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Tulip Garden Update: November 9, 2001
Today's Report Includes:
- Shovels Hot- Bulbs Find Cozy New Homes
- Experiments Abound!
- Try This! Challenge Question #4
- Third and Fourth Grade Record Keepers
- BIG DADDY
- Students Teach Classes About Bulbs
- Classes Meet Microclimate Challenge
- Do You See a Pattern? Challenge Question #5
- Warmer Region Reminder
Shovels Hot- Bulbs Find Cozy New Homes
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- Link to This Month's Garden Data
You can read all the wonderful comments these gardeners have sent (press the "owl button" and follow
instructions), but here are a few.
Lincoln City, OR(44.96N,-123.85W)
Our class has located the ideal spot at our school for the "official tulip garden". We have completed
each of the preliminary experiments and are hoping for a dry day at school tomorrow to have each student plant
3 red emperor bulbs. Our garden will have about 90 plants. Keep track on our class Web
page! Wish us Luck! We're launching here on the beautiful Oregon Coast at Taft Middle School.
Haines, AL (59.12N, -135.69W)
Tulips have been planted in Haines, Alaska. One batch of 25 was planted on October 17, and another batch on Oct.
19, 2001.
Victoria, MN (44.86N, -93.65W)
We planted our Journey North garden for the fourth season in a row. The weather was beautiful with a high temperature
of around 60 degrees F, and sunny skies. We placed wire mesh over the newly planted tulip bed, because the squirrels
are especially hungry at this time of year--they know what's coming! Their sense of smell is many times greater
than ours, and they can smell the bulbs even though they are buried 7" beneath the soil. Who could blame them
for being tempted to this tulip treat. It's probably like the smell of popcorn to us!
Experiments Abound!
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- First Graders at Daggett Elementary in Daggett, MI wrote, "We had a good time planting the tulip bulbs. We're doing experiments with the bulbs planted different ways, we can't wait to see how they turn out!"
- In Alton, NH, this is the news, "Three second grade classes our participating in the Tulip Experiment.
We planted sixty tulips on October 12, 2001. The students dug and measured the 7 inch depth and spaced the tulips
four inches apart. We were all a little amazed at how deep 7 inches actually is! The students enjoyed planting.
We previously dissected our bulbs and
examined them under the microscope. We discussed the different parts of the tulip and drew diagrams. We also measured and weighed the bulbs before we planted them. The students are looking forward to seeing the tulips grow in the spring."
- In Hudson, MA, students reported, "the 6th grade Onyx Team from JF Kennedy Middle School planted their tulips. This year we planted over 300 bulbs - 200 were tulips! Needless to say we will really anticipate the coming of spring this year. We also planted 50 experiment bulbs so that we can dig them up during the year to see how the bulbs are changing."
Try This!
While waiting for spring, you can investigate how buds, roots, stems and even flowers grow by planting bulbs indoors.
- Link to Lesson: Hurrying Spring: How to Force Bulbs in Your Classroom
Challenge Question #4
"How could you experiment with indoor bulbs, so that their roots grow to different sizes? Do you think flowers with different sized roots will grow faster, as well as being bigger?" (If you conduct an experiment, be sure to tell us how flower growth compares to root growth.)
(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions
below.)
Third and Fourth Grade Record Keepers
Good teachers are always on the alert for new ways to help their students organize and summarize learning experiences.
Judy Huter's fourth graders in Council, ID are keeping record books for their tulip project.
"Our students enjoyed measuring the circumference of the bulbs and finding the weight of their own bulb. They are keeping a record book. They have studied the parts of a tulip and recorded data on their graphs for the circumference and weight. They have made some very good predictions." (jhuter@sd013.k12.id.us)
Ms Rose's third graders at Dighton Elementary in Dighton MA are keeping weekly journals to record their predictions, temperatures, and challenge questions.
BIG DADDY
Mrs. Schear's fourth grade class in Sterling, VA were pleased to report planting tulips in front of their school. They reported, "It was a warm and sunny day. It was a wonderful day to plant tulip bulbs. Our heaviest bulb was 49 GRAMS. We called it the "Big Daddy."
Students Teach Classes About Bulbs
The First and Second Grade community at Eliot-Pearson Children's School in Medford, MA invited all of the other children in the school to plant bulbs. The First and Second Graders went into the other classrooms and taught the other children about bulbs and tulips and helped the children to plant their bulbs. 76 bulbs planted! Also, each First and Second Grader took a bulb home to plant. They finished planting their Red Emperor Tulip Bulbs October 25, and cannot wait until Spring!!
Classes Meet Microclimate Challenge
Many gardeners have reported taking the Microclimate Challenge! Predicting the outcome of each location should be carefully considered. What factors influence emergence? Would a shady site lengthen the time, would a southern exposure in the shade emerge before an eastern exposure in the sun? What goes on underground in each microclimate site?
In Hudson, MA the 6th grade Onyx Team from JF Kennedy Middle School planted 50 experiment bulbs so that we can dig them up during the year to see how the bulbs are changing. GREAT idea Onyx team!
Read on to find out what other classes are experimenting:
- In Dighton, MA, Ms Rose's third graders planted their tulip bulbs in 3 locations on the school grounds. One is the control area, another is in the shade all day long, the third is next to the building in a southern location. They are keeping weekly journals to record their predictions, temperatures, and challenge questions.
- In Emmetsburg, IA, students planted several tulips right next to the building on the south side, and a few more on the north side for comparison purposes.
- In Lincoln, NE, 46 fourth graders planted 40 Red Emperor Bulbs. 20 were planted according to JN instructions. The others were planted in other ways changing only one variable. They are taking temperature readings to compare their microclimate with that of Lincoln, NE. They have predicted when our tulips will emerge and bloom taking into consideration their weight and circumference.
Do You See a Pattern?
You'll be busy mapping today's data, but we hope you'll have time to
consider this question:
Challenge Question #5
"If you put today's data on your map in the same order as the gardens were planted (from the earliest date to the most recent date), how would you describe the geographic pattern you see? Do you think the gardens will grow and bloom in the same order? Why or why not?"
(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions
below.)
Warmer Region Reminder
Students in El Sobrante, CA (35.96N, -122.28W) provided a good reminder to other schools in southern states (Zones 8-11) to remember to report now the gardens you'll plant in January 2002: "I will plant the tulips and will be sure to "force dormancy."
Be sure to report in before December 1st with your proposed January planting
date if you plan to participate with a warmer region tulip garden!
How to Respond to Today's Challenge Question
IMPORTANT: Answer only ONE question in each e-mail message.
1. Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge-tulip@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question #4 (or #5).
3. In the body of the message, answer ONE of the questions above.
The Next Tulip Garden Update Will be Posted on December 7, 2001
Copyright 2001 Journey North. All Rights Reserved.
Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form
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