Men love to wonder, and that is the
seed of science.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
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| Welcome! |
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Humpback whale fluking up. (photo NOAA) |
It is almost fall here on the central coast of California. The humpback whales that have been visiting this
summer will be heading north soon. The last few gray whale mothers and babies have also migrated north to
their feeding grounds in Alaska. Soon the monarch butterflies will be arriving to spend the winter in protected
sanctuaries along California's coast. We hope you find this newsletter both informative and useful. If you have
any suggestions for future topics or ideas you'd like to share, please contact us. |
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| CONSERVING NATURE |
 International Coastal Cleanup Sept. 16, 2006
On September 16th, hundreds of thousands of volunteers of
all ages descended on beaches, lakes, and streams all over the
world to remove trash and debris -- on land and under the water.
They also recorded and reported what they found. This data
can help to infl uence public policy and change community
behavior.
Learn more about ocean cleanup and print out our free ocean cleanup activities...
To read more about the results of this year's cleanup,
go to http://www.coastalcleanup.org
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Humpback whale entangled in fishing gear. (photo NOAA) |
Endangered Whales
True Blue Friend is the story of a young humpback
whale whose curiosity lands him inside a fishing net.
Whales fascinate children--their huge size, their
strength, their grace in the water. Why write about
entangled whales for young children? Children may know
that whales are endangered, but they may not realize
how much people affect the future of whales. NOAA
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
estimates that about 300,000 whales, dolphins, and
porpoises die each year from entanglement in fishing
gear. I hope that through my book and CD, children can
develop not only an appreciation for these amazing
creatures but also an awareness of the dangers facing
them. And awareness of a problem is the first step
needed to solve it.
Read the Full Article... |
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| TEACHING RESOURCES |
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Spiderlings get ready to find new homes.
©2004 Randy Lorance; Agency: Shutterpoint.com |
Spiderlings
Fall is the perfect time to learn about baby spiders,
called spiderlings. Spiders that hunt, like wolf spiders
and jumping spiders, lay eggs that hatch in fall. Other
spiders lay eggs in the fall that hatch in spring.
Spiders spin a silk sac in which to lay their eggs. A
spider can lay hundreds of tiny eggs at one time. They
may lay more than one sac, with each sac holding several eggs. Some mothers tend their egg sacs until they
hatch. Other spider mothers hide the sac in the web or
under a leaf. The wolf spider carries the sac with her.
When the babies hatch, they climb onto her back. She
carries them until their first molt.
Read more or print the full lesson...
Language Arts Activity
Write a spider poem. Start with a simple form, like
the cinquain, a five-line poem.
| Line 1: |
a one-word title |
Spider
black, hairy
hunts for insects
it looks so scary
Tarantula
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| Line 2: |
two words that describe your title |
| Line 3: |
three words that describe an action |
| Line 4: |
four words that describe a feeling |
| Line 5: |
one word that refers to your title |
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| HOMESCHOOL HINTS |
 How to Keep a Lab Notebook
Real scientists always keep records of their work. Writing things down is a powerful way to reinforce learning. It helps a student clarify science concepts learned while doing hands-on experiments. Writing also helps a
child organize information and share it with others.
Keep it simple. Use a spiral-bound notebook to keep everything in one place. Use the first couple of pages for
a table of contents. Older students may want to add a conversion table for measurements. Make this journal an
ongoing part of your science instruction. Always review and discuss your child's entries, asking him to explain
his thoughts. If your child isn't writing yet, record the information for him. Young children can draw pictures or
copy simple words.
Read more... |
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| CRITTER NEWS |
 Find interesting Articles
Come join Bob the family frog to find links to interesting news articles on spiders, whales, coral reef animals and other interesting critters. Read about the new great white shark on display at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This is the second time the
Aquarium has been able to exhibit a young great white.
Check out the story on how spiders parachute. It's a great follow-up to the article on spiderlings.
Check Out Critter News |
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| Articles In This Issue |
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Cheryl Block, M.A.
Author and Publisher |
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Cheryl is the owner of Block
Publishing. She combined her love of learning and
nature to create books and software that encourage
children to learn from the world around us and to
see how science connects to everything we do.
Read more about Cheryl... |
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| PRODUCT NEWS |
| True Blue Friend Wins Awards |
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We are thrilled to announce that True Blue Friend has been chosen for a 2007 Teacher's Choice Award from
Learning magazine. True Blue Friend was also honored in August with an Outstanding Product award from
iParenting Media.
Read more... |
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| New Teaching Guide Coming Soon! |
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A new teaching guide for The Rainbow Web will be available FREE
online in October. Please contact us if you wish to be notified when it is released. |
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| SPECIAL SUBSCRIBER ONLY OFFER |
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Newsletter subscribers can receive FREE SHIPPPING
on their orders by using this code: NEWS906.
Check out our special prices for back to school. Prices
and free shipping are good through October 15th with the code.
Enter the Code on the order page to receive the Free Shipping and current special prices. |
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