Tulip Garden Update: December 1, 2006
Today's Report Includes:
- Gardeners Digging In
- Today’s Map and Data
- Is it Still Planting Season?
- What's Happening Underground?
- A Drinking Straw, A Soil Thermometer, and a Testable Question
- Simulating Winter: Can you Trick Bulbs into Blooming Indoors?
- Find Your Planting Report
- Spotlight on the Classroom
- Teachers’ Guide for December 1, 2006
Gardeners Digging In
 |
A flurry of planting since last month has brought us an additional 170 new gardens to watch. Some of these gardens are located in warm climates and will be planted in 2007 after their bulbs are pulled from the refrigerator and planted. (*If you plan to plant in January 2007 report your Tulips PLANTED now – just report the planting date as January 1, 2007.) The final map will be published in the next Update Jan. 5, 2007.
- Today's Data >>
Is it Still Planting Season?
Gardeners
continue to enjoy warmer than average fall temperatures. Just 2 days
ago gardeners
in Thornwood, NY reported, “Another class
at Columbus planted 12 bulbs today. The weather has been unseasonably
warm so we could still get them in the ground. It has been about
55-60 degrees F this whole week.”
When will the fall weather turn too cold to plant?
 |
 |
Credit: The Weather Channel |
Credit:
The Weather Channel |
Study these weather maps. What can you say about the temperatures on the East coast? Describe the maps and predict what might happen on in the coming days.
What’s Happening Underground?
 |
What’s the temperature down by your bulb? Is the temperature underground different from above ground? Will it be warmer the deeper I dig into the ground?
Brainstorm YOUR questions about soil temperatures. Then decide which questions are “testable,” and set up an investigation to answer.
- Soil Temperatures: Planning Your Own Investigations >>
A Drinking Straw, A Soil Thermometer, and a Testable Question
Act now if you are in a cold winter area where your soil freezes in
early December. With a pencil you can drill a hole in the garden
soil so you will have a way to insert the soil thermometer sensor
even in the coldest weather. Then you’ll be ready to track
temperatures for your own experiments.
- What’s Happening Underground: Take the Soil’s Temperature! >>
Simulating Winter: Can you Trick Bulbs into Blooming Indoors?
 |
Don’t wait to start this exploration – gather your bulbs now while supplies are still available!
- Indoor Blooms and Experiments >>
 |
|
 |
Find Your Planting Report
 |
Find
the Owl button on every page.
|
There are 2 simple ways to do this:
- Data: Click on the “Owl” button to navigate to the “Sightings, Data, and Maps” page. Select Fall 2006 Data, then scroll to Tulips PLANTED. Gardens are organized by date planted.
- Map: Click on the “Owl” button. Click on the small Tulip map. Use the map icons to find your dot and read the pop-up Field Report you have submitted. Test yourself after you review what all the icons do >>
Spotlight on the Classroom
Click on any garden site on the Journey North Tulip Garden map and it is like “visiting” another classroom. Find out about the garden and, if you are interested, email them about your school.
Read what one classroom from Dunwoody, GA reported:
“ Our 4th grade classes planted the official garden today. The weather was 68 degrees and overcast. The soil temperature was 61 degrees. We have 5 classes of students involved and would love to correspond electronically with other schools around the country.”
Teachers' Guide
The suggestions in this guide are provided to help teachers integrate Journey North's program in the classroom.
The
Next Tulip Garden Update Will Be Posted on January 5, 2007.
Copyright
2006 Journey North. All Rights Reserved.
Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form