*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ NATURE NOTEBOOK ----Issue 8 The Newsletter written for parents with kids in mind. September 30, 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
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
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 *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Ground and Water
Every now and then we read about ground waters or streams and rivers getting contaminated from a spillage. I'm especially concerned since my drinking water comes from my well. I know that the minerals in the soil are part of the water that I drink, but, what else?
Today's activity demonstrates how different soils behave. You will need three 2-liter bottles with the ends removed, 3 pitchers that hold the same amount of water, and a generous amount of clay, sand, and rocks. If you are working with older children, they can prepare the bottles.
I usually start with a discussion on the different soil types. Do you ever see puddles at the beach? How long does the puddle in the park last? This gets the children thinking about different soils.
As the children pour the water into the bottles, they will begin to understand how the soil holds or doesn't hold water.
This is a good place to start different discussions, like - if oil was poured into the soil, where would it go? (Sand may help filter it, but it would still hit the water table, clay would not absorb much, it would run off into the sewer system or stream. Either way, it affects our water supply.)
For a full description of Ground and Water click on http://www.naturely.com/groundwater.htm?id=n8
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 3. Nature in the News *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Logging in the south
The first thing most people think about when they hear the word "logging" is the spotted owl. In order to preserve the bird, logging companies had to determine that they were not destroying the bird's habitat. Restrictions were placed on how many trees could be harvested and when.
Today, many logging companies are harvesting their wood in the south. The timberland there is private, so the logging is mostly unregulated. The loggers are not required to check for endangered species or notify anyone when the cuttings will occur.
The biggest concern facing this area is the way the trees are harvested. Most of the time, the area is clear-cut. That means every tree in the area is cut and removed. The concern is for the wildlife that live in the area. How destructive is this method to the habitat?
We need to find a way to effectively harvest our forests with having a grave effect on its inhabitants.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 4. The Spotlight *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
The Eastern Mole
You may never see an eastern mole, but you have probably seen evidence that it exists...possibly in your lawn.
When I come across the ridges that the moles make on a hike, I tend to call them "nature's speed bumps", because I will want to slow down and see what types of insects are living in the area.
Moles do not live in the ridges that we see, those ridges are created when they are looking for food. Most of the larvae that they eat are found near the surface of the soil.
Their burrow is much deeper so it can protect itself and its young from predators, such as snakes and weasels. A mole wandering around outside of its burrow can become dinner for an owl or hawk.
Even though we may not appreciate the "subways" that the mole creates in our lawn, they are doing us a service by eating the larvae before they become insects.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 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. What's the difference between a frog and a toad?
A. This is not an easy question since toad and frogs do resemble each other in many ways. The differences that I'm listing here are generalities. You may find a frog that looks an awful lot like a toad.
* Toads are fat-bodied and sluggish * Frogs are slim and speedy
* Toads have bumps or warts * Frog skin is smooth
* Toads like the drier areas * Frogs usually live in or near the water
* Toads lay their eggs in double strands (in the water) * Frogs lay their eggs in clumps (in the water)
* Toads will not give you warts * Frogs, if kissed, will not turn into a prince.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 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:
Subscribe: mailto: subscribe@naturely.com Unsubscribe: mailto: unsubscribe@naturely.com
Or visit us at our web site: http://www.naturely.com
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ Copyright 1999. for Kids Naturely No portion of this newsletter may be reproduced without written permission.
If you enjoy this newsletter, feel free to forward it to your friends in its entirety.