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Tulip Garden Update: March 9, 2001
Today's Report Includes:
 The First Grade Tulips First to Bloom!
"The First Grade Tulip Team at Stiles Point Elementary school has our first
bloom!!" said the proud students from Stiles Point Elementary in Charleston,
SC. Journey North Gardeners in Arizona, Georgia, and California were next to report
this welcome sign of spring. And according to students at 24 other sites, the growing
season of 2001 is now well underway. Tulips have emerged in a total of 82 gardens,
and here's where they are.
See Today's Data:
What! No Blooming Gardens in Texas?
Were you wondering why those Texas gardens that emerged late January or early February
haven't bloomed? We wondered the same thing. Hidden Hollow Elementary reports, "Every
day we walk by the beautiful, lush, green plants and wonder if they will bloom soon."
Keep your eye on those green Texas triangles and soon they will be covered with a
blooming red dot!
The Original Journey North Gardens: How
are Your Predictions?
In the fall we asked you to predict the arrival of spring in our Original Gardens
across the Northern Hemisphere. Wondering about that wee garden in Newport-on-Tay,
Scotland? Has the snow cleared on the sub-arctic garden in Utsjoki, Finland? Just
a reminder to check this week's tulip garden maps to find out!
Snow Blankets the Earth, Discussion of Challenge
Question #5
"How can a cold blanket of snow can keep the earth warm?" It seems there
is a lot of snow falling on North America this winter. Though your aching back may
not agree, recent heavy snows actually will be good for your garden. A blanket of
snow will provide good insulation from bitter cold temperatures. The more snow you
have, the better the ground is insulated from freezing.
Find out more about snow and how it can make a difference for your garden and for
your climate.
Look what some students from University Park Elementary in Fairbanks,
Alaska learned during a recent snow day event. First, students dug a deep pit down
into the snow that was in a cube-like shape. Then, they stuck the round thermometers
into snow one by one about 4 inches apart going down. They discovered that:
- at a depth of 0 cm the temperature was -13 degrees C (8.6 degrees F)
- at a depth of 12 cm the temperature was -11 degrees C (12 degrees F)
- at a depth of 23 cm the temperature was -9 degrees C (16 degrees F)
- at a depth of 40 cm the temperature was -4 degrees C (25 degrees F)
Challenge Question #8
"What did the students discover about snow as insulation? On average, how much
warmer did it get with each centimeter they went down?"
(To respond to
this question, please follow the instructions below.)
Is this Year's Winter Weather "Normal?"
Discussion of CQ # 6:
Last update we asked you, "Where you live, how have this winter's snow cover
and frozen soil compared to a normal year?" We are hearing lots of you report
that weather has been colder or warmer than it has been in years past.
Mcfadden Elementary in Murfreesboro, TN writes, "We were beginning to worry!
Our tulips emerged last year about 2 weeks earlier. We also had an extremely mild
winter last year. December was unusually harsh this winter. This might be why our
tulips are later."
South Park Elementary in Pueblo, CO writes, "This is the first winter in 3 years
that we have not had to water our tulips through the winter. We've had slightly above
average snowfall and lower than average temperatures after no real winter weather
for the past two years. We are anxious to see if "regular" weather will
make a difference in our blooms."
You might be able to answer this question accurately using a wonderful, colorful
map from CRYSYS of Current Snowfall Anomaly ("anomaly" is defined a something
that deviates from a general rule). Because snowfall (or lack of) is a good indicator
of your winter weather, you will be able to draw some good conclusions to your question,
"How does this winter's winter compare to a normal year?" Take a look!
(Scroll down about a third of the way on the page.)
What is a "Normal" Winter in My
Home Town?
It makes you wonder what is a normal winter in my home town? CRYSYS, a specialist
research group who study snow and ice in Canada and the USA, shared this great animated
map table showing the average monthly North American snow cover from 1972 to 1993.
Check it out and then see if you can answer these questions:
Challenge Question #9
"Looking closely at the monthly maps of North America, which month has the most
complete snow cover? The deepest snow cover? The least snow cover?"
(To respond to
this question, please follow the instructions below.)
Tulips are Tasty!
After a long winter of twigs and buds, tulips are very tasty springtime treats for
many animals hungry for their first green food.
Second graders at Homesteaders Elementary just wrote in to share their woes, "The
squirrels have had a feast. They've been eating most of the tulip bulbs that our
homesteaders planted. Still, there are few SURVIVORS. And they are now emerging."
Mr. Beldon's Second/Third Grade class at Engelhard Elementary, in Louisville, KY
reported on March 7, that their tulips are about an inch or two tall. They then shared,
"Some did not come up at all. We think that the squirrels ate some this winter
because we found some half eaten ones."
Fall is the best time to provide protection against animals that dig looking for
food during the winter. At North Side Elementary in Fairfield, IL, students covered
their newly planted tulip bed with screen secured tightly around the edges. This
protection will need to be removed as your plants emerge, but then what?
Challenge Question #10
"How would you design a barrier around your tulip garden to keep out animals
that want to eat your emerging tulips?"
(To respond to this
question, please follow the instructions below.)
Spring's Journey NORTH? Discussion of Challenge
Question #7
Which way is spring going? Last update after studying the map we were inspired to
ask, "Does spring truly move northward? What did you see and how can you describe
it?"
As you might first think, spring should advance northward from the equator to the
North pole. But it doesn't work that way! The climate of North America is influenced
by two major effects, "continental effect" and "maritime effect."
Springtime temperatures are warmer along the coasts due to the ocean's influence.
(Since water warms and cools more slowly than air, water has a more constant temperature
year-round than land does. This means that land near the ocean has a more constant
temperature than land at the same latitudes in the middle of the continent.) Because
winter temperatures are not as cold near the ocean, spring events occur earlier in
those areas. This means that spring doesn't just move north, but it moves north FIRST
along the COASTS. If you're curious to learn more, do a Web search using the words
"Continental Effect" or "Maritime Effect."
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. IMPORTANT: In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question #8 (#9
or #10)
3. In the body of each message, answer ONE of the questions above.
The Next Tulip Garden Update Will be Posted on March 23, 2001.
Copyright 2001 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send
all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form
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