Wednesday Explorers Club ~ Look Closer

A flower ...
     but look closer. There, between the petals - a tiny insect. Who is it? What is it doing?

Raindrops glisten on the grass and leaves. Look closer - what do you notice?

Animal Babies

If you love to read about baby animals, here are two new books that are just delightful. 

Baby on Board
by Marianne Berkes; illus. by Cathy Morrison
32 pages; ages 3-8
Dawn Publishing, 2017

When you were a baby, someone carried you.
Have you ever wondered what animal parents do?

They may not have baby backpacks or strollers or carriers...  but wild animal moms have figured out how to transport their kids from one place to another.

Kangaroos use pockets, mama otters become rafts, and mother possums give their young piggy-back rides. Even dads get into the picture.

Fun, rhyming language and realistic illustrations introduce youngsters to the diversity of transport their woollier - and featherier - wild friends experience. Back matter includes a matching game and plenty of resources for further exploration.

Baby Animals (Animal Bites series)
by Dorothea DePrisco
80 pages; ages 4-8
Animal Planet/ Time Inc. Books, 2017

Many animals lay eggs and build nests - and not just birds! This photo-rich book focuses on  babies from across the animal kingdom. Information is presented in small, "browsable" chunks with many entry points. You can use the table of contents, or use the colored tabs to guide you in your wildlife safari: yellow for close-up look at animals, orange for a gallery exhibit highlighting diversity, and there's even an icon labeled "just like me" that compares how animals and humans behave in similar ways.

Some of the animals highlighted are bunnies, owls, red pandas, dogs, skunks, and more. Back matter includes baby animal activities, resources, and a glossary.

Today we're joining the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and resources. Review copies from publishers.

Wednesday Explorer Club ~ watching time go by

Seems like just yesterday all my dandelions were bright yellow flowers, busy with bees and beetles collecting pollen. Then - poof! Suddenly the lawn is a sea of white fluffy seed-heads.

The cool thing about dandelions is that they are so ubiquitous you can probably find them at all life stages on your lawn (or in sidewalk cracks). Look closely and you'll see some that are still buds, not quite ready to open. A day later you might spy a bit of yellow. Then they flower and go to seed.

But how long does that take? This week, try to find some dandelions that are just about ready to open, or have just opened. Watch them for a few days.

How do the flowers change with time?
How long do the dandelions flower?
What happens as the dandelion grows older?
When do the fluffy white parachute seeds happen?

If you have a camera, try to take pictures of the dandelion as it changes over time. Or keep track by sketching it in your journal.

Another thing to ponder: do all the dandelions in one area get old and fluffy at the same time? Or are there new flowers opening as old ones lose their seeds to the wind?

And how long does it take for a seed to grow into a plant, anyway?