Animal Grossology

Science Club crew

Today we went to the Animal Grossology exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown  Raleigh.  with a few of the girls from Zoë's Science Club.  I know how to identify a venomous snake from a nonvenomous snake although that has nothing to do with the exhibit, but I'm hugely thankful for Vardell's identification lesson since our backyard seems to be a breeding ground for brown snakes.  I bought a great book, too: "A Guide to the Snakes of North Carolina, by Michal E. Dorcas.  I also bought his other book "The Frogs and Toads of North Carolina.  It's a field guide and contains a good CD narrated by Dorcas.  Vardell says he has both and highly recommends them.  We listened to it on the way home and loved hearing the different calls.  That poor bullfrog in distress!  It's the first one on the CD and it's a little alarming.    Turns out they make this screeching sound when they're being eaten by a water snake.  Dorcas says it to alert other predators who will then see the snake and want to eat it, causing the snake to drop the frog.


The exhibit was based on Sylvia Branzei's books called "Animal Grossology".  Really clever exhibit.  Lots of facts about flies, slugs, slime, smells and of course, poo.  I told Donna I loved the smell of skunk after she whiffed the hole where you smell it.   Then I sniffed it and almost felt ill. I like it from a distance.  The cockroach emits a maraschino cherry smell.  Pleasant surprise there.

How a cow burps. 

Zoë really enjoyed herself.  She wrote this summary:

"Today I went to a Grossology exhibit.  I went with Delaney, Cassidy and Amey.  When I went inside the exhibit I saw lots of games and kids!  My favorite game was....Animal Grossology!  It is a game that tests you on what you've learned from the other games.  Two things I've learned today are: Cats cough up furballs because of grooming themselves and dogs sniff each others' butts to find out who they are. "

Might have to make these one day. 

Brazil

So we're sitting in the classroom.  I'm folding laundry and Zoë's just finished up a bunch of math work and now she's redesigning a Calico Critters house.   We're listening to Brazilian Girls Radio on Pandora because Zoë's has just entered a Geography Fair and Brazil is her country of study.   Massive Attack from Moby comes on and I mention how that's interesting this song is on a Brazilian radio station, too.  I love the song and play it often.   Apparently it's big in Brazil, too.

As usual, Zoë has something to say about the music.

"I like this song and I kind of like listening to other kinds of music other than the stuff on the radio.   I mean, American music is all about about a ton of people falling in love, getting drunk and going to clubs.  Don't include the Black Eyed Peas though.  Except for "Humps." Brazil's music is smooth and kind of jazzy, she says.

Thanks, Zoë.  I think you've got something there.  Funny, but a little disturbing, too.  I think about explaining to her that Kesha's songs are not good ones to follow, but Zoë already knows this.  She's just sharing an observation like she always does.   I have no worries.

 We're now listening to "Your Love" by Pancha Massive.   So glad she chose Brazil.   I can see the unit study possibilities: brazilian food, videos, music, art, dance, science, math, geography and history.  There's a Brazilian steakhouse in Raleigh and Durham...

I really love teaching and learning along with her.

Welcome to Zoë's Room

The Art Section

The Signature Section. 

The Poetry Section

Zoë's poem: "If I could be a Bird"

Zoë tries on her flower Valentine from Delaney

The Girls' Science Club on Valentine's Day

Fridays are the best.

Zoë is turning a shoebox into a Valentine's Day box to hold the cards she'll get from her Science Club friends this Monday.  I'm cutting out words for the Bingo Grammar game I'm making.  The rabbit is eating some hay in the cage next to my desk.  The guinea pigs are in the cage next to Zoe and they're snoozing after eating this morning's kale, carrots and apples.  Max is lying on the rug in the exact place where the sun shines through.  He's fast asleep.  It's a very nice morning, and I'm grateful.

Zoë as a Roman girl in Ancient Rome.