Thanks for the Memories!

Hi to all my scientists!

If you have been part of my Eiland Science Lab or classroom in  the last 22 years, I want to thank you ! You have brought me such pleasure and joy with your endless curiosity and questions,  pushing me to learn even more each year ! I loved you all and you have filled my life with wonderful memories ! Below I have made a short video with our friend Katy Lynn to tell you about my future and my wish for you !



https://youtu.be/8p9FIH1Cn7Q

Keep on learning! I can't wait to see what you do with all that knowledge ! 

Love forever ! 
Ms. Lucadou 
Contact me in the comments below to stay in touch !

Structures That Help Plants Survive !

The Rain Forest of  Honduras 

This plant has waxy light green, and white, small  leaves, and likes a dry, hot climate. 

In the last post, we saw how the structures on plants help them survive. If you look closely at plants, you will find ways they are alike and ways they are different. Plants have special leaves and stems and even color that helps them survive where they live.. Plants and animals must have structures to help them survive in their location or habitat. That habitat is called an ecosystem . Ecosystems can be deserts, rain forest, oceans , ponds, grasslands, the arctic and many more. These are all different habitats with different climates.  Just like animals must have structures to help them survive so do plants.! Take a look at the video below as I share with you some ways plants can survive in deserts and rain forests. I  think you might be surprised !

https://youtu.be/TEBrg1obY7Q


After the video see if you can find plants around you and decide what structures they have that help them survive. I will give you a big HINT - Every part of every plant helps it survive for where it lives. You just have to figure out how that structure helps. Send me a video or picture of you with a plant telling me how it survives. If you have any question about a plant , just ask me or google it ! Learning is so much fun ! 
Let me know what you are learning on my flip grid link below https://flipgrid.com/e4d91ed0


Miss you all !
Ms. Lucadou

Do All Plants Have the Same Parts?

Hi Scientists !        

Today I want to tell you a little about plants ! Did you know we can not live without plants ! They are so important for so many reasons ! Because they are so important to us , we need to know a lot about them . Did you know all plants basically have the same parts or structures? Even the great Oak tree and the tiny weed growing in a crack in the sidewalk have the same plant parts. This is because each part has a certain job to do for the plant. In the video below, I will show you about those parts as we look at some plants in my yard. Lets take a look and see what we can learn !


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgBKbtCLDj8

Now draw a flower and a tree.
Can you label these parts on each one?
 leaves
roots
stem
flower petals
seeds
fruit

Send me a picture or video on my flip grid ! Link is below ! 
 https://flipgrid.com/e4d91ed0

Keep Learning ! Keep Sharing ! 
Miss You ! 
Ms. Lucadou 

Fur, Feathers or Scales ?

Fur,  Feathers, or Scales ? 

Today let's take a look at animals and their body coverings . 

All living things have to have special structures to help them survive  and the coverings on their bodies are one of those. You can guess in the picture above, this alligator does not have feathers or fur! No he has scales !  

In the video, you will see how these body coverings also help us classify animals into groups, like reptiles, mammals , birds or fish . 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egna5mbdeEU&t=391s

After the video, be sure and write in your journal or tell someone what you learned ! 

Tell me what you learned and say Hello on the flip grid below 

https://flipgrid.com/e4d91ed0



You can also learn more about animals and their body coverings by visiting the Houston Zoo Website 

https://www.houstonzoo.org/bringing-the-zoo-to-you/

Another of my favorite TV shows is  Zoo Clues on PBS channel 8 at 8 Am on Saturday mornings !
Keep learning about animals - We need them and they need us! 
Ms. Lucadou 

Spread Some Kindness !

Hi Scientists!
 This week in our house we used our Nature Walk to find some beautiful wildflowers. The kids decided we would like to make some cards with our flowers to send to others that may need a little cheering up! We all know getting cards and notes can make others smile!

The problem was living flowers do not live very long out of water or soil. You do not want to send a bunch of dead flowers! I know Science that can solve the problem!
To preserve flowers and not let them decompose, you have to not give them exposure to air! So we sealed our flowers between wax paper and now they will last forever!
Below you will see how we did this. The kids were so excited to mail the cards to friends and family! We also made a bookmark for all that reading we have been doing!
This activity does require an adult to help you use the iron!

Materials: waxpaper, flowers, or petals, leaves, an electric iron, scissors 

Procedure: 
1. Pick some wildflowers and pull the stems off.
2. Lay the flowers and leaves on a piece of wax paper. ( leave spaces in between and press as flat as possible  )
3. Lay another piece of wax paper on top.
4. Use a hot or very warm iron to press the 2 pieces of wax paper together with the flowers

in between.
5. The heat should melt the wax on the paper and seal the flowers safe inside . 
6. Now you can cut the sealed paper into any shape you want . Add a pretty yarn or ribbon if you want.  Let me know how it worked in the comment section below !
Spread the kindness ! 
Ms. Lucadou 

Let's Take a Look at Lizards !

Welcome back !

Today we are going to take a look at our lizards ! Since you can not come in the lab I am bringing the lizard to you ! Watch the video below and see if you can answer these questions afterward! 

1. Lizards and turtles are both reptiles . What body covering do both of these reptiles have ?
2. What do lizards do that help them escape from predators ?
3. What do you call it when lizards change colors to match their environment? 
4. What do lizards eat ? 
4. What kind of habit does a lizard live in? 


Click here to see the video on Lizards   


Now go out and see if you can find some lizards in your back yard? Remember to ask an adult before you touch any animal and always wash your hand after handling any animal .

Be sure and write in your journal what you learned and share the information with someone else!

Miss you all , Leave me a comment below with your gmail account !
Ms. Lucadou

Let's Talk Turtles !
Hi all,
In the last post you saw how a box turtle wandered into our back yard. So in this post I would like for us to take a close look at all my turtles. I have four now ! I hope you remember, all turtles are reptiles but can be different. In the video below, I will give you a close look at the turtles and share some ways they are different and why . So get that journal ready,You might want to draw each turtle and tell what it has that helps the turtle survive in its habitat!

Now go out and share what you learned today or leave me a comment below !
Keep Exploring !
Ms. Lucadou

Something New Observed !

                                             Hi all , 

You know, I have always told you to be observant when outdoors. If you are observant (looking and thinking ) you will experience all the beautiful wonders Nature has for you ! This morning we found this in our yard(picture). Do you see how well it is camouflaged ? We really had to be observant to find it! Do you see it ? Its a turtle !  Did I reach down and pick it up ? NO ! If you remember the rules of an outdoor investigation , you never touch anything without an adult's permission . So if you find something like this - First go get an adult . You have seen me hold my turtles at school but that does not mean you should pick up a turtle you find. Some turtles can be VERY Dangerous ! As an adult the first thing we need to do is figure out if this is a snapping turtle. I of course do not want to hurt him in any way either.  The way I test is to hold a LONG stick in front of his head. If he snaps it or grabs it I know he is a snapping turtle and I need to leave him alone. If he pulls his head in for protection he is not a snapping turtle. Snapping turtles bite because they have no other protection like many turtles do. A snapping turtle is very dangerous so never ever get close to it! This turtle pulled his head in and so I knew it was not dangerous. I wanted to study him and share what I learn with you so the next step is to make him a home very much like his natural habitat and give him all his basic needs. Aren't you glad you are learning all this in your Science classes so you could do this as well at your house perhaps?  Down below you will see I moved him out of his camouflage surrounding so you can see him better. Now I have a job to do - I have to build him a habitat. I will not keep him long because he is more comfortable in the wild and perhaps he will find my backyard is a pretty good place to live . 

Now take your journal and draw a picture of the turtle. How is he different from  the turtles I showed you in past posts (our lab turtles ) ? Will his habitat look like that habitat? Can he live in an aquarium or would a large terrarium be a better habitat ?  Why  ? 

Check for the next post and I will show you the home I have made for him .

Just in case you want to research this turtle . He is an eastern box turtle . My other turtles are red- eared sliders . 

I will show you more of the differences in turtles in other posts. 

Keep checking with me and let me know if you find anything in your yard or on your walks.  Just remember the safety rules ! 

Now go out and explore  your world ! 

Comment below with your gmail !

Ms. Lucadou

.

Our Lab Rabbit ( Binky ) is Doing Well

Hi All ,
I know you were wondering about Binky, our bunny that lives in the Science Lab . For you that  do not know Binky,- He will be three years old in June and was purchased from a pet store right before Hurricane Harvey. The Pet store was flooded and lost all animals in the store. So you can say we rescued. Binky ! He is a mixed breed and very sweet and spoiled! In the video link below, you will see how I am taking care of Binky at home. Listen for some of those vocabulary words we have learned in Science.
As you watch the video, Listen for the answers to some of these questions.  If you have your journal, you made in the last post, write down the answers.You might want to draw a picture of Binky in his home away from Lab. I have included some great vocabulary so you can try to start using these words at home.

1. Is Binky  an herbivore, or carnivore or omnivore?
2. Does Binky  consume  carrots?
3. Why does he chew on hay and cardboard?
4. Why does Binky like to go in the doll house?

Something else to think about :
What would Binky eat if he was in the wild?
What kind of animals would be Binky's predator if he was in the wild?
 (You can send me your thoughts in the comments below using  your gmail email! )

Click on link  to video below :

 https://youtu.be/hRJzUuIbkuE

Vocabulary
Consume - eat
Herbivore - a type of animal that eats only plants
Omnivore - a type of animal that eats plants and animals
Carnivore - a type of animal that eats only meat (other animals )
Predator - a animal that hunts and eats other animals.
The Wild - refers to nature or a natural setting ( outside )

Now Go teach someone else what you learned !

Let's Get Together Again !

Hi Students and Families !
It has been awhile since I connected with you in the blog but it seems like a good time to reconnect !
I hope you are all doing well . I will begin posting again and hope you will check in to see my posts and perhaps leave me a question or comment .
Since you are not in school at this time, I will be sharing some of the things you would be learning with me or with your teacher .Then I want you to go share what you learned with someone else! It can be your friend, brother,  sister , grandma , parents, even your dog ! All knowledge should be shared and you can do that ! If you do not have any one to share it with then write it down in your Science or Learning Notebook . Maybe we could start out by doing that - lets make a Science Journal for home . Find a notebook or even loose paper and clip it together . Make your title page or cover and  are ready to start ! Each day you learn something new , with me or your teacher , or a video,
cartoon or your parents, just write it down ! I can't wait for you to show me or your teacher when we return all you learned !

I used an old composition book.
I just covered the old title or you can just clip together some notebook paper !

Check back soon for more posts and leave me a question or comment!

Remember -Never stop learning , Never stop sharing what you learned!
YOU could be the greatest teacher for someone else !   
---Ms. Lucadou

Feeding Time !

Hi to all my Favorite Scientists!
I am missing you since we are all at home for a while. I wanted to show you that the animals are all safe with me at my house . We know all living things have to have some basic needs ! So I had to take the terrariums and aquariums and cages home with me. Remember if you make a habitat for animals , you must provide their basic needs they would get from nature otherwise.So today is feeding day for the lizards and turtles . That means FOOD CHAIN ! 
Lizards are insectivores - eat mainly live insects (a type of carnivore ) and turtles are omnivores. So my lizards today are getting crickets and the turtles will get their turtle food made from ground fish . 
Watch the video and if you have any questions for me, you can ask! 
Then draw or write what you saw in your journal and be sure and tell someone what you learned or observed !
  Be sure and follow the link below to see the feeding time !

The words in red are all your great Science vocabulary ! Look how you can speak like a Scientist! I am proud of you ! 

Possible journal writing ! 

Follow this link

Now go tell someone what you observed and learned! 

Ms. Lucadou

Science In the News

Hi to my favorite Scientists!
I know you are trying to be very observant this summer as you enjoy your time at home or on a trip away from home. I know you may not watch the news but there is usually some science in the news as well. Our Summer has been full of those natural forces that change our land . Fortunately not in our town but in other places in the  world. From California wild fires to that erupting volcano in Hawaii , these are things we study at school . As you hear of these things happening , think about what you know or want to know. You can research these questions while you are off or write down those questions for me in your journal .
Take a look at these pictures from the volcanic eruption in Hawaii and see if you remember some of the things we learned in 3rd grade about volcanoes.
This link show the hot lava flowing like a river !
 .https://rumble.com/v5sm65-video-captures-lava-river-in-puna-hawaii.html?mref=6i76&mrefc=2



.
  .

This shows a picture of a new  island that was made by all that hot lava flowing under the ocean waters .
Would this be erosion or deposition  ? Constructive or destructive ?  

Isn't it great to understand what is happening in our world! Keep Learning !  

Tubing in Belize Rain forest !

Hi scientists !
If you saw my last post , you saw I what I observed in Honduras ! Today I will tell you what we saw in Belize ! Belize is a country in Central America also with a beautiful  Caribbean coast in the east and rain forests and jungle in the west . We decided to go to the rain forest and take a trip down a river through some natural caves,
The rain forest was my favorite part . We hiked through the forest to get to the river caves. The plants were all so big and beautiful . We saw some monkeys in the trees but thankfully the jaguars are nocturnal so were not out! I ,of course was noticing all the great adaptations these plants have that help them survive in the shady rain forest ,

Vines everywhere ! 

Huge Palms !

The leaves were so big and so green ! 

 Then we took our tubes and put them in the river and entered the dark caves that the river had cut ( weathered and eroded ) out of the soft limestone rock over thousands of years . It was very dark so we all had head lamps on our helmets to shine on the cave interior. We saw stalagmites and stalactites . We say bats in some places hanging from the top . Remember they are nocturnal . The water was very clear and cold and shallow in some places and deep in other places.

The river water was very clear but only 60 degrees F.-"refreshing" ! 

I did not have my camera in the cave so I  can not show you how awesome this  wonder of nature is ! I was so glad I learned about weathering and erosion and land-forms so I could understand how these caves were made,. 

Science is Everywhere - Just look and think ! Be Observant ! 

.

Vacation Fun !

Happy July !

I just returned from my vacation and had a great  time in  Isle of Roatan ( Honduras) , Belize and Cozumel You might of guessed we took a cruise ! So I took a few pictures of things I explored to show you .This was our day on Isle of Roatan - a Honduran island situated just off the Central American Peninsula . Do you remember the difference in a peninsula and an island ? 

Here I was in a rain forest park called Mayan Eden .
I got the opportunity to hold and observe this rain forest mammal called a Kinkajou. 
Above right - They use their tails like a 3rd hand . He did not mind being carried like this at all . He was surprisingly heavy and very soft !

 Of course they had the spider
 monkeys too that
 lived in the tall trees They
 would just jump on your
 shoulders ! ..  My husband 
was not so happy to have
 them jump on him! 

We saw this beautiful butterfly that uses the adaptation of mimicry for protection .
do you see how it looks like an owl's eyes ? 

This is the other side of the same butterfly ! When the butterfly is perched on a flower and closes its wings, the owl eyes are visible ! Nature is so very cool ! 

Check back and  I will show you what we did in Belize ! 

 

Observations Around My House !

Hi Scientists!
Have you been observant around your house? Remember a Scientist must be always observing (looking and thinking about what you see )! You can tell me somethings you observed in the comments or write them down in your Science journal ( any paper will do ) and share them with me when school starts ! Here is some things I saw around my house this week.

I spotted this bird nest in a shrub near the house. I did not want to disturb it but observed the bird took advantage of some litter (plastic bag pieces ) to make the nest .
When I was young , we would put out different pieces of yarn , cotton or the fur brushed out of our dog. Sometimes we would find these things in bird nests spotted near the house .

This is a plant that produced a small seedling 2 months ago. Now it has grown like "Jacks's Beanstalk"  It had began to take over my rose garden when it began to produce white flowers and a green squash . A seed must of been dropped from my trash can nearby! 

This squash plant produces aggressive tendrils. They attach and twist around everything . They even were able to latch on to the bricks!

This week - See what you can observe at our house ! You just got to look !

Getting Smarter this Summer !

Hi All
I hope you are all having a great summer. I know some of you were wondering what you were going to do with all that free time  I know those video games are fun but there is so much more you can be doing !
Who wants to come back to school smarter  than when you  left? I know you all do !
So let's start today ! Here are some ideas !

You know reading definietly makes you smarter! You can read or someone can read to you or you can take turns reading . It doesn't even matter what you read !
Don't have anything to read ?
Here are some suggestions :

• Go to the borrowing library house by the flag pole at the school . I just put great new books in there !
  

Take them home read and return ! I will be putting new books in every few weeks , Let me know if you read some of these !

•   Check out the libraries near your home and get a free library card. 

These are the ones closest to your house.:

Houston Public Library - Collier Branch - Many Libraries are  offering free lunch at noon each day for 1-18 year olds ! check on the website for details
 http://houstonlibrary.org/location/collier-regional-library
Read a few books together with your family as you get your lunch.
.
Harris County Library - Fairbanks Branch or Cypress Creek - Barbara bush -Library http://www.hcpl.net/location/barbara-bush-branch-library-cypress-creek

On Tuesdays-  Preschool Story time with songs and craft- 10:15  or 2:00 -Ages 3-6 years

They have so many Science Books that are really cool !

• And also remember you can go to Pebble Go and Tumble Books either at home or you can use the library computers. 
• If you have access to a computer , one of my favorite sites is NAT GEO KIDS    https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
• This site has reading , videos and games !  .
• The Reading Express- That great big bus that comes to the school every Tuesday 11-12 AM and allows you to check books out for your family to enjoy ! 

Happy Getting Smarter ! 

Mrs. Lucadou

Welcome Back !

Hi to all my Favorite Scientists !  

Its been a while since I posted here but so happy to be back sharing some great Science with you ! 
Its early summer and I know you are missing all the great things we learn at school . I want you to still experience all that fun at home this summer . I will try to give you some ideas to do at home with your family to make that happen or at least get you thinking ! If you have a google email , you or your parents can comment and let me know how you like the things I suggest . 

I will share some ideas, I have used with my own kids and grand kids as well as some great websites that I really like .  These are my two explorers this summer ! Check back as I add more posts. Coming Soon - Things to do and places to go! 

Curiosity - the great motivator of learning - Encourage it by helping your children to be observant !  

Ms. Gillingham Explores Science on Her Vacation !

Ms.Gillingham, one of our 4th grade teachers, took Dewey( her classroom dolphin) on her vacation this summer. She has sent me some of the exciting observations thatshe and Dewey made on their trip. These are her comments on her observations .

"Franklin Mountains State park is in the mountains and Basins region of Texas. As you can tell from the picture it is a much different ecosystem than what we have in the coastal plains region."

 

What are some differences that you see? Do you think she saw different animals here than what we see in our environment? What makes this ecosystem different ?



 



"This spider web is over the entrance to the spider's home. What an intricate trap this spider has for its prey! With a little research, you could find out the exact type of spider that lives in this area and spins this type of web."







"We made it to the top of Mundy's Gap and this view was our reward! Isn't it amazing? From this viewpoint, you can see Texas and New Mexico . New Mexico begins about where you see the green rectangles in the distance. At this point on the Texas border there is no river showing the border, and of course , there is no large black line on the ground like you see on a map. "

 

What do you think? Does all Texas look the same? What makes this part of Texas look so different? Do you think climate might have something to do with it? Do you think there is an ocean close to this part of Texas? Look at a map and see for yourself!

"There were lots of butterflies along the trail. This is a picture of a swallowtail butterfly which was sipping nectar from a thistle." 

 

 

"On one of our stops with Dewey,was to an abandoned mine shaft. You can see Dewey's new friend the Australian shepherd was with us. When we went in it was so easy to  understand why so many desert animals make burrows. It was so much cooler underground, probably 30 degrees cooler! What an amazing adaptation ! "

Good thing Dewey is not real! There is no way a real dolphin could of gone on Ms. Gillingham's vacation. It does not have adaptations for that habitat!

Thank you so much Ms. Gillingham for sharing these great observations with us !
I can see you and Dewey were great Scientists exploring your world on your vacation !
You are truly Mad about Science!
That's a good thing!