Exploring Iowa's Natural Resources: April 2014

Friday, April 25, 2014

IOWA STUDENTS RECEIVE NATIONAL HONORS IN ART AND POETRY

DES MOINES – Four Iowa students have received national recognition for art and poetry they submitted to the 2014 River of Words Environmental Poetry and Art Contest.

The Grand Prize in Art (10th to 12th Grades) was awarded to 18-year-old Hannah Harms of Waverly for her artwork titled, “Genesis: A Drop of Life.”

Three additional Iowa students were also selected from thousands of entries and recognized as national finalists:

· Emily Delleman, 15, of Davenport for her artwork titled, “Drought”

· Elizabeth Heidt, 17, of Davenport for her artwork titled, “Have Confidence in Your Reflection”

· Mitchell Oberfoell, 10, of West Des Moines, for his poem titled, “Spiderlings.”

“Having Iowa students selected as a grand prize winner and as finalists really shows the talent of Iowa’s youth and their appreciation for natural resources,” said Jacklyn Gautsch, Iowa DNR River of Words coordinator. “Iowans should be proud of the accomplishments of these young people.”

All national winners and finalists are posted on the River of Words website at: http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/center-for-environmental-literacy/river-of-words.

Following the national competition, all Iowa entries are returned to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, which holds an annual statewide contest. For more information about Iowa River of Words, visit www.iowadnr.gov/riverofwords. The 2014 Iowa winners will be posted in May.

The annual River of Words contest is a program of the Center for Environmental Literacy at Saint Mary’s College of California. The River of Words program inspires youth to translate their observations about their local watersheds and environment into creative expressions in poems and art.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Nature Poetry

April is National Poetry Month! Celebrate with a study of nature poetry!

Start your by reading nature poems (see book list below). Depending on the age and level of students make a study of the mechanics of poetry and how to write different kinds of poetry.

Take students to a natural area. Have each student find a quiet place to sit, reflect and observe. Students should record their feelings in a notebook or a nature journal created for nature observations (see below). While sitting quietly, students may write poems to reflect their feelings/observations OR record their feelings/observations to use to create a poem later. Allow students to draw observations as well. Many nature journals and poems are illustrated with the authors art work.

Creating a Nature Journal

A nature journal is a place to record your thoughts, feelings, and observations about nature. It is a place to reflect and interpret your inner thoughts on the natural world and to develop a greater awareness of both the natural world and your own thoughts and feelings. Many nature journals contain drawings, pictures, and specimens (such as leaves, feathers, or other small objects).

Learning Table: DIY Homemade Nature Journals

http://learningtable.blogspot.com/2011/03/homemade-nature-journals.html

Acorn Naturalist: All Weather Student Journals

http://www.acornnaturalists.com/store/ALL-WEATHER-STUDENT-JOURNAL-P833C0.aspx

Book Lists

Educator Book List

Anderson, P. 1996. Henry David Thoreau: American Naturalist. Scholastic Library Publishing.

Bosselaar, L., and E. Hiestand. 2000. Urban Nature: Poems About Wildlife in the City. Milkweed Editions.

Hass, R. and P. Michael. 2008. River of Words: Young Poets and Artists on the Nature of Things. Milkweed Editions.

Leopold, A. 1989. A Sand County Almanac. Oxford University Press.

Leslie, C. W., and C. E. Roth. 2003. Keeping a Nature Journal. Storey Books.

Leslie, C. W. 2003. Nature Journal: A Guided Journal for Illustrating and Recording Your Observations of the Natural World. Storey Books.

Muir, J. 1997. John Muir: Nature Writings. Penguin Group.

Shamir, I. 1999. Poet-Tree, the Wilderness I am. Better World Press, Inc.

Children’s Book List

PreK-2

Florian, D. 2002. Insectlopedia. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Florian, D. 2005. Lizards, Frogs, and Polliwogs. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Florian, D. 2004. Mammalabilia. Voyager Books.

Florian, D. 2000. On the Wing. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

George, K. O., and K. Kiesler. 2007. Old Elm Speaks: Tree Poems. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Glaser, L., E. Kleven. 2002. Our Big Home: An Earth Poem. Lerner Publishing Group.

Harrison, M., and C. Stuart-Clark. 1992. The Oxford Book of Animal Poems. Oxford University Press.

Heard, G., and J.O. Dewey. 1997. Creatures of the Earth, Sea, and Sky: Poems. Boyds Mills Press.

Paladino, C. 1993. Land, Sea, and Sky: Poems to Celebrate the Earth. Little, Brown & Company.

Paolilli, P. and D. Brewer. 2001. Silver Seeds: A Book of Nature Poems. Viking.

Peters, L. W., and C. Felstead. 2003. Earthshake: Poems from the Ground Up. HarperCollins Publishers.

Ryder, J., and D. Nolan. 1990. Under Your Feet. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.

Sidman, J., and B. Prange. 2005. Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Sidman, J., and R. Allen. 2014. Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

VanDerwater, A. L., and R. Gourley. 2013. Forest Has a Song: Poems. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Worth, V., and S. Jenkins. 2007. Animal Poems. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Yolen, J. and J. Stemple. Color Me a Rhyme: Nature Poems for Young People. Boyds Mills Press.

Grades 3-5

Bradman, S., and S. Wintringham. 2002. Wild and Wonderful: Poems about the Natural World. Hodder Headline.

Florian, D. 2002. Insectlopedia. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Florian, D. 2005. Lizards, Frogs, and Polliwogs. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Florian, D. 2004. Mammalabilia. Voyager Books.

Florian, D. 2000. On the Wing. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Glaser, L., E. Kleven. 2002. Our Big Home: An Earth Poem. Lerner Publishing Group.

Hamerstrom, F. 1985. Walk When the Moon Is Full. Crossing Press, Inc

Heard, G., and J.O. Dewey. 1997. Creatures of the Earth, Sea, and Sky: Poems. Boyds Mills Press.

Hoberman, M.A., L. Winston, and B. Fortin. 2009. The Tree That Time Built: A Celebration of Nature, Science, and Imagination. Sourcebooks, Incorporated.

Kalman, B., C. Curtis, and M. Jupp. 1982. Animals in Danger: Poems from No Man’s Valley. Random House Children’s Books.

Mordhorst, H., and J. Reynish. 2009. Pumpkin Butterfly: Poems from the Other Side of Nature. Boyd Mills Press.

Nicholls, J. 1998. Earthways, Earthwise: Poems on Conservation. Oxford University Press, USA.

Paolilli, P. and D. Brewer. 2001. Silver Seeds: A Book of Nature Poems. Viking.

Peters, L. W., and C. Felstead. 2003. Earthshake: Poems from the Ground Up. HarperCollins Publishers.

Sidman, J., and R. Allen. 2010. Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Sidman, J., and B. Prange. 2005. Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Sidman, J., and R. Allen. 2014. Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Vanderhorst, M.J. 2007. Pictures and Poems: Introducing young people to NATURE in a poetic way!. Authorhouse.

Grades 6-8

Bradman, S., and S. Wintringham. 2002. Wild and Wonderful: Poems about the Natural World. Hodder Headline.

Fleischman, P., and E. Beddows. 1992. Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices. HarperCollins Publishers.

Fletcher, R.J. 1997. Ordinary Things: Poems from a Walk in Early Spring. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.

Hass, R. and P. Michael. 2008. River of Words: Young Poets and Artists on the Nature of Things. Milkweed Editions.

Hoberman, M.A., L. Winston, and B. Fortin. 2009. The Tree That Time Built: A Celebration of Nature, Science, and Imagination. Sourcebooks, Incorporated.

Kalman, B., C. Curtis, and M. Jupp. 1982. Animals in Danger: Poems from No Man’s Valley. Random House Children’s Books.

Mordhorst, H., and J. Reynish. 2009. Pumpkin Butterfly: Poems from the Other Side of Nature. Boyd Mills Press.

Paolilli, P. and D. Brewer. 2001. Silver Seeds: A Book of Nature Poems. Viking.

Grades 9-12

Bosselaar, L., and E. Hiestand. 2000. Urban Nature: Poems About Wildlife in the City. Milkweed Editions.

Collins, B., and D. Sibley. 2009. Bright Wings: An Illustrated Anthology of Poems about Birds. Columbia University Press.

Felstiner, J. 2009. Can Poetry Save the Earth?: A Field Guide to Nature Poems. Yale University Press.

Finch, R. The Norton Book of Nature Writing College Edition with Field Guide. W. W. Norton & Co. Inc.

Hollander, J. 1994. Animal Poems (Everyman’s Library). Knopf Doubleday Publishing.

Hyett, B.H. 1996. The Tracks We Leave: Poems on Endangered Wildlife of North America. University of Illinois Press.

Muir, J. 1997. John Muir: Nature Writings. Penguin Group.

Paolilli, P. and D. Brewer. 2001. Silver Seeds: A Book of Nature Poems. Viking.

Nelson, H. 2010. Earth, My Likeness: Nature Poetry of Walt Whitman. North Atlantic Books.

Tuesday, April 08, 2014

Helping our Native Pollinators

What is Pollination?

Pollination is the process where plants receive pollen from other plants of the same species so they can reproduce and form seeds. Many plants are pollinated by animals, and most of the animal pollinators are insects. The relationship between plants and their insect pollinators is beneficial to both the plant and the pollinator. The insect pollinator receives food, usually in the form of nectar, while it spreads pollen from plant to plant aiding the plants reproduction. Pollination is really just a “happy accident” that happens when an insect visits a flower to get food. The insects do not know they are pollinating plants as they are finding food for themselves.

Insects have been pollinating plants for approximately 140 million years, since the dawn of angiosperms (flowering plants). Flowering plants lure pollinators to them with scent, visual cues, and food. Learn more about the process of pollination: The Plant Pollination Process: http://www.buzzaboutbees.net/plant-pollination-process.html

Why We Need Pollinators

More than one-third of our food supply depends on pollinators. Without pollinators there would be no apples, onions, oranges, pumpkins, and many other fruit and vegetables. There would be no coffee, chocolate, nuts, or cotton for our clothes. Without pollinators our world would be a much different place than it is right now.

Produce Section With And Without Bees

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/15/supermarket-without-bees_n_3442938.html

List of crop plants pollinated by bees

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_crop_plants_pollinated_by_bees

Why you should be more worried about pollination than a bee sting

http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/stories/why-you-should-be-more-worried-about-pollination-than-a

Flower Dissection

Gather flowers from your yard or visit a local flower shop and get flowers to dissect. Cut the flowers in half. Identify the different parts and talk about what they are and how pollination works.

Pollination Field Trip

Visit a local apple orchard, garden, or even walk around your schoolyard this spring to observe pollinators (bee, butterfly, moth, beetle, etc). Identify and record each species you find. Note native vs. non-native pollinators.

Gardening for Pollinators

Plan and plant a school garden for pollinators. Already have a school garden? Add plants for pollinators or devote a section to pollinators. Even growing a few pollinator-friendly plants in containers can be beneficial!

Blank Park Zoo: Plant. Grow. Fly.

http://www.blankparkzoo.com/en/conservation/plant_grow_fly/

Become part of a new conservation initiative to help protect native pollinators! Whether you have several acres, a small back yard, a schoolyard, or even a business courtyard – you can make a difference! Plant seeds, watch them grow, and help our native pollinators thrive!

Other things you can do to support pollinators