Leap Into Spring!

Frogs & Toads

Every year during the early spring (as the air and water temperatures start to rise) frogs and toads, roused from their winter slumber, start a harmonious call that echoes through the valleys and fields of Iowa. Western chorus frogs are usually the first of the pint-sized amphibians to start their spring time refrain but they are soon followed by spring peepers, leopard frogs and many more!

Male frogs and toads call during the spring to attract mates. By listening and recording the species heard and the location biologists can gain important information about the health of a population and about the water quality. Amphibians have thin permeable skin and so are sensitive to pollutants in the water. There is concern for amphibian species worldwide as they have declined globally due to pollution.

Journals

Create field journals with your students. There are several ways to make journals. Scrap paper stapled together. Small binders with paper. Cardboard covers and rubber banded sticks as binding. Whatever method you choose will work wonderfully the important thing is to involve the children in the creation of their field journal.

Field Study

Visit a local pond to look for frogs and toads. Before going discuss observation skills and what the children think they will see. While there note observations and what they are seeing. Allow time for children to explore. Let children lead the study by what they find that interests them.

Extension

Obtain frog eggs or tadpoles to watch grow in the classroom.

Frog Song

Sing "Little Tadpole" to the tune of "Frere Jacques"

Little tadpole, Little tadpole

Lost his tail, Lost his tail

Now he has two feet

Now he has four feet

Look a frog! Look a frog!

Listen to recordings of frog calls. Try The Calls of Frogs and Toads: Breeding Calls and Sounds of 42 Different Species.

Resources

Metamorphosis – The Life Cycle of a Frog

http://www.kidzone.ws/lw/frogs/facts3.htm

Teacher Tube – Frog Life Cycle

http://www1.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=223821

Iowa HerpNet

http://www.herpnet.net/Iowa-Herpetology/

ISU Extension Publications: Iowa Reptiles and Amphibians

https://store.extension.iastate.edu/ItemDetail.aspx?ProductID=2142

Books

Arnosky, J. 2002. All About Frogs. Scholastic, Inc.

Beltz, E. 2009. Frogs: Inside Their Remarkable World. Firefly Books, Limited.

Bogart, C. M. 1998. Sounds of North American Frogs. Smithsonian Folkways

Carney, E. 2009. National Geographic Kids: Frogs! National Geographic Society.

Elliot, L. 2002. The Calls of Frogs and Toads: Breeding Calls and Sounds of 42 Different Species. Stackpole Books.

Jordan, S. 2002. Frog Hunt. Roaring Book Press.

Marent, T., and T. Jackson. 2010. Frog: A Photographic Portrait. DK Publishing, Inc.

Moignot, D. 1998. Frogs: A First Discovery Book. Moonlight Publishing.

Naden, C.J. 1972. Let's Find Out About Frogs. Scholastic Library Publishing.

Pfeffer, W., and H. Keller. 1994. From Tadpole to Frog. HarperCollins Publishers.

Porte, B. 1999. Tale of a Tadpole. Scholastic.

Schaefer, L.M. 2001. What is an Amphibian?. Coughlan Publishing.

Animal Mothers and Babies

Mother’s Day is this weekend and spring is a wonderful time of year to celebrate mothers! During spring nature is bursting with new life. Animal mothers and babies can be found in field, forest, and stream. Let’s explore animal mothers and babies in celebration of mothers this week!

Classroom: Ask children if they have ever seen a mother and baby together? What about an animal mother and baby? Play a match game. Gather pictures of animal babies and mothers. Match animal babies to their mothers (such as the cards that go with the “Grow As We Go” Growing Up WILD activity).

Have children bring in a picture of themselves and their mother. Have children match mothers to children. 

Do you want to explore further? Check nature supply store for animal life cycle cards, models and stuffed animals (such as Acorn Naturalists). Follow a web cam, such as the Decorah Eagles, and watch them raise their young.

Outside: Take a walk around the schoolyard or to your local park. Look for animal mothers and babies. There should be bird nests, tadpoles, and insects, among others, this time of year. When you spot an animal see if you can tell if it is a baby or a mother.

Craft: When you are outside on your nature walk around the schoolyard have children collect objects to make a card for their mothers for Mother’s Day. Flower petals, leaves, pretty small pebbles etc all can be glued to cards. Or have the children collect things to makes nature necklaces for their mothers.

Book List

Arnosky, J. 1993. Crinkleroot’s Guide to Walking in Wild Places. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.

Bauer, M.D., and P. Elwell. 2004. My Mother Is Mine. Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers.

Bellows, M.G. 2012. Mother’s Love: Inspiring True Stories From the Animal Kingdom. National Geographic Society.

Bredeson, C. 2011. Baby Animals of the Lakes and Ponds. Enslow Publishers, Inc.

Bredeson, C. 2012. Baby Animals of the Woodland Forest. Enslow Publishers, Inc.

Cannon, J. 1993. Stellaluna. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Carle, E. 2002. Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? HarperCollins Publishers.

Cole, H. 1998. I Took A Walk. HarperCollins Publishers.

Fisher, A. 2001. You Don’t Look Like Your Mother. Economics Pr.

Giogas, V. 2007. In My Backyard. Sylvan Dell Publishing.

Hodgkins, F., and L.J. Bryant. 2005. If You Were My Baby: A Wildlife Lullaby. Dawn Publications.

Kalman, B. 2011. Animal Mothers. Crabtree Publishing Company.

Morrison, G. 2004. Nature in the Neighborhood. Houghton Mifflin Books.

Wallace, K. 2000. DK Readers: Wild Baby Animals (Level 1: Beginning to Read). DK Publishing, Inc.

Links

Ranger Rick: Thanks, Mom! (If animals could talk, here’s what the kids might say to their wonderful mothers.)

http://www.nwf.org/Kids/Ranger-Rick/Animals/Mixture-of-Species/Animal-Mothers.aspx

Inside Outside Nature: Moms and Babies

http://www.insideoutsidenature.com/?p=2012

National Geographic: Mother’s Love Photo Gallery

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/photos/mothers-love-gallery

Next Generation Science Standards or NGSS were recently released. The new K-12 science standards are rich in content and practice. They approach science education in a manner that challenges students to truly grasp subject matter and apply what they are learning. The NGSS focus on preparing K-12 students to go to college or to enter the workforce. The standards were released in April and are now available for states to adopt voluntarily. Iowa educators, school administrators, science consultants, and higher education faculty, among others, recently met for a NGSS awareness session.

For more information on the NGSS visit the following websites:

Next Generation Science Standards

http://www.nextgenscience.org/

Next Generation Science Standards – Iowa

http://www.nextgenscience.org/Iowa

Iowa will convene task force to review science standards

http://www.educateiowa.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2860%3Aiowa-will-convene-task-force-to-review-science-standards&catid=242%3Anews-releases

School Gardens

Why a school garden?

School gardens provide hands-on learning in a wide variety of disciplines including science, math, language arts, and visual arts. Being involved in school gardens get students active, engaged, and teaches them important life skills such as responsibility. School gardening of fruits and vegetables also positively influences students health and nutrition attitudes and actions. School gardens also:

·         Increase science achievement scores.

·         Improve social skills and behavior.

·         Improve environmental attitudes and stewardship.

·         Instill a love and appreciation of nature.

·         Improve life skills such as responsibility and teamwork.

·         Instill healthy eating habits and attitudes.

·         Improve health and nutrition knowledge.

·         Provide wonderful opportunities for hands-on learning.

·         Increase physical activity.

Do you want to get started? Read below for how you can get your school garden started today!

Support

The first step in starting a school garden is to get support from the school district, administrators, and community. The web site School Garden Wizard “Make the Case” http://schoolgardenwizard.org/wizard/make/  has a wonderful proposal template to help you get started.  Some things to include in your proposal are: case studies of other school gardens, benefits, and funding sources/ideas.

Funding

Get your community involved. Community involvement fosters ownership of the school garden and will lead to better and continued support.

·         Contact local businesses for donations of money or supplies.

·         Host a bake sale or other fundraiser.

·         Ask your local greenhouse for plant or seed donations.

·         Look for and apply for grants

o   2013 Midwest Garden Grant (Closes April 26 - apply NOW!)

http://grants.kidsgardening.org/2013-midwest-garden-grant

o   2013 A Garden is the Way to Grow (Deadline for 2013 has passed but keep it in mind for next year!)

http://www.agriculture.state.ia.us/AgDiversification/AgardenIsTheWaytoGrow.asp

Garden Plan

Create a garden design and plan for your school garden. Ask a local master gardeners club, parents, or other knowledgeable community members for help with the design and plan. Involve faculty, and students in the planning process. Vote on themes, plants, colors, etc…The more the faculty and students are involved the more it will truly feel like their garden!

School gardens can be very simple, from a few containers of vegetables in a school courtyard, to elaborate raised beds that stretch around a schoolyard. When designing keep in mind what your school can handle, the money available or raised, and the ability of the school and volunteers to maintain it.

Create

After you have support, funding, and a plan it is time to start creating your garden!! Organize work days for faculty, students, and volunteers to work on the school garden. Work days can be during school hours, after hours, and even on a weekend day.  Assign classes or grades age appropriate jobs. All ages can help and will enjoy being involved in the process!

Learn

Congratulations you now have a school garden! There are many wonderful cross-curricular learning opportunities that your new school garden can provide you. School gardens are wonderful places to study insects, plant growth, rainfall, and much more. They can be a beautiful setting for drawing, painting, and writing. The sky really is the limit!

Maintenance

Remember to have a plan for maintenance of your school garden. Assign daily, weekly, monthly, and/or yearly maintenance activities to grades, faculty, or community and parent volunteers.  Or plan school garden work days for maintenance. Make a plan for the maintenance of your school garden that works best for your school and community. Remember to arrange a plan for the summer months as well.

Websites

Iowa Healthiest State Initiative: School & Community Gardening Resources

http://www.iowahealthieststate.com/gardening-resources

School Garden Wizard

http://schoolgardenwizard.org/wizard/

Kids Gardening (The National Gardening Association)

http://www.kidsgardening.org/

Books

Ancona, G. 2013. It’s Our Garden: From Seeds to Harvest in a School Garden. Candlewick Press.

Aston, D. 2007. A Seed Is Sleepy. Chronicle Books LLC.

Christensen, B. 1994. Edible Alphabet. Dial Books for Young Readers.

Cole, H. 1997. Jack’s Garden. HarperCollins Publishers.

Cole, J. 1995. The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds: A Book About How Living Things Grow. Scholastic, Inc.

Cox, M., and DK Publishing Staff. 2009. Wildlife Gardening. DK Publishing, Inc.

DiSalvo-Ryan, D. 1994. City Green. Morrow Junior Books.

Doyle, M. and J. Allibone. 2002. Jody's Beans. Candlewick Press.

Ehlert, L. 1990. Growing Vegetable Soup. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Ehlert, L. 1992. Planting a Rainbow. Harcourt Children's Books.

Gibbons, G. 2007. The Vegetables We Eat. Holiday House, Inc.

Henkes, K. 2010. My Garden. HarperCollins Publishers.

Hickman, P. 1996. A Seed Grows: My First Look at a Plant's Life Cycle. Kids Can Press, Ltd.

Krudwig, V. L., and C. M. Brown. 1998. Cucumber Soup. Fulcrum Publishing.

Lavies, B. 1993. Compost Critters. Penguin Group (USA)

Lovejoy, S. 1999. Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots: Gardening Together with Children. Workman Publishing Company.

Lovejoy, S. 2001. Sunflower Houses: Inspiration From the Garden – A Book for Children and Their Grown-ups. Workman Publishing Company, Inc.

MacDonald, M.R. and P. Cummings. 1998. Pickin' Peas. HarperCollins Publishers.

Manning, M. and B. Granstrom. 2003. The Seed I Planted (Wonderwise Readers). Franklin Watts, Ltd.

Schaefer, L.M. 2003. Pick, Pull, Snap!: Where Once a Flower Bloomed. HarperCollins Children's Books.

Scott, E., and C. Duffy. 1998. Dinner from Dirt: Ten Meals Kids Can Grow and Cook. Gibbs-Smith.

Siddals, M.M., and A. Wolf. 2010. Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth. Random House Children’s Books.

Waters, M, et al. 1994. The Victory Garden Kid’s Book. Globe Pequot Press.

April

Wildlife Management

Early Childhood Activities related to Wildlife Management
Below are examples of activities that can be used while studying wildlife and wildlife management. While the idea of “wildlife management” may be beyond what most early childhood children can grasp, you can focus on what wildlife need to survive and how we can help ensure that they have it. This study would be a great time to invite a local naturalist or other natural resources professional into the classroom to talk about what they do for wildlife and/or to do a fun activity with the children.

Growing Up WILD

Terrific Turkeys – Children learn about wild turkeys.
What’s Wild? – Children compare the lives of wild and tame animals.
Wildlife is Everywhere! – Children make observations and understand that wildlife is everywhere.
Wildlife Water Safari – Children discover water sources for local wildlife.

Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood

Trees as Habitat – Children explore how wildlife depend on trees.

Book List

Arnosky, J. 1979. Crinkleroot's Book of Animal Tracks and Wildlife Signs. Penguin Group (USA).
Arnosky, J. 1997. Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing Animal Habitats. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.
Arnosky, J. 1995. I See Animals Hiding. Scholastic.
Auch, A.J. 2002. Tame and Wild. Spyglass Books.
Bishop, N. 2002. Backyard Detective: Critters Up Close. Scholastic, Inc.
Douglas, L. G. 2003. The Bald Eagle. Scholastic Library Publishing.
Giogas, V. 2007. In My Backyard. Sylvan Dell Publishing.
Green, J. 2002. In a Backyard. Crabtree Publishing Company.
Herkert, B. 2001. Birds in Your Backyard. Dawn Publications.
James, S. 1996. Wild Woods. Tandem Library Books. 
Kavanagh, J. and R. Leung. 2001. Urban Wildlife: An Introduction to Familiar Species (North American Nature Guides). Waterford Press.
Kirkland, J. 2006. Take a City Nature Walk. Stillwater Publishing.
Kurtz, J., C. Kurtz and L. Christiansen. 2002. Water Hole Waiting. HarperCollins Publishers.
Landry, S.B. and R.T. Peterson. 1998. Peterson First Guide to Urban Wildlife. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Lawrence, G. and A.M. Tyrol. 2001. A Naturalist Indoors: Observing the World of Nature Inside Your Home. iUniverse, Inc.
Lock, D. 2007. Animals at Home. DK Publishing, Inc.
Montgomery, R.G. 2001. The Living Wilderness. Caxton Press.
Morrison, G. 2004. Nature in the Neighborhood. Walter Lorraine Books/Houghton Mifflin Books.
Ruurs, M. 2007. In My Backyard. Tundra.
Squire, A.O. 1996. 101 Questions and Answers about Backyard Wildlife. Walker & Company.
Wechsler, D. 2001. Peregrine Falcons. PowerKids Press.

Iowa Wildlife Cameras

Watch LIVE footage of several Iowa birds of prey as they raise their young this spring. There are also links to a birdfeeder cam at a county nature center, and a trout cam at an IDNR fish hatchery.

Dickinson County Conservation Board: Okoboji Osprey Camera

http://dickinsoncountyconservationboard.com/osprey-camera/

Decorah Eagles

http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

IDNR Falcon Cams

http://www.iowadnr.gov/InsideDNR/SocialMediaPressRoom/IowaDNRVideos/IowaDNRLiveFalconCam.aspx

Scott County Owl Camera
http://www.scottcountyiowa.com/webcams/webcam_120.php

Alcoa Eagle Cam

http://www.alcoa.com/locations/usa_davenport/en/info_page/eaglecam.asp

Scott County Bird Feeder Camera

http://www.scottcountyiowa.com/webcams/webcam_121.php

IDNR Trout Cam
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/iowadnr

 

 

 

 

April

Wildlife Management:

Iowa’s Wildlife Management

Wildlife management is the application of scientific knowledge

and technical skills to protect, preserve, conserve, limit, enhance, or

extend the value of wildlife and its habitat.

 When European settlers first arrived in Iowa they found a land teeming with wildlife of all shapes and sizes. There seemed to be no end to the abundance. However, within fifty years many animals had been hunted and exploited completely out of Iowa. In the 1930’s several Iowans, concerned by the declining wildlife populations, developed conservation and wildlife management plans and practices. The first wildlife management organization in Iowa was the Iowa Conservation Commission (which would later become the Iowa Department of Natural Resources).  The ICC worked to establish game law, enhance wildlife habitat, and stock the state with wildlife.

Today Iowa’s wildlife is managed by several agencies including the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The IDNR sets hunting and fishing regulations to regulate the harvest and protection of Iowa’s wildlife. They also conduct research, monitor wildlife populations, and manage land for wildlife habitat.

Wildlife are owned by no one but are held in trust by the government for the benefit of the present and future generations. This is known as the Public Trust Doctrine. Iowa’s wildlife are managed for everyone.  However, only two percent of Iowa’s land is in public ownership. This land is in preserves, refuges, public hunting land, state parks, county parks and other state, and federal land programs. These lands are protected and managed. A large art of Iowa’s wildlife management plan is dependent on private land management. Cooperation between land owners and wildlife managers is essential for Iowa’s wildlife. Programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Wetland Reserve Program (WRP), among others, are vital for managing Iowa’s lands for wildlife diversity.

Iowa State University Extension: Iowa Wildlife Management
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/IAN401.pdf

Iowa Department of Natural Resources:

Iowa’s Wildlife
http://www.iowadnr.gov/Education/IowasWildlife.aspx

Wildlife Stewardship

http://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/WildlifeStewardship.aspx

Wildlife Landowner Assistance

http://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/LandStewardship/WildlifeLandownerAssistance.aspx

Hunting

http://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting.aspx

Fishing

http://www.iowadnr.gov/Fishing.aspx

Come back next week for classroom activities and book lists on wildlife management!!

 

 

Upcoming Educator Workshop Opportunities!!

Reconnecting Children with Nature – Growing Up WILD

Date: Saturday, April 6, 2013
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Location: Twin Ponds Nature Center (1811 240th St., Iona, IA 50645)
Registration Deadline (Minimum 15 participants required): March 28, 2013; You must register electronically:

https://ccmis.dhs.state.ia.us/TrainingRegistry/SharedPages/ViewClassDetail.aspx?data=2UDG7MjxsH6Xt/urWfM1HVsR6XAx3s2Ojy4k3awE2e/TfHO59Cgipw

Priority is given to those working in Floyd, Mitchell, or Chickasaw Counties. Funded by EAGLE Program and FMC Early Childhood Iowa.

Date: Saturday, April 27, 2013
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Location: Mitchell County Conservation Center (18793 Iowa 9, Osage, IA 50461)
Registration Deadline (Minimum 15 participants required): April 18, 2013; You must register electronically:

https://ccmis.dhs.state.ia.us/TrainingRegistry/SharedPages/ViewClassDetail.aspx?data=W7lcA*hzdaNa/TKAuwoPdTm/BafGhhTVxeeeph91NK*xWbFOuDpBBg

Priority is given to those working in Floyd, Mitchell, or Chickasaw Counties. Funded by EAGLE Program and FMC Early Childhood Iowa.                                                                         

This workshop leads you out the door and provides hands on activities and resource materials to help you lead your own nature explorations. Growing Up WILD activities use age appropriate practices and concepts to build on children’s sense of wonder and invites them to explore nature and the world around them. Specially written for children 3-7, activities include sections to address many learning areas: math, science, language, literacy, health living, play, and creativity.

This workshop has been approved for 4 clock hours of DHS continuing education credit.

The Growing Up WILD activity guide was a culmination of work by natural resource agencies, early childhood professionals, and educators. Activities have been correlated to national standards for early childhood education – NAEYC Criteria for Curriculum, Head Start Child Outcomes Framework and the NAAEE Early Childhood Environmental Education Guidelines for Excellence. Additional correlations have been drafted to Iowa Early Childhood program and curriculum standards – Quality Preschool Program Standards, Iowa Early Learning Standards, and the Iowa Core Curriculum.
Note: This workshop will be both inside and outdoors - dress in layers and for the weather.

For more information, contact Malissa Rader: mrader@iastate.edu.

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Outdoor Explorations for Early LearnersDate: June 10 & 11, 2013
Time: 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Location: Annett Nature Center (15565 118^th Ave., Indianola)
Registration Deadline: June 3, 2013; You must register electronically: https://prodev.aeapdonline.org/4DCGI/EC007499991401INV&*

Registration Fee: materials and 1 license renewal credit for $125 or 1 graduate credit from Drake University for $225.

This Inquiry Based Outdoor Exploration workshop is designed to help early childhood professionals lead children in age-appropriate, interdisciplinary outdoor experiences. You will be introduced to strategies, skills, and resources (including Growing Up WILD and Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood) to build upon children's sense of wonder about the world around them through relevant, inquiry-based exploration.

Growing Up WILD activities, specially written for children age 3-7, include sections to address many learning areas: math, science, language, literacy, health living, play, and creativity.

Project Learning Tree's Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood encourages children to explore, discover, and communicate in expressive ways.

Both activity guides were a culmination of work by natural resources agencies, early childhood professionals, and educators. Activities have been correlated to national standards for early childhood education. Additional correlations have been drafted to Iowa Early Childhood program and curriculum standards.

This workshop has been approved for 15 clock hours of DHS continuing education credit and 1 teacher licensure recertification credit or 1 graduate credit (Drake University).