Given my penchant (some would say obsession) for rescuing various animals, Landry, Kipp and Galen have been surrounded by a small menagerie of the typical domesticated animals since birth: dogs, cats, goats and horses. When we needed more variety, we became familiar with the local fauna with whom we share the property: a family of turkeys, two varieties of finches, a squirrel named Patchy, hummingbirds, deer and the occasion young skunk.
Lately, however, it seems we are on the family expansion plan, and the new members have been providing all us with some great opportunities to learn.
First, my husband's very old Jack Dempsey fish, Big Fish, died a little over a month ago. That left us with a very large empty fish tank in our dining room. So, the boys made a weekend project of cleaning it out and learning the details of what fish need to thrive - filters, water quality, food, temperature, the benefits of plants, and oxygenation. By the end of the weekend, we had pairs of black, red, and speckled mollies, a pair of swordtails, and a lovely plecostemus to keep the tank free of algae. Much to my surprise, the boys became religiously vigilant in their care of the fish and were rewarded with the birth of five speckled mollies.
This past summer, my African Grey parrot, Rocky, passed away, and I've been quietly looking for another Grey for a couple of months, but the price is prohibitive. Seeing the boys' abiding interest in the fish tank got me thinking they might enjoy a smaller, less formidable parrot. So, this past week, we adopted Kia the Lovebird. I'm still struggling to convert her to a healthy diet and teach her basic commands like "step up" and "step down." However, the boys already received a quick geography lesson to determine where her species originated so we could choose an appropriate name and a good review of basic nutrition because exotic birds require a varied diet very similar to humans.
In another step in our unplanned theme, we finally began building our terrarium for the Lawrence Hall of Science unit study that I ordered as part of this year's science curriculum. Landry and Kipp mixed the proper percentages of sand and dirt to create the base of the terrarium. On a nature walk, they collected an assortment of needles, acorns, twigs, bark and leaves with which to decorate their habitat. They also planted violas and scattered bird seed, which later sprouted. I'm not sure whether it's the unit study or their newly discovered interest in art (thanks to my terrific art instructor), but I've twice found them with heads bent over their journals, completely engrossed in drawing the terrarium. The next two stages look equally promising. This week, we get to dig up and examine earthworms, up close and personally, before adding them to the terrarium and seeing the function they perform in nature. The following week, we will add isopods.
Finally, I recently discovered what appears to be a really neat project for the boys. Cornell University runs a program called Project Feederwatch. For $15, they send you a feeder and instructions for monitoring over a period of months. You then record data for a Cornell study. Since we already monitor our local bird populace through several feeders around the house, I think the boys will enjoy this project and learn a bit more about data collection for scientific purposes. I just hope I wasn't too late in applying for the current season, and the feeder arrives soon.
These projects have made for an interesting fall at our house. And I love seeing the boys learn to love and respect nature, in its multitude of forms, the way I do.
Lately, however, it seems we are on the family expansion plan, and the new members have been providing all us with some great opportunities to learn.
First, my husband's very old Jack Dempsey fish, Big Fish, died a little over a month ago. That left us with a very large empty fish tank in our dining room. So, the boys made a weekend project of cleaning it out and learning the details of what fish need to thrive - filters, water quality, food, temperature, the benefits of plants, and oxygenation. By the end of the weekend, we had pairs of black, red, and speckled mollies, a pair of swordtails, and a lovely plecostemus to keep the tank free of algae. Much to my surprise, the boys became religiously vigilant in their care of the fish and were rewarded with the birth of five speckled mollies.
This past summer, my African Grey parrot, Rocky, passed away, and I've been quietly looking for another Grey for a couple of months, but the price is prohibitive. Seeing the boys' abiding interest in the fish tank got me thinking they might enjoy a smaller, less formidable parrot. So, this past week, we adopted Kia the Lovebird. I'm still struggling to convert her to a healthy diet and teach her basic commands like "step up" and "step down." However, the boys already received a quick geography lesson to determine where her species originated so we could choose an appropriate name and a good review of basic nutrition because exotic birds require a varied diet very similar to humans.
In another step in our unplanned theme, we finally began building our terrarium for the Lawrence Hall of Science unit study that I ordered as part of this year's science curriculum. Landry and Kipp mixed the proper percentages of sand and dirt to create the base of the terrarium. On a nature walk, they collected an assortment of needles, acorns, twigs, bark and leaves with which to decorate their habitat. They also planted violas and scattered bird seed, which later sprouted. I'm not sure whether it's the unit study or their newly discovered interest in art (thanks to my terrific art instructor), but I've twice found them with heads bent over their journals, completely engrossed in drawing the terrarium. The next two stages look equally promising. This week, we get to dig up and examine earthworms, up close and personally, before adding them to the terrarium and seeing the function they perform in nature. The following week, we will add isopods.
Finally, I recently discovered what appears to be a really neat project for the boys. Cornell University runs a program called Project Feederwatch. For $15, they send you a feeder and instructions for monitoring over a period of months. You then record data for a Cornell study. Since we already monitor our local bird populace through several feeders around the house, I think the boys will enjoy this project and learn a bit more about data collection for scientific purposes. I just hope I wasn't too late in applying for the current season, and the feeder arrives soon.
These projects have made for an interesting fall at our house. And I love seeing the boys learn to love and respect nature, in its multitude of forms, the way I do.
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