FINAL
Tulip Garden Update: May 14, 2004
Today's Report Includes:
- Spring Sweep!
- Snapshot of 2004 Spring's Journey North
- Stormy May brings Weather and Snowfall
- Wrapping it Up: Portfolios Unfold in Ithaca
- One to Grow AND One to Give
- An Open and Close Case: Who Says Plants Don’t Move?
- Year-End Evaluation: Please Share Your Thoughts!
Spring Sweep!
One look at this week's map and you know that spring has swept the continent. In many places summer weather is replacing spring. We have 8 new reports this week. 7 new gardens have bloomed and 1 garden has emerged. As always some gardens didn't get a chance to bloom, but lessons are always learned – and there is always next year! Take a look at the data. You'll find the map below - the end of the series.
Snapshot of 2004 Spring's Journey North
We bid farewell to Spring 2004 with this series of maps which show the greening of spring across North America--thanks to you!
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| Gardens Planted |
February 6 |
February 20 |
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| March 5 |
March 19 |
April 2 |
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| April 16 |
April 30 |
May 14 |
Stormy May brings Weather and Snowfall
Just when you think it is spring all across North America we find out that Old Man Winter isn’t yet done! Spring storms brought a jumble of weather to Colorado and other plains states with tornadoes and more than a foot of snow in the mountains.
The New York Times isn’t the only venue showing pictures of the snowy weather this week. One of our special Journey North gardeners and robin sighters took the time to send us a picture of his garden in Lethbridge, Alberta this “spring.”
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Wayne
Dwornik's garden |
Take a look at this snowy Mid-May photo from just over the US border in Alberta. Here are Mr. Dwornik's comments:
“Well...Home stretch is a bit FROSTY in Lethbridge. Snow came to the prairies Sunday in Swift Current, SK, and Monday night in Lethbridge. Picture is from this morning, Wed. May 11! Temperature is -2C.
Life is a challenge. The robins seem to handle it OK. My bluebirds have a rough go of it. We may lose a lot from the first brood, again.”
-Wayne Dwornik, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Wrapping it Up: Portfolios Unfold in Ithaca
How did your tulip experiments “unfold” this year? What did you learn from your tulip investigations this year? Did you plant bulbs upside down? Did you vary the depth when you planted your bulbs? What about the “Microclimate Challenge?”
Here at the Journey North headquarters we were amazed at the creative experiments you wrote about. As we look at a map covered with red dots of blooming tulips this time of year we wonder what you found out through all your studies.
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Portfolios
unfold to reveal lessons learned |
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Fifth Graders at Belle Sherman Elementary in Ithaca, NY took the time this year to present their tulip project using small, home-made portfolios. The beauty of these student-made organizers is they become a collection AND a Have the students involved in a science project that is much bigger than our classroom.
One to Grow AND One to Give
At Langley Middle School in Langley, WA, Mrs. Kiser’s 6th Graders grew tulips with multiple objectives in mind!
The class planted their bulbs in the fall to participate in the tulip study. This spring after taking all their observations and data for the experiment they went over to neighborhood senior apartments with bouquets of tulips to spread the joy of springtime with the residents.
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Langly
students grow and then give away their tulip flowers! |
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This creative curriculum combines the study of science, art and community social studies. Think about planting a few extra bulbs this coming fall and spread some cheer next spring in your neighborhood!
Thank you and BRAVO to Mrs. Kiser and the 6th Graders at Langley Middle School for sharing this great exchange.
An Open and Close Case: Who Says Plants Don’t Move?
Almost without exception plants are rooted into the ground. They can’t travel from one place to another when they want. However, plants do MOVE a lot, even though they are stuck into the ground. They move when they germinate and when they grow upwards in response to gravity. Some plant flowers open and close. Stems can wrap around trellises and “climb” upwards. Some plants have specialized systems that allow them to move- in real time, right before your eyes.
Get out the popcorn and settle in to watch a couple of plants moving- right before your eyes!
- Nastic
Movements
(Click on Nastic Movements: Venus Flytrap to set up the video clip. This clip uses Quicktime Player.)
Year-end Evaluation: Please Share Your Thoughts!
Please take a few minutes to share your suggestions and comments in our Year-End Evaluation Form below.
In the coming year, Journey North will be fundraising to secure increased support from foundations, corporations and individuals. Your supportive comments will be a tremendous help. Thank you!
Journey North
Year End Evaluation
Please share your thoughts
We've had a lot of fun learning about plants and the seasons this year! Thanks to everyone who participated in this huge scientific experiment with Journey North. See you next spring!
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