Tuesday 16 October 2012

Stony Swamp and Wild Bird Care Centre Field Trip Preparations

One week from tomorrow, our class is taking our first field trip and I couldn't be more excited! We will be visiting the Wild Bird Care Centre and the wonderful trails of Stony Swamp. The weather has turned to a little bit colder and the leaves have changed colours, but the students of Room 209 are tough! We will be spending the day outside in the woods on Wednesday, October 24th and, after a discussion about how hearty we are (!) and how to dress sensibly for the weather, we decided to go ahead with the trip. We WILL be outside all day, though.

Remember to bring only the things you need, dress for the weather and bring a litterless lunch and snack.

Permission forms will be going home on Wednesday or Thursday.

Tonight, I took a lovely walk around Stony Swamp in preparation for our trip. I can't wait to take you all there!

On Wednesday, October 17th, we will be in the computer lab. In preparation for our field trip, I'd like you to look at some photos I took tonight on the Beaver Trail and the Chipmunk Trail. Also, I'd like you to visit some websites and learn about some of the plants and animals we might see on our trip.

Your goal is to share three interesting facts about the flora and fauna of Stony Swamp. Please write in full sentences and double check that you capitalize the first letter of each sentence and use periods. Also, check over your spelling before posting!
Trail markers with the Wild Bird Care Centre in the background.
Look at the amazing colours of these trees? Do you think Fall is the most beautiful season?
How do you think this tree stump ended up looking like this?
Who do you think lives here?
There is an awesome boardwalk over the marsh.
I love the trail markers on this trail!
Would you like to build some shelters on our day in the woods?

Beautiful chickadees!
Places to look to get ready for our field trip:

Fauna (Animals):
Chickadees:
If you want to read about Black-capped Chickadees, the kind we'll probably see, you can read about them on National Geographic and even hear their call so you'll recognize it next week or read another article (it's written about chickadees in Washington, but they're the same kind we have here!)

Beavers:
Canadian Geographic for Kids has a Beaver Facts sheet. Have you ever wondered why beavers build dams?

Cardinals:
Canadian Geographic for Kids has a Cardinal Facts sheet. When I was leaving the trail tonight, four male cardinals were flitting around and I was astounded by their beauty.

Flora (Plants):
Cat tails:
I didn't realize cattails were edible! You can read even more interesting facts about cattails on eHow.

Birch trees:
We will see White Birch Trees and Grey Birch Trees, you can read about how to tell them apart. Who will become a birch tree expert?

Lichen:
Do you know that lichen is a combination of algae and fungi? You can read about lichen on houseandhome.org. 

55 comments:

  1. I know all the way around this place, I have been here many, many times!!

    -Millie

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Black-capped Chickadee is a small, short-billed songbird with a black cap and throat. The cheeks are white and the underparts are light brown. Wings and tail dark grayish. The upper wing feathers have white edging. The female looks exactly like the male. Size: 12-15 cm (5-6 in). Wingspan: 16-21 cm (6-8 in).

    -Miguel

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  3. Theres more then 1 types of chickadees.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The chickadee makes at least 15 different calls to communicate with its flock-mates and offspring. The best known is the chickadee-dee-dee that gives the bird its name. Male chickadees also sing a short ditty of two or three whistled notes (one higher and slightly longer, followed by one or two lower, shorter ones): feee-bee or feee-bee-bee. Call: suggests name "chick-a-dee-dee."

    -Miguel

    ReplyDelete
  5. Chickadees live in central america.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Fast Facts: Beaver

    Scientific name: Castor canadensis

    Size: The largest rodent in North America -
    it can reach over one metre in length.

    Average weight: Can weigh up to 32 kilograms

    By Jackson

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  7. all those brid and plants were so cool
    molly

    ReplyDelete
  8. Northern cardinals live in forests or in thick bushes surrounding residential areas.


    -Finley

    ReplyDelete
  9. scintific nome of a cadinal is:cardinalis cardinalis

    there are 4 types of chickades.

    White birtch grows every where in canada exept Hudson bay


    HUNTER:)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Some chickadees even live up north in Alaska!

    -Jack

    ReplyDelete

  11. Cattails grow on stems reaching heights of 10 feet and are perenial aquatic plants.

    -Finley

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TIP: DO NOT TRY TO CRUMPLE ONE IT WIL POP ALL OVER U AND THE SEED ARE REEEEEEEALLLY HARD TO GET OFF. TRUST ME IVE DONE IT.

      Delete
  12. PS can I bring my swiss army knife?????






    HUNTER:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I asked if I could bring mine, but Shauna said no.
      :(

      -Millie

      Delete
  13. Grey birch trees live up to 50 years. A grey birch tree is 12 meteres tall and they have triangle shape leafes. A male cardanial are feisty if they see their reflection.


    -Thomas!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Here's my facts...
    a)Black Capped Chickadees are the most common species of Chickadee.
    b)The Latin name for Beaver has some of canada in it.
    c) Birch burns well (prior knoledge.)

    -Pat

    ReplyDelete
  15. Lichens can survive in many places where other plants would die, such as the Arctic, in deserts and on mountain tops.


    -Finley

    ReplyDelete
  16. wow i didn't know there were more
    then one kind of chickadees
    molly

    ReplyDelete
  17. This is how to easily identfy a chickadee:
    Black cap, white cheek, black bib, gray upperparts.
    Of course, they are not actually wearing a black bib,
    or a black cap, it just looks like they are wearing one.

    -Millie =D

    ReplyDelete
  18. Chickadee can rermember were thay put thar food after a month



    -Miguel

    ReplyDelete
  19. beavers have long and sharp teeth so they can bite trees down to

    make their beaver dams


    -Erika

    ReplyDelete
  20. Chickadee:
    -length: 5.3" (13 cm)
    -Curious. Not much fear of humans.
    Lichen:
    -There are 20,000 species of Lichen.

    -Camden

    ReplyDelete
  21. Chickadees turn colours when the seasons change.

    Chickadees are named chickadees because of what they chirp.

    These small birds build nests in small holes mostly in dead or hollow trees.

    Black-capped chickadees eat large quantities of insects, eggs of bugs, larvae and pupae.

    Beavers cut down trees to shorten their teeth and make shelter.

    The beaver is Canada's symbol.

    Beavers spend most of their time building dams.

    -by Melodee (scribed by Shauna)

    ReplyDelete
  22. There are 20,000 species of lichen!!
    Some grow on soil, but most grow on rocks or tree bark.

    -Millie =D

    ReplyDelete
  23. chickadee

    worn summer
    fresh fall
    occidentalis
    nevadensis

    kaleigh

    ReplyDelete
  24. It's soooo intresting how the beaver dam entrance is under water.

    It's also really interesting the way beavers chew the trees. I wonder how it doesn't fall on them.

    I also think it's interesting how when beavers smack their tail on the water, it's a warning call.

    -by James (scribed by Shauna)

    ReplyDelete
  25. 1. Bervers are one of the largest roodents in the world
    2. Bervers weight to 60lbs or 26kg
    3. live span for bervers is up to 24 years

    ReplyDelete
  26. The black-capped Chickadee is a small, short billed songbird with a black cap and throat.

    -by Madi (scribed by Shauna)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Wow i did'nt realize you could eat catails


    -Gabby

    ReplyDelete
  28. Birch bark is very derabul and can be made in to cones.
    Birch trees can grow to be over 2500 cm tall (25m).
    Birch trees can live to roughfly 50 years.
    Many bird love eating birch trees.
    -laryssa

    ReplyDelete
  29. they are cute and kaddlie

    k;p

    ReplyDelete
  30. There are 2 kinds of beavers, the American and the European.
    only the American beaver lives in dams. The European beaver only live s in burrows.

    -Millie =D

    ReplyDelete
  31. The chicks are white and the underparts are white brown. (Chickadees)

    -by Madi (scribed by Shauna)

    ReplyDelete
  32. if you put brid seed in your hand they will go to you

    k;p

    ReplyDelete
  33. Baby cardinals closely resemble females.


    -Gabby

    ReplyDelete
  34. Facts:
    -Cat tailsare sometimes used for food, and shelter for insects!
    -Beavers build dams used for a house to live in!
    -Birch terees live up to roughly,50 years!!!
    -Cardinals:Scientific name:Cardinalis cardinalis
    Life spand: 28.5 years in the wild
    The males attract the Female by singing and fluffing
    there fur!
    -Chickadees have at least 15 different types of calls to communicate
    -There are around 20,000 types of lichen, some grow on soil, but most on tree bark and rocks!

    -Fiona

    ReplyDelete
  35. Why do beavers build dams? Because: the beaver uses the lodge to store food as well as to raise it's babies since lakes and rivers freeze in the winter.

    -by Liam (scribed by Shauna)

    ReplyDelete
  36. I lernd that the length of a chickadee is 5.3 " (13cm) by daniel

    ReplyDelete
  37. I didn't realize the white birch was 25 metres tall.


    -Gabby

    ReplyDelete
  38. Cattails are uesful plants found in diches marshes and
    along ponds andriverbanks.Cattails are food for canadian geese
    & muskrats& many insects and stagnat pond snails.humans ues
    cattails for eating all of the cattail is etibal.
    -Lauren

    ReplyDelete
  39. -chickadees are curious with little or no fear of humans
    -peeling off to much of the birch tree's bark can kill the tree.
    -there are 20,000 species of lichen. Some grow on soil,but most grow on rocks or tree bark.
    -cattails are useful plants found in ditches, marshes and along ponds and riverbanks.

    -by Vickie

    ReplyDelete



  40. The wings end tail are dark grayish.

    -Madi

    ReplyDelete
  41. i an looking forward to the feildtrip

    facts about beavers...
    beaverschew trees to shorten there teeth and to bild shelter

    beavershavebeen our simbol for over 300 years

    beavers that are european live in burrows

    facts on chickadees

    there "call" sounds like them saying chickadeedeedee

    chickadees are also known as black cap,white cheak,black biband gray uperparts

    the other speshes are chestnut-backed, oak-titmouse, Carolina and tuft-titmous, black-capped and mountain Chickadees

    Facts about Cat tails:

    -cat tails are useful plants found in ditches, marshes, and along ponds and river banks
    -cat tails can grow up to ten feet
    -cat tails are food for Canadian geese, muskrats and many insects and pond snails

    -by Sophia

    ReplyDelete
  42. Black-capped Chickadees make 15 different calls to the flock of other chickadees their with and their babies. The only call I knew was chickadee-dee-dee!

    Weevils are pretty big and Chickadees eat them. I've never seen a weevil.

    -by Daniel (scribed by Shauna)

    ReplyDelete
  43. I don't think I've ever seen lichen, or I didn't know what it was.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Hi I'm going to bed people how about you?
    Its9:08



    HUNTER(:

    ReplyDelete
  45. Hi I'm going to bed people how about you?
    Its9:08



    HUNTER(:

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You go to bed at 9:08 wow!

      -Lauren

      Delete
    2. I usually go to bed at 8;00

      Delete