*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ NATURE NOTEBOOK ----Issue 5 The Newsletter written for parents with kids in mind. September 9, 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
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 1. Sponsorship Notice *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ for Kids Naturely and Nature Notebook is owned and sponsored by T. L. Creations http://www.tlcreations.com
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 2. Feature Activity *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
What Can I Eat?
This week's activity focuses on the food chain and the ways that contaminants can enter the food chain and put certain birds, fish, or animals at risk. It is based on the Project Wild activity = "Deadly Links".
I prefer to use this activity with upper elementary and Junior High students. I find that it is effective with High School Students as a way to introduce stewardship of both the earth and their own bodies.
I changed the food chain from seeds, grasshoppers, shrews and hawk to residue, nymphs and water bugs, fish and eagle so we can focus on the success of saving the Bald Eagle (see In the News). I want the children that I work with to know that the terms "endangered" and "threatened" are not a death sentence for the animals.
I also use this activity as a springboard for older girls. If the contaminants can cause health problems with the animals, can the same thing happen to people? It's amazing what the kids will come up with if they are given the opportunity to think about how we are all dependent on each other. Link to http://www.naturely.com/eat.htm?id=nn for the entire activity.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 3. Nature in the News *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Eagles are a Success Story
Earlier this year the Bald Eagle was removed from the endangered species list. It's always wonderful to read about a comeback, especially when it is our national symbol!
Twenty-five years ago, nobody was sure whether or not the bald eagle would survive. In the early 1960's there were fewer than 450 bald eagle nesting pairs in the lower 48 states. Several elements contributed to their plight.
Before Congress passed the Bald Eagle Protection Act, bald eagles were seen as a menace that killed chicken, lambs, and other domestic livestock. Farmers and ranchers shot them to preserve their livelihood. After World War II, DDT and other pesticides became very popular as a means of controlling insects that would damage crops. The DDT residue washed into lakes and streams where it was absorbed by the plants and other small aquatic life. The fish fed on the contaminated plants and aquatics. The bald eagles ate the fish. As a result, they began laying eggs with thin shells that broke before they could hatch.
By prohibiting the killing and harassment of bald eagles, banning the use of DDT, and other re-introduction methods the bald eagles have been able to breed successfully in all lower 48 states.
For more information on the Bald Eagle http://biology.usgs.gov/features/kidscorner/fact1.html
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 4. The Spotlight *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
The Jewelweed
This plant, which bears yellow, horn-shaped flowers with red, orange, or brown spots, grows in swampy woods, streambeds, and clearings through most the United States and Southern Canada. This plant is also known as a Touch-me-not".
With one name that sounds like an unwelcome guest and the other as a flower you would not want to go near, the Jewelweed is a very welcome flower in many backyards.
Besides being a beautiful wild flower, its horn-shaped flower attract humming birds. The juice of the Jewelweed can be used to relieve the sting of the nettle and the itching of poison ivy. It can also be used to treat athlete's foot.
Why is it also called "Touch-me-not"? As the fruit of the plant swells with seeds, it will burst at the slightest touch.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 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 birds return to the same nest every year?
A. Some birds, like the bald eagle, will often re-use the same nest from year to year. Other birds prefer to build a new one. Removing a nest may not keep the bird from returning and building a new one in the same place. One family that I knew had a robin that built a nest over their patio. It was directly over their picnic table. They removed the nest that fall. The next spring the robins returned an built another nest in the exact location as the previous one. Their solution - move the picnic table.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 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 5 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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