Tiny Science

Moss is such an awesome player in the PNW. Thriving in window panes and rock voids in concrete, niches that the region has in spades. All supplied regularly with water.
Moss moss moss.
Moss moss moss.
You snuggle with water.

I brought four mantises to work today, a place that’s not really used to mantises. So far so good, all have been adopted for the day:)
Nerd On

This stinker*

*brown marmorated stinkbug brown marmorated stinkbug brown marmorated stinkbug

Mantis search, it’s a toughy.

Shooey, was she ever a contributor, inspiration, leader. An extraordinary life lived by Jane Goodall.

Jane Goodall, Revered Chimpanzee Expert and Conservationist, Dies at 91 Her discoveries as a primatologist in the 1960s about how chimpanzees behave in the wild broke new ground and were hailed as “one of the Western world’s great scientific achievements.”

First grade today, my second visit to this class.
I forgot my phone to take pictures but was given this top secret note.
I may have held back tears.
Love you.

Today in Kindergarten, I introduced the four groups of arthropods. Do you know them?
One thing I’ve learned about successful teaching is trying to reach as many *neurons* as possible. This includes singing and laughing a lot, but most importantly I try to integrate their own imaginations. Arthropods can be pretty bizarre, definitely inspiring. So I start them off with some unicorn horns and capes, but I drop little prompts to help them break out into their own ideas. And shooey, does it ever pay off!

Today, Sonia came up with the first ever PIZZA CAPE, which absolutely blows my mind. Oh the places we can go from here!! A PIZZA CAPE??! Sign me up.
I also saw a myriapod (eg millipede or centipede) with more legs than ever, even on its back so it can “walk on the ceiling”. This is how engineering advances, with open-minded ideas like this.
And Wren made such a great tutu for her unicorn beetle, I had to take a picture.

Insects and arthropods are the perfect study subject for early science outreach. They are weirder than our imaginations and still have room for more!
And the four groups of arthropods? They are: insects, arachnids (now called chelicerates, includes spiders and scorpions, ticks and mites), crustaceans (famously tasty), and myriapods (“too many legs to count” in Latin:). And insects, of course, the only group with wings. Trilobites were arthropods too! Extinct now, honorable mention.
What a wonderful experience, teaching big thinkers. They bigger my mind.
Love you

I was so lucky to be invited to a very buggy birthday party today 🥳
The birthday boy really knows entomology and has great field skills; finding and handling all kinds. Such a treat to hang out with.
One of my mantises made an appearance.
Love you

I’m back at it, teaching K & 1 weekly science classes at Tilden School (West Seattle)
For our first meeting, we focused on the three insect body parts: Head, Thorax, Abdomen! If you know my classes, you just heard me sing that, lol.
A *huge* part of my teaching revolves around creating an exceptionally enjoyable learning environment. It’s been the singular focus of my life, my magnum opus: “The role of the environment in an individual’s behavioral development” (see my research on training flies).
So I sing and tell great stories about insects but that’s all the Trojan horse. Most importantly: I take my learners completely seriously, listening with fervor and expressing my authentic joy at their ideas. I was *so lucky* as a graduate student to be treated that way by my great advisor, Dave. It sure grows our confidence to be genuinely heard, and confidence is a foundation for kindness, cooperation, and big thinking. All things I want in my community and culture.

So for our first lab sesh, these sweet kids made three custom body parts (scissors and paper, yo) to create their own insect. I encourage imagination, personal style, and fully diving into your idea. Shooey, what a wonderful menagerie, and do I ever get to hear fantastic ideas, wowow. There was an ice cube bug, a whole Minecraft scene, a fantastic mantis, and a fire-breathing long-antennaed ladybug. I wish I could include the beautiful faces of these learners, so focused and proud. It is a real gift to experience such joyful intellect.
Stay tuned.
Love you.

It’s been a bust year for my mantises but a few adolescent surprisers popped up in the last week😍
Thank you Mama❤️
They’re just so cool.
Love you

Mr. Blockhead showing off his mouth volume, lol. Shooey
Mama says wowow