bait was set at 2:00 p.m.

What made those tracks?

Hopefully everyone spent some time thinking about what could have made the tracks in the tracking boxes Tuesday and Wednesday night.

I was great to see that we had different creatures each night.

If you want to find good examples of tracks, ODNR has some good resources at:

http://ohiodnr.com/tabid/19449/default.aspx
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/ExperienceWildlifeSubHomePage/kidspagesplaceholder/kidsforesthabtracks/tabid/6030/Default.aspx

Alderleaf Wilderness College also provides some good resources at:
http://www.wildernesscollege.com/identifying-animal-tracks.html

We have a lot of good pictures from both tracking boxes available through out shared Google Drive at:
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B07Ii08sIK8HemVLYlhaeG5ybDg&usp=sharing


You can view actual footage from Tuesday night at the Well Tracking Box!

Here is the link to the culprit.

http://youtu.be/v8rCP8pYkz0

Great day in the woods...

We had a great time today attempting to "tell the story" that we observed in the tracking boxes. It was a great lesson in observation and recording.

Wednesday and Thursday learners will put things together on Friday as we decide what really happened.

Thursday learners will be going out the same tracking boxes, but reset for this evening. Who knows, something might be out there right now!

Here is the "baseline" video for each of those boxes. It will give us something to compare to (our control) tomorrow.

I will post the final results of the tracks after all classes have had a chance to see them first hand.

This video is from our Meadow Tracking Box:

This is from our Well Tracking box:

These boxes were cleaned and baited around 2:00 p.m. this afternoon. Remember to dress appropriately with socks and shoes.

Day 2 Updates!

What an amazing two days!

As we continue to look at scientific ways of thinking, we will really begin to focus on observations and recordings.

Today, we reintroduced observation skills with a little "magic" trick. I am by no means a great magician, but it is still fun to watch...

IMPORTANT!..IMPORTANT!...IMPORTANT!...IMPORTANT!...IMPORTANT!...IMPORTANT!

On block day this week, we will be going outside to Swickard Woods. It might be a good idea to wear/bring long socks or boots to class!

Diving deeper in to observation and recording, we (Mrs. Willmore and I) have set up 2 tracking boxes in the woods. I baited these boxes with peanut butter this afternoon and we hope to attract some animal traffic.

Take a look at the boxes this afternoon...

Tracking Box #1

Meadow Habitat

Tracking Box #2

Edge Habitat

 

It will be great to see what visits over night!