Guide 9C Science Stories
Resources
Additional activities, a behind-the-scenes gallery, recommended books, and more.
About this Guide
Biology is a Picnic
Mark and I spent our graduate student years partly in the physical sciences. Mark researched wood products and that involved a great deal of chemistry; I was teaching chemistry and physics. But we had undergraduate degrees and field experience in biology, so it was inevitable we would be drawn back to the amazing ecosystems and organisms we started with. Thats not to say we like all biology topics equally. The great thing about co-teaching, is that it’s likely if one of us isn’t keen on a topic; the other thinks its fantastic. There is plenty to love in the life sciences, and every day teaching really is a picnic.
Lesley
Cats Rule
Build a Farm
Well, the ants will actually do most of the work. Ants can be purchased through the mail in many regions, and only the sterile worker females are shipped to avoid accidental introduction into the wild. Ants are not typically long-lived, but with care, primarily maintaining moisture while avoiding mold, you can extend their adult life span considerably.
Social Animals
Many of the tropical bird species kept as pets flock in large numbers in a wild. Even if they pair bond and separate from the large group for breeding, they often rejoin the group at other times. Most birds kept as pets retain many behavioral (and structural) traits as their wild ancestors. This leads to a conflict: bird owners want to keep their often long-lived pets as healthy and comfortable as possible, but birds are expensive, sometimes loud, and not always socialized with other birds prior to adoption. A bird can be a significant commitment and assistance from enthusiasts, clubs, and online communities may yield helpful information and support.
Behind-the-Scenes
New Course?
We have been having so much fun with this animals course, we’re thinking of resurrecting an idea for an online course we had 10 years ago: Meet What you Eat (biology-style, of course).
Still Watching for Whales
We finally spotted a few at Yaquina Head Lighthouse. The counts have been good this year, we just kept missing the show.
Recommended Books
This is a classic: you will never look at ants the same way again.
This author/illustrator has multiple books that are engaging for all ages.
A collection of interesting stories with an especially good illustrator.
Build a Library
Whether its digital or print, collect resources that assist in exploring, describing, and explaining the natural world.
Science Stories Product Page
Complete this module’s products before advancing on to the next module
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9B: Behaviors
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9C: Science Stories
