Journey North News



Tulip Update:
May 10, 1996

We're happy to bring news today of many May flowers! Since our last report, thirty one schools wrote about their tulip gardens. We've organized their messages into 2 groups as follows:

* "Blooms is the News", where gardeners announce the blooming of their tulips, and

* "Talk About Tulips", where students discuss the progress of their gardens.

Remember, when your tulips bloom, please send a Field Data Form to Journey North by pressing the button below marked "Report Field Observations". Don't forget these things:

Students Survey Tulip Gardens
Accompanying our report today you'll find the survey designed by students at Fyle Elementary in New York. Please take a few minutes and fill it out. These students have worked hard on this project and have not heard from many gardeners. Let's not disappoint them!

Before it's too late we hope you'll step out into your garden, take a picture and send it to us. We'd like to post pictures of gardeners on Journey North's WWW pages. Please send photos to: Journey North, 125 North First Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401

Here are the blooming dates from 24 new gardens:

Date of First Bloom....Place..............(Latitude/Longitude)
04/11/96..........Bowie, MD...............(38.57 N, 76.44 W)
04/14/96..........Moclips, WA.............(47.1O N, 124.10 W)
04/14/96..........Oradell, NJ.............(40.57 N, 74.02 W)
04/15/96..........Arnold, MD..............(39.01 N, 76.30 W)
04/20/96..........Meadville, PA...........(41.38 N, 80.09 W)
04/20/96..........Salt Lake City, UT......(40.45 N, 111.53 W)
04/20/96..........East Providence, RI.....(41.50 N, 71.20 W)
04/24/96..........New Hope, MN. ..........(45.02 N, 93.23 W
04/25/96..........Hopkins, MN.............(44.55 N, 93.27 W)
04/25/96..........Oley, PA............... (40.23 N, 75.49 W)
04/26/96..........Belmont, MA.............(42.23 N, 71.10 W)
04/26/96..........Robbinsdale, MN.........(45.01 N, 93.20 W)
04/29/96..........Cumberland, MD..........(39.39 N, 78.45 W)
04/30/96..........Rochester, NY...........(43.10 N, 77.36 W)
04/30/96..........St. Clair, MN...........(44.09 N, 93.59 W)
05/01/96..........St. Paul, MN............(45.00 N, 93.00 W)
05/02/96..........Rochester, NY...........(43.01 N, 77.53 W)
05/01/96..........Valley Stream, NY.......(40.39 N, 73.42 W)
05/02/96..........New Hope, MN............(45.02 N, 93.23 W)
05/03/96..........Rochester(Webster), NY..(43.12 N, 77.25 W)
05/05/96..........Long Island, NY.........(40.39 N, 73.42 W)
05/06/96..........Collingwood,ON..........(44.50 N, 80.25 W)
05/07/96..........Cedar Falls, IA.........(42.31 N, 92.26 W)
05/09/96..........St. Louis Park, MN......(44.56 N, 93.26 W)

Microclimate Makes a Big Difference
What does the term "microclimate" mean? First, check your dictionary for a definition. Then go outside for a real understanding. Take a trip around your school and look for differences in sunlight, wind & moisture. How might these things affect the growth of tulips and other plants? As you read through today's many messages from Journey North gardeners, notice how many times people mention ways these variables affected the growth of their tulips. Then see if you can answer today's Challenge Question:

Challenge Question #116

"How many examples can you find in today's report of factors that created a microclimate in a Journey North tulip garden?

How is baking a cake like growing a plant? Here are the ways Mrs. Howley's 5th grade students in Maine discovered. Thanks also to Mr. Sterling's students in Anchorage, Alaska for sending their ideas which you'll find below.

From MAINE:
Hi Journey North Friends,
Our class just got done with a question. The question is, "How is baking a cake like growing a plant?" We thought we had some good ideas and wanted to share them:
1. Both rise.
2. Both need heat and need to cool down too.
3. Both rest on a platform (oven rack and ground).
4. Both have holding devices (cakes are in pans, plants in ground).
5. Both need a certain amount of time.
6. Both have liquid inside them.
7. Both change shapes.
8. Both smell good.
9. Cake needs flour and a plant can be a flower.
We live on Mount Desert Island in Maine which is where Acadia National Park is. You can see our island if you search Acadia National Park on the WWW. Isn't Journey North fun? Fran Howley
grade5fh@pemetic.u98.k12.me.us

From ALASKA:
Hello I'm answering your #100th Challenge Question "How is baking a cake like growing a plant?" Each needs ingredients to make it. A plant needs a seed to grow, a cake needs eggs, milk, flower, yeast and other ingredients. They both need heat because a cake rises and a plant gets bigger. They need time to "cook" so they can grow. That's why we are studying growing degree days with Tulips.
Trevor Ryan, Tulips group in Mr. Sterling's Class
Anchorage, Alaska
sterling@corcomsv.corcom.com

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BLOOMS IN THE NEWS

From MARYLAND:
April 11, 1996
The first graders in my class were very excited this morning when they noticed that three of our 37 tulips were in full bloom. We measured them and the tallest of the three was 16.5 inches tall(the other two were 14 and 11 inches). In a few days the front of our school should be beautiful!
Mrs. Bonnie Williams' First Grade Class
Holy Trinity School
Bowie, MD
lnichols@umd5.umd.edu

From WASHINGTON:
April 14, 1996
Our first tulip bloomed on Easter Sunday. We planted about 20 tulips. They are now almost all in bloom. Byron Woolsey ,Moclips , WA 47.1 124.1 Santiago Homeschoolers Lillian Woolsey
lillianaw@aol.com

From NEW JERSEY:
April 14, 1996
When we came to school today we saw that two of our tulips bloomed! We are not sure when they bloomed but we think it was over the weekend because they were not blooming on Friday. Only two bloomed but, lots of the tulips have buds. Megan, Naoko, and Brian. Tracey Schaum Oradell Public School,Oradell, NJ
oradell@intac.com

From MARYLAND:
April 15, 1996
Our tulips bloomed on April 15th! The garden in front of our school is bright red to celebrate our school's 20th anniversary. We are just a few miles from the Chesapeake Bay and Summer is just around the corner for us. All of our hundred or so tulips did well, with the exception of a few that served as food for a hungry squirrel! Our art classes are now painting still lifes of the garden. Happy Spring! Mrs. Campbell and Mrs. Thibodeau and the students at Broadneck Elementary,Arnold, MD
kaycam@umd5.umd.edu

From RHODE ISLAND:
April 20, 1996
We aren't sure of the *exact* date of our blooms, because we were on spring break, but we estimate it was on April 20. We came back to three out of 26 tulips open. By April 23, all tulips were open, and it was the most glorious display of color out in our courtyard. Our tallest plant was 14" and the flower was about 6" wide. We loved participating in this project. Erin, Stephanie, Liz T, and Class
Mrs. Nosal's Grade 5
Orlo Ave Elementary School
East Providence, RI
S00141@grog.ric.edu

From PENNSYLVANIA:
April 20, 1996
Greetings from the North!
Just before Earth Day our red emperor tulips began to bloom. We are located 41 degrees latitude and 80 degrees longitude. Shortly after that, we had another snowstorm and some tulips were not snowbunnies! West End School, Meadville, PA,From: Library welib@gremlan.org

From UTAH:
April 20, 1996
Hi - we are from Mrs. Simpson's and Mrs. Boswell's fourth grade classes as Eastwood elementary school in Salt Lake City. The tulips bloomed up by our school about on April 20.We came up with some reasons that the tulips bloom later up here at our school than down in Salt Lake at Temple Square. First, it's colder here. It snows more here so it takes longer to melt. There's not as much sun because of the mountains (in the mornings anyway). Another reason is that the deer love tulips and they eat a lot of them up here by our school!
Katherine A. East (keast@ibm.net)

From MINNESOTA:
April 24, 1996
Our first tulip bloomed on April 24th at about 10:30am. We've kept a photo diary of every day since then, and all 135 were in bloom as of last Monday, April 29th. We have a most excited group of kindergarteners (6 classes); they check the progress every day and ask and answer lots of great questions. 5th graders had planted iris on either side of the tulip plot last fall and now we await the iris blooms as well. We've had to place a small picket fence around the whole garden as the small children were so excited to get to their garden that they were walking on the emerging iris! We've loved participating in this wonderful project--lots of ooooos and ahhhhs from parents and staff as well
Katie Wilson, Sonnesyn School, New Hope, MN
ghanka@metro2.k12.mn.us or kwilson@metro2.k12.mn.us

From PENNSYLVANIA:
April 25, 1996
At long last the tulips in our Memorial garden are blooming. The white tulips are the tallest at 20 inches. The red tulips are 18 inches and the pink ones are 16 inches. They started to bloom on April 25 and this week we had several thunder storms which did the most damage to the white ones. We were pleased to see all the beautiful colors. We have enjoyed doing this project and hope to plant some of our own tulips next year. Mrs. Moretz Enrichment class, Oley Valley Elementary School, Oley, PA, 40.23N, 75.49W
leckert@fast.net (Lynda Eckert)

From MINNESOTA:
April 25, 1996
Our garden is filled with color. We have 15 our of 45 red emperor tulips. There are 22 buds on the tulips closest to our building. In addition, we have 15 hyacinths, 11 daffodils blossoming and a cluster of unidentified border flowers.
SusanDeWit, Katherine Curren Elementary, Hopkins, MN
sue_dewit@hopkins.k12.mn.us

From MASSACHUSETTS:
April 26th
TULIPS BLOOM IN MASSACHUSETTS! After a long winter, our third grade class watched the tulips eagerly this week as the weather became spring-like and the temperature hit 70. Finally on the 26th, our tulips opened up and bloomed. It is a beautiful sight! We feel that we've added to a beautiful place near our playground, but have been involved in an exciting project. Thank you so much! My students would love to hear from Minnesota to see how they are doing. We did have a lot of snow just 10 days ago. School was closed and we worried about our tulips, but here they are! Spring has finally come to Belmont, Massachusetts, just a little west of Boston. Kathy Lind's 3rd grade class, Burbank School, Belmont, MA 02178
walind@lynx.neu.edu

From MINNESOTA:
April 26
As of April 26 we had 1 tulip blooming out of 220. As of April 30, we had 80 tulips blooming! As of today (May 1) we have all 220 tulips blooming! What a sight! It is a blaze of color in front of our building! I have never seen the sixth graders take such ownership in a project before! Thanks for the opportunity! Bev Ramolae, Grade 6, Technology Learning Campus, Robbinsdale, MN
bramolae@metro2.k12.mn.us

From MARYLAND:
April 29
class checked outside and our tulips are up and blooming all around the building. We are so excited and curious to hear about all of yours. Mrs. Roberts 4th grade, Bel Air School Cumberland, Maryland. nlhouse@miworld.net

From MINNESOTA:
April 30
The tulips we planted in the beginning of the school year started blooming on April 30th. There are 8 out of 36 tulips blooming. The measurments are 9"x1", 10"x1", 10"x1 1/2", 13 1/2"x1 1/2", 14"x1", 14"x2", and 15"x1 1/2".
Mikaela Preston, Angela Kletschka, Ginger Schenk
Mrs. Bonnie Holmes
St. Clair Public School
St. Clair, Minnesota
bonnieh@stclair.isd75.k12.mn.us

From NEW YORK:
April 30, 1996
We planted our tulips in the grassy area in front of our school. Our first tulip was in full bloom on April 30th. By May 6th, almost all of the tulips (about 100) were in bloom. We took pictures of the tulips yesterday.
Mrs. Seager's Second Grade
Fyle Elementary School, Rochester New York 43.10N, 77.36W
Gail Petri, Librarian gpetri@mail.monroe.edu

From MINNESOTA:
May 1, 1996
We are in the 6th grade at Chelsea Heights. Our red tulips bloomed yesterday (5-1-96). We live in St.Paul, MN. We are at 45 degrees north and 93 degrees west.
chkids@metro2.k12.mn.us

From NEW YORK:
May 1, 1996
Blooming Tulips
The tulips at Howell Road began to bloom at the beginning of April, then a frost came and killed off many of the tulips. Some tulips bloomed at the beginning of May and the squirrels ate the flowers. We now see more of the tulips beginning to bloom.
Students in Miss Chiesa, Mrs. O'Connell and Mr. Pitts' classes Teacher's name: Nada Tannen
Howell Road, Valley Stream, NY
ntannen@netcom.com

From NEW YORK:
May 2, 1996
Finally, our tulips in our "legal" bed have bloomed. (The bed out in the circle and not the one next to the building). Yesterday (5/2) we noticed four blooms open, and there are 11 more ready to bloom soon. We measured them, and they are about 14" tall now. It's so exciting to look out there and see the bright red flowers - maybe this is spring at last! We have sent our results to Fyle School for their tulip survey- they should be getting some results at last!

On April 29th we had 8 tulips in bloom in the bed next to the building, but hardly any buds yet in our "legal" plants out in the bed in the courtyard. We've discovered that the building does shelter the plants from the cold, so those plants have had an unfair advantage. But we have noticed growth in both beds since the weather has gotten a bit warmer. On April 29th the plants out in the courtyard were measuring 7" to 9" tall, and the ones next to the building were 12" - 16" tall. Mrs. Scheg's 3rd grade class, Crane Elementary School, Rochester, NY, Margie Valentine, Librarian,
mvalentine@mail.monroe.edu Lat 43.01 N, Long. 77.53 W.

From MINNESOTA:
May 2, 1996
We had 21 blooming tulips on May 2. The average tulip was 12.5 inches tall. The tallest tulip was 18.9 inches tall. The shortest tulip was only 7 inches tall. The tulips that are not shaded are more developed than the tulips that are shaded.

As of May 7th, all of our tulips are blooming. The average tulip is 14.2 inches tall. The tallest tulip is 19.3 inches tall. The shortest tulip is 1 foot tall. The tulips that bloomed first are now very fragile . They fall apart easily when you touch them.
Eileen Johansen, New Hope Elementary, New Hope, MN
ejohan@metro2.k12.mn.us

From NEW YORK:
May 3, 1996
All six tulips bloomed.
Rochester, New York 45N,82W JoAnn Campbell, Holy Trinity School,Webster, New York
htcomplab@aol.com

From NEW YORK:
May 5,1996
Our tulips finally bloomed on May 5! This must be slower than anyone else! We will send the form, but we want you to know that we have reasons: The nights were too cold. The sun was not strong enough in the middle of the day. We thought it cool that the bulbs closer to the sun direction bloomed first! We knew the sun direction because the leaves tipped that way. Red emperor bloomed 3 days sooner than yellow, but they lost their flowers quicker too. Mrs. Lee's class on Long Island.

PS - We are growing lima beans in different ways for the science fair - does anyone want to know what happened?
MS ELIZABETH SKY-MCILVAIN
PPZH41D@prodigy.com

From ONTARIO:
May 6, 1996
Dear, Journey North Participants
Here's a report from Cameron ST. School, Collingwood, ON, Canada. Our tulips have finally bloomed, 7 of them!. Our class thought they would bloom in March but they never did until today. "Cameron St. P. S." <cameron@georgian.net>

From IOWA:
May 7
We waited 5 days for our tulips to bloom. They were already to bloom, but they just wouldn't open up. The sky conditions were overcast and rainy, cool...temperatures in the 50s. Then the sun came out and warmed the air up to 65 degrees...it was 2:15 and the tulips opened up beautifully. The next day when we came to school the tulips were closed again...temperature was 53 degrees. At 67 degrees...1:15 p.m. the tulips began to open again with all in full bloom at 2:15. This morning they were closed again...temperature 56 degrees. When will they open today? We get out at noon so we think they will open this afternoon, but has to get sunny (it's overcast now) and reach a temperature of 65. The other patch where the tulips were multched we are waiting for them to bloom. We think they will be one week behind out first batch blooming because they came up later. We are having fun watching and checking. Happy Spring...we are happy the tulips have finally bloomed! Now we can celebrate!!!
Mrs. Venenga's Third Grade
Hansen Elementary School
Cedar Falls, Iowa (42.34 N, 92.26 W)
Jackyv3@aol.com

From MINNESOTA:
May 9
FINALLY!!!!!!
Samantha Johnson.
Ms. Goldberg's First Grade,
Peter Hobart School
St. Louis Park, Minnesota (near Minneapolis)
barbara_goldberg.ph@qm.stpark.k12.mn.us.

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TALK ABOUT TULIPS

From TENNESSEE:
Our tulips have done great! (Bloomed 4/11) When it's cold the petals close up. On the mornings there is frost, they close up too. We enjoy watching that! Today is a bright,sunny day and the tulips are wide open. They love the warm weather, also. The average height of our tulips is 1 foot. One of the tulips got cut by a lawn mower, when people from the county cut the grass. We have 7 tulips still standing, but a few look like they are ready to die. It has been fun watching the tulips grow and change each day. So long from Franklin. Bryan Barnes, Mrs. Stewart's Grade 5
Oak View Elementary
Franklin, TN (35.45 N, 87.30 W)
jstewart@cecasun.utc.edu

From MINNESOTA:
On April 23 and the 24 our the tulips emerged. Kent Erickson is the biggest of our tulips. There are 22 tulips in the garden. This is Ted Kubalak and Kenny Flermoen
Mrs.Stitt's Classroom , Valley View School
Columbia Heights, MN (near Minneapolis)
0013vvel@informns.k12.mn.us

From MINNESOTA:
April 3, 1996
Tulips Out At Four Winds
Greeting T Gardeners, At the Four Winds our tulips in a warm bright spot have extended thru the earth from 2cm's to 4.5cm on our last measurement April 3.1996 at 1200hrs. This particular spot had been covered by leaves
James Epperly at The Four Winds School, MPLS, MN.
jepperly@Mpls.K12.mn.us

From MINNESOTA:
May 2, 1996
We have been carefully watching our tulips progress since the middle of March. My fourth graders did not plant them this year but 3 years ago when they were in first grade. Here is a brief record of what we have seen thusfar: 3/15 just beginning.
Dave Kust, BreckSchool, Minneapolis,MN
dakus@breck.pvt.k12.mn.us

From ONTARIO:
May 2, 1996
First tulips bloomed yesterday (but not those planted for Journey North). The garden at school unfortunatly is on the north side so our tulips are still only a few centimetres high and not blooming yet. We've had considerable rain this week and warmer temperatures - about 13 - 14 degrees Celcius the last couple of days. Tulips that we saw in bloom are in the front garden of a house close to the school. They are next to the house and face south so they are sheltered from any North winds.
H.W. Knight Public School, Cannington, Ontario 44 N 75 W.
Julia Plewes 102413@netrover.com

From NEW YORK:
May 3, 1996
We have two bunches of tulips. The tallest tulip in our Red Emperor bed is 22 cm tall. We have an extra group of red emperors by our school building. The flowers near our building grew faster. They bloomed already. We are the kids from Miss Nabut 's Class From Fyle school in Henrietta, NY Mnabut@mail.rh.monroe.edu (Marcia Nabut)

From TENNESSEE:
Dear Journey North,
I am afraid that our tulip project failed you. We had unheard of single digit temperatures in March and it destroyed everything that had come up. Even hardy daffodils got frozen back. I have one student who says that her tulip formed a bud, but it shriveled up and died after that cold snap. I have one in my yard that came up. There is one up just this week in the patio garden at my school. If you decide to do this again next year, I would like to have another chance to participate. This year is a write-off. Usually we have much warner weather from late February-early March on. This was a freak cold snap. I would love to hear how other participants got along.
Mary Ann Stephens, Science 8
Kenwood Middle School
Clarksville, TN
STEPHEMA@TEN-NASH.TEN.K12.TN.US

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How to Respond To Challenge Question # 116

1. Send an e-mail message to: jn-challenge@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line write: Challenge Question # 116
3. In the Body of the message, answer this question:

"How many examples can you find in today's report of factors that created a microclimate in a Journey North tulip garden?

The Next Tulip Update Will be Posted on May 24, 1996



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