Theme: Bug Board Check

Hello Everyone, Everywhere!

Today we'll check our bug boards:

Things have been above average busy in the garden and packing up our classrooms at school. I know many of us are adapting to new schedules, timelines, and we have tasks that need to be done before the official end of the school year. 

(Tangent) *The toughest thing for me to manage right now is what to do with student work. 

We keep beautiful journals in the school garden! Kids work so thoughtfully and take so much time to journal, write, and draw many garden activities.

Calm, quiet, and careful moments are often captured in student work in the garden, and now, our box of journal pages needs to somehow be handed back to students for summer reflection (or recycling).

*Elsa from Frozen would say, "Let it go," but there's just something so scientific and perfect about student art.

Anyways, the BUG BOARDS!

Upon careful inspection, I noticed my bug board was very dry, even though we had rain last week. I wonder if the creepy crawlies need more moisture to thrive? It reminds me of crunchy granola!

Let's look underneath:

Hmmm, it doesn't look like anyone is home that can be seen with just our eyes. Maybe we need a microscope!

*That RED stuff is actually flower petals from the Bottle Brush tree that grows over where I placed my bug board.

I moved the leaf litter around a little and it was very dry. I didn't find any creepy crawlies, but, I did see some fungus growing on a piece of mulch!

See the white moldy stuff? That's part of fungus called "mycelium" and it's like the roots of the fungus!

*Looking under my bug board led me to another thought - I wonder if my bug board hasn't been there long enough to attract some friends...

I now have to do a science experiment using the scientific method:

Purpose - What if I look under something that has been on the ground for a longer time?

Research - Creepy crawlies like dark, damp places like old logs, rocks, and places that have been on the ground for a long time.  

Hypothesis - I think more critters will be under an object that has been on the ground for a longer amount of time.

Procedure/Experiment - Go look under something more established!

Data/Analysis - I decided to look under some tiles that I use as a pathway and sure enough:

...there is a small millipede friend living under this tile! 

Conclusion - I'd have to run a few more tests, but, I bet the longer you leave your bug board, the more time will pass and more creepy crawlies will come visit!

Great job today scientists and remember, even if no one is living underneath your bug board YET, the important thing is to stay curious, check on it, and continue to ask questions!

Alright Artists, Students, Scientists, and Creepy Crawly Allies EVERYWHERE - have a calm weekend! ...and get outside if you can!