Create a blog entry entitled, "Arbor Day Tree Census."

Do the following activities outside today:

• Take pictures of the tree you are working on and of you guys doing your work.
• Use string and a marker to measure your tree diameter (DBH).
• Record your information in your Notes Spiral and be ready to write about it in a blog entry.

Since there are no leaves yet, we won't be able to identify the trees just yet.

Figure out partners by pulling sticks.

Watch the video below to learn how to measure trees for our census.

On another date, identify our tree types:
http://www.arborday.org/trees/whattree/whatTree.cfm?ItemID=E6A
http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr-ap/leaf/Pages/TreeKey/treeToIdentify.aspx?feature=broadLeaves

Reflection:

1. What was the circumference at brain height (CBH) of each tree that you measured?
2. Convert each circumference to diameter, by dividing by 3.14 (pi). Here is why that works.
   
3. Based on your diameter at brain height (DBH) data, do you think the tree you measured was old and well-established, or young and newly planted? Why do you think that?
   
4. What is the distance of your tree to the nearest man-made structure? How could that impact the growth of the tree?
5. What other observations did you make?
6. What species of trees did you find at Westgate?
   

If you finish early, watch the following video (which is very tough to understand, but so cool!).

Read about the Emerald Ash Borer beetle that is causing Arlington Heights and Mount Prospect to cut down so many of its beautiful trees!

Go to this website and add Post-It Notes with advice for students starting Passion Time on them.  Make sure that each Post-It Note only contains one bit of advice.  Read everyone else's Post-It Notes so we don't have any repeats.  Make sure that you are appropriate and your tone is pleasant!

We will be talking with them next week via Google Hangouts!

Go to: http://gregtangmath.com/Kakooma/Kakooma?game
Make sure it is set to "Multiplication."

Learn how to play, then play for the remainder of the period.  If you are in my homeroom, take a screen shot of your highest score for each level and put them onto a blog entry entitled, "Kakooma."  (See below.)

If you have extra time, try the "Fractions" version here: http://gregtangmath.com/Kakooma/Kakooma?game

The following students took time to watch our videos and read our KWHLAQ charts and reflections.  Please take the time to look over their projects and write compliments to them.  Since I have not had a chance to review them first, please do not spend any time on any that are inappropriate - thanks!  Here are their links:

• http://hillcrestdiv1.weebly.com/genius-hour.html 
  
• http://hillcrestdiv1.weebly.com/32/previous/2.html 
  
• http://hillcrestdiv1.weebly.com/32/previous/3.html 
• http://memmasbookreviews.weebly.com/realistic-fiction.html
  

We are creating 60-second book talks for the Augmented Reality World Book Talk Project!!!  Please follow these steps whenever you finish a Literature Circle book this year (other books are welcome as well).

1. Write down what you plan to say to convince others to read your book.
2. Follow all of the steps in the picture below.
3. Upload your video to YouTube.
4. Sign in to Google.
5. Reload this page.
   
6. Give me the link to your video on YouTube using the Google Form at the bottom of this post.
   

Please remind Mr. Solarz to take pictures of the books each Literature Circles round!

A tree's leaves are in trouble when winter comes because they might freeze from the cold. In order to survive, all kinds of trees either have to somehow protect their leaves or get rid of them.  Evergreen trees—your pines, spruces, firs, etc.— went the protection route. Their leaves, or needles, are covered in a waxy coating to resist freezing, allowing them to live for years or even decades before falling off and being replaced. The leaves of deciduous trees (like a maple, an oak, a birch, or a poplar), on the other hand, are dropped once winter is on its way. Chemistry is the reason why we have such beautiful colors of leaves in the fall! 

(1) Read the article on "Mental Floss" to discover exactly how it all happens:
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/34223#ixzz29DmqDxWZ

(2) Write a comment that explains your best understanding of why leaves change color in the fall.  Why do they turn different colors?  What is it that makes each color?  Put it into your own words.  This practices summarizing.  :)

(3) Go outside and find five leaves, one of each color: (green, yellow, orange, red, and brown).  Take a picture of all five leaves and post it on your blog with an explanation of why leaves change colors in the fall.  (You can use what you posted in Step 2 above if you want.)  Be as specific as you'd like, but don't plagiarize anything!!!  Put it into your own words by summarizing!

See a much better-looking version here: https://smore.com/8w06