Final Product Field Work

Hello Families!

Things have been moving right along with our spring expedition, MOSS is coming up, and our final product work has already begun!  Since the last update we have gone deep into the concept of secondary succession and analyzed how wildland fires impact animal species.  In addition, we have spent a lot of time looking at the relationship between fire and various species of bark beetles and wood borers.  This led us into the world of plant-insect interactions as well as predator prey dynamics between bark beetles and woodpeckers.  I don't know about you, but I absolutely love a good discussion around predator prey dynamics!  We have also been honing the skills necessary for our final product work.  We spent the first half of this week taking measurements in class and developing the basic skills.  Today we went to the arboretum to practice a full scale mock sample location.  Next week we go into the field to do the real thing!  As you can see from the pictures our CREW has really taken to forestry research methodology!

CREW learning how to set up .05 acre research plot, with 1x1 meter sub plot for fuel sampling.

Dan, John Kole, and John Schwandt establishing their plot.

Once the plot is established, students collect multiple measurements.  Avery J is collecting total basal area data by first gathering the circumference of each living tree within her plot.  This data will then be converted to area/tree and finally total living woody area/plot.

Beza, Karina, and Ivy are collecting duff measurements by randomly sampling 20 locations within their plot.

Dan and John K. are working on total basal area data (we have dubbed this the 'tree hugging measurement' as your arms must 'hug' the tree to collect the data).

Emma (not to be confused with the illusive Idaho Pink Panda) collecting data on the density of different fuel classes.

Chris collecting data on duff thickness within the white pine stand.

Accipiter striatus (Sharp-shinned Hawk), photo and species identification by Avery Caudill.

Expedition Fieldwork

Greetings Families!

Expedition fieldwork

For our Fire Ecology expedition we have been mastering local conifer identification, studying forest fuels, fire behavior, and succession.  As part of our fuels study we spent the past week learning about the different moisture classes of forest fuels, how they are layered on the forest floor, and how they impact fire behavior.  We also spent a few sessions examining and evaluating photos of both primary and secondary succession.  Not that it is explicitly a part of this expedition, but in the discussion around primary succession, Mount St. Helens came up on numerous occasions.  I suspect each student in class can speak to the events and biological impacts of the 1980 eruption.  With that said, because this expedition is woven together with the common thread of fire, we will mostly be discussing secondary succession.  Next week we will really tackle succession!   

Beza and Karina collecting 'noticings and wonderings' prior to the full explanation of fuel classes.

Ivy taking a measurement of a 10 hour fuel.

Avery collecting data on 1 hour fuels.

Dan and John examining 1,000 hour fuels.

Brekken, Owen, and Avery, collecting 'big picture' data on Thuja plicata.

john, Avery, and Emily collecting data on Pinus monticola.

Karina and Lee collecting data on Abies lasiocarpa var. bifolia (one of Mr. MP's favorites)

Spring Expedition

Hello Families!
I am excited to say that we have started our spring expedition!  We had a great kickoff and bbk (building background knowledge).  The topic of this expedition is fire ecology and land management, and we are calling the expedition 'Burning Change.'  For our bbk we explored the ideas and eccentricities of Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir, and Gifford Pinchot, and how their individual philosophies (along with the big blow up of 1910), shaped the National Forest Service and the National Park Service.

student examination of the Pulaski Tunnel after the big blow up of 1910.

Examination of Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir.

 For our first case study we are examining Federal Wildland Fire Policy and how it guides specific Fire Management Policies of National Forests and National Parks.  Our second case study is all about coniferous tree identification.  Right now we are down to the genus level, but when we get back from spring break we will tackle identification down to the species level.  Both case study 1 and 2 are challenging, but I have been impressed with this CREW's ability to work through difficult tasks and accomplish the learning targets.  Case study three hasn't begun yet, but will cover Fire Ecology in Ponderosa Pine / Douglas-Fir Ecosystems. 

Expedition Board with guiding questions and long term learning targets

Students diligently working on Federal Wildland Fire Policy posters.

This picture is a reenactment (the actual examination of the tree just moments before).

Upon closer examination one student pointed out that the cones on this tree were upright, thus making it a fir (Abies).

Frances testing out the ol' 'ouch vs OUCH!' test on Spruce.

Karina, Beza, Owen, and Avery, collecting observations on Larix.

6th Grade Update

Hello Famlies!
     Well we have been quite busy since the last posting!  For literacy instruction we have started tackling argumentative writing.  As part of this each student has developed his/her own opinions on a wide range of important issues (Roe V. Wade, domestic vs foreign oil, animal rights, etc).  What is really neat to see, is that each student's writing skills have really started to improve.  If you have a moment at home, ask your child what they believe about some of these issues.  I have been amazed at how mature and responsible each student has been.  I am continually impressed by their ability to research an issue, civilly discuss/debate the issue, and develop their own beliefs while being respectful of opposing beliefs.
      In science we finished up physical sciences with a culminating lab dealing with temperature, density, and an element of mystery.  Students were given a prompt in which they were told the location of five water samples, some in the ocean, some in estuarine water, and some in fresh water.  Using their laboratory skills and prior knowledge they had to test the properties of each sample, and determine the unmarked sample's original location.

Students using hydrometers to find density.

Following this lab, we started biology. Right now we are working on the function of each organelle, as well as a little biochemistry.  As you can see from the class photos we are using microscopes to help with the real-world connection.  Today's lab was so cool!  I watched each student, at different moments have this 'ah ha!' moment, where they discovered the microscopic world.  Next week we will be doing genetics, and following that we will start our spring expedition!

Owen and Avery examining a water sample collected from Berman Park.

Emma, Lee, and Beza, examining a moss sample from the Latah trail.

Microscope slide prepared by Chris, Avery, Frances, Dan, and Ivy (the cells are from a flower petal)

Sixth Grade Physics

Hello Families!

We have had an excellent week back from winter vacation!  Prior to winter vacation we started a unit in physics, and are now wrapping that unit up.  As part of our physics unit we have focused on different forces, and how an object's acceleration, mass, and friction coefficient affect its motion.  Currently we are working on a lab report from a friction lab we ran all last week. 

Calculating the mass of the object was a critical step, adding steel washers allowed for the mass to be an independent variable.

Students tested the static friction of a wood block by attaching a force meter and reading a force meter.

Each team tested various surface types

Students collecting data.

Following data collection, each student averaged the static force, and determined the coefficient of friction for each mass and each surface type.

In addition, we replicated the results of a Mythbusters experiment titled 'Phonebook Friction.'  For this demonstration we interleaved the pages of two phonebooks, attached bindings to the opposite spines of the books, and had a class tug-of-war to see if the strength of the entire class could pull the two books apart.  Well... we tried, but in the end the score of this event was Friction 1, Class 0.

The only thing holding the two phonebooks together is the friction between each interleaved page.

As can be seen, the force of static friction between the two books was greater than the net pulling force of the class!

 

Idler's Rest Field Work

As many of you know by now, we had an amazing day up at Idler's Rest.  The class did a great job of utilizing the skills learned throughout the expedition to get the job done.  We successfully mapped the entire Idler's Rest trail network, and collected hundreds of interesting waypoints.  The growth this class has demonstrated has been very exciting to witness.  I was particularly impressed by the attention to detail that I saw from each student.  The first mapping session back in early October yielded a very good start to data collection; however, the way the class went about collecting data and recording data was what you would expect from a group of sixth graders.  By the end of this expedition, I saw a group of sixth graders collecting data, communicating information, and using technology in a way that professionals do.  I am very pleased with the class, and each student should be proud of what they have accomplished!

Tree Line from the top of Idler's Rest

Getting geared up and prepared for the day

Several groups on the west side of the property.

Lady Bird Beetles congregating for warmth

Emma may have puffy earmuffs, but just like everyone else, she collected a remarkable amount of data!

Brekken and Chris collecting Latitude and Longitude

Students mapping the cedar grove

Satellite page of the GPS receiver. This unit had 4 satellite signals which gave us our position in 3 dimensions.

Students at the top of Idler' Rest

GPS Field Work

We are now officially in Final Product mode!  We have started learning about GPS and GIS, NAVSTAR, DoD satellites, radio waves, atomic clocks, ... goodness gracious is this sixth grade or a sci-fi movie? 

GPS receiver logging track data

Solomon and Dan deciding on which route to map

As part of this expedition, the UI Range Department has graciously lent us a class set of GPS units to create a map of Idler's Rest.  As part of the scaffolding for this project we are learning the ins and outs of logging navigation data as well as data management.  We spent some time yesterday getting the hang of the units at Berman Park.  Today we went out and created maps of the UI Arboretum.  One aspect of this that really stuck out to me was the appreciation the student's have for the GPS technology.  After creating maps the old fashion way, having a DoD satellite network in the palm of your hand is nothing short of remarkable!

Lee and John actively logging a GPS track

Emma recording the lat/long of a waypoint