October+Discoveries+TNB

October 27,2014

In the book I just finished reading it talked about sponges and how people go fishing for them. So this weeks science discovery is on sponges. You know the saying looks can be deceiving well a sponge looks like a plant but it is actually an animal. Sponges insert or stick themselves in a solid place, which is where they live for the rest of there life. Sponges are like moss, they can cove the surface of a rock like moss does to a tree.Sponges can be all different shapes and sizes, some can get to be as large as humans others are even larger than that. Although sponges are classified as animals they have no brain or nervous system.

Pictures From: http://lovestthoume.com/Preparation/AnObjectLesson.html http://true-wildlife.blogspot.com/2011/03/sponge.html http://pixgood.com/live-sea-sponge.html

October 10, 2014



As the weather gets colder and the leaves fall off the trees I remember back to third grade when we learned about how Monarch butterflies migrate to Mexico during the harsh winter. So this weeks science discovery is on monarch butterflies and their migration patterns. As pretty as these insects are the monarchs colorful markings are there to warn predators that they are a foul tasting and poisonous. They eat milkweed in the larva stage but as they develop and grow they prefer the nectar of flowers. As most of us know the monarch butterfly migrates to Mexico to escape the cold weather. They can not survive the cold weather conditions in the United States so they fly south and west closer to the equator into warmer areas.

Pictures From: http://www.learner.org/jnorth/sm/aboutmbsf.html and http://www.monarch-butterfly.com/

October 14, 2014



While talking about green energy this weekend I remembered back to when we were driving down the road and I saw the gigantic windmills spinning on the hillsides. So this weeks science discovery is on windmills and how they work. I learned that most wind turbines, or windmills have rotor blades that are attached to an axle that runs into a box on the back of the windmill. In that box there is a gearbox, a generator, and a shaft. The fast spinning shaft turns inside the generator, producing electricity. There must be just the right amount of electricity being produced in order to be compatible with the utility grid. Three bladed windmills laying down are almost as big as a football field. On very windy days different windmills do different things. Some shut down, others release flaps to slow down the blades.

Picture From: http://www.energyrant.com/generate-wind-power-home/

October 7, 2014

My science discovery for this week is on pot belly pigs. Pot belly pigs are sensitive to the sun because they do not have a lot of hair on their bodies. Pot belly pigs are a sub species of the wild boar and your everyday farm yard pig. Although they're a sub species of the average pig they have a longer snout, they have straighter ears and their tails aren't as curly as regular ones. As cute as these pigs are they cant be held or cuddled.

Picture from: http://www.teacuppig.net/