All About Trees!

Today, the Urban Naturalists learned about plants outside! We learned about some wonderful trees that surrounded our schoolyard. We had to figure out how to identify the trees using clues in its bark, leaves and flowers.

Sketching a Bradford Pear Tree in their notebooks! 

Here, one of our Urban Naturalists attaches a leaf
into his journal to help ID it in future hikes

We then learned about "Tree Cookies" or cross sections of a tree. By looking at tree cookies, we can learn about the history of the environment in which the tree grew up in. Not only do we learn about the age of the tree, but also about whether the tree received enough nutrients and sunlight, if it suffered any trauma due to fire, human impact or insects, and what was going on in the environment in which it lived. All in all, we discussed how trees were truly living things!

Taking some time to examine our tree cookies

We finished up the day by planting some "mystery seeds". Each Urban Naturalist will measure and analyze their plant in hopes to discover what mystery plant they are growing! Each will get to take their plant home at the end of session. 

Urban Naturalists: Out and About Part 2!

Elly made the news in a very small photo on the Cox Communications website! Check him out at http://www.coxconserves.com/

First Day of Spring Session!

Our first day of Spring Session has begun! Our Urban Naturalists began their day checking out a "Mystery Object". They observed, drew, and noted various parts of our Mystery Object and took some guesses as to what it may be. The correct answer was a Gall. A gall is a small bulge on a plant stem that is usually due to the effects of an insect laying its egg into the layers of the stem. As the egg develops, the stem swells to accomidate the growth. When the insect is mature enough, it escapes through a small hole in the top. To learn more about galls, click here.

We then took an adventure outside into the schoolyard of Nathan Bishop Middle School to learn a bit about the Urban Naturalist program and about scientific illustration.

We then put our skills to the test by drawing and observing various biofacts brought by the ASRI educators or by observing something in the schoolyard.

Finally, we were able to meet a Pueblan Milksnake! Some students chose to draw her while Chloe presented our animal while others just had lots of questions! Click here to learn a bit about Pueblan Milksnakes.

Peregrine Falcon Babies!

The Peregrine Falcons nesting in Providence finally have some puffy babies! Check out the two new chicks that have hatched this week at http://www.asri.org/general-conservation-info/providence-peregrine-falcon-webcam.html and watch them grow!

To learn more about Peregrine Falcons, click here for some information.

Here is a grainy photo of Momma Peregrine feeding some of the babies!

Urban Naturalists - Out and About!

Check out this news update Jaida was featured in! http://blackstoneparksconservancy.org/1366/urban-naturalists-demo-in-the-park/

Good Job Jaida!

Press Release for Urban Naturalists and Cox Communications!

The Urban Naturalists for Spring Session went right to work educating others about the environment! Cox Communications of RI generously donated to ASRI to help support technology to be used in the AfterSchool Urban Naturalist Programs. The Urban Naturalists attended the Press Release and educated some of the Cox Communications representatives about what they do in their program! We were so grateful for this donation and we can't wait to use some of the new tools and devices to aid in our exploration around Providence!

Learn about the Cox Communications Award at http://prsync.com/cox-enterprises/cox-communications-awards-grant-to-audubon-society-of-ri-537391/

Here, the Urban Naturalists were able to educate some visiting RISD students! 

Our excellent information team: Elly, Frances, Katherine, Emeril and
Jaida showed folks some projects we have done in the past as well
as a scientific illustration demonstration! 

Thank you Cox! 

Posing for a Serious Photo...

...followed by a TRUE Urban Naturalist shot!

Jaida's live Scientific Illustration Demonstration

Just some of the educators that day! 

Wahoo Urban Naturalists! 

Photo taken by Hope Foley from ASRI

Photo taken by Hope Foley from ASRI

While our veteran Urban Naturalists were talking with the folks
inside, our new Urban Naturalists spent their very first day
in the program outside exploring the refuge! Despite
the rain, they spotted a number of birds and even a
rabbit! 

To Caratunk Wildlife Refuge We Go!

Today, the Urban Naturalists spent the day at Caratunk Wildlife Refuge! We began by checking out what aquatic invertebrates we could find in the stream running around the refuge.

Even the educators were facinated!

Check out our two different caddisfly larvae
coverings! One made its cover from sticks
while the other made its covering out of sand!

Our Spoils! 

We then did a bit of birdwatching on the way back. We saw quite a few species at the feeders including some Juncos, Nuthatches, Bluebirds and Song Sparrows! 

Where are those pesky birds???

Project Day!

Today was our last classroom day with Urban Naturalist Winter Session. We worked on our display for our End of Session gathering next week. The Urban Naturalists decided to create an Owl Information display. We made the base of the owl out of an old milk jug and styrofoam ball and made the rest of its body out of old cardboard and feathers. We decided to make a Great Horned Owl, as that is one of the biggest owls you can find in RI all year round.

Hmmmm....what should we use for wings?

Frances tried out the eyes

Our completed owl! 

We then had the chance to meet Lady Hawk! She is our Red Tailed Hawk housed at Audubon. We also got our sweet Urban Naturalist T-Shirts and personalized awards!

Lady was just checking out Jaida in the corner! 

It's been a fun session and we hope the Spring Session will be equally as great! 

Jaida with her "Most Artistic and Best Mustache
Enthusiast" Award! 

We Love Urban Naturalist! 

Soil Testing!

On Thursday, Chloe had us practice what we learned in the classroom out in the field! We used various tools to assess soil samples and discuss what makes up the ground below us.

We used soil corers to see how many layers we can see in our soil. Each layer suggests different substrate within the soil

We also used a soil sifter to see the different compositions of the soil. Each layer of the soil sifter has a different screen with smaller and smaller gaps between wires. Soil will pass from the screens with big gaps to lower and lower and lower levels and smaller gaps.

We tested the soil in 3 areas of the park and discovered a few things. First, areas up on hills suffered from erosion. Erosion is "the process by which material on the surface of the land is dislodged and moved." Erosion can be caused by many factors, one of which is lack of plants and vegetation on the surface of the ground. Plants have roots which helps to hold all the soil together in the ground. Without plants, we don't have much holding the soil together. Up on the upper areas of the park, we found spots of land that were bare of any grass or vegetation. We think this lack of vegetation caused the lack of layers in the soil. We discovered our soil has alot of sand in it as well. Welcome to the Ocean State!

We tested the soil at three sites in the park. Areas around the pond and in the woods had nice, layered soil. We found a bit of clay in each soil sample, but most consistently, sand. 

Rocks and Soil Are Great!

Today, Chloe taught us all about geology! We focused mostly on sedimentary rocks focusing on what factors create them. We talked about the evolution of land over time and how that timeline can be determined by the rocks we find! We created our very own sedimentary rocks and attempted to determine the story of the land. We then discussed what soil samples can tell us and practiced on a sample Chloe brought in. We plan to use this new knowledge in our Thursday program at the park!

Chloe explains how a sedimentary rock is formed

The boys team works together to create their
own sedimentary rock! 

Ladies team finished their sedimentary rock first! 

Hmmm....what does this rock sample tell us? 

Learning our soil layers! 

Observing through the Eyes of a Scientist

At our park day, we took a hike and observed the park through the eyes of a scientist! Each student picked a card from a hat that shared points that their scientist would look for. We had a Geologist, Hydrologist, Soil Scientist, Ornithologist, Entomologist, Herpetologist, Botanist, Mammologist and even a scientist who surveyed the areas to decide if it would make a good spot for setting up camp for the night!

First, we discussed the objective of the day. Each scientist reviewed their role with the Urban Naturalist leader. We then walked as a group to various "sites" and assessed each one through the eyes of our scientist roles.

Samantha explains how important it is to approach the woods quietly
as to see more wildlife exhibiting natural behaviors

Our Entomologist records what she's found under an old log

Jaida checks out the circumference of a tree!

Kash and Emeril check out some birds
in the trees

Our Hydrologist and Herpetologist spend some time checking out the pond!