Growing With Science Blog

Month: August 2012 (Page 5 of 5)

Seed of the Week: Yellow Oleander

August 7, 2012 / / 2 Comments

Our mystery fruit/seeds from last week were from a yellow oleander, Thevetia peruviana.

Yellow oleander is named for its bright yellow flowers (although some varieties have light orange flowers).

Yellow oleander is originally from tropical regions of Central and South America, but now is grown throughout the world. Being tropical, it is quite frost sensitive. Here in the Sonoran Desert it is often used in landscapes next to houses or walls, which radiate heat. It is grown as a tall shrub or small tree.

The trees are evergreen and flower over an extended period.

The down side to these plant is that yellow oleanders are toxic. All parts are poisonous if eaten, and the sap can irritate the skin in sensitive people.

Even the seeds within these oddly-shaped seed capsules are poisonous.

The seed capsules are hard and have a raised area or ridge that is often apparent even when they are fresh and green.

Do yellow oleander grow where you live?

Weekend Science Fun: Astronomy in the News

August 4, 2012 / / 0 Comments

This weekend astronomy is in the news, with several events to spike a child’s interest.

1. Mars Rover Curiosity is landing on Mars on Sunday, August 5, 2012.

Why is this rover newsworthy? Curiosity is bigger than the previous rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, and is landing in a more difficult location. It is also carrying a lot of more sophisticated equipment, including, believe it or not, ovens to bake soil and rock samples. Part of Curiosity’s mission is to look for carbon, the element that is an important building block for living things. If all goes well, it could be exploring and sending back data for a couple of years.

See live reports of the Mars Rover landing tomorrow night at the Jet Propulsion Lab

NASA also has information and updates

If your children are excited about Mars and the rovers, there are several wonderful children’s books to find out more:

The Mighty Mars Rovers: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity (Scientists in the Field Series) by Elizabeth Rusch  -released June 19, 2012

Middle-grade level
Cars on Mars: Roving the Red Planet by Alexandra Siy

Middle-grade level
You Are the First Kid on Mars
 by Patrick O’Brien
This picture book really stretches the definition of nonfiction, because it details an imaginary trip to Mars. The scientific details and photorealistic illustrations are what make it credible.

They all seem to have Mars red covers.

2. The Perseid Meteor Shower

Towards the middle of August will be an opportunity to view the annual Perseid meteor shower. Although it has already started, astronomers are predicting the nights of August 11, 12 and 13, 2012 will have the best viewing because that is when the brightness of the moon will interfere the least.

The Perseids are usually the easiest meteor shower to view because it is still warm out at night. No need for coats and heavy blankets.

Tips:
1. Try to find a place that is fully dark for best viewing. Porch and street lights can fade out the meteors, preventing sightings.
2. Remind your children there may be several minutes between sightings. In the wee hours of the morning it can be hard to be patient.
3. Blankets and lawn chairs that allow for viewing in a prone position help prevent neck strain.

Enjoy!

EarthSky has more viewing information

Tonight’s Sky has a longer video that reveals other stars and constellations to be on the look out for.

Two full moons in one month? Cool!

3. Hands-on Astronomy Activities

The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) website has two Astronomy lessons with hands on activities

The lessons are over multiple pages that sometimes don’t have obvious links between, so check the sidebars and under the title of each page for the links to the next page. Let me know if you have difficulty navigating and I’ll add all the links here.

Let us know if you have any other favorite Astronomy websites.

Bug of the Week: Palo Verde Beetle

August 1, 2012 / / 0 Comments

A friend dropped by the other day with a present. It was an unusual gift, but I thought it was pretty cool.

It was an adult palo verde borer beetle, Derobrachus hovorei, a little over three inches long.

Palo verde borer beetles are common in late June and July in the Southwest.

Although they look pretty fierce, they are really just big, clumsy dinosaurs (definitely the plant-eating kind). Adding to the fierce appearance is the “collar” of spines on the thorax.

Where do they come from? Like cicadas, the immatures spend a long time under the ground feeding on tree roots. In this case, the beetle larvae are creamy white and may be a few inches long. The larvae pupate in the soil and when the adults emerge, they dig out of the soil.

If you are interested in finding out more,

Thank you, Fran!

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