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Learning about Amphibians & Aquatic Insects

BRDC has been busy with education programs, working with Galax Middle School, Fries School, Fairview Elementary, Grayson Highlands, Independence Elementary.

Grayson County's fourth grade students participated in the Natural Heritage Program with an emphasis on salamanders, toads, and frogs. Students learned about salamanders commonly found in the Blue Ridge.

BRDC has been busy with education programs, working with Galax Middle School, Fries School, Fairview Elementary, Grayson Highlands, Independence Elementary.

Grayson County's fourth grade students participated in the Natural Heritage Program with an emphasis on salamanders, toads, and frogs. Students learned about salamanders commonly found in the Blue Ridge.  Using field guides, they researched different species of salamander and presented their discoveries to the class.  The Eastern hellbender was a favorite among the students, as they were shocked by its prehistoric features. Students enjoyed watching a video about the life history of hellbenders provided by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Fifth grade students in Grayson County schools learned about frogs and toads. Students illustrated the life cycle of amphibians, learned the difference between frogs and toads, and listened to the calls of some of Virginia's common species. Many students had heard the calls before, but often didn't know what animal made the calls. The Virginia Herpetological Society's website is a great resource for determining different frog and toad calls: https://goo.gl/v84gqS.

After learning the calls of the American bullfrog, spring peeper, and American toad, students played a Frog and Toad matching game. Using a Peterson Guidebook to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, students matched the species name, picture, and description together. 

Galax Middle School After School program has been learning all about aquatic species. BRDC brought aquatic insects from a local stream to the classroom where students got a first-hand look at the life found in our creeks. Students learned about the life cycle of the insects, and enjoyed fly tying with Executive Director Aaron Floyd. 

In-school programming keeps BRDC's staff busy, but it is great to work with such a variety grade levels and see the enjoyment and wonder on the children's faces. To stay connected with BRDC follow us on Instagram @blueridgediscoverycenter.

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BRDC Partners with Grayson County Schools

We are pleased to announce our partnership with Grayson County Public Schools to connect local youth to the Blue Ridge through hands-on programs with students, providing grade specific SOL’s and STEM learning concepts.  The $10,000 award from Grayson County Schools for the 2016-17 school year, supported by matching funds and volunteer support from BRDC, will reach students across the school system and enrich the public school experience through hands-on and interest-driven activities.  

We are pleased to announce our partnership with Grayson County Public Schools to connect local youth to the Blue Ridge through hands-on programs with students, providing grade specific SOL’s and STEM learning concepts.  The $10,000 award from Grayson County Schools for the 2016-17 school year, supported by matching funds and volunteer support from BRDC, will reach students across the school system and enrich the public school experience through hands-on and interest-driven activities.  

BRDC will engage students at several grade levels, utilizing proven programs that teach critical thinking skills through independent learning opportunities, and integrate field trips that introduce our youth to the amazing resources in their backyards. These programs will provide creative and fun opportunities for students to engage their surroundings, look closer, question, and share their findings with others while exploring the wonders in their backyards, parks, forests, fields, rivers and mountains.

BRDC will offer a variety of programs including a reading program for Kindergarden-2nd grade that will encourage student’s curiosity and builds relationships with the natural world, while enhancing listening and reading comprehension skills.  Focusing on nature discovery using nonfiction, imaginative tales and hands on activities, the program will bring the treasures of the Blue Ridge to life in the classroom and excite the students’ minds.

4th grade students will participate in The Natural Heritage Program, exploring all aspects of the natural history of the Blue Ridge mountains. Through classroom sessions and field trips, students will study plants and animals in their environment.  Through observation and discovery, they will deepen their connection to the region we call home. 

Avian Adventures, a citizen science project for 7th graders, will increase awareness of the rich, diverse avifauna of the Blue Ridge region.  The program will provide an in-depth study on all aspects of bird life and the potential life-long hobby of birding, and inspire students to become more familiar with the creatures in their own backyards and beyond.

High school students will integrate science and art with a detailed, species specific, illustration study called Blue Ridge Illustrated.  Students will explore an area and through observation, specimen sampling, and field sketching, collecting information on the flora or fauna of the area.  The students will investigate the life history of the specimens through detailed drawings, literature, and observation.  The result is deep engagement with the subject and pride in the end piece of artwork.

Other programs include Trout in the Classroom, an interdisciplinary program for 7th grade combining science, social studies, and math, where students raise trout from eggs to fingerlings for release in the spring; The National Fishing in the Schools Program teaches 9th graders life sciences by investigating water quality and introducing students to the hobby of fly fishing; a Bio-survey for High School Biology or Ecology, where students learn how to conduct a scientific research project from hypothesis, through protocol and implementation, to publication; and an annual Science Fair.  

All of these programs explore the rich diversity of the Blue Ridge and help students appreciate these resources, developing critical thinking skills, and inspire deeper engagement in the natural world.

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Mt. Rogers Naturalist Rally Biological Survey

As part of the Mt. Rogers Naturalist Rally this spring, participants joined BRDC guide Devin Floyd for a biological survey of the rich forest at Grindstone Campground.  

 

As part of the Mt. Rogers Naturalist Rally this spring, participants joined BRDC guide Devin Floyd for a biological survey of the rich forest at Grindstone Campground.  They explored all the living detail of a unique Appalachian ecosystem type.

View the Field Notes

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Students conduct first survey of Deer Exclosure Plot

For our first research day, 9/9/15, the students focused on describing the forest floor and canopy densities, comparing percentages of herbaceous and rocky or barren coverage, taking a census of all the trees within an approximately 80 foot radius of the deer exclosure including diameter, height and species of each tree.

Over the course of the last seven years the Matthews State Forest performed proscribed burns to eliminate the white pine understory on this portion of their land holdings. Within that time frame, a forest road was cut through the area. A sixty year old stand of (mostly) white pine sits on the south-west side of the road, and on the north-east side sits a mixed hardwood forest of approximately 80 years maturity. Further management was brought about by thinning some of the hardwoods, opening up the canopy (called shelterwood), with the goal in mind of allowing oak seedlings an opportunity to emerge. All of this occurs on a moderate slope with a north-east aspect, and was not seeded by human hand.

In the thinned hardwood stand, (at latitude 36 degrees, 37’ 39.80”N and longitude 80 degrees, 57’ 17.50”W), a deer exclosure was erected one year ago to study the effect of deer browse on woody growth and its impact on forest regeneration in respects to timber management.
Under Blue Ridge Discovery Center’s direction, a group of Carroll County High School students from Alan Webb’s forestry class (within the AG department) has been recruited to study both the deer plot and adjacent grounds as control plots. Zach Olinger, forester with the MSF, has agreed to play a significant role as this research team collects data from both inside and outside the exclosure.

For our first research day, 9/9/15, the students focused on describing the forest floor and canopy densities, comparing percentages of herbaceous and rocky or barren coverage, taking a census of all the trees within an approximately 80 foot radius of the deer exclosure including diameter, height and species of each tree.

The class of 13 students was broken down into four separate teams. We also had, besides Alan and Zach, Rachelle Rasco, STEM lab teacher from CCHS, Dr. Bill Dunson, retired biology professor, Ayla Wilk, intern from VTech, and Evan Worrell and Scott Jackson-Ricketts from BRDC. The adults split up to assist the four teams with careful plant inventories both within and without the exclosure. Careful notations were taken including the numbers of each species identified within established grids.

During the afternoon session, Zach shared a brief history of the state forest along with descriptions of forest management principles and land use. Evidence of deer browse was noted, along with discussions of wildlife management versus forest management, two distinct approaches led by two distinct state agencies: Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and Virginia Department of Forestry.

This research program is designed to take place throughout the 2015/2016 school year, with a minimum of four field trip examinations of changes within and without the deer exclosure. Along with the field trips, self-guided learning will take place in the classroom through various media oriented research outlets such as the Internet. The students are to form hypotheses relative to the deer study and submit their conclusions in a professional format at year’s end.  

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Bio Survey, Matthew's State Forest, March 30th, 2015

At long last, the Southwest Virginia Home Educators returned for another fun-filled day of exploration and discovery at the Matthews State Forest. Twelve children of a wide age range and four moms joined Evan Worrell and me (Scott Jackson-Ricketts), BRDC guides, for a five hour plot investigation. We dedicated the morning to bird identification realizing quite a data set once the sun came out.

At long last, the Southwest Virginia Home Educators returned for another fun-filled day of exploration and discovery at the Matthews State Forest.  Twelve children of a wide age range and four moms joined Evan Worrell and me (Scott Jackson-Ricketts), BRDC guides, for a five hour plot investigation. We dedicated the morning to bird identification realizing quite a data set once the sun came out. Among the species we were able to list were:

  • Wood ducks (only Scott saw those)

  • Red-winged blackbird

  • American crow

  • Blue jay

  • Common raven

  • European starling

  • Eastern meadowlark

  • Brown thrasher

  • Winter wren

  • Song sparrow

  • Northern mockingbird

  • Northern cardinal

  • Tree swallow

  • American robin

  • Eastern bluebird

  • Black vulture

  • Field sparrow

  • Mourning dove

  • Eastern phoebe

BRDC provided binoculars and field guides to give our young students a chance to ID birds on their own.  I set up the spotting scope to offer everyone a chance to see some of the more cooperative birds close up, such as the meadowlark and thrasher.  Spring bird song filled the air, which gave us another opportunity to learn how to identify the different birds.
After lunch we switched gears and focused on pond life.  Two boys fished in the tradition of catch and release, coming up with two large-mouthed bass.  One team worked the spring head while team #2 spent their time at the muddy drainage end of the pond.  We worked diligently on identifying what critters and plants we could, mostly through microscopes.

There was an obvious abundance of caddis-fly larvae, which utterly captured the kids’ fascination.  Watching under the microscopes, each student studied the ‘tube-worms’ and their amazing self-fashioned housing or tubes. Caddis-flies use whatever materials are at hand, so in a pond, their tubes are constructed of plant material, rather than the pebbles one finds in a stream.  At the spring head, where there was an abundance of duck weed, each caddis had decorated their homes with this material, in effect camouflaging themselves quite properly.  At the muddy end, there was no duck weed, so these caddis’ homes were built of mud and small sticks, and were brown as the mud.  

Other water dwelling discoveries included damselfly larvae, giant waterbugs (one snacking on a caddisfly), orb snails, bull frog tadpoles, a predacious diving beetle, water striders, a wolf spider and water fleas.  All of these small animals were identified using various charts and field guides, with the older kids reading out loud some of their life histories.  
Towards the end of our survey, Evan took a few kids and moms on a tree identification walk.  Judge Matthews, who gifted this land to the state forest, was particularly interested in trees.  We were investigating behind what was once his farm house.  On two sides there is an apple orchard with a vast diversity of varieties, many with labels.  An abiding interest of his was the American chestnut, to which a significant part of this state forest is dedicated, eventually returning the chestnut to our Eastern forests through a series of back-crossing with the Chinese chestnut.  We will go into that in more detail later.  So it comes as no surprise to anyone that there is a diversity of trees around the old farm house…including buckeye.

Winding up our day’s work, it was agreed by the moms and our guides that these kids need as much of this type of learning experience as time will allow.  To that end, we agreed to continue with a marsh study in two weeks, and continue on through the spring and summer.  

Good science, good fun, and feeding curiosity remain on tap.

Scott Jackson-Ricketts

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Brilliant Yellow!

The children and I were riding home in the car the other day and there, on the side of the road, was the most brilliant color of yellow I have seen in a long time. I just had to stop and take a picture of it. The closer I got I was able to discover that it was a cluster of mushrooms. Now I had never seen this mushroom before and the people in the house must of thought I was crazy but there I stood taking picture after picture. Once we arrived at home I took out the ole trusty Audubon Field Guide of North American Mushrooms and looked it up. Found out it is an edible mushroom in the Chanterelles family. It is in fact the Canterellus cibarius. How I wish it grew in my yard, I would have loved to try it. They say that they smell like sweet apricots and taste sweet as well. Without being able to get real close to see the underside of the mushroom I didn't dare pick it (not only because it wasn't in my yard but because of the fakers that try to resemble it that are poisonous.) Maybe you can tell if it is in fact the edible species.

-Cindy

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