It's melting, it's melting.....the ice of winter 1996 is finally melting! Students in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New York, Iowa and Ontario have reported ice-out from their adopted lakes, ponds and rivers.
When the winter ice you've adopted finally melts please send a report to Journey North. Send an e-mail message to: jn-report@learner.org or press the blue button below "Report Field Observations".
Do you notice changes in wildlife activity when the ice melts? Which birds arrive? What new sounds do you hear? Why do you think these changes happen when they do? Please include this news in your report.
Walden Pond Internet Ice Out Contest: Winner Announced
The ice is also out at Walden Pond! We received a call from Denise Morrissey of Walden Pond State Reserve who announced the ice had officially melted. According to Ms. Morrissey, the exact time of ice-out this year was:
SATURDAY, MARCH 23rd at 11:00 am
Congratulations to our 1996 winners and thanks to everyone who participated! We've included Thoreau's ice-out records from the 1800's in the chart below and added records for the 1900's, collected by Journey North students. How does this year's ice-out date compare to the years for which Thoreau kept records?
Walden Pond Ice-Out Contest Winners
1st Place
From NEW YORK:
Jesse Weinberger and Brandon Maragh of Mrs. Berger's 5th grade class
in Roslyn, NY. for their guess of March 30th.
K12robzj@hofstra.edu or jberger@dorsai.org
2nd Place
From MASSACHUSETTS:
Billie and Monica from Lexington, Massachusetts for their guess of
March 31st.
fpoor@PoorHouse.Lexington.Ma.US
3rd Place
From MASSACHUSETTS:
Ms. Griffin's students for their guess of April 2, 1996 at 8:45 a.m.
griffic2@meol.mass.edu
Honorable Mention
From MASSACHUSETTS:
Ms. Conlin's students of Norfolk, MA for their guess of April 2, 11:45 pm
(Nice work 3rd graders, you were only 15 hours away from 3rd place!)
Mary_Conlin@norfolk.k12.ma.us (Mary Conlin)
How did the winners do it?
Here's how Jesse and Brandon arrived at their prediction:
"We located Henry David Thoreau's account of the
dates that the ice melted on Walden Pond. We found it in the
chapter, "Spring". The temperature has warmed up in Mass. and has
been above freezing for many weeks but the pond is very deep and
there is no passing stream to warm it up, at least that is what
Thoreau said. So we guessed March 30th"
Ice-Out Records for Walden Pond
Collected in the 1800's by Henrry David Thoreau and in the 1900's by Journey North students
1845 April 1
1846 March 25
1847 April 8
1851 March 28
1853 March 23
1854 April 7
1995 March 18
1996 March 23
Who Knows?
We hope you'll answer today's Challenge Question, because students in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin need your help. Several fifth graders there are working on the ice-out portion of Journey North. They sent this list questions. Our question to you is:
Challenge Question # 72
"Can you answer any of these questions?"
1. Why does the top of the water freeze and the bottom doesn't?
2. How can the fish survive in such cold water?
3. How long can fish live in their life span?
4. About how many fish die a year from cold water?
5. How can 3 feet of ice hold up a 3 ton truck?
6. Is there permanent ice in the Arctic?
How to Respond to Challenge Question # 72:
1. Send an e-mail message to: jn-challenge@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line write: Challenge Question # 72
3. In the Body of your message, answer any of the 6 questions above.
Ice-Out Observations
From IOWA:
March 13, 1996
Temperatures in this area reached 70 degrees on Wednesday, March 13,
1996.The remaining ice on Finn Pond melted. Finn Pond is a small wetland
and pond ecosystem managed by the Greene County Conservation Board. It
will not appear on any maps because of the small size.
Location is 3 miles west of Jefferson, Iowa (Highway #30).
Allison Hicks, Jefferson-Scranton, Jefferson, Iowa
gerrystein@qmail.jefferson-scranton.k12.ia.us
From WISCONSIN:
March 15, 1996
Much of the ice on local ponds and lakes has broken up and many species
of waterfowl are present throughout the area. Species of particular
note include COMMON LOONS at the Elks Club in downtown Madison, GREATER
WHITE-FRONTED GEESE at Lower Mud Lake in McFarland, and 6 RUDDY DUCKS
and 30 REDHEADS at the boat landing on Lake Kegonsa. Larry Parnell
From IOWA:
March 19, 1996
Briana and her grandpa have been checking on East Lake in Waterloo, Iowa.
During the week of March 17 (Springbreak) we had a couple of windy days
causing the ice to disappear completely from the lake. Just a week before
the lake was almost covered with ice.
Briana and her grandpa, Edison Elementary
Waterloo, IA Bozych210@aol.com
From MASSACHUSETTS:
March 21, 1996
We are Ms. Waldoch's 4th grade class in Amherst, MA (42.23N latitude,
72.31W longitude); Wildwood pond, the very small pond near our school, iced
out on Mar. 21. The isotherm for the week ending Mar. 22 was 42 degrees.
Ms. Waldoch and some of her class observed this ice-out.
wwes1@k12.oit.umass.edu
From ONTARIO:
March 26, 1996
The ice left our Customs dock during the night. There was a big
wind that blew the ice away from the dock and out into the St.
Lawrence river. Some of the small islands in the River were
surrounded by ice packs 14 feet high. It is a sight we have never
seen before. Grade Sixes, Mrs. Malcolm's class
Linklater Macdonald School, Gananoque, Ontario
vivwhite@limestone.kosone.com
From NEW YORK:
March 27, 1996
Ice-Out Location on Canandaigua Lake, Canandaigua, NY
43.1N, 77.2W I am looking forward to observing the passers-by as a
variety of waterfowl migrate North.
Deborah Gardner, Macedon Elementary
Macedon, NY macelem@transit.nyser.net
The Next Ice-Out Update Will be Posted on April 19, 1996.
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