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Educator's E-newsletter
| December 30, 2011
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 A Look at the Season's Main Events Virginia Barlow First Week of January January 3-4: Quarantid meteor shower peaks. The nearly new moon will set by mid-evening, making for good viewing conditions - even better after midnight.
Birds don't agree with us on the subject of ragweed: its seeds are a valuable food source for many small birds, until snow covers the stalks.
Orion the Hunter is in the southern sky around 9 P.M. Follow the three stars in his belt to the left and you will come to Sirius, the brightest star in the sky.
Second Week of January
Mated pairs of pileated woodpeckers stay together year-round, though they roost in separate tree cavities at night.
Brown creepers search for insect larvae and eggs by hopping upward in a spiral from the bottom of a tree. Then they fly to the base of another tree.
A fox walks an almost-straight line, one foot ahead of the other.
These listing are based on observations and reports in our home territory at about 1,000 feet in elevation in central Vermont and are approximate. Events may occur earlier or later, depending on your latitude, elevation - and the weather. |
The Secret Life of the Mourning Dove
Michele Patenaude
There was a time when I considered the mourning dove to be too commonplace and familiar to be worthy of much attention. All of this changed one winter when I began to notice that some birds at my birdfeeder had frostbitten toes and missing toenails. I looked into the matter and learned that mourning doves were originally a southern bird, and they're not well adapted to our harsh winters...
Full Article TextDownload the Article
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 Living with Wolves
Sandra Murphy
Wolves as Neighbors: A Lesson from Transylvania,
by Alan Sparks
Sparks's article provides a great role model for students - showing young Romanian students putting learning into action, first researching community-held stories about wolves, then speaking publicly to share their findings on the emotion filled subject.
The article contains many gems of information with which students can comp are their lifestyle and attitudes with those of another culture. Have students make economic and ecological comparisons - for example, annual incomes (U.S. median household income is more than 20 times that of Romania's) and percentage of the population living below poverty level. Romania is about the size of Maine and New York combined. It occupies roughly the same latitude as Maine. Note the differences in settlement patterns, as described in Sparks's article, and how these impact human/wildlife interactions. How do large predator populations compare? What about people's attitudes about those large predators? Though lifestyles differ greatly, attitudes towards wolves are similar. Both the lead article and the sidebar about U.S. wolves cite similar concerns (hunting competition, livestock and pet predation, human safety).
Have students investigate the history and current status of wolves in your state. When was the last recorded sighting? What was their ecological role, and who or what fills that role now? What changes would occur if wolves returned to your state, either by natural migration or reintroduction? The article mentions the impact of federal rulings on wolf status (threatened, endangered, or delisted), offering an opportunity to explore the impacts of the Endangered Species Act on wildlife populations. Using their research to support their arguments, students can write an opinion piece on the recent federal move to down-list wolves in the Northeast from "endangered" to "threatened."
Books: Of Wolves and Men, by Barry Lopez. Touchstone Press: 1978. Drawing on literature, history, science, and mythology as well as considerable personal experience with captive and free-ranging wolves, Lopez explores the wolf's world, the relationship between people and wolves, and the need for its preservation. National Book Award finalist. Download the Teacher's Guide (This activity is on page 3) Download the Article: Wolves as Neighbors: A Lesson from Transylvania Click here for the complete Teacher's Guide archive!
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WHAT IN THE WOODS IS THAT?
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 Our Biweekly Guessing Game!
The larvae pictured here may seem a bit out of place on a snowy winter's day. Who are these guys? We don't have a video for you, but they were reported to be alive and wriggling when found on top of the snow.
Every other week we run a photo of something unusual found in the woods. Guess what it is and you'll be eligible to win a copy of The Outside Story, a paperback collection of our Outside Story newspaper columns. A prize winner will be drawn at random from all the correct entries. The correct answer, and the winner's name, will appear in next week's column.
This week's contest deadline is 8:00 AM, Wednesday, January 11, 2011. |
 Congratulations to our winner Bridie McGreavey of Orono, ME! Bridie receives a copy of our book, The Outside Story.
The scat here was found in early November. Whose scat is that? (Hint: take a close look at the white flecks.)
NW Answer: Otter scat.
Otter scat is often distinguishable by fish scales, insects, and - in this case - the remains of the exoskeleton of a devoured crayfish (those white flecks you see).
Visit our What In The Woods Is That? contest archive.
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Two Tracking Events in Western MassachusettsSusan C. Morse, Northern Woodlands columnist, expert tracker, and founder of Keeping Track, will be giving two workshops in Massachusetts in the near future.
Mammal Tracking in the NortheastFriday, January 20, 7-9 p.m. (Snow Date: March 16) Held at US Fish and Wildlife Headquarters, Hadley Free, donations welcome Pre-registration is not required. In case of inclement weather cancellation, call 413-253-8303 after 3 p.m. on January 20. In this presentation, Sue will focus on mammals found in the Hadley region, and introduce the tracks, sign, and habitat needs of these species. She'll also discuss the exciting range expansion of moose and cougar. Mammal Tracking in the FieldSaturday, January 21, 9 a.m.-Noon or 1-4 p.m. (Snow Date: March 17) Held at Graves Farm Wildlife Sanctuary, Williamsburg Cost: $20 Pre-registration is required; please call Arcadia at 413-584-3009. Learn to interpret and identify mammal tracks and sign in the field. Search Graves Farm for evidence of porcupine, fisher, bear, moose, and more. Look for scat, browse, bark stripping, evidence of scent marking, and the tracks themselves. Don't forget to pre-register!
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If you are an educator who finds Northern Woodlands magazine useful in your classroom, you are eligible for a complimentary subscription. Simply e-mail your completed registration form to the NWGTS coordinator Emily Rowe.
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We Welcome Your Questions and Comments
Postal Address:
Northern Woodlands
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P.O. Box 471
Corinth, VT 05039
Toll-Free: (800) 290-5232
Phone: (802) 439-6292
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Email: emily@northernwoodlands.org
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The mission of the Center for Northern Woodlands Education is to advance a culture of forest stewardship in the Northeast and to increase understanding of and appreciation for the natural wonders, economic productivity and ecological integrity of the region's forests. Our programs give people the information they need to help build a sustainable future for our region. Through Northern Woodlands magazine, the Northern Woodlands Goes to School program, and special publications, we make a difference in how people care for their land.
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