*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ NATURE NOTEBOOK ----Issue 13 The Newsletter written for parents with kids in mind. November 11, 1999 Linda M. Watson, lmwatson@naturely.com *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Welcome to Nature Notebook. This newsletter is by subscription only. If this edition was forwarded to you by a friend, see the bottom of the newsletter to receive your own, personal subscription or visit our website at http://www.naturely.com
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Index: 1. Sponsorship 2. Feature Activity 3. Nature in the news 4. The Spotlight 5. Q & A 6. Guest Column 7. Classified Ads 8. How to be featured as our guest columnist 9. Subscribe/unsubscribe information
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ AWARDS *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ I was surprised and delighted to receive an e-mail from USA Today - education. The for Kids Naturely site has been selected "Best Bet" for the week of 11/8 - 11/14. USA TODAY Education's program is currently being used in more than 25,000 classrooms throughout the country. We are proudly displaying the USA TODAY Education award on our site!
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 1. Sponsorship Notice *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ for Kids Naturely and Nature Notebook is owned and sponsored by T. L. Creations http://www.tlcreations.com
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 2. Feature Activity *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Using Common Sense
We taste, we see, we hear, we smell. Everyone has these senses to one degree or another. Are we using them to our highest capabilities? Or do we turn off our senses, not really using them?
This activity helps youngsters to sharpen their senses. Sometimes I focus on only one sense, like hearing, sometimes I have the children use all of their senses. It's amazing how much more they hear, see, or smell when they are focused.
Animals rely on their senses much more than we do. How do they find their food? How do they know a predator is near? Their very life depends on keen senses.
For a full description of Using Common Sense click on http://www.naturely.com/sense.htm?id=nn
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 3. Nature in the News *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
How many species live here?
How long would it take you to count and identify every plant and animal in your backyard? I do mean every one. Every dandelion, every spider, every bird. I certainly wouldn't want to do it, but, the officials at Great Smoky mountains National Park are taking on the project.
It seems the park is losing plant and animal life much faster than expected. Part of it has to do with the introduction of insects and fungi from overseas. Every living organism in the park relies on others to live. When one species die, others die too.
So, the park is going to try to identify every living organism in its wetlands, forests, and mountain peeks. The information will help scientists in the future to determine how much ecological damage is being done to the park.
Now, if this is something that appeals to you, the park is looking for volunteers. They expect it will take over 1,000 volunteers about 20 years to complete the count. Many more foreign organisms may be added through this documentation.
You can view the in-progress results of the study-or volunteer for the count-by checking out their website www.discoverlife.org.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 4. The Spotlight *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Wild Turkeys
With Thanksgiving almost here, I thought it would be appropriate to spotlight the wild turkey.
The wild turkey is the only creature that has "wild' as part of its name. In fact wild turkeys are only found in the New World. That may be why it is part of our Thanksgiving Day feast! Biologists estimate that there were 3 to 10 million wild turkeys in America before it was settled. The bird almost became extinct when its numbers dropped to 30,000 in the 1930's.
Their decline was attributed to several causes. The birds were easily hunted. There was no limit to the number of turkeys a hunter could take in one day. They eat acorns and chestnuts in addition to seeds, insects, small frogs and lizards. The chestnut trees became diseased and the supply of food dropped. Turkeys roost in trees. The trees were being cut down for lumber, depriving the turkeys of a place to sleep.
By changing the hunting laws and introducing the birds to new places, the birds have thrived. Latest count should that are more that 4 million turkeys in the United States today.
Although Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national symbol, I think I prefer it as my Thanksgiving Day feast!
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 5. Questions and Answers *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
If you have a nature question, mailto: question@naturely.com We will answer the questions in the next issue of Nature Notebook.
Q. Do all deer have antlers?
A. No. The male deer sport the antlers unless the species is reindeer/caribou, then both the male and female may have antlers. Antlers that appear the first year are not a full rack. They may not even be very long. These deer are called button bucks because of the short antler. I have seen 4 point antlers on 1 1/2 years old bucks. More tines may appear based on genetics and good nutrition.
**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 6. Guest Column *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
If you have information to share that would be of interest to our subscribers, consider writing an article for our Guest Column.
See 8. How to be featured as our guest columnist
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 7. Classified *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
*** We reserve the right to limit sponsors to five per issue on a first come, first serve basis upon approval of the editorial staff.
All ads must be family and nature friendly.***
For more information mailto: advertising@naturely.com
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 8. How to be featured as our guest columnist *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Nature Notebook is always looking for articles pertaining to nature, activities that adults and children can participate in together and ways that we can work together to sustain the balance of nature.
Articles should be no more than 700 words long. Submit to editor@naturely.com. No attachments please. The article should be part of the body of the e-mail.
Articles should not be advertisements disguised as information.
Do not query. Submitted articles will be reviewed and responded to within 2 working days.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 9. Subscribe/unsubscribe information *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Send a blank e-mail to one of the following addressed:
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*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ Copyright 1999. for Kids Naturely No portion of this newsletter may be reproduced without written permission.
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