Lake Okeechobee

"Lake Okeechobee---which means "Big Water" in Seminole---covers 1,175 square kilometers (730 square miles). It is not only the largest lake in Florida, it is the second largest freshwater lake wholly within the United States."
The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida (page 26)

Lesson:
Read pages Chapter 5: Rivers & Lakes; pages 26-27 in The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida

Suggested Activities:

1. Learn about conservation efforts at Lake Okeechobee
2. Lake Okeechobee loses an enormous amount of water each year to evapotranspiration. Download a lesson plan to explain this concept to students, and to show them how this process actually works.

Field Trip Ideas:
Visit Lake Okeechobee and go fishing or take an airboat tour

Additional Online Resources:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission links for educators
Download map of Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail

State Motto: In God We Trust

"In God We Trust" was adopted by the Florida legislature as part of the state seal in 1868. This is also the motto of the United States and is a slight variation on Florida's first state motto, "In God is our Trust."

Lesson:
"In God we trust" is the official motto of the United States, is the motto of the state of Florida and is printed on all U.S. currency. Discuss this fact with your students and share your own personal feelings about this.

Discussion questions:

1. Which motto do you prefer, "In God we trust" or "In God is our Trust" ?
2. Do both versions carry the same meaning? Why or why not?

State Butterfly: Zebra Butterfly

The Zebra Longwing Butterfly was adopted in 1996 as the state butterfly, or the State Insect. This beautiful butterfly has black and yellow bands on its wings. The underside of its wings has red dots near the body. The Zebra Longwing lays eggs only on Passion Vines, and the larvae feed on the Passion Vine leaves.
The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida, page 6

Activities:

1. Print out and color a Zebra Butterfly for your notebook.
2. Plant Passion Vines and Firebush to see if you can attract Zebra Butterflies.
3. Study the life cycle of a butterfly and purchase a kit to explore metamorphosis close-up.

Additional Online Resources:

Visit this informative website with fantastic pictures of Zebra Longwing butterflies and information on their host and nectar plants.

Visit the Children's butterfly site, to view galleries, coloring pages, stories, and interesting facts about butterflies.

Learn about butterfly gardening here.


Suggested Reading:
Florida butterfly caterpillars and their host plants by Marc C. Minno, Jerry F. Butler, and Donald W. Hall


Field Trips:

1. Visit Butterfly World or Butterfly Rainforest to learn more about butterflies and see a Zebra Longwing.
2. Visit a local botanical garden with a butterfly garden.

State Song

The Swanee River Lyrics

Way down upon the Swanee River,
Far, far away,
There’s where my heart is turning ever,
There’s where the old folks stay.
All up and down the whole creation,
Sadly I roam,
Still longing for the old plantation,
And for the old folks at home.

Chorus
All the world is sad and dreary
Everywhere I roam.
O brothers, how my heart grows weary,
Far from the old folks at home.

2nd verse
All ‘round the little farm I wander’d,
When I was young;
Then many happy days I squander’d,
Many the songs I sung.
When I was playing with my brother,
Happy was I.
Oh, take me to my kind old mother,
There let me live and die.

3rd verse
One little hut among the bushes,
One that I love.
Still sadly to my memory rushes,
No matter where I rove.
When will I see the bees a humming,
All ‘round the comb?
When shall I hear the banjo strumming,
Down in my good old home.

"Stephen Collins Foster, one of America's best-loved songwriters, wrote "Swanee River" (also called "Old Folks at Home") in 1851. The Suwannee River (which Foster spelled Swanee to better fit the music) is a beautiful waterway that flows from the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia across Florida to the Gulf of Mexico. Swanee River was chosen as the State Song in 1935, and has become a symbol of love for home and family."
The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida, page 6

Lesson:

1. Read the selection about Florida's State Song (page 6)
2. Download Florida's state song, Swanee River, and listen to it with your students.
3. Sheet music and song also available here.

Additional online Resources:
Did you know that the composer of Florida's state song never visited the state of Florida? Visit MyFlorida.com for more interesting facts about Florida state's song.

State Flag

"Florida's state flag was adopted at the same time as the seal, in 1868, and it showed the seal on a white background. In 1889, the legistlature added the diagonal red bars we see today, because people wanted the flag to have more color and so that it would not look all white when it hung limply."
The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida, page 3

Lesson:

1. Read Chapter 1: page 3 about the Florida State Seal and Flag.
2. Discuss the symbols within the state seal.

Activities:
Print out the State Flag coloring page for your notebook.

State Shell: Horse Conch

Photo: Seashells.org

"The horse conch (pronounced "conk") has been Florida's State Shell since 1969..The Horse Conch, a very large snail, is found in the shallow ocean waters around Florida and its shell is a beautiful pinkish-orange color."
The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida, page 4-5

Lesson:
Read the selection about the Horse Conch (pages 4-5)
Show students an example of a Horse Conch

Additional Online Resources:
Did you know the designation of the Horse Conch as Florida's state shell was the direct result of the efforts of members of the Palm Beach County Shell Club, their friends, and State Representative William G. James of Delray Beach? Learn more about the Official State Shell here.

Getting Started

Congratulations on choosing to experience and study Florida wildlife and ecosystems with your child. This blog is set up to help you turn The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida into a teaching adventure. I will update the blog as our family completes each section of our study.

There are a number of ways you can use this blog and participate:

Ideally, you should own your own copy of The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida as we will refer to it constantly throughout this study.

You are encouraged to complete the chapters within the book, in any order. Across the top of the blog are the navigation buttons for Florida's Special Places, Flora, Fauna, and Florida's Skies; these correspond with the sections in the book. All of the posts related to each section are tagged to appear under the corresponding section. Also included is a navigation link for Field Trips. This is the easiest way to view the Field Trips that have been completed for this study. Each Field Trip destination will be listed separately. Please read 5 Tips for Field Trip Planning to learn how you can plan your own successful field trips to accommodate this study.

On the sidebar you will find a section called, Chapter Challenges. The Chapter Challenges may also be completed in any order. However, I recommend that you start with the first two (Florida's symbols, and Keeping a nature journal) before moving on. The purpose of the challenges is to encourage you to experience each chapter in a more in depth and very hands-on way. You may participate in as many of the challenges as you are up to. If you choose to participate please use the Mr. Linky to link to your own blog posts pertaining to that chapter. By visiting the other participants listed in this section you will find additional ideas, inspiration and encouragement.

You are encouraged to have your students keep a Notebook and a Nature Journal. The notebook will contain everything related to this study. The nature journal is a general nature book for use at any time to record any experience in nature. Regardless of it's location or association with this particular study.

If you don't know how to create a notebook or are unfamiliar with the term notebooking please visit Jimmie's Squidoo page featuring a notebooking exhibit.

If you are a Florida homeschooler please consider adding a Young Florida Naturalist's Guide button to your blog and telling your friends about this study. It can only lead to more ideas and more teaching adventures!

How to get the most out of a field trip

Field Trips are very important part of this study. The Young Florida Naturalist's Guide Blog is based upon hands-on study. Depending on where you live in Florida you may only have to venture past your front door to participate in some of the studies and challenges. However, to fully experience Florida's many ecosystems and to benefit from using The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida, by Peggy Sias Lantz and Wendy A. Hale, you will need to venture further in order to bring the book, and your science or nature studies alive. What better way is there for your child to understand the importance of protecting our everglades than providing an opportunity to experience an estuary in the Everglades? How can your child understand the importance of conservation efforts on Lake Okeechobee if he has never fished there or seen it? What better way is there to appreciate wildlife then to see it in the wild?

5 Tips for getting the most out of a field trip:

When selecting a field trip destination it is important that you have an educational goal in mind. What is it that you are trying to illustrate or show your children? What are you currently studying that they would benefit from seeing or exploring in real life? Once you have that in mind you can successfully select the best venue to meet that goal. For example, if you are learning about screech owls there may be a zoo within 4 miles of your house that has a few screetch owls, however after careful research, you may find there is a wildlife rescue that not only has that owl, but provides an educational lecture and opportunity to view one close up.

Field trips are a wonderful way to include others in your child's school experience. By joining other like-minded parents on a field trip you can take advantage of group rates or special lectures or programs only available to groups. Research what is available at the venue you select and then invite others to join you.

Spend time teaching on the topic before your field trip. Your children will benefit more from the field trip once they have some background information. They will also have an opportunity to formulate better questions once they've learned the basics. If questions came up during your study you should write them down as a reminder for both you and your students of what you want to learn or find out on the field trip. If no questions came up, on the day of your study you might ask, "What do you want to find out about screech owls today?" and then write it down. you may be surprised by what interests your child. In our home no question is dumb, but it is dumb not to ask a question.

If you participated in a small group lecture, received special attention or assistance from someone at your field trip venue please have your children write a thank-you note afterwards. It is these seemingly small gestures that will continue to keep doors open, and perhaps open new ones, for our homeschooled children.

The field trip doesn't end when you get home. After the field trip spend time incorporating what you learned into your notebook or nature journal. Allow for time in your studies to research or read about anything of additional interest to your child.

Additional Online Resources:

Download Field Trip Planner from Cindy Downes

Challenge #1:Florida Symbols

1.) Read Chapter 1 pages 3-7 in The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida.

2.) Choose one Florida symbol to learn more about through additional research.
Write a report on it and include in your notebook.

3.) Choose a mascot for your homeschool or co-op during this study. Create a cover for the front of your notebook incorporating the mascot.

Challenge #2: Keeping a Nature Journal

Assignments:

1.) Create a nature journal. You can request complimentary "Nature Journaling for Everyone" by emailing Education@Audobon.org

2.) Be a nature writer. Write a short story or article about your experiences in nature and post on your blog or submit to a magazine appropriate for your age group.

3.) Illustrate one of your observations and include in your nature journal.


Publications for children:

National Geographic Kids

Ladybug Magazine (2-6)

Spider Magazine (6-9)

Jack and Jill (ages 7-10)

Ranger Rick (ages 7+)

Your Big Backyard (3-7)

Highlights Magazine

Highlights High Five (preschoolers)

Stone Soup (8-13)

Did you complete the challenge? Share your work with other Young Florida Naturalists below:

Chapter 1 Florida Symbols

A symbol is something that stands for something else. Many states and nations have chosen symbols to represent something special or unique about their area, such as our country's national bird, the Bald Eagle, which is found only in North America.
The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida; page 3

Updated 1/26/09

Lesson:
Read pages 1-7 in The Young Naturalist's Guide to Florida

Activities:Print out the Florida State Symbols PDF and include in your notebook

Suggested Reading:Florida Facts and Symbols by Emily McAuliffe (2003)

Discussion Questions:
1.) How many Florida Symbols do you know?
2.) Are there any symbols that surprised you?
3.) What is your favorite state symbol and why?

Click on a link below for study information on each individual symbol.
Or click here for a complete list one one page.

State Seal

State Flag

State Flower- The Orange Blossom

State Bird- The Northern Mockingbird

State Tree- The Sabal Palm

State Shell- The Horse Conch

State Stone- Agatized Coral

State Nickname- The Sunshine State

State Motto- In God we trust

State Gem- Moonstone

State Marine Mammal: The West Indian Manatee

State Saltwater Mammal- The Porpoise

State Mammal- The Florida Panther

State Freshwater fish- The Largemouth Bass

State Saltwater Fish- The Sailfish

State Reptile- The Alligator

State Soil- Myakka Fine Sand

State Wildflower- Tickseed or Coreopsis

State Butterfly- Zebra Longwing Butterfly

State Pie- Key Lime Pie

State Song- Swanee River

Additional Online Resources:
Florida Kids website
Florida Division of Historical Resources
Florida symbols and emblems from Netstate Chronicle
Sunshine Junior Symbols Page