Tinker Crate - Hands on STEM projects!

Our first Tinker Crate arrived today. Tinker Crates are STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) projects that are delivered to your child each month. There is a different project that incorporates STEM and a wonderful way to supplement your home schooled child's Science curriculum. Each kit comes in a cute Tinker Crate box and is addressed to your child.

Each Tinker Crate comes with everything you need. You will not have to search around the house for items or run to the store. These are complete hands on experiments that teach critical thinking skills along with STEM concepts.

This month, we received the Lava Lamp kit. So. Much. Fun.

Here is the link to the Tinker Crate website: Tinker Crate
Please note that if you use the link that I have provided you will receive $10 off your order and I will receive a $10 credit. Thank you in advance and enjoy your Tinker Crate!                                                                  

Complete easy to understand instructions are also included in each kit.

The finished product and a proud child!

         

                                                                                
     

The Anatomy of a Chicken Egg

Have you ever wondered what you are eating when you eat eggs?  Well, today we found out exactly what everything is called inside an egg and what their functions consist of for a growing chick.

We broke open an egg and observed it with a magnifying glass.  After cracking an egg, one can see something somewhat gooey inside the eggshell.  This insulates the contents of the egg.  The shell is the hard outer membrane. The yolk is similar to the placenta in humans.  It provides nourishment to the developing chick.  The white spiral bands on either side of the yolk are called chalazae.  They hold the egg yolk in place.    The part of the egg that is the egg white is called the albumen.  It contains water reserves for the growing chick.

We labeled the parts of the egg as shown above.

shell = outer membrane = protection
inner gooey part of shell = inner membrane = insulation
yolk = food source for the developing chick
squizzly white bands = chalazae = holds yolk in place
egg white = albumen = water reserves for the chick

Suggested Resource for this Lesson Shown Below

Adventures with Atoms and Molecules: Do Molecules Move?

Materials Needed
Glass of Water
Food Coloring


Observations

In order to observe how molecules move through water, we used food coloring so that we could see the molecules move.





The molecules moved slowly through the water.  We waited and watched the food coloring slowly fall to the bottom then swirl and wiggle to the top and sides.


After 20 minutes, the entire glass of water became a uniform color of light blue.

Conclusions:

Molecules are so small that we can't see them, but we can see collections of molecules and observe how they move by using food coloring.  Molecules are constantly moving.  Liquid molecules move slowly and they wiggle and swirl to fill a space.

Resource Used for this Experiment:



Here's Another Great Resource:

Constellation Study

                                                     *click photo to enlarge*

Each night, before bed, California (age 6) goes outside to gaze at the night sky to find a new constellation.  Then he comes back inside and draws the constellation that he has discovered.  The Sun, Moon and all the planets of the Solar System have also been labeled.

Recommended Reading...










 

The Universe in a Seashell

The above photo shows California's latest cosmic creation. He used sea shells, sea glass, river stones and glass beads to create his version of the Universe. Although it may appear to be scattered about haphazardly, each stone, shell, pile of sea glass and glass bead were carefully placed to create his Universe. According to California, the stones that are placed in a line represent our solar system. The pile of sea glass is a nebula. The glass beads represent moons of the planets within our solar system and stars. The various sea shells on the outer edges represent black holes and distant glaxies.

To see more of California's cosmic creations, click on this link -> Planetary Exploration Across Various Artforms and Media.

Life Science Lesson 25

1. How is a natural disturbance different from a human disturbance with consideration to the recovery of the environment?

A natural disaster is sometimes beneficial, such as fire helping decomposers by burning plants for them, or a flood refilling a lake. Natural disasters are always made of natural things, but human things, such as gasoline, pollution, and deforestation. It takes a very long time for the environment to bounce back after human disturbance.

2. Give an example of how human activity can destroy the habitat of other organisms. Can you think of a way that activity could have been done differently to avoid the destruction?

Around 86% of the world's destroyed habitats are centered in the Amazon. Most species massacres happen there because over a million species live and breed there. The place is usually cultivated because the trees are of great quality. Also, it could be reversed by people growing their own trees to cut down, if at all.

3. What is the difference between an extinct species and an endangered species? Give an example of each.

An extinct species is a species that has been wiped out, and no longer exists on the planet. An endangered one is a species that is just barely to the point, so much that there's barely 10,000 left or so.

An extinct species, where do I start? It's sad, there are so many. I think I should say the Thylacine. It's been around since the Ice Age, yet us humans wiped it out in the 1930s.

Endangered: The most memorable one is the Giant Panda. There are only around 9,000 left.

4. Are zoos a sufficient means of preventing the extinction of the type of animals that live there? Explain your answer and give an example?

No, no, no, no, NO! Zoos kill animals, stop them from breeding, and destroy their... natural personality! Many times, animals have been mellowed by zoos and caretakers, and what's the point of sustaining a species if you can't release it?

Take the LA zoo, for instance. The polar bear had to be removed because it was not suited for the enivironment. Then, when it was released, it died because it was too attatched to it's owners.

5d. Choose an endangered animal or plant species which interests you. When you have learned some information about this species, actively do one thing to contribute to the continued existence of this plant or animal...like sending an email to a conservation organization.

I sent a thank you e-mail to World Wildlife Fund. I also asked them to focus on tigers.

Science: Monday, April 14th, 2008, 1:40 - 2:15 PM

I did the game on here and learned much about being green:
www.planetgreengame.com/

Science Lesson 36!

Environmental Science 5
Lesson 36

FINAL EXAM
This final lesson is a review of the second semester. Look through lessons 19-35 and answer the following questions.

1. What is meteorology?
The study of the weather. Meteorologists need special instruments like thermometers, barometers, and anemometers. They use satellites to figure out when hurricanes, storms, and tornadoes will happen.

2. Complete this weather matching exercise. Match the word on the left column with the appropriate definition on the right.

a. jet stream
1. The temperature at which the air is saturated and water vapor condenses to liquid.
b. dewpoint
2. A tool that measures change in air pressure.
c. anemometer
3. A current of fast moving air high in the atmosphere which helps determine weather.
d. rainshadow
4. The feeling of cooling caused by the wind taking away body heat.
e. barometer
5. The effect that mountains have on the amount of rainfall on either side.
f. wind chill
6. A tool that measures wind speed.

1.B. 2.E 3.A. 4.F D.5 C.6.

3. Which is more likely to happen where you live: a hurricane, a tornado, or a blizzard? Why?
None! We live by the ocean—make that 24 BLOCKS away—and it never snows, he ocean isn’t warm enough for hurricanes, AND tornadoes are least likely, because, well, we’re by the ocean, and just about never get thunderstorms. All of these are fueled by the Jet Stream—which is soooo far away.

4. What organisms belong in each kingdom? Match each of the five kingdoms on the left with the appropriate living thing on the right.

a. monera
1. the grass in your lawn
b. protista
2. the bacteria that cause strep throat or that make yogurt.
c. fungi
3. seaweed
d. plantae
4. yeast and mold (okay, mushrooms too!)
e. animalia
5. you and your friends

D. 1. A. 2. B. 3. C. 4. E.5.

5. What kind of tissue is your skin? How about your heart? Your brain? Heart is… heart tissue, brain is nerve tissue, and skin is Epithelial tissue!


6. What causes goosebumps?
The contraction of small muscles under the skin when you get cold.

7. How long is the small intestine? What does it do?
It’s 22 feet long and helps the food and drink from your stomach get broken down into pieces small enough for your body to absorb.

8. When you measure the weight of something, what natural force does the weight depend on?
Gravity pushes down on everything in different ways, depending on several different things, including mass, and height.

9. Give three examples of different types of energy.
Kinetic, chemical, potential, sound, nuclear, electrical, magnetic, and electromagnetic energy.

10. Where does all the energy on the Earth come from? (You’ve been asked this before - just so you know how important it is!)
The sun gives us light—but hidden in that light is all the energy of the world.

11. Why do most substances expand when they are heated?
Because they become less dense and vapourize. This means that they expand.

12. Most substances contract when they are cooled. How does water break this rule?
Not just water—all liquids—expand when frozen because the cold causes the atoms to become less mobile, and also gain density.

13. Match the words in the right column with the proper description on the left.
a. light year
1. This results when light hits a water drop or prism and splits into its different wavelengths.
b. gamma rays
2. The bending of light rays as they go from one substance to another
c. radio waves
3. The highest energy waves with the shortest wavelength
d. rainbow
4. the distance that light travels in a year
e. refraction
5. The lowest frequency waves

D. 1. E. 2. B. 3. A. 4. C. 5.

14. Describe three sounds around you and rank them from the lowest to the highest pitch. Which of these sounds has the highest frequency (the shortest wavelength)?

There’s dad yelling, that’s the second to last loudest
There’s birds chirping, that’s the quietest
And there’s me, typing on my keyboard, that’s the loudest.

15. Name three early inventions that came about because of electricity.
The phonograph, the light bulb (Curse you Edison! You should’ve invented the Compact Florescent first!) and the… X-ray!

16. What do a Frisbee, a bird, and an airplane have in common? (You aren’t allowed to just say “they all fly!”)
They all allow air to pass over their wings (Excluding the Frisbee) and allow that to lift them up in the air (With a little bit of help)

17. Name three kinds of sciences you studied this year. Which was your favorite? If you were to be a scientist when you grow up, what kind of scientist would you like to be?
Well, there was life science, weather science, and—of course—environmental science! My favorite HAD to be life science. I am going to be a Zoologist when I grow up. In fact, each career I ever wanted was a Scientist! I might also be a Cryptozoologist—a fringe science that studies creatures like the Loch Ness Monster, and Bigfoot, classifies them, and tries to decide if they are real (And if they are, they try to decide ‘What the heck does it really look like?’)

19. What were some of your favorite activities from this year’s science course? What activities did you like the least?

I really liked making the 3D Jell-O cell, and didn’t like any of he tings about the body (Except for the cells… they’re interesting) The protecting animals lesson was awesome, because that is one of the many reasons why I want to be a Zoologist.

Science, Week 21

Environmental Science 5
Lesson 21
LIFE SCIENCE
The study of life involves answering the question "Is it alive?" Living organisms all share five certain characteristics. Some of these are common sense, and some are a little less obvious. All living things are made up of one or more cells. Your body contains trillions of cells, while some organisms have only one cell! The cell "organizes" life. That is the cell's number one job! All living things use energy to grow. This is called "metabolism." Since all living things must eventually die, they all have a process to ensure that "life goes on." This is called reproduction. All living things maintain their own internal environment. This process of staying stable is called homeostasis, which comes from the Latin homeo, meaning the same, and stasis, meaning staying. A fish in water doesn't turn into water, but keeps its own shape. Mammals maintain their 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit body temperature even when it is freezing cold outside. These are examples of homeostasis. Another amazing thing about living organisms is that their offspring look like their parents! This is called heredity.
There are other things that living organisms do, but they don't "define life." Most animals move, but some animals, and lots of plants, do not. Some things that are not living move, like water and clouds. Animals and plants respond to things in their environment. Plants grow toward the light, and animals shiver when the air is cold. All living things develop, growing from single cells to mighty oak trees or a 2,000 pound bull moose, and then they die. These organisms are complex, with even small bacteria having many different structures within them. However, there are many non-living things that are complex, like your parents' car engine! So, while these characteristics are important, they are shared with many non-living things.

1. Gather the following things together (or come up with your own list), and place them on a table: Apple, pencil, house plant, worm (place in a jar with some earth), rock, glass of water from the tap, glass of water from a pond, a leaf. Write down the five characteristics for life listed above. Classify each item as either LIVING or NON-LIVING, and explain how you decided on the classification.
OH MY GOD! YOU THINK EVERYTHING KEEPS SLIPPING FROM MY MIND, DON’T YOU?! WELL… I WAS LEARNING THIS WHEN I WAS FOUR! “WOW, I NEVER KNEW THAT ROCKS WEREN’T ALIVE!” AUGH! Fine Mom, rocks DO NOT: Grow, change, or breathe.


Let's get down to basics and look at the building blocks for plants and animals - CELLS! Your body is made up of trillions of cells. They are so small that you need a microscope to see them. To be specific, your body contains about 100 trillion cells. That is the number one, with 17 zeroes after it! If your cells were the size of hamburgers, they would make a wall 13 feet high, one foot wide, and long enough to wrap all the way around the Earth. We all start as one cell, a fertilized egg. To get to trillions of cells, that cell divides. This process is called mitosis, or cell division. In this process, genetic material (DNA and RNA) is passed on. Cells divide to make new cells and then die continuously. Whoops - except for brain cells! We are born with a certain number of brain cells, and don't make any more (although some scientists are beginning to question this). Take good care of the ones you have.
Cells are specialized for each job that they perform. For example, nerve cells carry messages to the brain, muscle cells contract and relax so that we can move, and red blood cells carry oxygen thoughout the body. For cells to do all of these jobs, they need energy. The main source of energy is glucose. The process of turning glucose (along with oxygen) into energy (and water) is called metabolism. It takes a lot of "teamwork" on the part of our cells to get us through the day. Groups of cells get together and form organs - stomach, heart, lungs. Groups of organs work together to get the job done - mouth, esophagus, stomach and intestines do the job of digesting food. This is called an organ system; in this case the digestive system.
Now we will zoom in on some cells. There are some basic parts to a cell, but not all cells have every part. Viruses don't even have cells! They just have the information for reproduction (DNA or RNA) inside of a protein coat. Plant and animal cells are different from each other. Plant cells have cell walls, and chloroplasts, which animal cells don't have. The vacuoles in plant cells are also much bigger than those in animal cells.
Let's start on the outside of an animal cell (remember, plant and animal cells are different). Animal cells are surrounded by a cell membrane. The Latin word membrana means "skin." This soft layer around the cell holds everything together, and makes sure nothing goes in or out that isn't supposed to. Food and water can pass through the cell membrane.
Inside of this membrane, the organelles float around in a jelly-like substance called cytoplasm. It is made up of water, salt and enzymes. It is thought that the cytoplasm helps the cell to move, and it keeps all of the other organelles separated from each other.
Inside the cell are various organelles that each have different jobs. An organelle is a specialized part of a cell that acts like an organ in the body. The biggest and most noticeable organelle in the cell is the nucleus. This is the "control center" of the cell, or the director of all of the activities in the cell. The nucleus is surrounded by a nuclear envelope which will only allow two things to move through: proteins for energy, and the heredity information in the RNA.
Inside of the nucleus is the nucleolus. It is the dark spot that you see in a picture of a nuclueus, and it contains just protein and RNA, with a little bit of DNA thrown in. The nucleolus produces ribosomes.
There are a lot of ribosomes in a cell, as many as a few million! These organelles make proteins. Some of these proteins will be used inside the cell, and these are made by "floating" ribosomes. Other proteins will be sent outside the cell, and these are made by ribosomes attached to the endoplasmic reticulum.
There are two kinds of endoplasmic reticulum ("ER"). These are the rough and the smooth ER. The rough ER is covered with bumps, which are the ribosomes. This organelle makes proteins and creates a bubble, or vesicle around them. These proteins are then moved to the Golgi apparatus for use inside of the cell, or to the cell membrane to be used outside of the cell. The smooth ER collects and contains proteins and ions for later use. It can also detoxify poisons.
The Golgi apparatus is a little tricky to say. It is pronounced "gol-gee apparatus." It looks kind of like a stack of puffy pancakes. The Golgi apparatus combines simple molecules into bigger molecules. It also produces lysosomes.
lysosomes contain digestive enzymes, surrounded by a single membrane. The word lysosome comes from lyso, meaning to break down or digest, and some, meaning body. So, these organelles break down bigger molecules. If the lysosome were to explode, the cell itself would break down.
The mitochondria are the "powerhouse" of the cell. They act like a furnace, in that they break down food and release energy, or "food" for the cell. The mitochondria is shaped like a sausage. If you were to look inside this organelle, you would see the inner membrane all folded up like a maze. These folds create more surface area, which gives the mitochondria more "room" to release energy. Even though the mitochondria are small, they are the second largest organelle in the cell. Depending on how much energy the cell needs, there may be hundreds or thousands of them.
The other organelle that you would see looking at a cell is the vacuole. These are "bubbles" that float in the cell, and store various things that the cell needs. Some store food, and others store waste. Vacuoles are very important to plant cells, too. In plants the vacuole takes up about half of the cell. In poisonous plants, vacuoles store the poisonous chemical that the plant produces to keep herbivores from eating it. The poison is released only when the cell is bitten into or swallowed.

1. Go to this website and read more about cells. Draw an animal cell and a plant cell. Label all of the organelles.


2. The Edible Cell:
Mix up Jell-O from directions on the box.
Cool to room temperature and pour into a Zip-loc plastic bag.
Add fruits and candies to represent the organelles. For example, an orange slice for the mitochondria; a cherry for the nucleus; string licorice for microtubules, etc.
Close the bag. Make a legend, writing down which organelle each piece of fruit represents.
Put the bag in the refrigerator and allow the Jell-O to get firm.
Eat the cell!

In plants, vacuoles are very big. These vacuoles hold lots of water for the plant, or food, or waste. When a plant has lots of water, the vacuoles are full, and the plant stands tall (with the help of the cell wall). As the plant loses water in a drought, the vacuoles shrink, and the plant begins to droop. If you give the plant water, the vacuoles fill up, and the plant stands straight again.
The cell wall in plants is similar to the cell membrane in animals. It regulates what goes in and out of the plant cell. It is made of a substance called cellulose.
Plant cells also have chloroplasts, which is where they create food using energy from the sun. Chloroplasts are complex green structures which give plants their color. They are not present in fungi, because these plants do not produce their own food. There are other pigments in leaves, and when the chlorophyll disappears from the leaves in the fall, these show up as beautiful reds and yellows.

3. Click here to go to a printable table comparing plant and animal cells. Print out the table, and fill in the blanks.


4. Click here to look at some real pictures of cells. Write a sentence telling what each cell reminds you of.
The Vitamin C looks like some strange 3D graphics mess-up.
The Staphylococcus looks like some orange grapes.
The Leukemia looks like an amoeba.
The blood clot looks like glue combined with sticky hair.
The E. coli looks like some strange radio scan of something.
The Strepto—whatever looks like a blob of neurotic cells.
The red blood cells look like half-sucked, red cough drops.
The soil bacteria look like green rice.
The eosinophil looks like a plant with it’s roots.
The neutrophils looks like the cross section of a worm.

SCIENCE MID-TERM EXAM

REVIEW AND MIDTERM EXAM
Take this week to review the material in the last seventeen lessons. Read through any projects that you may have done for the lessons. When you have refreshed your memory, take the midterm exam. Good luck!

Midterm Exam

1. Describe the scientific method.
The scientific method is a list of objectives of a successful experiment. They are:
Observation: A question about something that someone notices.
Hypotheses: A possible answer to the Observation.
Experiment: A test to test the Hypotheses.
Results: The results of the Experiment.
Conclusion: The answer to the Observation.

2. Why do scientists perform controlled experiments?
Well, if you wonder something, you usually want an answer, so scientist use controlled experiments to test their ideas. They might need to repeat or measure experiments, and need the variables to be controlled.

3. What is meant by an "indicator species?"
A sensitive species that is highly affected by a bad environment.

4. Why is it important for scientists to use the same measuring system?
Because if a scientist misunderstands or miscalculates the measurements, things can fall down go boom, people can die, or things can go horribly wrong. Also, it’s important for scientists to measure things together.

5. Write a paragraph describing what happened in your "homemade wetlands" model, and tell which function your wetland performed.
We did not perform this experiment, so I do not have results.

6. Describe the roles of producer, consumer, and scavenger in the food chain.
Producers are plants, which produce oxygen for all other living things.
Consumers are animals, which breathe in oxygen, and produce carbon dioxide, which in turn, is breathed in by plants.

7. Why is photosynthesis so important to our planet?
Plants create oxygen, and suck up CO2, and photosynthesis fuels them.
Without the sun, we would shrivel up, and turn into blocks of ice, and our planet would have an atmosphere of 100% CO2.


8. What are some ways that people upset the "balance of nature?"
By polluting, digging for fuel, poaching, and fishing.

9. Choose one of the organisms in "Fun Habitats" and write a paragraph summarizing what you learned (or already knew!) about them. Include any first-hand experiences you may have had.
I have had bad experiences with ants. On Jan. 1st, 2008, a mould problem started in my baby brother’s room. It attracted ants, which built a colony. The ants then invaded our whole house. I could not go one day without seeing 10 ants. The ants made their home on the stairs and upstairs bathroom. The stairs are creaky and rotten because of them, and the bathroom was “the ant room.” I learned that ants like to have water near their colony.

10. How have owls adapted to competition for food during daylight hours? They are nocturnal, and have wide eyes and super hearing to sense their prey.


11. How does the extinction of an animal species affect the food chain?
Someone said that every species is a thread. If any thread is broken, things will fall apart. If the spiders’ thread is cut, the mosquito thread will swell to a rope, and overpower other animals. Many animals would die because malaria would become more common. Ponds would get polluted with larvae. It would be horrible. That would affect the food chain as well.


12. Why do salamanders lay their eggs in vernal pools?
Because the're AMPHIBIANS! Their eggs are jelly, and need water! And they need to be protected from predators, because fish don’t live in VERNAL ponds, and birds don’t like their eggs jellied.

13. Explain why DDT became a problem for cats in Asia, and eventually for people as well.
Cats ate lots of rats that ate grains that were poisoned with DDT. The DDT had a higher effect on the cats than the rats, and the cats died. The rats overpopulated without the cats, and you know what rats do, they overpopulate when given the chance. Also, humans started eating the grains.

14. What are the main differences among biomes?
Each has different animals, plants, and environmental features.

15. Draw the water cycle.
(Link to Picture Below)

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0T-JJopm7-XOHsVc5RMLgTTGScXyEFQak6VwNATds2y3z6SlCVPS3aXH61hTauFV4BCCnK7rD8K9lE2SZy37FN_J-c8J5E2SkxVQH8zRbNOG0HHf1qA6sS0v_am4LrNJyERbYRm6KkE/s1600-h/Du+Wader+Cycle.jpg

16. List the planets in our solar system, in order of distance from the sun. Give a brief description of each planet.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, (Asteroid Belt) Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Mercury is misunderstood as being the hottest planet, at 430 degrees C. In fact, the hottest planet is Venus, as 470 degrees C. It has a barren, rocky surface, and the atmosphere is too thin to carry sound waves.


Venus is probably the inner planet least like Earth in geographic terms. To get an idea of what it’s like, imagine Global Warming put into overdrive, then left alone for 1,000 years. It has lava, magma, tar-like chemical pits, and volcanoes.


Mars is the planet most like Earth, because it was almost exactly like earth, some billion years ago! Recent studies by NASA show that there IS STILL liquid water on its surface! Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge, natural ditches cover the surface where oceans used to be, and there are channels in place of rivers.


Jupiter… where do I start! It has 63 moons, almost completely made out of gas, and… yep, that’s just about it. Just joking! It’s made up of mostly Hydrogen and Helium gases. It has liquid Hydrogen and Helium swirling around its core, which is Hydrogen and Helium metal. 47 out of all of it’s 63 moons haven’t been named.


Saturn has the same gases as Jupiter, but is also very different. It has over 1,000 rings of floating junk, asteroids, and moons. There are small “Shepherd Moons”, such as Pandora and Prometheus. These keep pits of dust in the rings, and outsiders (mostly) out. It's moon, Titan, one of (or the) largest moon (s) in the solar system, may have microscopic life on its surface.


Uranus is a drab, dull planet with no action. It and Neptune have been “Ice Giants”. The winds on Neptune bring claw-sharp slivers of ice, and there is an ocean of pure water or ice on both planets. Besides that, Uranus has no wind or will. It is a nice blue-green (or purple!) color.


The last true planet, Neptune, seems to me to be the former parent planet of Pluto. It probably spit the moon out into the edge of the Solar System for one reason or another. Neptune has a “Great Dark Spot” like Jupiter, except this planet is smaller, and a rich blue. It also has the highest winds of any planet in the Solar System.


17. How did the telescope change astronomy?
The telescope enabled people to look at things over 16 million miles away in detail. That enabled people to get a better view of the planets, instead of seemingly immobile dots.

18. How does the tilt of the Earth cause the seasons?
Let’s say that North America was getting a heat wave, and because of the axis, it’s night in Egypt.

19. Describe how the "breathing" of plants and animals complement each other.
Humans release Carbon Dioxide (Not just with their breath), plants suck up Carbon dioxide, and release Oxygen, Humans and Animals breath Oxygen, and breathe out Carbon Dioxide.

Science Lesson 20

Environmental Science 5
Lesson 20
CLOUDS AND STORMS
At some time you have probably watched the clouds go by, and seen animals or shapes. Let's go more in-depth into cloud formations and what kinds of weather they bring. How do clouds form? As warm air passes over the ocean or large lakes, it picks up water vapor. Since warm air is not as heavy as cold air, it will rise as it gets warmer. Then, as the air rises, it cools, since the atmosphere is colder the higher up you go. The temperature at which air can no longer hold the water that it contains is called the dewpoint. When the dewpoint is reached, the water condenses, or "drops out" to form dew or clouds. These clouds change shape as parts evaporate, or are moved and re-shaped by the wind.

1. Try this: Fill a can 2/3 full with ice and water. Place a thermometer into the ice/water mixture. As soon as condensation forms on the outside of the can, read the temperature on the thermometer. This is the dewpoint of the air in your room.

We don’t have a thermometer.

Weather forecasters talk about the dewpoint because it affects how we feel. As the dewpoint rises above 70 degrees Fahrenheit (F), the air begins to feel uncomfortably muggy. When it is above 75 degrees F, the air feels very unpleasant, and above 80 degrees F it is considered to be hazardous. This is because the air is so moist that when humans sweat, the sweat is not able to evaporate and cool their bodies effectively. This can lead to heat stroke, or serious overheating.
Weather forecasting should take into account your local geography. If you live near a lake, you may have more rain if you live on the eastern shore than if you live on the western shore (remember, most weather in this country moves from west to east because of the jet stream).

As the air currents move over the lake, they pick up moisture. When the dewpoint is reached, this moisture will drop out as rain. If you live near a big mountain, you will have drier weather if you live on the western side of the mountain. As the air travels up and over the mountain, it is cooled and tends to drop precipitation in a "rain shadow" on the other side of the mountain.
A rain shadow exists where mountains get in the way of the flow of moist air. In the case of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state, moist air masses blow in across the Pacific Ocean, and hit the 7,000 foot high Olympic mountain range. As the air is pushed up the mountains, much of the moisture drops out, and by the time the air has reached the top of the mountains it is fairly dry. This translates into an average yearly ranifall of up to 200 inches on the western side of the Olympics, and only 16 inches on the eastern side, in the "rain shadow."

2. Draw a picture of what happens as rain clouds move up and over a mountain range. Is there a rain shadow effect in your area?

No, there aren’t mountains high enough.

There are several different types of clouds, and each usually can tell you what kind of weather is coming.
Cirrus clouds are thin, wispy clouds that are high in the sky. The word cirrus is Latin for "curl of hair," which is what these clouds call to mind. They generally "point" in the direction that the wind is blowing. Cirrus clouds are usually made up of ice crystals, because they are high in the sky where it is very cold. These clouds usually mean that there will be fair weather, unless the winds are blowing from the northeast or east towards the south. Then there will be rain by the next day.
Cumulus clouds are also called "fair weather clouds." This word means "heap" in Latin, which is what they look like! They form from rising currents of warm air, and build up to great heights. These are the big, puffy clouds with big clear patches of sky in between them. Cumulus clouds usually have a flat base. They don't usually bring rain, but in the spring and summer they can turn into cumulonimbus (nimbus means "rain"), or thunderstorm clouds.
Stratus clouds are the low, gray clouds that cover the whole sky. This word means "layer" in Latin. They usually mean that rain is coming, and a dreary time is ahead. Fog is a stratus cloud on the ground.

3. The Cloud in a Bottle.
(Authored by Michael Kneese, Snake River Jr. High, Idaho.)
This activity will demonstrate the direct effects of pressure and temperature on cloud formation. Materials needed:
Wide-mouth gallon pickle jar
Heavy duty clear plastic bag
Rubber bands or masking tape
d. Place about 20 ml of water in the pickle jar.
e. With adult supervision, place a lit match into the jar.
f. Quickly place the plastic bag over the mouth of the jar, and secure a firm seal by placing the rubber band or masking tape around the top of the jar.
g. Push the bag into the jar quickly, then pull the bag out.
h. OBSERVE!

We need a match.

This activity shows how humidity, temperature and air pressure influence the formation of clouds. The water produces high humidity in the jar, and the smoke from the match provides nuclei on which the water can condense.
As the bag is pushed into the jar, pressure and temperature in the jar increases, causing the jar to clear. When the bag is pulled out of the jar, pressure and temperature decreases, allowing the water vapor to condense. This produces a "cloud" inside the jar.

4. Either go outside or look out of the window. Notice what types of clouds there are in the sky, and make a prediction about the weather. Write down your prediction and the cloud type(s). Tomorrow, write down whether or not your prediction was correct.

There are Cirrus clouds out, and even without them I can tell it’s going to be sunny tomorrow.
I was right!

One of the most common and beautiful weather events is the thunderstorm. Many stories and legends have sprung up around these storms. The Greeks thought that Zeus, their king of gods, shot lightning bolts from the sky. The Vikings believed that Thor, the god of weather, made thunder and lightning by hitting his golden hammer against a metal anvil. Native American legends told of the mighty thunderbirds that flapped their wings causing the thunder, while their flashing feathers were the lightning.

"Thunder is good, thunder is impressive; but it is the lightning that does the work." Mark Twain wrote this in a letter to a friend back in 1908, and scientists have found it to be true. Lightning originates 15,000 to 20,000 feet above sea level in the turbulent winds inside cumulonimbus clouds. Ice crystals and water droplets bump into each other, and scientists believe that this process builds up electrical charges. The positive and negative charges separate from each other, with the positive charges in the middle and upper area, and the negative charges in the lower part of the cloud. Positive electrical charges are also building up down on the ground. When the charges get big enough, the negative charges flow down to the ground, and the positive charges on the ground leap up to meet them. This lights up the negative charges into a jagged flash of light, or bolt of lightning. This all happens within a millionth of a second, which creates the optical illusion that the lightning is coming down, while in reality it is moving up from the ground.

So, how does the lightning "do all of the work?" Since the lightning bolt is so very hot, 30,000 to 50,000 degrees F, it heats the surrounding air so quickly that it expands in an instant. This creates a shock wave that we hear as an explosion of sound, or thunder. Our ears tell us that lightning comes first, and then the thunder follows. Actually, they happen at the same time, but sound travels slower than light.

Lightning can be very dangerous, killing an average of 73 people per year in the United States, and injuring about 300 people per year. In most cases, if you can hear the thunder, then it is no longer safe to be outside. The safest place to be is inside a building with plumbing or wiring extending to the ground, or inside of a vehicle with all of the windows rolled up. During a lightning storm, do not use the telephone, stay away from windows and televisions, and do not take a bath or do the dishes! Relax and enjoy the show from a safe distance.

Mark Twain also said, "We all grumble about the weather... but nothing is done about it!" The truth is that some of our actions do have an impact on the weather. Pollution can affect weather, as can forest fires. Some fires are so big and smoky that they block out the sun for extended periods of time. Clouds form when water condenses around microscopic particles like dust, smoke, or salt crystals. Scientists have discovered that if they add nuclei in the form of salt crystals or ice crystals, they can get more rain to fall from existing clouds. This is called "cloud seeding." Smoke and pollution can act to "seed" clouds as well.

Once the dewpoint has been reached and rain begins to fall, how does it turn into sleet and hail? Rain falls through layers of air as it moves towards the ground. If it falls though a layer of cold air, it may freeze and become sleet.

If these frozen drops rise and fall through warm and cold layers of air, they will turn into hail. Some hailstones can be as big as golf balls before they finally fall to Earth.
There are other awe-inspiring weather events, such as the tornado, the hurricane, and the blizzard.

Tornadoes basically "spin out" of a thunderstorm. They require warm air that can rise quickly, moisture in the lower to mid-atmosphere to form clouds and rain, and an updraft. Fronts, sea breezes and mountains can lift air. The strongest thunderstorms, which can lead to tornadoes, form under areas where the jet stream is speeding, pulling air upwards, and increasing the violence of the storm.
A tornado looks like a funnel-shaped cloud. It comes down to the ground and picks up dirt and debris. This is what gives the tornado its color. In areas with dark soil, the tornado looks black or brown. In areas with red soil, the tornado can appear reddish.
The United States has the most tornadoes of any country in the world! There are about 1,000 tornadoes in the U.S. every year. They mostly occur over the Great Plains, which has become known as "Tornado Alley." However, tornadoes have occurred in every state at one time or another. It is a good idea to know what to do in case of a tornado!

5. Read more about tornadoes, and make up a list of what to do in case of a tornado. Write a paragraph about a tornado that has happened in your state.

CA has had none! California is a very dull state in weather.

6. Go to this website, and follow the directions for creating your own tornado. Have you ever seen a tornado, or heard about one on the news?

Sorry, I have my own. A moterized... thing spins around, causing the water inside the tube to spin in a tornado-like fashion.

Hurricanes start out as thunderstorms over the ocean in the Tropics. They form between August and November, when the sea and air are at their hottest. As the storm picks up speed (pulled by the rotation of the Earth), it takes on a spiral shape. These storms are called by different names as their wind speed increases. When the wind speeds are up to 39 miles per hour, it is a "tropical depression." From 40 to 73 miles per hour, it is a "tropical storm." From 74 miles per hour on up, the storm is classified as a hurricane. These storms can be 300-600 miles wide. There are about seven hurricanes every year in the North Atlantic Ocean, and we give them names.
Why do we name hurricanes? These storms are named to make it easier for meteorologists to talk about them while they are happening. Since there may be more than one hurricane happening at the same time, trackers needed a way to keep them separate, while letting people know about watches and warnings. The first person to name a tropical cyclone (hurricane to you and me) was a forecaster in Australia. He named these storms after political figures that he didn't like. This way he could say that the politician was "causing great distress," or "wandering aimlessly about the Pacific." After that, Army and Navy meteorologists named tropical cyclones after their wives or girlfriends. This was an informal method, and in the late 1970s this system was replaced by a list that included both women's and men's names. In the Northwest Pacific, a new list is being used that consists mainly of names of flowers, birds, trees and even foods.

7. Go to the list of hurricane names. Do you find your name, or the name of someone that you know on the list? Make your own list of 10 possible names for hurricanes, using something other than personal names.

Xena
Matt
Bast
Cablen
Amen
Kathl
Lotila
Chark
Zillah
Elan

What is the difference between a tornado and a hurricane? They are both large, rotating storms, and start out as thunderstorms. That is where the similarity ends, however! Hurricanes form only above tropical seas, because they must have warm, moist air to keep them going. This is why hurricanes die out over land. Tornadoes, on the other hand, form over land, and become actual tornadoes only when they touch down. Hurricanes can be hundreds of miles wide, and last for up to nine days.
Tornadoes are much more restricted in their path (a few feet to a mile wide), and they last from a few seconds to an hour. Hurricanes raise the sea level by several feet, making water and waves the most dangerous thing about hurricanes. Tornadoes produce much more powerful winds, making debris thrown like missiles the most dangerous thing about tornadoes. Also, you can see the funnel-shaped tornado from the ground. A hurricane's swirling shape can only be seen from above, or in space.

Another amazing force of nature is the blizzard. Strictly defined, this is a snowstorm with winds of at least 35 miles per hour, and temperatures of 20 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Where did the word "blizzard" come from? No one is quite sure, but it was used in writings by Davy Crockett back in 1830. He was describing being struck many times by violent punches as "being blizzarded." Later, in 1870 in Iowa, a newspaper used blizzard to describe a big snowstorm, and the term was in wide usage ten years later during the Blizzard of 1880.
These storms in winter can bring snow, sleet, freezing rain, and ordinary rain. These can all fall in the same place during the same storm! This happens when warm, moist air moves in over an established cold air mass. As the warm air rises up over the cold air, the moisture condenses and falls, freezing as it passes through the cold air layer. Sometimes there is a layer of colder air above that warm air, and precipitation can start as snow, melt to rain, and then re-freeze into sleet as it passes through the layers or air.

There have been many blizzards in the United States over the years, and as our weather forecasting improves, there are fewer lives lost from them. These storms do not hit us unawares anymore, as they did back in the 1800s. On Saturday, March 10, 1888, a great blizzard prevented Mark Twain's wife from joining him in New York City. He wrote: "And so, after all my labor and persuasion to get you to at last promise to take a week's holiday and go off with me on a lark, this is what Providence has gone and done about it. It does seem to me the oddest thing - the way Providence manages. A mere simple request to you to stay at home would have been entirely sufficient; but no, that is not big enough, picturesque enough - a blizzard's the idea; pour down all the snow in stock, turn loose all the winds, bring a whole continent to a stand-still: that is Providence's idea of the correct way to trump a person's trick. If I had known it was going to make all this trouble and cost all these millions, I never would have said anything about your going. Now in the light of this revelation of the methods of Providence, consider Noah's flood - I wish I knew the real reason for playing that cataclysm on the public: likely enough, somebody who liked dry weather wanted to take a walk. That is probably the whole thing - and nothing more to it."- Letter to Livy, 3/10/1888

8. Look up the blizzards that have happened in the United States over the last 100 years. Interview your parents or grandparents and find out if they remember any of these storms. Do you remember any recent blizzards? Write a paragraph about what you remember, and how it compares to the adult's memory.

No way! It dosen’t even snow here!

But there was the “Great Depression Blizzard” of New York.




TEST

1. Who made the first weather forecast?
Robert Fitzroy, in 1861

2. Where does weather "happen?"
In the toposphere.

3. What two factors make our weather?
Three: sun, water and wind.

4. What is a big area of air called?
An air mass

5. What is an air mass called if it forms over:

a. land?
A sheet
b. water?
A hurricane
c. the equator?
A tropical storm
d. Canada?
The Jet Stream

6. What happens when air masses collide?
They create thunderstorms

7. Why does weather in the United States move from west to east?
Because of the Jet Stream

8. Why is the temperature scale that we use called the Fahrenheit scale?
Because, Professor Fahrenheit invented it

9. What are some other tools that meteorologists use to forecast the weather?
Barometer, Hydrometer, Weather Vane, and a Thermometer

10. Explain how a barometer works.
It is tightly sealed, and when the pressure outside is more than the inside, the water inside floats.

11. Does wind chill make it colder outside?
Yes

12. Explain how clouds form.
Water is heated by the sun, evaporates, and collides with wind; the drops form in midair, and become a cloud

13. What is a rain shadow?
One side of the mountain block clouds from reaching the other.

14. List the cloud types, and what weather they signify.
Cirrus and Cumulus clouds both signify good weather. Cirrus clouds are thin, wispy, and made of ice.
Cumulus clouds are light, fluffy clouds, like the ones we have in our heads. They are also the most common clouds.
Stratus clouds cover the entire sky, and warn of rain.
Cumulonimbus clouds are thunderclouds. If you see one, it’s probably going to rain in… a max of 30 minutes.

15. Why do we see lightning first, and hear the thunder later, when they happen at the same time?
Sound travels much slower than light.

16. How fast does the wind have to be blowing to be called a hurricane?
74 MPH

17. What defines a blizzard?
It’s a VERY large ice storm that is VERY cold and can sometimes be VERY fatal.

Science Week 11

Environmental Science 5
Lesson 11
THE TUNDRA BIOME
It is very cold in the tundra. In fact, some of the ground stays frozen year round. The frozen ground is called permafrost. In the summer, the ground melts only one meter down. It makes lots of mud. Under the mud, the ground is still frozen.

1. What kinds of animals are there in the tundra? Name and describe at least five. Draw at least one.
Caribou: A large moose-like creature that migrates in hge herds every winter. Also known as reindeer

Alaskan Wolf: A white wolf that hunts in packs. It is sometimes used as a sled dog.

Northern Right Whale: A critically endangered creature. Its massive lower jaw supports thousands of baleen plates.

Giant Squid: The largest moullusk in the world. Giant Squids can be found 6,000 feet below the surface, and are mercilessly attacked by toothed Sperm Whales. Squids never win.

Ring Seal: A seal that is favored by the Orca, and has silver rings over a black coat.

King Penguin: A penguin

Polar Bear: An arctic version of the grizzly, with a white coat and a taste for fish and seals.





2. What kinds of plants live in the tundra? Name and describe at least five. Draw at least one.
I can’t think of five!!!
Here’s one though!
Reindeer Lichen: A extremely hardy combination of a moss, fungi, and moneria.




3. Visit your special observation area at least once this week and record your experiences in your journal. What biome do you live in? Have you figured it out yet?
I live in a Mediterranean Scrub sub-biome.


THE OCEAN BIOME
NOTE: You will need to call or write to the following companies today to order their catalogs in time for the assignment in Lesson 24:
Seventh Generation: 1 Mill Street Box A26 Burlington, VT 05401 (800) 456-1177
Real Goods: 360 Interlocken Blvd, Ste 300 Broomfield, CO 80021




1. Go to the library and borrow books about the ocean, or do research online. What is the main plant living in the ocean? Are there different varieties of this plant, or are they all the same? List and describe at least five animals that live in the ocean. Draw a picture of one or more of them.
Kelp is everywhere in the oceans. However, algae and zooplankton are more common. There are thousands of varieties of them. Common Hourglass Dolphins, Spiny Dogfishes, Fish Lice, Cadborosaurus the Sea Monster (It’s real!), and Pygmy Sperm Whales all live in the ocean.

2. What food do we get from this biome?
“I” don’t get any food from the ocean. All the nasty, carnivorous people out there do. All the nasty, carnivorous people out there get tuna, calamari (blech!), sushi, crabs (fainting), and lobsters (dead with disgust) from it.
On a less-disgusting note, kelp is an ingredient in Ice Cream.

3. What would have to happen to the water in this biome in order for us to be able to drink it? I can drink it just fine, but I guess other people don’t like to. It would have to evaporate to get the salt out, rain down, and be filtered by pollutants.


4. Is there any land in your community that is protected by The Nature Conservancy or other private conservation groups? If so, describe the land and what kind of protection it receives. If not, then learn about an area near you where a private conservation group is active. No, unfortunately.


TEST

1. What does it mean when an animal becomes extinct?
The species is gone forever. It also means that a "little" thing called the food web is disrupted...

2. What are the two types of habitat that a yellow spotted salamander must have? Temparate OR Boreal Forest, and Vernal Pool


3. What is wildlife conservation?
Wildlife conservation is protecting animals that are on, about to run over the edge of, or close to, the brink of extinction.

4. What do scientists think is the best way to protect wildlife?
By making big protected areas. This does not stop some hunters, though...

5. What is meant by a "species?"
A species is a unique kind of animal. Sometimes there are two or more varieties of the same animal. These species are grouped into genera.

6. What is a predator?
Something that eats other animals. ('Tis first-grade stuff!)

7. What is meant by prey?
Something that is eaten by another animal. (AUGH!)

8. What is a scavenger?
Do I have to answer this!? A scavenger feeds on carcasses.

9. What was the insect brought in to the United States to control the cotton-cushion so farmers would not need to use pesticides?
Ladybug.

10. What is a biome?
A special kind of environment with specific terrain, plants, et cetera.

11. What are the six biomes studied in these lessons?
Ocean, Grassland, Boreal forest, Temperate forest, TRF (Tropical RainForest), and Tundra. (There are more, though: Alpine, Savannah, Scrub, Taiga, and Pelagic (Open Ocean), Costal, Benthic (Deep Sea), and Reef.)

12. Which biome is the one that has been almost entirely converted into farmland?
Grassland.

13. Which is the largest biome in the world?
The oceans cover 3/4 of our “blue planet’s” surface.

Science Week 10: Biomes

Environmental Science 5
Lesson 10
BIOMES
Biomes are the main kinds of ecosystems in the world. There are eight biomes in North America.
There are many differences among biomes. The main differences are how hot or cold it is, how much it rains, and what kinds of plants grow there.
During the next five lessons, you will be learning about six of these biomes. If the weather is warm enough, your biome observation project should be done now. If your climate prohibits outdoor observation during the winter, please do this project as soon as you can. If you need to wait, you should go ahead with the other biome study assignments at this time.

FOUR WEEK BIOME OBSERVATION PROJECT

1. Pick an area several acres in size. This will be your study area. You will be visiting this area for at least one hour every week for four weeks. Your study area can be a park if another place is not available. It will be more comfortable if you take along a cushion or lawn chair to sit on. It’s important for you to be able to sit quietly and remain alert to your surroundings. You won’t always just be sitting, though. You will be exploring your study area, and learning all you can about it. Pick different times of the week and different times of day for your visits. Try to visit your area right after a rain, snow, or other weather occurrence if you can.
On each visit, record the following information in a journal:

a. Temperature, precipitation, and wind. Bring an outdoor thermometer with you if possible, and describe the precipitation - or lack of it - and wind as best you can.
b. Describe (and name, if possible!) any animals or birds you see, and what they are doing.
c. Describe plants and trees you see. Take along a field guide to plants and trees and discover the names of at least five new plants or trees each week. Don’t forget wildflowers! It’s best not to pick or disturb anything, unless you have express permission to do so. Draw illustrations in your book. Notice how some plants change from week to week. Are old flowers fading, are the leaves changing color or falling off? Is there new growth? Are buds forming or flowers opening? Are new shoots coming up from the earth? Are berries forming on trees?
d. Describe different rocks you find. Record plenty of information, so you can use rock and mineral picture reference books to determine what kinds of rocks you have seen. Do not collect rocks to bring home unless you have permission.
e. Describe the sounds you hear. Listen very carefully for the sounds of insects and birds. Can you identify any of them?
f. Describe the odors in your study area. Be alert for animal odors, the smell of the soil after a rain, or the perfume of plants. Rub the leaves of different plants and smell their oil. Do some plants have strong smells, and others none?
g. Look for and describe evidence of soil erosion. Are there bare patches where no plants grow? Are there piles of rocks that have been swept aside by rushing water? What else do you see?

ANSWER: We got sick, and will pick this up now.

2. At the end of the four weeks, send your journal to your teacher. It would be lovely to include a variety of pictures of plants, animals, and rocks found in your biome.

Environmental Science 5
Lesson 10
FOREST BIOMES
Broadleaf forest biome (a.k.a. temperate forest)
1. List at least eight animals that live in the broadleaf forest biome. Draw a picture of one or more of them.
Crested Porcupine
Cinnamon Black Bear
Raccoon
Fallow Deer
Moose
Sheep Tick
Common Black Rat

2. List at least eight plants that live in the broadleaf forest biome. Draw a picture of one or more of them.
Meadow Oak
Gingko
Maple
Apple tree
Japanese Elm
Marigold
Watermint
Catmint
THE EVERGREEN FOREST BIOME

3. How many different types of evergreen trees are there in your ecosystem? How are their cones similar or different from each other? If there are no evergreen trees in your area, go to the library and read about them. List and describe at least two types. Draw them to show how they compare in appearance.
4. Visit your study area this week and record your observations in your journal.
Environmental Science 5
Lesson 10
THE DESERT BIOME
1. Go to the library and find a book about deserts. List and describe at least five plants and five animals found in the desert biome. Draw pictures of several of them.
Plants:
Saguaro Cactus A large cactus, more like the ones we see in our heads. It looks like a prickly, green tree with no branchess or leaves.
Prickly-Pear Cactus A short catus that prefers the scrub biome more than desert, and looks like giant, thick, spiked, and green bannana chips lodged in the soil.
Golden Barrel Cactus Looks exactly as it sounds, a big ball of spikes and plant matter.
Joshua Tree Only found in Arizona. Large desert trees, with strang, purple (?) leaves. (Don't blame me if i'm wrong about the color of the leaves, i'm colorblind)
Desert Grass Short, heat loving grass, much like a crossbreed between beach gress and weeds.



Animals:
Bactrian Camel A two-humped camel
Gemsbok A desert ungulate with two very large horns.
Fennec Fox A very cute fox with the largest ear-to-body ratio of any canid. Likes to burrow.
Sidewinder snake A rattlesnake that slides on its side to keep off the hot desert sand.
Californian Roadrunner A small, fast bird that dosen't like to fly much.

2. Continue with your Biome Observation this week. Visit your special place at least once.

Science/Language Arts Week 13: Planet X Part 1

Planet X part 1: Expedition

Due to the fact that many different kinds of aliens have been found in the last decade, (see documents Blue Moon, Aurelia, Bridghidetta, Darwin II, and Darwin I) scientists have decided to bring some back to Earth.
All other planets have too specialized animals to survive on earth. But there is one “dead” planet that had rugged, nimble life that could survive nearly anything…

Planet X, a now barren, desolate planet that (much like mars!) used to have liquid water and LIFE on its surface.

It (the process of the whole planet being turned into a desert) all happened in 2,000 years, merely 5 seconds in the microwave. It happened so shortly ago, that the [nearly] fossilized animals’ DNA has been preserved.

Scientists’ plan is to find fossils, put them together, and extract the DNA (i.e., from some hair/feathers, tissue, etc.). To accomplish this, scientists have built the px5 DNA Lab.

Many paleontologists were hired (including me!) to dig up fossils and “DNA them”.

After a lot of digging, I was spent. But I checked the map [below], and found more to do! I rolled up my sleeves and got to work. [One of my colleagues fossil-hunting with a sonar gun]

Finally, we had enough fossils! I ran to the px5 DNA Lab as fast as I could.


After the animal had been cloned, and was in the crate, I got that special feeling of accomplishment inside…








To be continued…