Category: Biology

Spanish lesson on plants: Learning photosynthesis

spanish lesson on plants

In this Spanish lesson on plants, you’ll learn how plants grow, how photosynthesis works, and how leaves change color. Plants are wonderful elements of nature to learn Spanish vocabulary.

The Spanish lesson on plants is categorized as: how do plants grow, photosynthesis (simple terms), and how do leaves change colors. Because plants, photosynthesis, and color change are important, they are included in this Spanish lesson on plants.

Continue reading Spanish lesson on plants: Learning photosynthesis

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Learning about spring flowers: List of wildflowers

For many parts of the world, snow and frost is slowly melting. And the water is seeping into the ground. Many of the seeds that were once asleep are now beginning to bloom. Many flowers are beginning to appear in different places.

Some particular flowers are amazingly the source of food for many insects and animals. But what’s more wonderful than to look at these beautiful flowers. They have vivid colors and sweet fragrances. They cover the landscape in some colorful display of reds, yellows, blues, and all the other colors of the rainbow.

These are just a few of the signs that spring has arrived in many parts of the world. Spring brings many seasonal changes: flowers start to bloom, grass becomes greener, birds, and butterflies are migrating back to their homes, and hibernation is beginning to come to an end for some animals.

Many of these changes are triggered by how the earth rotates. As the earth spins around the sun, it allows the seasons to change around the world. It also gives equinox or solstice points in a calendar year.

FlowersOne significant sign of spring is the sighting of wildflowers. There are many and countless types of flowers. The 25 most common sightings of wildflowers in spring are:

  • Apple blossom = flores de manzano de flores
  • Azaleas = azalea
  • Begonias = begonia
  • Blackthorn = espino de flores
  • Bloodroot = sanguinaria
  • Cherry blossom = flor del cerezo
  • Calla Lily = cala, lirio de agua, flor del jarro
  • Cosmos = cosmos
  • Daisies = margaritas
  • Dogwood tree = flores del árbol Cornejo florido
  • Gardenia = gardenia
  • Geranium = geranio
  • Gerberas = gerberas
  • Hyacinth = jacinto
  • Irises = iris
  • Jasmine = jazmín
  • Lilacs = lilas
  • Lily of the Valley = lirio de la flor del valle
  • Orchids = orquídeas
  • Pansies = pensamientos
  • Roses = rosas
  • Tulip = tulipanes
  • Tiger Lily – lirio de tigre
  • White Rock-Rose = flor de roca
  • Zinnia = zinnia

Wildflowers can grow in just about any type of soil or environment. But they grow best in rich nutrient soil. Besides needing water and sun, flowers need the proper nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium and minerals. Many of these elements occur naturally in soil. But commercial fertilizers already have the proper percentage of each mineral or element. But if you cannot travel to amazing places to see wildflowers, you can always plant these at home by using some potting soil.

Have you seen these beautiful flowers in your hometown? Has spring arrived in your area?

How to make a homemade pinecone birdfeeder

Red Cardinal birds like to eat the crunchy seeds. Finches like to nimble on those seeds. And Woodpeckers like to peck away at the nearest branches. But in winter, there are few or no food sources for some of these amazing birds. Many of them depend on the countless backyard feeders placed by humans. Or, they may not have enough food to eat or to share with their young.

As the winter progresses, the natural resources begin to disappear for some of these birds. So to encourage and promote bird feeding for North American birds, the National Bird-Feeding Society proclaimed in 1994, February as the National Bird-Feeding Month.

For the past decades, bird enthusiasts across the nation set different types of feeders for these birds. There’s more you can do. You can make a simple bird feeder from the natural resources already in your backyard. In this project, you can learn how to make a very easy and simple bird feeder from pinecones. And this project is simple and safe to make with the kids.

Pinecone bird-feeder hanging on tree

Materials: 

  • Pinecones
  • Yarn
  • Cornmeal
  • Creamy peanut butter
  • Birdseeds
  • Plastic spoons
  • Safety scissors

Warning: For peanut butter allergies use the alternative method.

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Instructions:

  • Place some newspaper over the working surface.
  • Inspect the pinecone for bugs and spiders. Invert the pinecone and gently shake any excess debris that might adhere to the crevices.
  • Place a couple of tablespoons of creamy peanut butter on a small bowl. Try to avoid crunchy peanut butter since it can pose a choking hazard.
  • Use plastic spoons to slowly insert the peanut butter within the crevices of the pinecone. Place about a cup of cornmeal in a small bowl. Roll the peanut butter pinecone in the cornmeal to ensure that the pieces adhere.
  • Alternative: For children with peanut butter allergies, use a paste of a cup of cornmeal with a 1-2 teaspoons of water.
  • Place some birdseed on a shallow paper plate or bowl. Roll the pinecone in the seeds. Or let the children use their fingers to insert the seeds throughout the crevices of the pinecone.
  • Cut about a 12-inch piece of yarn. Tie it around the top of the pinecone. Make another knot at the end of the yarn. You can do this step one at any time.
  • Repeat the process if necessary, depending on the number of children.
  • Select a proper place to hang the bird feeder in your backyard or school yard. An adult should do this step.

If you see any type of birds, can you name them?

Here’s a list of some common backyard birds that you might encounter: American Goldfinch, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker, Purple Finch, Northern Cardinal, House Finch, Blue Jay, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, or Chipping Sparrow.