Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Fascinating Seabirds_ Searching for Facts

Here on the west coast, we are lucky to see so many interesting creatures, on land and at sea.  There are a great many species of seabirds; all are fascinating to watch.  The different types of seabirds nevertheless share certain characteristics.  For example, nearly all seabirds have a waterproof outer layer of feathers covering a dense layer of down.  This helps protect the bird from getting wet and cold.  Seabirds also have webbed feet which help them move easily through the water. Additionally, seabirds have special salt glands in their heads to strain out the large amounts of salt they ingest in the water they drink and the food they eat.  Some birds live nearly their entire lives soaring over, or swimming in the ocean.  They return to land only for breeding.

There are four basic feeding strategies for birds that feed at sea:
1.  Surface feeding
2.  Pursuit diving
3.  Plunge diving
4.  Scavenging

The surface feeders skim the water looking for food.
When they see something near the surface, they scoop it up in their bills.

Pursuit divers go after fish or other food under the water.
They dive down and use their wings to swim after creatures they can eat.

The plunge divers fly high above the water looking for fish swimming under water.

When they spot a fish, they plummet head first, like a rocket, into the water in pursuit of their prey.

 Scavengers are birds that take food from other animals, or find food that has been left.

Of these basic types of seabirds, I'm especially intrigued by the plunge divers.  Some examples of plunge diving birds are:
Blue-footed boobies 

Kingfishers 

Terns 

Gannets

One of my favorite plunge divers is the Brown Pelican.

Brown Pelicans can dive from up to 70 feet above the water, directly onto a swimming fish!

Their skulls have a special bony plate near the front, allowing them to withstand the heavy impact of such a hard dive.

As they hit the water, pelicans open their large gullets, (the pouch of skin under their chin), and in pops the fish!


Busy Brains like to search for fascinating facts!

When I'm interested in a topic, I go to the library or to the Internet to learn more.  This can be fun to do, if you know how to search effectively.  It's important to know some basic guidelines for how to search for information, otherwise, you'll be aimlessly wandering through books, files, or websites without ever finding what you want.
Here are a few tips:
If you go to the library, you need to first find the section of the library that has what you're looking for.  The library is organized using a system of numbers, called the Dewey Decimal System. 

The numbers begin at 0 and continue through the 900s.  The basic categories are:
000  Generalities
100  Philosophy
200  Religion
300  Social Sciences
400  Lang
500  Science and Math
600  Applied Science
700  Art
800  Literature
900  Geography and History

Now, within each these basic categories, there are more specific subtopics.  For example, let's look at the 
subtopics within the 500 category, Science and Math:

500          SCIENCE AND MATH
500 Science Experiments
510 Mathematics
520 Stars, Planets, Astronomy
530 Physical Science- force & motion, electricity, magnetism
540 Chemistry, Atoms & Molecules
550 Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Weather
560 Dinosaurs, Prehistoric Animals
570 Forests, Deserts, Mountains, Oceans, Evolution
580 Plants & Trees
590 Animals & Insects

Each "decade number" between 500 and 590 represents a smaller subtopic.  So if you wanted to look up facts about your favorite sea bird, like I did, you would first go to the 500s, then look in the 590 section 
because that section has nonfiction books about animals and insects.  In the 590s, you'd find a special section of books about birds.

The Internet is another way to search for information you're interested in.

But be careful!  There are many sites on the Internet that are inappropriate for kids, so it's best to do your Internet searching with a grown-up.
A key to finding what you want on the Internet is in using the right "key words".  First go to a search engine, such as Google.  Then type in key word(s) that are important to your topic.  For example, to find information about my favorite sea birds, I typed in key words like:  ocean, birds, pelican, plunge divers, etc. 

Busy Brains Challenge:
Choose a favorite animal.  Use the library or the Internet (with an adult's help) to research some interesting facts about your animal.  Share something new you've learned with us!  

Here's how to share your answer with other Busy Brains:
1.  First, click on the title of this post.  
2.  Go to the bottom of the post and click on the words "Post a comment".

Come on!  It's easy and fun!  You'll be able to see your answer posted with the other answers on the next Busy Brains posting!  




Saturday, September 17, 2011

September 15, 2011- Adding Tens + Ones, Reading A Map/Table


We've been sailing down the coastline of three western states:  Washington, Oregon, and now California.  Since the wind and waves can be formidable along the Pacific coast, we plan our journey from port to port.  We can usually travel between 50 and 70 nautical miles (nm) in a day, that is, arriving in a port before dark.  For longer passages, we sail non-stop through the night, taking turns sleeping or being on watch.

With a map and a table of distances, one can plan a trip and estimate how long the trip will take.

Busy Brains love to do math!
Adding Tens:
Adding tens (decade numbers) is easy.  For example, if you know the "partners" of  7, then you can easily figure out the partners of 70, just by adding a 0.  Look:

5 + 2 = 7          
50 + 20 = 7

Try some yourself!
3 + 4 = 7
30 + 40 = ___

3 + 3 = 6
30 + 30 = ___ 

7 + 1 = 8
70 + 10 = ___

Great job!  Can you make up some more tens problems on your own?     

Other mathematicians prefer to "count on" to find the answer.  Here's how you might count on with ones to find the answer to the problem 5 + 2 = ____:
Write the number 5, followed by two dots (to represent two more ones).
5  . .   
  You would say "five", then count on 2 more ones. (Five, six, seven).  The answer is 7.


"Counting on" by tens is nearly the same.  Here's an example, solving the problem 50 + 20 = _____:
Write the number 50, followed by two sticks (to represent tens). 

50 / / 
You would say "fifty", then count on 2 more tens (Fifty, sixty, seventy).  The answer is 70.

Try some more!
40  / / /  (Hint: Say "Forty", then count on three more tens)
30  / / /
20  / / / 
60  / /

Did you get it?  Nice work, mathematician!

Below is a map of a coastline, similar to the ones we have sailed recently.  The table of distances shows how far it is from one point to the next.  Can you read the table?  How far is it from Vido to Seal Point?  Put your finger under the box that says "Vido to Seal Point".  Now move your finger across to the Distance column.  The box says 20 nm.  That means it is 20 nautical miles from Vido to Seal Point.  Try some more:

Find the distances.
Seal Point to Cape Azul is _____ nm.
Cape Azul to Point Pelican is _____ nm.
Point Pelican to Pharoah Head is _____ nm.
Pharoah Head to Maiden's Leap is _____ nm.


Great!  Now practice what you've learned about adding tens to answer these questions:

How far is it from Vido to Cape Azul?  (Hint:  Look at the table.  Add the two numbers.  20 + 40 )
How far is it from Seal Point to Point Pelican?
How far is it from Cape Azul to Pharoah Head?
How far is it from Point Pelican to Maiden's Leap?

Wow!  Nice work, Busy Brains!

Here's a new challenge for you:
Add 3 or more numbers from the table.  For example,  How far is it from Vido to Point Pelican? (Hint:  You have to add 3 tens numbers.  20 + 40 + 30).
Submit your equation to the Busy Brains site.  It will be appear on the next posting!


Here's how to share your answer with other Busy Brains:

1.  First, click on the title of this post.  
2.  Go to the bottom of the post and click on the words "Post a comment".

Come on!  It's easy and fun!  You'll be able to see your answer posted with the other answers on the next Busy Brains posting!