Goldfish Dissection

When one of Olivia's goldfish died she asked if we could dissect it and learn about the insides of a goldfish

Meet poor Brazil...who died on September 21, 2011.

We first used this image to help us identify external anatomy.

Then we used our exacto knife scalpel and removed the layer of scales, skin, and muscle.

We were able to identify the swim bladder, spine and spinal cord, and intestines. 

We removed the intestines and saw where it connected to the esophagus on one end, and the vent on the other.

Here is Brazil without intestines. We can see his heart near the gills.

Olivia was amazed at it all. Very interesting stuff!

We also got a glimpse of the brain, and took a closer look at the gills..but at that point Brazil looked pretty gruesome...so here's a photo of the eye instead....

 She said she wants to dissect a grasshopper, too. Pretty sure I'll need a sharper "scalpel" for that one!

Here's my little scientist....

Summer is...

for climbing trees....

and getting lost in a good book!

Nature Class: Owls

Olivia had her nature class on owls.  This was an evening class. The kids learned all about the different owls we have here in Ohio. They learned about their diet, nesting habits, and listened to their calls.

The kids dissected an owl pellet. Both girls have done this before and it is really interesting. The regurgitated pellet is what the owl cannot digest properly. Lots of fur, teeth, claws, and bones in there.  The kids dug in and got to see what that owl had eaten. Olivia amassed quite the collection of bones...figuring out what bone it was, and from which animal.  Her owl had eaten a mouse...well....mice. There were a couple skulls in there!

Olivia made a nice paper bag owl. 

 While we waited for the paint to dry, the naturalist led us on an owl hunt. He had a gadget that made calls....and we waited to hear an owl return the call and fly overhead.  We saw bats....but no owls this time.

Country Girl

I love this photo.  The Cotoneaster is in bloom, chickens foraging in the background, and a beautiful country girl smiling in the foreground!

Sketch Time!

Girls enjoying a peaceful morning as they sketch.

she's a nest box builder

Olivia went to a class at the nature center where she learned about bluebirds, and other nesting birds.  At the end of class they  built their very own bluebird nest box!

OLIVIA'S PHOTO HERE

Girls Crafts

Olivia's first sewing project. She is sewing a little teddy bear.

Georgia is making metal art.

Unfortunately, the girls gave the above two crafts to their grandma for her birthday and we didn't get a final photo.

Here is Olivia crocheting, and also you can see all the chains she has made.



Toucans and Amphibians

That was the theme in the new NWF Big Backyard magazine Olivia got in the mail yesterday.  We've already read it cover to cover.

It is really neat how things all come together when we are learning about new things. Olivia and I were recently talking about teeth...and how you can sometimes figure out what an animal eats by it's teeth.  Then along comes the toucans and we start talking about the differences in birds' bills for what they eat. (reminds me of reading about Darwin and his Galapagos finches)

And speaking of birds...I have been crocheting some birds just in the last couple days. I'll have to share them in a seperate post.

We also talked about amphibians...which reminded me of the gift the girls got from their aunt...a grow your own frog kit. We just need to send off for the little frog babies! How neat will that be!?

There was a story in the magazine about searching for signs of spring. We love doing that...searching for signs of the new seasons. We will definitely be doing it this spring, too!

Our newest pet

Olivia found a ladybug crawling in one of her toy drawers in her closet.  She received a ladybug habitat one year for her birthday, so she got that and set it up for the new guy, or gal.

We looked up info on keeping a ladybug at the Insect Lore site, from where her ladybug kit came. She has been fun watching him explore his new home.

She wants to wait to name it until she finds out whether it is a male or female.