Journey North International Plant Study

Teachers' Guide for December 1, 2006

The suggestions in this guide are provided to help teachers integrate Journey North's Tulip Garden study in the classroom.
This guide accompanies the Tulip Garden Update for December 1, 2006.

This Month

Testing YOUR Questions about Soil Temperatures
As scientists observe the natural world they ask questions about things that interest, surprise, or confuse them. Then they set up investigations to try to answer their questions. This month we are practicing the art of inquiry about soil temperatures. Students are encouraged to explore their questions to find which are testable (Framing "Testable" Questions) and which might be answered with further research.
Get ready to assist your students with a short primer on soil temperature:

Soil Temperature Investigation >>

Dig deeper with your students to set up an experiment using soil and air thermometers. Print off the data collection sheet and explore temperatures as we move through winter into spring.

Taking the Soil's Temperature >>

Indoor Blooms and Experiment
Bring a bit of excitement into the classroom during the long winter days with bulbs you force into bloom. Prepare now while bulb supplies are still available.

Slide show, Teacher Guide

Set up some pots of bulbs and let students discuss the variables that bulbs need to survive. How might they modify dormancy requirements, light, water and temperature? And how would their modifications affect the bulbs and their blooms?

Read the detailed information for teachers to prepare your class for success. And print the handy journal page to get ready for these investigations.

Digging Deeper with Bulbs >>

* Lay the groundwork for understanding more about factors affecting tulip survival with a slide show: >>

Every Update

How to Report to Journey North

The Owl button

As soon as you plant YOUR garden, be sure to let us know! In next month's update, we expect to have many garden locations to report to you.
Simply press the "Owl" button, enter your registration email address and report from your garden planted. Wait 5 minutes then refresh the map page to see your site pop up on the map.

Never reported before? Try a Practice Report first. >>

Journey North Garden Journal

Use this journal cover and student page as we designed them, or edit them to meet your needs. When you first plant your garden in the fall, have each student complete a journal page. In late winter or spring, as they look for changes in their garden, they should complete a new page every week or two. As they do, help them use their observations (evidence) to refine their predictions. >>

Back to the Tulip Garden Update for December 1, 2006.