ANOTHER GREAT DAY!

Today we hiked a prairie watershed at Prairie Forks Conservation Area.  On the prairie hike we learned about how tall the grasses can grow and how their roots are 3 times longer below ground!  We saw a few organisms, even a white tailed deer.  The highlight of the hike was a guest crayfish scientist who talked to us about the Grassland Crayfish.  It is a bit different and more specialized than the crayfish we have seen in the streams. We also had a chance to talk about man made ponds and the endangered black nose shiner which lives in only a few creeks in Missouri. After lunch, we played a macro invertebrate matching maze game and did our best at identifying pond organisms. Enjoy the pics below.

Tonight there is information about Civil War day coming home. This info will help kids prepare for this Friday. On Wednesday, I will send home info about the trip to Hannibal next week.  However, I just wanted to say we all finished our book shares on time to go and families have donated enough money to take the coach bus.  Way to go kids (and parents)!

PICS FROM PRAIRIE FORK CA:

After dipnetting in the pond, we shared our results from this healthy ecosystem.

Mr. Nies caught this bluegill with his rod.  The bluegill are nesting right now so we stayed out of their area by the bank. 

Catlin the crayfish scientist told us A LOT about crayfish.

The Grassland Crayfish we saw live underground by the water tables and make burrows!

Field Sparrows freshly hatched!