“The Press, Watson, is a most valuable institution, if you only know how to use it.”

–Sherlock Holmes

There are some who argue that print is dead.  I beg to differ!  Despite shrinking advertising sponsors and the allure of online news, print journalism is alive and well, and very often available free of charge from your local newspaper publisher. For the teacher trying to steer away from worksheets, newspapers serve as a great hands-on resource that can enhance several cross-curricular lessons already in your plans.

Primary

Even kindergartners can use a newspaper!  Arm them with highlighters, and have them highlight all the high frequency words they can find.

Have students cut out adjectives that describe themselves. Glue the words inside a “portrait” they’ve drawn of themselves on a piece of construction paper.

Did you know that all good headlines have a verb in them?  Have the children scan the headlines and find the verbs.

Intermediate

It’s a struggle for students to identify a passage’s purpose– is it to inform, persuade or entertain? A newspaper is a minefield of articles written for all three purposes.  Have students find informative news articles, persuasive editorials and entertaining cartoons and puzzles.

Journalists know they have just a few seconds to capture the reader’s interest; they know the value of a good lead. In the classroom, we call this a hook and using a newspaper to learn about hooks is an exciting way to teach kids how important the first sentence is.

First, ask your students to choose an article on the front page to read.  Stop them after one minute and ask which articles they chose and why.  Chances are they chose the article because of the headline and the first sentence (a.k.a lead or hook.)

Discuss types of hooks: anecdote, description, wow, riddle, quote, fact, question and the 5 W’s and H (AP lead.) Have students search their newspaper for the different types.  Hint: look in the features sections—lifestyle, foods, or bring in a Sunday edition for more creative leads.

Finally, have the kids write their own hooks.  We don’t usually encourage kids to write a 5 W’s and H hook for their expository writing, but the truth is they are fun to write. Put the basic facts of a story on your Elmo and challenge your students to write the lead.

The sooner students learn how to write dialogue the better! Stories are so much more fun when the characters talk to each other!  On the Elmo, demonstrate the correct way to write dialogue. Then have the students choose a picture from the newspaper and write a short dialogue inspired by the photo.

Where is the news taking place? Identify on a map where events reported in the newspaper are occurring.

Use the newspaper’s ad inserts for creative math lessons.

Middle School

This is a good way to practice summarizing. Have the students choose a newspaper article and write a reader’s response. Have them write why they chose the article, summarize it, tell why it is important to the world and why it is important to them personally.

Provide the real life experience of writing a persuasive paper by encouraging students to read the Letters to the Editor section, then write their own and submit them!

Divide the class into groups and give each group a different newspaper (i.e. a local paper, a Wall Street Journal, a tabloid etc.) Have the students ‘dissect’ the newspapers. They should find: Masthead, section head, sidebar, headline, news article, editorial, infographic, political cartoon and advertisement.   Have them arrange and label their findings on butcher paper and present to the class. Discuss the differences and the similarities.

Newspapers are a natural fit for your advertising unit. Begin by writing the word “Demographics” on the board.  Give the students a demographic description of your class, i.e. “Diverse suburban children aged 11-13.” Explain that advertising is based on demographics and so are newspapers. Have them explore the sections and write down the products being advertised in each section. See if they can find a connection between the type of section and the type of product.  They should realize that it all has to do with the type of reader. Next, discuss the advertising techniques: bandwagon, comparison, humor, transfer, statistics, and celebrity testimonials.  Divide the kids into groups and have them find ads using each technique.

The most obvious use for the newspaper is to learn about current events! Give students time to read the paper and then quiz them on the day’s news.

A good exercise in media literacy is to turn your students into fact-checkers.  Is the news accurate?  It should be.  Have your students choose an article and research the facts.

The uses for newspapers in a classroom are as varied as the news itself!  Take advantage of this valuable resource—just make sure you have a large recycling bin!

And that is where Dorothy is likely quite different from you. Do you give your kids an allowance? Do they understand what a budget is? Do they actually save some of their money? Do you? With the country just beginning its slow and hopefully upward journey from a deep recession, there is probably not a better time to have a discussion with your munchkins on the how, what, where, and why of all things money. So let’s walk our way through a few of the obvious talking points and how to approach them.

“Kelsey’s family has more money than we do.”

Unless you live under a rock and holeschool your children (like homeschool, only deeper underground), the differences between the “haves” and the “have-not-so-muches” are usually the first signs of capitalism at work that children will notice. The neighbor Nathan has a brand-new tricked-out BMX bike with LEDs, or Britney (from the 3rd grade) has amassed a collection of Barbies the size of the Roman Colosseum. Talk with your kids about the differences in wages, job functions, and even lifestyle choices that can make a difference in how money within the family is accrued or distributed.

“Mom says, Dad says…”

A critical part of any family discussion involving finances is to have a singular message. Talk first with your partner about the best way to approach a “money meeting” with the kids, which often benefits the talkers as well as the talkees. For as sweet and naive as most children are, they will sense any disparity in your message, and jump upon the opportunity to divide and conquer faster than a Hammerhead shark at an all-you-can-eat herring buffet. Be consistent, be clear, and keep in mind that it’s best for kids to hear about money from you rather than someone else (who does not understand your financial situation).

“I want (insert object of desire here)…”

If one of your offspring has already asked for something at the grocery store, then you’ve put off having “the talk” too long. Coins and bills are tangible items that can be held, counted, and traded, and even the youngest of children will understand the concept. Give them a “store allowance” before you begin shopping, and stick to your guns. Teach the little ones how to make a smart buy, and have them by your side at the checkout stand as well as the desk when it comes time to pay the bills. Many parents will establish a weekly allowance that gives kids a chance to budget for places other than the grocery store. Should they question the amount of the allowance, it’s a great time to sneak in something about bartering. “Would you be willing to empty the dishwasher once a day?” After all, if it works for Donald Trump… no, wait. That’s a bad reference. Anyway…

“Please, sir, I want some more.”

This classic plea of Oliver Twist for just a bit more gruel can set the stage (pun) for an important aspect of children and their money, and that is charitable giving. Explain to your kids what charity is, how it works, and that it doesn’t always mean that the gift needs to be one of coinage. Share with your kids ways that you are philanthropic, and point out such famous givers as Bill and Melinda Gates, Warren Buffet, Oprah, and Alfred Nobel (of the Nobel Prizes), who sought a better legacy after his death than that of Inventor of dynamite (a useful but somewhat murderous chemical compound).

“Don’t worry, everything is fine.”

Be straight with your young spenders. When times are rough, tell them that some things may change and that some belt-tightening is in order. Conversely, share your successes with them as well. Dinner is usually a good time to discuss the daily dispensation of dough (not the Pillsbury kind), and if your kids are engaged in eating, they are more likely to talk to you than they would be with an iPad in hand.

“When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary…”

Write it down. This is a pretty simple but often overlooked exercise that your children need to adopt. Money is numbers and numbers don’t lie. Make a simple ledger, whether it’s for savings or cash flow, and let the little ones help. When it’s in black and white there’s no denying it.

If you teach your children how to handle their finances at an early age, chances are you’ll be much more confident when someday they will be asked to help you with yours. And let’s hear nothing more about Flying Monkey trading cards…

Teach. Learn. Enjoy!

National Pet Month focuses on five goals. Let’s go through the goals and list things that kids can do, either individually or as a class effort.

1. Promote the benefits of owning a pet: It’s a medical fact that pets make awesome human companions. They can even relieve stress and put us in a good mood. Share some books that illustrate how important pets can be in people’s lives, such as:

Mr. Putter and Tabby by Cynthia Rylant
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Shilo by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Will your school allow a dog to visit? Find a “Read to a Dog” program in your area and see if you can arrange a visit. The program, also called R.E.A.D. — Reading Education Assistance Dogs, helps kids learn to read with more confidence and less intimidation.

2. Support adoption of pets: Many kids are oblivious to the plight of our millions of unwanted and stray pets. Most humane societies have opportunities for kids to learn about the plight of abandoned or neglected pets via tours and presentations. You can bring in a volunteer to talk to your students, arrange a Skype session, or better yet, take them on a field trip to tour the local shelter. They might spend a few hours mucking stalls, cleaning cages, walking dogs, and petting cats and bunnies.

Most PetSmart stores support pet adoption and host fun events, bringing together the various animal rescue organizations in the area.

An offshoot of this awareness is that there is a great need for foster homes, so the more people who realize that they can help without making a long-term commitment, the better.

3. Promote responsible pet ownership: Try a personality quiz that helps determine your “best pet:” http://www.selectsmart.com/PET/ is a fun one. After the test, each child researches his or her potential pet and writes about how he or she would care for it.

The activity can promote discussion about what’s the best kind of home for certain animals and how people sometimes take on more than they can take care of. Why do animals wind up in a shelter or on the streets? Do people think about how long their pet is expected to live, how big it will get, or how much it costs to feed and provide medical treatment?

Do you have a classroom pet? If not, or you need help with the one/s you have, check out Pets in the Classroom (http://www.petsintheclassroom.org). They have grants available – you just fill out an application. They also have lots of helpful information.

A classroom pet provides a great opportunity for kids to make a live connection with the wild world of animals. By participating in the classroom pet’s care, they learn how important it is to care and respect all life. Caring for a creature can also carry over to how kids treat each other.

4. Increase awareness of available animal services: In addition to rescue and adoption agencies, veterinarians are a vital part of our pets’ lives. There are a lot of books on the subject, such as:

I Want to Be a Veterinarian by Stephanie Maze
Day in the Life of a Veterinarian by Heather Adamson
…and of course, any of the James Herriot books!

World Vets is an international organization of volunteer veterinarians with a mission to provide veterinary aid, disaster relief and training in developing countries that otherwise have limited or no access to veterinary services. They work in 36 countries around the world. Their mission depends upon volunteers and donations.

Share photos from their website (http://worldvets.org/) and talk about the importance of what they do. World Vets projects are open to volunteers of all kinds. While your students aren’t old enough yet, it’s a pretty great cause to learn about.

Probably the best activity I can suggest is a fundraiser, either for a local rescue group or something such as World Vets. It can start with your classroom and grow into an all-school effort.

5. Raise awareness of the role, value and contribution to society of service animals: Training of “seeing eye dogs” began in Germany during World War I (1914-1918) when dogs were taught to help guide blinded war veterans. Dogs have since been trained to help people who are hearing impaired as well as assist people who have seizures.

Horses have also been trained for the job. People who are sight impaired can ride alone on trails for many miles, knowing their four-legged steed will guide them safely to their destination. Miniature horses have the same natural ability as full sized horses, but their compact size makes them a good choice for guiding. Even pigs are being trained as guide and service animals!

The little Capuchin monkey from South America is also a people-helper. The monkeys are trained to do things for people such as bringing them the phone, food, medicine or even a glass of water. They can also feed people who need assistance and help with the chores around the house and yard.

The roles of these and other assistance and therapy animals are well documented. An activity could be a research project, a visit from a therapy animal, or even a trip to a service dog training session for puppies.

Celebrating National Pet Month is a perfect opportunity to remind everyone about how important our pets are to us, and, how much they depend on us for their care and survival.

Conduct an informal survey the next time an adult claims, “I’m not creative.” Chances are they grew up in a home where they weren’t allowed to make a mess. While I take issue with anyone who claims they have no creativity (impossible!)  I have met people with an unfortunate disparity of the trait. If there was ever an argument of nurture vs. nature when if comes to raising our children, instilling creativity is a trait we can nurture. The first step?  Let them make a mess.

There is a core value system to this philosophy: people first, animals next, things last. When “things” is first on your list of priorities it is difficult to stand by while your son is turning your couch into a garbage truck. I’m not saying we can’t have nice things or suggesting kids don’t have to clean up after themselves. What I am saying is that having a constant rule for tidiness is like sticking a child in a playpen.  We know playpens shouldn’t be over-used.  A habit of neatness can have the same dulling effect on a child’s ability to think big.

Another informal survey—this time of kindergarten classes— will expose many five-year-olds having trouble using scissors.  Not all, but a good number of these children were probably not allowed to leave the mounds of shredded paper bits a four-year-old creates when you let him use scissors. It is a hideous mess, not to mention incidents of “I cut my own hair mommy!”  But these tools of the kindergarten trade– scissors, pencils, crayons, markers, paint, clay– take time to learn to manipulate. These are eye-hand coordination opportunities that can be messy, even lethal to some surfaces, but their use broadens a child’s base of knowledge–this is essential, valuable practice.

The ability to think big as an adult, to be an idea person, is a gift that sometimes begins with the freedom to think big as a child.  The chance to use all the couch cushions, the kitchen chairs, and every blanket in the linen closet, in order to turn the living room into a fortress, is an unparalleled opportunity to learn engineering strategies, cooperation skills and the priceless ability to gain intrinsic pride from an accomplishment.

When play imitates the world, incredible learning occurs, particularly schematic connections as the children explore their environment trying to figure out what could be transformed into the scenario they are creating.

“Pretend like this is a microphone, O.K? “

Much of the play is simply setting the scene, an operation that often looks to an adult like a major mess, while to the child, the suspension of reality vs. fantasy has created a perfect backdrop for their imagination. After an inspiring tour of a costume shop, my daughter and her friend created a costume shop in the basement, where her cast- off recital costumes were each hung and tagged in a complicated filing system she still laughs about today.

Yes, it is true that the nature of children is to get carried away.  Suggest a simple game and the next thing you know the basement has been turned into the Olympics and they are asking for a hammer.  Sometimes we have to pull their feet down to the ground, but more times then not, children sift through the giant ideas and find a suitable compromise on their own. Part of the process is learning to self-edit.  This editing is a form of categorizing that is essential to creativity.  In the real world big ideas need to be implemented. (There are those kids who have trouble dealing with the gap between their big idea and reality, but that is the topic for another bog!)

Occasionally, we even want to encourage a messy mind. In other words, we want our kids to let their imaginations soar.   Brainstorming at the dinner table is a great jumping off point.  Letting the entire family come up with ideas for an assignment often gleans ideas both lame and outrageous, but eventually produces the perfectly clever one.  We don’t want to put a ceiling on these suggestions—there are no perimeters for brainstorming— it is the process that is fun.  It is modeling the ‘many minds make many ideas’ method used in scientific labs and advertising meeting rooms across the country.

So the next time you come across an incredible mess your children have made, first revel in their creativity; then make them clean it up!

For jeeble pock and roody gam

A fortish blitz would bander;

That in akreen the mootish haddy fly.

Sound familiar? No? How about this one?

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

The latter of these two poems you should recognize as Lewis Carroll’s Jabberwocky; a seminal if nonsensical piece of prose to be found within his novel Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, which was a sequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The former? Ummm, not so much. I just made it up. And do either mean anything? Highly doubtful.

Rather than wanting to take the world of poetry by storm, they are merely exercises in rhythm, meter, and syllabic stresses. To be clear, a jabberwockish (not a word) poem uses both real and made-up words for the effect. In essence, when a real word won’t do, make one up that will.

Made-up words also had a place in the music of the early 20th century. Lyricist Ira Gershwin would have his brother George write the melody to a song first, and then he would use “dummy” lyrics to temporarily hold a place in the music until he could come up with the right words. The idea being that the music and it’s rhythm was the most important item on the page, and that it was easier to find words that fit the music, versus the other way around.

Have you ever considered using the Jabberwocky approach to writing in the classroom? It’s easy enough to launch a real study of Lewis Carroll’s work, with examinations of words and parts of speech, the history of it, and so on. But come on, that is B-O-R-I-N-G! Instead of going down the tried-and-true path, why not kick it up a notch?

Your students should have a basic grasp of nouns, verbs, and all that, correct? Have them identify the parts of speech in the poem. Then ask them to identify the words that are made up and why they believe them to be nonsensical. While you’re at this phase of the examination, ask the kids why they think Carroll used a particular word. Does it sound like a similar word, and what would that word be? Is it meant to be meaningful or just expressive? Is the word constructed of two or more other words?

FYI for your students: Mr. Carroll made excellent use of onomatopoeia (using words that imitate the sounds associated with that word; Bang!, Boom!, Hiss… and so on), and portmanteaus (blending two or more words to denote a new word, as in fog+smoke=smog) to give meaning to the words.

Now, consider ending your study of Jabberwocky with a test. No, not that kind. (You’re out for that Teacher of the Year Award, right?) Have your students write their own version of a nonsense poem, employing most of the techniques you’ve discussed. Ask them to recite their poems to the rest of the class, and open things up for discussion. “Why did you use a certain word?” “Does it really have a meaning?” “Is it a combination of other words, a word that sports a particular sound, or did you just totally make it up?” Give extra credit for poems that make good use of rhythm, meter, rhyming, and/or stress.

Just for the fun of it, the Muppets produced their own version of Jabberwocky, which your charges might find quite entertaining as well. It can be seen here on YouTube.

And if you don’t believe that poetry and creative writing hold a special place in the lives of most children, consider this: The opening stanza of my nonsense poem was something I penned in the 7th grade, and I’ve not seen it since. But I do remember it…

Teachred. Learnelled. Savoriate!

Although most would say her behavior is typical for her age, it’s still a bit worrisome to me. I try not to be the hovering, annoying parent, who nags, checks and double-checks, etc. But at the same time, what are the alternatives to make sure your child is getting done what needs to get done?

Communication

One of the best strategies to motivating your child is for them to want to do what is expected, whether that be to study for their spelling test, fold the laundry or clear their dishes.

One of the first steps is to have an open discussion with your child regarding expectations, while also letting them be part of the decision-making. For example, regarding the daily chores – what chores do they choose to put on their list? Would they rather do the dishes on Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays? Of course, when it comes to schoolwork, they don’t usually have choices of when or what they want to do regarding homework/projects. But you can create choices of where they study; for example, create a workspace together with your child, where they feel comfortable, organized and settled while studying. Decide together when they will start their homework – will it be right after they get home from school or after-school care or will it be after they’ve had some downtime? Either way, pick a schedule that leaves them enough time to complete their work and also gives them some control.

Also, a low-pressure, patient talk with your child to find out why they’re feeling unmotivated, especially if this is a sudden behavioral change, is helpful. What do they think is going on? You can ask your child if there’s something happening at school, with their studies, with their friends or at home that’s making them feel unhappy and/or unmotivated. Get teachers involved as well and ask what they’re observing.

Getting Situated

A great way to get your child motivated is to help them get organized. For most kids, being organized is not an innate skill but one that needs to be learned, supported and encouraged. When a mountain of homework sits in a pile in disarray, your child will be less motivated to tackle their studies. Similarly, numerous chores can be daunting.

As stated before, get their study area at home set up in an organized fashion. Help your child prepare folders and binders for various subjects and projects. Also, give them a weekly planner in which they can write down their different homework assignments, as well as a schedule for how to work toward completing a long-term project.

Checklists are also great tools — somehow when it’s down on paper, responsibilities and chores seem less overwhelming. Your child can also get the satisfaction of checking each off as they complete one after another.

Reward or No Reward?

Kids should not always be given extrinsic rewards — when these rewards are removed from the picture, motivation can disappear. But small rewards every now and then for doing certain things, such as doing chores without being asked or meeting a goal at school, can be great motivators. However, verbal praise and support is just as valuable and important. Be enthusiastic when your child does more than asked at home or does well in activities such as school or sports.

So the middle of the road may be the best course to take – small rewards as motivators at times, but try not to use them as your sole form of incentive or reward.

Setting an example as an active and organized parent is also important. Show them how achievement and rewards are not often reached in a short amount of time and take persistence and effort. And let them know, without pressuring them, that your expectations are high for them. You know they can do something they’re striving for, but they just need to work hard toward reaching it.

So before I say for the fifth time in a row to my pre-teen daughter to set the table, I’ll need to figure out the best way to get her to want to set the table. This may involve some form of negotiation, discussion or even possibly a reward. Either way, I’m hoping we both get what we want in the long run.

To download and print it, click the image below, or click here.

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In my journey as an educator, I’ve come to discover that we are great list makers. If there’s a task to be done, we’ve got a list for it. Maybe even three! The problem is that these lists are often too long, and unrealistic.

Recently, I read an article in a popular magazine on re-booting the “To Do” List and thought it would be a fun idea to share it from an educator’s perspective.

So…today, let’s look at some ways to set up that “To Do” List in a slightly different manner. Oh, and by the way—that list should be able to fit neatly on a Post-it!

A teacher’s “To Do” List: let’s look at a few ideas that you may not have thought belonged on your daily list:

1. Call Rose
How long has it been since you took the time to connect with a friend? Research shows that a good to do list includes connecting with at least one friend, daily. This is news to me! But it sure makes sense. When we maintain our relationships, we stay energized. When we side-step them, they only increase our stress. I know that in my days as a Principal, when I took time for a call from a friend, even for just 15 minutes, it made me feel so refreshed! Been awhile since you connected with that long-lost friend? No worries! Just make the call and get caught up. You’ll be glad you did!

2. Visit Aunt B
Do you worry about the promised favors that you never seem to be able to follow through with? According to research, we should all follow through. Currently, I have an elderly family member that’s recuperating at home from a long hospital stay. Although she lives close by, I frequently get too caught up in my work to make time for a visit. I’ve since had a change of heart and have begun to plan for weekly visits. Nothing can be more important than keeping that commitment to a student, parent, or family member. When we follow through, we’ll always feel better. Those we keep commitments with will know that they were important enough to us to make this happen, even in our busiest day.

3. Yoga at 6pm
Did you make the New Year’s resolution to work-out? Have you kept it? Probably not! According to time management experts, doing something for ourselves – particularly something physical – every day is of utmost importance. And a little can go a long way. How about a short walk with a colleague at lunchtime, instead of sitting in the staff room? Even something as simple as that can pay off in supporting us to stay motivated through the day. It can not only increase our sense of happiness, but also our health!

4. Classroom Redo
Is your classroom in need of a face-lift? Does it seem too overpowering to take on? Time management research says we should break down those large-scale projects into smaller, less overwhelming ones. It also says that we should put only one of those on our list each week. By selecting a single significant element to tackle – say, organizing the classroom library – instead of a laundry list of re-do’s, we will be able to accomplish much more in the long run. This really makes a lot of sense to me. I wish I’d practiced this sooner.

5. Mini-Crisis Time
What classroom doesn’t have a “mini-crisis” from time to time. Or, how about the call from our child’s school or the carpool driver who’s not going to make it because they’re feeling ill? Leaving what the time management experts call a “cushion to accommodate the unexpected” will help keep your daily plan from going completely down the drain. As an educator we’re balancing so many tasks, typically at one time, that we forget to leave a spot on the To Do List to breathe. Be sure that you have this cushion for the urgent matters that arise in your daily work schedule and hopefully you’ll be a much happier camper!

This was a fun opportunity for me to be able to reflect on my need to re-boot my own daily “To Do” List. I hope you’ll think about trying at least one of these tips and see if they make a difference in your day!

But, if you’ve got questioners in your house, your observations may be met with “Why?” Why do the bulbs start to come up, even when there is still snow on the ground? How do plants distinguish between a cold, wet day in December and a cold, wet day in March? How do birds wintering far south of spring’s “come-ons” know that it’s time to head north?

It turns out the answers to these simple questions are not as straightforward as you might think. Science has been able to tease out some of the basic mechanisms, but we still have much to learn. Here are some basic answers that should satisfy most of the “whys” in your house.

A Little About Winter Rest

Most organisms that hang around in winter rather than heading south use some form of rest to cope with extreme temperatures. In plants, we call this state dormancy. It is a period of much-reduced activity. Sap recedes to the root structure to prevent freezing. Growth nearly ceases. This quiet period is triggered by shorter and shorter periods of daylight beginning in mid-fall.

Many mammals, reptiles, and amphibians hibernate through the winter when food is scarce. Insects and other arthropods that overwinter, as either larvae or adults, enter a period of greatly reduced activity called diapause. Both share certain characteristics, including slowed breathing and metabolism, and reduced or nonexistent movement and feeding. We don’t know for sure what triggers animals to enter hibernation or diapause, but it likely is a combination of physiological (internal) triggers and external cues, like shorter periods of light and colder temperatures.

Another mechanism used by birds to survive extreme temperature is a sort of temporary hibernation called daily torpor. Just as with hibernation, the bird reduces its body temperature, heart rate, and other metabolic functions. This helps it survive a brief winter blast or a particularly cold night. Birds are able to come out of daily torpor fairly quickly, enabling them to resume the endless hunt for food.

Now We’ve Got to Wake Up—Plants

Now that we’ve got the “sleep” terms straight, now we can talk about how everybody wakes up! Surprisingly, scientists have discovered that plants in temperate regions (i.e., not tropical or polar) actually “measure” their exposure to cold temperatures. As we mentioned above, fading daylength in autumn tells the plant to enter dormancy. Once it has recorded a certain number of “chilling hours,” hormonal changes occur that tell the plant to begin to move from dormancy to growth readiness. (Yes, plants have hormones too!) This state of readiness, combined with warming temperatures, causes food stored in roots and bulbs to begin to move, and the plant is ready to grow again.

In addition to physiological (internal) cues and rising temperature, trees and shrubs also rely upon daylength to determine when to send out leaves. Different species need different daylengths for this process to begin. For example, here in the Northwest Indian plum is one of the first shrubs to flower and leaf out. It is a medium-sized shrub that likes to grow on the edges of forests (mostly evergreen forests around here). Its early growth gives it a chance to collect a bit of extra light before it has to compete with other plants.

The oak trees, on the other hand, look bedraggled well into spring. They often have some of last year’s leaves still hanging on and you’d swear they hadn’t made it through the winter. Then, just when you are about to give up, they send forth their beautiful curved leaves.

Now We’ve Got to Wake Up—Animals

This week our resident population of Northwestern garter snakes made its first appearance following a long winter rest. The temperature in the sun had climbed to over sixty degrees, and we found three of the snakes curled up near each other on our south-facing retaining wall. Warm evenings bring out the full chorus of male Pacific chorus frogs.

Snakes and frogs are cold-blooded or ectothermic. This means that their bodies are the same temperature as the air around them. Though internal triggers are undoubtedly involved, temperature likely plays a central role in telling these creatures that it’s time to wake up. Arthropods too (insects, spiders, etc.) respond to warming temperatures, emerging from winter diapause to soak up the rays and visit early spring flowers.

The classic hibernating creatures that most people think of when they hear the term, like groundhogs and mice, probably rely more heavily on physiological (internal) cues than external stimuli to know when to wake up.

What About the Birds Down South?

We’ve covered the animals that stick around during the winter, but what about those who head for warmer climates. How do they know that winter is fading thousands of miles away? These birds rely on their internal biological “clocks” to know it’s time to head north. This innate knowledge is even trickier to track down than other physiological changes, so our understanding of the processes involved are limited. It is amazing to think about the intricate timing involved in this yearly migration. Too early and food sources will lag behind. Too late and they won’t have enough time to raise young before food supplies wane again!

Now You Know!

So the next time you get a “how come” question about yearly awakenings, you’ll have a little more knowledge up your sleeve! Now, go outside and look for spring!

I’d like to thank David Haskell, professor of biology at University of the South and author of The Forest Unseen for his help with this topic, which proved to be a good deal more complicated than I had anticipated! He blogs at http://davidhaskell.wordpress.com/

If you’ve read any of my previous blog posts, or have an understanding of my relationship to Kids Discover, you’ll know that I am a full-time freelance illustrator; who also happens to enjoy dishing out the occasional written word. I am first and foremost an artist though, and make no bones about drawing in and on most everything that happens across my desk. Whether that be a bill from the electric company, my calendar, contracts (yes), or even a sheet of actual drawing paper (how urbane!), nothing is safe from my scratchings.

This “talent” has been with me since my inception, and began to find some interference when I entered the public (and the parochial) school system. For the most part I was asked to refrain from my hobby until school was out each day, but as any good illustrator knows, that can be a challenge. Most teachers were polite enough to attempt to focus me during study time, but one in particular had the good sense to step back for a moment, assess the situation, and put my talent to work.

I remember it well. It was the third grade, and we (the class) were about to take a test on geography. My teacher (I won’t use her name) must have seen my eyes starting to glaze over—again. She handed out the exam, then called me out of the room for a moment. “If you will promise to do your best on this test, you may use any time left to doodle whatever you wish, and wherever you wish on your test paper.”

Talk about being in 7th Heaven! Heck, I was probably in 8th, 9th, or 10th Heaven. I immediately dove into the exam, my mind absolutely racing through matters of all things geographic. And yes, there was enough time left to create a visual explaining why penguins are only found at the South Pole. This method soon became standard fare for me, and eventually for some of my other artistically-inclined compatriots as well. And for the record, I did quite well on the test as I recall.

It wasn’t until a few years later that I realized I had been duped. My teacher had tricked me into learning things! My grades had gone up, my retention and comprehension improved markedly, and my passion for drawing was seeing no decline either. So, aside from the underhanded aspects of teaching that my mentor had so subtly employed upon my personal self, how does this affect what you do in the classroom?

There are many schools of thought now on how best to approach a particular student to engage him or her in the process of learning, whether through visual aids, in-class activities, or simple enthusiasm. I wish to proffer the following: Let them doodle.

Busy Hands, Busy Minds

The typical doodler is a person in a business situation who is passing time while talking on the phone. But are they just passing time? Applied Cognitive Psychology recently released a study involving 40 people who were asked to monitor a monotonous telephone message. Of the 20 persons who were asked to doodle during the situation, the retention rate was 29% higher than those who did not doodle. The science here says to us that–though doodling may appear to be a thoughtless, random act–it actually uses enough cognitive energy to focus our brain, preventing us from daydreaming. If you will, it keeps us in the moment.

Sunni Brown is the author of Gamestorming, a book on how the use of arts and games can empower some serious problem-solving. She is also featured on a Ted Talk video where she details the history of doodling, and brings it around to what it actually is: A way to improve our (and your student’s) comprehension and creative thinking.

So how can you put doodling to work in your classroom? First of all, think of it as a tool rather than as a punishable offense. Begin by designating one exam per week as doodle-worthy, with the same plea as my teacher used; “Do the best you can, then…” Consider having students doodle while you’re reading to them, or during a short lecture. Think about having students doodle on their own notes. You might even sponsor a “best doodler” contest each week, asking your students to vote on the winner.

This is certainly no panacea, but encouraging your students to adopt different ways to learn will help them fine-tune their problem-solving skills. And not only might you find that your student’s retention levels are improving, you will also be seen as collaborating with them during the learning process. Which begs the question: Who’s doing the learning here?

Teach. Learn. Enjoy!