Trout in the Classroom, Post 2

Here's our TIC {Trout in the Classroom} department with the tank on the right countertop, art posters describing life cycle, anatomy, and habitat, and a paraphrase of a John Muir quote.

'When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.'

The tank is like a mountain stream with it's cold water kept near 52 degrees by a chiller and insulation, flowing current and oxygen provided by a filter and pump, gravel and rocks for camouflage, and shade also provided by the insulation.

For a few minutes a day we uncover the tank so the students can check on the eggs, recording the temperature and drawing what they see. I see 4 eggs, do you?

Here are 4 more eggs. How many pairs of eyes are 'looking at' you?

Now that you've had practice, how many eggs do you see?

When will they hatch? We calculate how many more thermal units the eggs need to hatch. A thermal unit is  the average temperature minus 32 degrees. Even at 52 degrees, they require thermal energy.  

There is no sign of hatching yet. We're waiting for the next stage in the life cycle, alevin. It will stay in the gravel and be nourished by its still attached egg sac. I'll let you know the date and will try to get a picture.

Patiently by necessity,

With Heart.

Trout in the Classroom 2013, Post 1

Early Monday morning I went to the Berkeley Marina with our trout sponsor from the Diablo Valley Fy Fishermen Club, Mr. Ng to pick up our Steelhead trout eggs. It was cold but sunny.

Ethan Rotman, our wonderful Classroom Aquarium Education Program coordinator, arrived to make sure everyone had what they needed. He bought coffee and tea for us while we waited for the delivery.

"Thank you, Mr. Rotman."

One hundred bundles of eggs arrived from the Silverado Fishery in their special cold case safely buckled in as you can see. 

Fly fishermen sponsors and educators were ready with their coolers, waiting for their teachers' permits from Ms. Yates.

The case was carefully opened by Mr. Ficele.

The top ice tray was removed.

We could see the first tray of cheesecloth-wrapped bundles of eggs.

Our Sponsor Mr. Ng received 27 bundles of eggs to distribute to his teachers. 

The bundles were triple-counted to make sure we got the right number.

The eggs were kept cool until they could be delivered to the participating classrooms in our district.

We carefully counted 30 eggs before putting them into our aquarium.

Do you see the tiny black eyes?

To Be Continued 

With Heart

Lamar Park

Rested.

Get water. Load the bike.

Zip up my fleece.

Let's go!

Glide down the path.

Climb the hill, and run back down.

Laugh and giggle.

Sun slants over the gold and red leaves.

Sky pales and purples.

Dusk settles over Lake Patsy.

Sunset behind us as we leave.

It places a hand of benediction over me and my band of loved ones.

Blessed

With Heart

Thank you Karen and Janie for the pictures you let me use.

Las Trampas Hike in a Bag

As I started up Elderberry Trail at Las Trampas Regional Wilderness on Monday afternoon, the battery on my camera died. I was momentarily bummed until I decided I'd collect a Hike in a Bag to send to my grandson, the preschool naturalist.

I'll ask him, 'Can you find these nature artifacts?'

A yellow leaf with stickery edges, a brown leaf that looks like a flying bunny, 2 insect-yummy bay leaves, see through feathers, lichen sticks, a buckeye, green moss from a tree trunk, a heart rock, acorn with its cap on, and a feathery-ferny leaf.

Then because I always take a picture in my mind of the wonders I see, 

I sketch when I get home. 

5 Senses Hike

I see a family of Black-tailed Deer eating grass and resting on the hill.

Mmm. I smell California Bay Laurel leaves.

'Hoo, hoo, hoo.' I hear Great Horned Owl calling from his tree.

Climbing the trail I am thirsty. Water from my bottle tastes good.

Green moss on the Dark Woods tree trunks feels like your hair when I rub it.

Hiking 

With Heart

Fall Haiku

Yesterday

The grass was raked green.

Last night was longer, colder.

Now bare trees, gold yard.

A Wonder of Nature:

When the days get shorter and the nights colder. scissor cells form in the leaf where the stem meets the branch. These cells keep forming and pushing the leaf away from the stem. Finally a gust of wind or too many raindrops causes the leaf to fall. 

Amazed 

With Heart

Sardis Lake

The Wonder of Nature:

Sharing nature with my daughters and grandsons. 

Early this month we visited Sardis Lake on the Little Tallahatchie River in Northern Mississippi.

We couldn't get enough of taking pictures of nature!

The mist from the spillway made a good backdrop for my enjoyment of the scenery. 

The grandsons were very interested in what the fishermen were doing.

After a picnic lunch and playground time at Lower Lake, we went to the upper side of the dam.

A beautiful clear blue sky is unusual in the South 

where it is usually soft and blue with high humidity.

How could two boys resist such big rocks?

Happily 

With Heart

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a good reason to resume cyber-sharing the wonder of nature with you. Instead of blogging I've been presenting nature journaling with students of diverse ages through observation, sketching, and writing. 

Join me on an observational walk and see how it inspired me to sketch and write.

Neighborhood color.

Morning sun lighting my sweet gum tree.

Sketching

November Leaves

a poem of the senses

Flames of leaves light the trees and burn for days.

A bunch of colorful leaves in my hand go straight to my nose for a whiff of fragrance.

If these were lollipops, my mouth would be watering.

Evidence of Fall reaches my ears as I crunch the path.

Meanwhile I hold treasures of the season and rub their leathery smoothness.

Are you inspired to go outside and take a Five Senses Walk?

Thanksgiving 

With Heart