Maine Earth Science Field Day

This week our 4H Club visited the Maine State Museum in Augusta exploring the museums annual Maine Earth Science Day presentations. There were 13 different exhibits to visit, each offering excellent demonstrations and information for us to enjoy.

Steven Haynes from Rocky Coast Rock Shop, was a presenter we enjoyed listening to. He was energetic, very informative, and engaging! A mariner first introduced Mr. Haynes to the granite industry when he was 11 years old! Mr. Haynes has since become a very productive contributor within the granite and history of the granite industry. Mr. Haynes taught us about the Granite Quarrying industry in Maine and the Maine Granite Museum. We viewed tools, samples, photographs of quarries and quarry workers, and resources relating to the granite industry.

http://www.mainegraniteindustry.org/

Other exhibits we visited:

Maine Geological Survey Activites, U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources, Enviroscape by Poland Spring Bottling Co., Cool it! by Ferry Beach Ecology School, Geology Adventure by Tony Sohns, The Rock & Art Shop, Maine's Quarry Industry by Pike Industries, Elecitricity from the Sun & Wind by Maine Energy Education Assocition, Manufacturing Portland Cement by Dragon Products Co., Extreme Weather by WMTW-TV Meteoroligist Roger Griswold, It's Found Underground by Maine Department of Enviromental Protection, Ice Age Finds In Maine & Maine State Museum Archaeology by the Maine State Museum.

After the presentations we continued exploring the Museum which offers an abundant source of EXCELLENT education. The Museum offers free workshops that are available to individual families as well as small groups. Click here to view the free programs available to you! http://www.maine.gov/museum/programs/groups.html

The time passed very quickly, as usual! There was so much to see and do at the Museum, we look forward to future visits!

Photos ~ Maine Earth Science Field Day

Click here to view pictures from our 10/21/09 field day at the Maine State Museum exploring Maine Earth Science Day.

The pictures shown here are of just a few club members who attended. There was so much going on, individual families separated out to explore what most interested them. If others have pictures and would like to share them with the group, please feel free to add them!

Reminder; when you are finished viewing the pictures and would like to return to the blog, click - LINKS - in the left hand side bar & choose RETURN TO BLOG.

Exploring Trees

At our hike on October 14th we had a nice fall day exploring the woods and the trees that surround the trail at Pettengill Park. If any of you would like to study trees more indepth here are numerous resources to get you started.

4-H Earth Connections Adopt-A-Tree
http://www.umaine.edu/umext/earthconnections/activities/16.htm

Mainefoliage.com Has a Kid's Page and also has a neat video about how the leaves change color.

Tree Leave Identification
http://www.discoverscience.rutgers.edu/extras/trees/treephotos.html

Maine Tree Club...Tree Fact Sheets

http://www.extension.umaine.edu/mainetreeclub/MTC.htm

GreenHour Discovery Journal and Activity--Leaves
http://greenhour.org/content/activity/detail/8559#activity

Photos ~ Pettengill Woods Trail Field Day

Click here to view pictures from our 10/14/09 field day hike at Pettengill Woods Trail.

Reminder; when you are finished viewing the pictures and would like to return to the blog, click - LINKS - in the left hand side bar & choose RETURN TO BLOG.

How Old Is That Tree? Pettengill Woods Trail Field Day

Did you know that trees are the largest plants on earth? Some trees can grow to be thousands of years old and hundreds of feet high. You don't have to chop down a tree and count the rings to estimate its age. All you need is a calculator and measuring tape!

1. From the base of the tree measure 4 1/2 feet up the trunk. At the 4 1/2 foot mark, measure the distance around the trunk (the circumference). Write down the circumference in inches.

Circumference =

2. Use this formula to determine the diameter, (distance through the trunk) also called the Diameter at Breast Height, or DBH. Then write the DBH down in inches.

Circumference divided by 3.14 = DBH
DBH =

3. Get the growth rate of your tree from the list below. Then multiply your tree's diameter by its growth rate. The result is the approximate age of your tree!

Diameter x growth rate = age
Approximate Age =


Here's your formula!

Circumference=
Circumference divided by 3.14 = DBH (diameter)
DBH (diameter) =
DBH (diameter) x growth rate (below) = age
Approximate Age =


Tree Growth Rate Chart

Most trees grow an average of one inch in diameter each year. Some trees, like the ones below, grow more slowly. For example, mature American Elms take about four years to grow one inch in diameter. To estimate the age of a tree, find the tree in the list below and use the number shown in step 3. If you don't see your tree below, use a growth rate factor of one.

American Elm 4
Ash 4
Aspen 2
Basswood 3
Black Cherry 5
Black Walnut 4.5
Cottonwood 2
Dogwood 7
Ironwood 7
Pin Oak 3
Red Oak 4
Redbud 7
Red Maple 4.5
River Birch 3.5
Shagbark Hickory 7.5
Silver Maple 3
Sugar Maple 5
White Birch 5
White Oak 5

How Tall Is That Tree? Pettengill Woods Trail Field Day

You don't have to climb to the top of a tree with your measuring tape to find out the approximate height of it! All you need is a pencil (you can use a stick if you don't have a pencil), a partner to help you, and a long measuring tape.

1. Stand far away from the tree facing it. Hold your arm straight out and your pencil straight up and walk toward the tree until it looks like it is the same size as your pencil.

2. Keeping your arm straight out in front of you, turn your pencil to a horizontal position so that one end appears to be touching the base of the tree.

3. Have your partner stand alongside the tree far enough away from the tree so that they appear to be standing on the other end of the pencil.

4. Mark where your partner is standing. Measure the distance from there to the base of the tree with your measuring tape. That measurement will be the tree's height.

The Tree Carbon Calculator

Can you imagine a world without trees? Trees are important to our environment for many reasons.

Trees help us breathe. They remove carbon dioxide from the air, trees give back oxygen. Some trees can produce five pounds of oxygen per day!

Trees provide food. Many of our fruits and nuts come from trees, such as apples, oranges, and pears. Many trees have berries and flowers that are an important food source for birds and other animals.

Trees provide shelter. Trees are "home" to many creatures. Evergreens are particularly important to birds and other animals in cold winter months because they provide a protected area to rest or sleep.

Trees reduce soil erosion. The roots of a tree help keep soil in place. When hard rains come, the roots help to keep the soil from washing away.

Trees provide materials. We use materials made from trees to make paper, lumber, furniture, tools, and even boats.

Trees reduce energy needs. Trees in your yard can provide shade in the summer to help keep your house cool. If they lose their leaves in winter, they let the sun shine through, which helps to keep your home warm. Evergreens can protect your house from wind and provide shelter for birds year round.

As you can see, trees are very important. Earlier we said that trees remove carbon dioxide from the air. Carbon dioxide is a natural result of energy being used by your car, your home, and even your body! If trees were not here to remove carbon dioxide from the air, earth would be a planet that people could not live on.

Are you wondering how you can help protect our planet and every living thing on it? That's easy! Protect the trees around you, plant new trees whenever you can, and when you are visiting the forest leave only your footprints!

If you are wondering how hard the trees around you are working at removing carbon dioxide from the air or if you are wondering how many trees it will take to clean the carbon dioxide from the air that your car creates here is the best site I have found to answer those questions!

CLICK HERE TO USE THE TREE CARBON CALCULATOR