Life cycles and taxonomy

The Well Trained Mind does not advocate a lot of true science exploration for the younger set, and that is (one of the places) where our paths diverge. I love kitchen science, and back yard science, and even the fantastical science that accompanies the study of dragons.

Here is what science looks like at our house right now.

Taxonomy. BFSU suggested that we study "what defines a species" next, but since we'd just talked about the Kingdoms I figured we'd fill in the rest of the taxonomic classifications while we were at it. It surprised me, although it shouldn't have, that from all the talks we've had on all our hikes as already well aware of many of the terms of classification, like vertebrate, mammal, arthropod, etc., and many of their defining differences as well.

Life cycles. That was the next thing that BFSU suggested looking into, and we like combining studies, especially since life cycles are so unique and often tied to classification.

Observation. Looking at things is fun. We love to go hiking and just sit and watch. Wait long enough and youl'll see some amazing things. And we've been magnifying things for years now with a hand magnifying glass, but he received a microscope for Christmas so we've been trying our hands at that, too. It really adds a new understanding to the concepts of natural symmetry and fine detail, two of his favorite words these days.

And the zoo. Because we don't need a really good excuse to head to our zoo, any excuse will do. This week it was about species classification, and about life cycles.

Different every time

Another heat wave has hit the area. We are under an excessive heat warning that will last until at least tomorrow night, and we have turned our air on for the second time since we've been in this house. Thankfully it's working well.

Mainly we've been beating the heat by being inside. Calvin is taking a jump start swimming program at his swim school, so he has lessons every day this week, bright and early. At home today we did a lot of reading, resting, and drinking of fluids, and also did a stint running through the sprinkler, just to be outside for even a few minutes. It was 99 degrees.

Yesterday, when the high was only 92, before the heat descended, we headed back to the zoo to make sure Jon got to see the zoo babies before they got too big and lazy. The otters obliged, but the bears were between romping times when we were in that area of the zoo, and were still wisely napping in the shade the second time we tried. We did see the baby camel, though, and the baby chimp, and a polar bear blowing bubbles, an anteater trying to nap while his brother harassed him, and a baby robin taking a bath in the mister. And the carousel was back up and running. You see, the zoo is different every time. I will say, though, that my favorite time at the zoo is either spring or fall, when the temperatures are cooler and the animals more obliging.

Otter pups again

A bearded something, or a black beaded lizard, or possibly one of each

pig-nosed turtle

watching for alligators who were too smart and stayed under water where it was cool

polar bear blowing bubbles

Riding a Humboldt penguin

nudge, nudge, he's bored

Taking a bath. Some of the sweetest sights are not on the zoo map.

Zoo babies (and more)

Speaking of flexible summer days, today we dropped everything and headed over meet the new river otter pups just introduced on exhibit. Actually, our zoo has several babies this year, including a camel calf we did not get to see, and river otter pups and grizzly bear cubs, all of which were very entertaining while we were there. We had a chance to see the otter pups nursing, swimming playfully, and even tumbling down the slide in a head-over-tails ball of baby otters. We also watched them them follow and perfectly mimic their mother's every move in what could only have been a river otter's version of home (zoo) schooling. The lesson included swimming, looking for food, and waste elimination, and it looked quite a bit like follow the leader. One of them must have stepped out of line, though, because we actually saw his mother drag him by the scruff, under water, across the entire exhibit, then haul him out of the water onto the shore (he's as big as she is, mind you), and sit on him. We didn't see what got him into that trouble, but I think he's not likely to do it again.

The grizzly cubs were equally as precious. The three brothers were brought to the zoo late last year after their mother was killed by a poacher (story here), and they are immensely fun to watch. While we were there they swam, chased each other, and tumbled over and over a log that was in their pool. It was as though they were daring each other to be increasingly brave. There were other animals that we greatly enjoyed this trip, too, like the giraffe drinking from a spigot, the ostrich eyeing us warily from the shade, the penguins (of course), the polar bear who was just a glass width away, and some hoppity kangaroos. We ate lunch in the shade of a powerless carousel (the power still out in parts of the zoo from last week's storms), and even happened to spy some non-resident birds: black-capped night herons (adult and juveniles), and a red bellied woodpecker. Wildlife at the zoo, just imagine that.

We have gotten pretty good at spotting interesting wildlife, actually. I am a naturalist at heart, much of my college learning being focused on animals, their behavior, evolution, adaptations, and habitats, and Calvin has long taken part in seeking, finding, and quietly observing nature with me. Recently we have started to talk more in depth about what differentiates various types of life, like plants from animals, or mammals from amphibians, reptiles, or birds. A few weeks ago, partly following suggestions in BFSU, we talked at length about energy as the driving force behind life and about speciation, which really added to our enjoyment of all critter sightings while we were hiking on vacation, and the same can be said about today's sightings, both wild and not-so-wild (and one green heron sighting back in our own yard). Which means, I guess, that this only seemed like just another trip to the zoo, and that, in fact, brings me back around to what I was saying yesterday about learning and life fitting quite nicely together, quod erat demonstrandum.

Or, put more simply, we had a great time at the zoo today.

Baby river otters!

Little bumbles

Black-capped night heron being sneaky in the vulture enclosure

Black-capped night heron juveniles being sneaky (and avoiding their parents) in the ostrich and kudu enclosure

Animal watching...

People watching...

Grizzly cubs (including the little guy above)

Young polar bear

Adult polar bear

Sadly, a powerless carousel
American bison

Peacock

Little boy on an elephant sculpture

Red bellied woodpecker (from very, very far away, and very, very cropped in, but he's there)

Green heron flying over our yard at home

A birthday for the zoo, and Oma, too

Oh my goodness, the weather over the weekend was glorious to say the least. I love a pretty summer days, but they're nothing compared to a pretty day in fall. Saturday was all outside and we did the same yesterday, too, starting with the zoo first thing in the morning because they were celebrating their 100th birthday with treats for the animals and crafts for the kids. The animals are so much happier in the cooler weather.

We were outside in the afternoon, too, shuffling through leaves, and I fit in a long outdoor run, perhaps the last for he season, before Jon's parents came over to celebrate their birthdays with a walk at our favorite metro park and pizza. We went to sleep to the sounds of a thunderstorm.

Today we weren't quite so lucky, "stuck" inside sorting books and working on that Halloween costume while the winds raged around us, but inside days are fun, too, with books, and chores, and cuddling, and we did a lot of all of that. Calvin's dino diorama is coming along nicely, and Halloween is starting to pop up all over the house, as with the five pumpkins on the porch, and the spooky books he's suddenly reading. Whatever plans I'd had to study American and U.S. history before Thanksgiving have definitely come and gone, but I don't think any of us could be happier with the new plans, or lack thereof, that have taken their place.

Home again Monday

We arrived back at home tonight after spending a long weekend with my family in Chicago. We were there courtesy of my parents, who gathered us all to celebrate their 40th anniversary, and of my brother and his girlfriend, who live there and are always kind enough to open their home to us and show us a great time in their big city.

I never find the time to post while we are there because without fail our time is packed with fun activities, good company, and delicious food. This weekend, it was a matter of grilling on the rooftop while an orange evening sun lit up our city view, of sipping wine at a sidewalk wine bar, of Italian, and sushi, and when we weren't eating we were at the Brookfield Zoo or the Field Museum, and today we even made sure Calvin had his chance to ride the El before we headed for home.

We spent Saturday at the Brookfield Zoo, which is a beautiful zoo in the suburbs. Lots of room to move, for both animals and observers, and a few more exotic species that i have seen only rarely in the zoo setting, like Mexican Gray Wolves, and the Okapi, which happens to be one of my favorite animals, thus it gave me great joy to be able to share him with my son and my family. Sloth bears are pretty cool, too, and they had unique and enjoyable desert and rainforest buildings with even more animals I haven't seen since I studied their skins and skeletons back in my college days (and they are oh so much more fun alive). We ate bison burgers outside the bison enclosure, and Calvin played with a seal through the glass of her underwater exhibit. We spent hours there under a warm sun and blue sky and came home deliciously exhausted.

Slide Show—hover over the sides of the photo to reveal slide show controls, then click through to see the pictures from the Brookfield Zoo. Vertical pictures don't render properly yet (this is a new feature from Squarespace), so click here if you want to see the photos in the Chicago 2011 gallery.

Sunday we spent at the Field Museum. The hours we spent there are another example of how much Calvin has grown. The last time we were here he was not quite two yet; he sat in a stroller for what ended up being a disappointingly brief dash through the museum while we balanced our own interest with his toddler sized patience. This time around he walked the museum for almost six hours, and while his attention wasn't rapt for the entire time, he had enough pre-seeded information to give him at least some interest in every exhibit, from the taxidermy section, to the walk of Evolution, to Ancient Egypt, and finally to the Native Americas. To do it right, of course, we would have to spend several days there, visiting just one exhibit per day, and preferably over time. I guess that means we will have to visit each time we start to explore and study any of the subjects for which they have a permanent exhibit.

Slide Show—hover over the edges of the photo to reveal slide show controls, then click through to see the pictures from the Field Museum. Vertical pictures don't render properly yet (this is a new feature), so click here if you want to see the photos in the Chicago 2011 gallery.

And our quieter moments were good, too; Oregon Trail on the iPad, grilling on the roof in delightful weather, celebrating 40 years and the family they created with toasts and dinner.

Wine before dinner, celebrating 40 years and the family they created

Sushi on Sunday, learning to use the chopsticks

coloring with Uncle curtis

Riding the El...in the front car nonetheless

And now we're home and attempting to get back into the swing of things. If we're lucky we'll actually get there some day, or maybe the point is avoid that kind of mundane existence after all.