Signs of Spring Update: February 12, 2001 Today's Report Includes: Are YOU Ready to Track Spring's Journey North? Journey North Creature Quiz Don't Be Fooled By a Familiar Face: Challenge Question #3 Name That Tune: Challenge Question #4 Reminder: Dr. Lynn Rogers on Animal Planet on March 24 Babies Awake! Discussion of Challenge Question #1 Match That Bear Sound! Discussion of Challenge Question #2 Please Report "Signs of Spring" From Your Part of the World! Are YOU Ready to Track Spring's Journey North? Thousands of students are watching and waiting for the migrations to begin. We hope you're among them, ready for the adventure! But if you catch only a glimpse of a feather, a fluke or a flipper, can you identify each critter to genus and species? Journey North Creature Quiz We've assembled all the Journey North species on a single page--and we've added some songs, calls, tweets and whistles. Can you identify these creatures by sight and by sound? Journey North Creature Quiz Print this page and record your answers here: Creature Quiz Answer Sheet Don't Be Fooled By a Familiar Face Be careful! Some Journey North species have look-alikes. Look carefully at the species below, and tell us how you can distinguish the Journey North species from an impostor: Challenge Question #3 "Which butterfly is the Viceroy and which is the Monarch? Which bird is the Common Loon and which is the Doublecrested-crested Cormorant? (In your answer, describe the identification clue or 'field mark' that distinguishes one species from the other.)" (To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.) Name That Tune Challenge Question #4 "Can you identify the sound of an American Robin singing? A Spring Peeper peeping? How about a Whooping Crane calling? (Give the number of each animal's song or call in your answer.) (To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.) Tip for Teachers: Verifying Data Collected by Peers As part of Journey North, your students will collect backyard observations this spring and share them with classrooms across North America. Student observers expand the eyes and ears of scientists in ways never before possible. However, in order for the data to be valid and useful, we must trust the accuracy of observations made by others. This lesson explores the important process of validating data. You're the Scientist: Verifying Data Collected by Peers Reminder: Dr. Rogers on Animal Planet March 24 Meet Dr. Lynn Rogers and some of his research bears on the Animal Planet documentary called "The Man Who Walks With Bears." Watch Animal Planet on cable TV at 8 PM Central Time on March 24, 2001 and learn more about black bears! Take a peek at Dr. Rogers and his study bears with this short clip from "The Man Who Walks With Bears." Babies Awake! Discussion of Challenge Question #1 In our report about the black bears, we asked: "What preparations do you think the mother must make so the wide-awake cubs can survive their mother's hibernation?" Cody, a second grader at Soldotna (Alaska) Elementary, said: "The mother must make a nest out of bark, branches, and leaves in a den. She eats lots so she is chubby and can make milk." Mariah from Sterling (Alaska) Elementary wrote: "The mother has to eat a lot of berries and nuts so that she can get fat. This helps her to have healthy fur to keep the cubs warm, and enough milk to feed the cubs. She also finds a good place for a den, and rakes leaves and grass into it for warmth." Did anyone wonder why those little cubs never wandered out of the den? They only want to be by their mother, where there's warmth and food. Also, the mother's high body temperature lets her become mentally alert to any dangers and mischief. Match That Bear Sound! Challenge Question #2 asked, "What do you think these bear sounds mean?" What bear sound is this? What bear sound is this? What bear sound is this? What bear sound is this? Sound #1 Sound #2 Sound #3 Sound #4 Growl Nursing Cubs Concerned Mother Cub Distress Call Hooray for these discriminating bear fans who sent the correct answers! Stephanie in Mrs. Dempsey's class in Framingham, Massachusetts (adempsey@framingham.k12.ma.us). Cody and Teslin from Soldotna Elementary in Soldotna, Alaska. Mrs. Gagnon's 3rd grade class in Ashburnham, MA, noted, "Our class decided on the following answers after listening to the bear sounds: We think sound #1 is (D) Growl (We thought it sounded like "Get away!) We think sound #2 is (A) Nursing Cubs and sound #3 is (C) Mother concerned about cubs (We disagreed about #2 and #3 so took a vote) We definately think sound #4 is (B) Cub Distress Call because it sounds like a baby crying. Thank you for a very fun and interesting activity! We enjoyed learning about black bears! Please Report "Signs of Spring" From Your Part of the World! Report your "Signs of Spring" sightings to Journey North. Remember to share your sightings of first frogs, earthworms, red-winged blackbirds, barn swallows, emerging leaves, flowing sap, melting ice and other spring events. Your observations will be incorporated into "Signs of Spring" updates according to the schedule above. Thanks for sharing! How to Respond to Today's Challenge Questions: IMPORTANT: Answer only ONE question in each e-mail message. 1. Address an E-mail message to: jn-challenge-spring@learner.org 2. IMPORTANT: In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question # 3 (or #4) 3. In the body of EACH message, give your answer to the question above. The Next Signs of Spring Update Will be Posted on February 26, 2001 Copyright 2001 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form