Alpha

Water, water, everywhere… Dove deeper into the ocean (600 feet deep) into the twilight zone! Alphas learned that very little light reaches the dysphotic zone, which makes photosynthesis inoperable and plants obsolete. We explored many critters that live here, but focused on two enemies. The sperm whale vs the giant squid! While oceanographers have not captured video of the battle, tentacle marks left on sperm whales offer some evidence as to what might occur in the dark. One video animated a model of how sperm whales use echolocation to find their favorite food. Alphas collaged the great battle and depicted many epic […]

Water, water, everywhere… This week, we left the shore for open water to explore the euphotic zone!  This is the layer of the ocean that gets the most sunlight. We learned that this layer is closest to land, which means it is closest to humans, and the Alphas know that where there are humans, there is trash! The euphotic zone is where over half of our oxygen comes from; it also contains 90% of all marine life — which makes its proximity to humans a little scary. The continents are ringed in the light blue of the euphotic zone… Alphas,

CJ meeting one of the hermit crabs! Our foster pets for the week (thank you Ezra!) Water, water, everywhere… This week, we investigated what many rocky seashores offer…shelter and food for some of the world’s most adaptable creatures in the intertidal zones. (oh! how we wish we had tidal pools to explore in our neighborhood!) The ecosystem hangs on for dear life as the tides ebb and flow….and what creates tides? Small but mighty, the pull of the moon’s gravity creates 2 high tides and 2 low tides on earth each day. Even more so, twice a year the sun’s

New Quarter, New Table Team! We have been sharing what skills and talents we bring to our new buddies, as well as things we like to do, want to do, and don’t like to do. We are figuring out how to take turns sharing fun and not-so-fun tasks, and how to remind each other of our responsibilities in ways that aren’t harsh or hurtful. What’s Around Me? What happens when we go from land in any direction? Eventually, we reach the ocean… WATER, Water Everywhere… This week, we “walked” to the Gulf of Mexico. The first thing we noticed was

What’s Around Me? We traveled North along the Appalachian Trail to meet the First Nation people who blazed it! We explored the Northeast Woodlands Region of the United States. The lands of deciduous forests, rivers, and the Great Lakes are rich with natural resources. It was also the birthplace of one of the world’s oldest democracies. The beautiful book Hiawatha and the Peacemaker guided our discussions this week. It is the story of the Haudenosaunee (People of the Longhouse – they go by the name Iroquois too) comprised of five tribes, Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, and the Seneca, who agreed