Miss Tilmon’s Teacher Page

Updated 5/4/12

Ornithology:  We have been studying birds who feed on plants and/or animals, and how and why birds communicate.  We have gone bird watching in the school’s nature center and used a “birdPod” with portable speakers to call in birds to get a better look at them.  Students have been given pictures of and recordings of the songs of various birds so that they can review which song is made by which bird in preparation for a quiz.  The eastern towhee (above) sounds as though he is saying, “drink your teeeaa.”

Environmental Science:  We are now studying ecological succession and balance in ecosystems.  Students also did a very fine job of dissecting owl pellets recently.  They found evidence of a food chain in the form of seed casings which were probably consumed by the rodent which was consumed by the owl.

Life Science:  We are studying the basic types of plants: mosses, ferns, cone-bearing plants, and fruit-bearing plants.  Recently, while in the nature center collecting moss for an experiment, we encountered several young garter snakes (see below), one of which was well camouflaged among the branches of a small tree.  This was very exciting! 

          We are also mummifying a chicken as part of the cross-curricular unit on Ancient Egypt spear-headed by Mr. Hull.  We will soon be wrapping the chicken pharaoh in bandages in preparation for burial.

Biology:  We are now studying cell structure and function.

Physical Science:  We are currently studying why atoms go through chemical reactions with each other to form molecules and how to interpret an element’s position in the periodic table.  We have done some labs to demonstrate some of the side effects of chemical reactions, such as fire of different colors produced by the burning of different salts.

Classic Film:  Just before the break, we watched “Dracula”, from 1931 and starring Bela Lugosi.  We discussed what distinguishes a suspense film, such as Hitchcock’s “Rear Window”, from a horror film, but also the notion that there can be elements of both genres in one movie.  This week, we will introduce musicals with “Top Hat” (1935), starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.  We will also be watching “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952), starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O’Connor, as well as clips from various other musicals.