Showing results for "Amy" in Animals & Nature

Can you guess when trees stop growing–they don’t stop! Their massive roots keep them in the ground and require plenty of water, sunshine and nutrients from the soil to help them grow. Trees are the oldest, largest and tallest living things on Earth, with the oldest part of the tree being its strong, woody middle. Find out how a maple tree gets its start! How does a tree grow?

Cass loves all of the seasons—spring, summer, fall, and winter. Cass has a favorite hobby for each. Can you guess what they are?

Cam’s Aunt Deb is coming to visit! She takes him on a backyard exploration where he gets to learn about all sorts of different insects and animals. Did you know that katydids look like leaves to hide from predators, or that woodpeckers drum their beaks to attract a mate? Come along and learn some cool stuff about nature!

Do you know how new fruit is made? Learn about the different parts of a fruit plant’s flower—the stigma, pistil, and stamen—and how they use pollen to make seeds in a process called pollination! The seeds grow into new flowers, which turn into fruit after they’re pollinated!

People use different ways to stay warm in the snow, and animals have unique ways to stay warm, too! Learn how these animals keep their bodies warm in the winter weather. The muskox sheds its furry undercoat each spring and grows a new one every winter. A seal has an extra layer under its fur coat called blubber–this thick layer of fat lies under the seal’s skin and is a great way to hold heat!

What kind of insect protects itself with bright colors, warning insect eaters to stay way–a ladybug! Learn about insects and animals that live together in a garden. Interacting together, these living organisms have a lot in common! Some can help a garden grow strong and others can cause a lot of trouble. Raccoons like to eat the seeds and berries while spiders help by eating the pesky insects.

Birds are easier to hear than they are to see. If you want to encourage more birds to visit your backyard–learn how to build a bird feeder and a bird's nest! What types of birds will you find? Learn two simple ways to help birds live and to observe them in your own backyard!

Got a pair of old tights, an empty can or a plastic bottle that you plan to throw away? You can upcycle those old things and turn them into new items you can use! Upcycling is recycling in a better way! Learn how to make a decorative pencil holder, a draft dodger to keep the cold out, or turn plastic bottles into bowling pins. What things can you create to reduce the use of plastic and metal?

What makes fish great swimmers–and how do they breathe underwater? Different animals use their body in different ways to take in air, food, and water. Learn how fish use gills to take in oxygen from water, much like humans use lungs to breathe in oxygen from the air. Whales, dolphins and sea turtles come up for breath–are they fish? In ocean life, guess which fish have gills and which are not fish!

The wind moves air. The heat from the sun warms the earth’s surface, warming the air above it. Warm air is lighter than cold air, so the warm air floats up to the sky! Why are some places windier than others? Learn what happens on a sandy beach when the air over the beach rises. Does the air become hot? Can you see hot air? Try the hot air experiment to find out how to see hot air rise!

Animals have unique skills to live, find food or escape becoming a predator’s meal! Animals that live in snowy places have athletic skills like strength need to compete in Winter Olympics sports. The snow leopard can leap 30 feet high and run fast! Seals can glide across the ice on their bellies like athletes competing in tobogganing. What skills do prairie chickens and red-crowned cranes have?

The Elly award goes to the animal with the best nose! Learn about different animals’ noses and how their noses help them to survive in different ways.

Did you know a flounder, a type of fish, develops from an egg to a full-grown adult in 2 years? Take a journey through deep waters to see how flounder change and grow to be as much as one foot long.

Dogs are amazing creatures with amazing bodies! Discover how fur protects their delicate skin, and which body parts gives them balance. Did you know dogs can wiggle their ears in many directions? Learn more facts about dogs and how their unique anatomy is different from other animals.

Reusing your trash to make toys can be lots of fun–and decrease pollution and waste! Things we use around the house get old and we throw them away. What if you use them to make toys or gadgets that make life better? Experts think reusing things may be better than recycling! Learn how to make a piggy bank from a plastic can or a train with egg cartons. What things can you create by reusing?

Animals have different-looking ears, yet, help them to hear! Some animals have large floppy ears like the bunny, who points each ear in different directions–hearing two sounds at once! The harbor seal that has no ears, yet hears through holes that close when it dives! Whether floppy or unnoticed–these animals have ears perfect for hearing!

Do you think you are a good climber? You probably can't beat a mountain goat! Known as Kings of the Mountain, they can climb the steepest of mountains, even as babies! Learn the special anatomical features of their bodies that allows goats to seemingly climb straight up mountains and even jump nearly 12 feet in the air. Do you think you can go toe-to-toe with the goats?

Some animals have skin that will shock you! Well, they may not actually shock you but the skin has unique abilities that might surprise you. Learn how certain animals are able to change their appearance by changing skin color or texture, how others can make you sick with their poison, or animals whose skins peel off. Just imagine what it would be like to live in these skins!

Learn what bird has the ability to sleep while flying through the sky–the albatross! With a wingspan of 10 feet, this sea bird glides over the warm Southern waters looking for squid and fish to eat! They spend most of their time flying except when eating or feeding babies. Parent duty is shared by these loyal birds who stay with their mate for life. Guess where the albatross flies to lay its egg?

Imagine if the sunlight could not reach where you lived–the weather would be cold and slippery! The sun does not shine directly on the Arctic and Antarctica, causing the surrounding waters to freeze solid. The earth is tilted as it rotates around the sun, preventing the polar regions from getting enough sunlight. Can you guess how long it takes the earth to orbit the sun?