Checking out Mars

NASA scientists are working hard to learn all about planet Mars. In 2001, they launched the spacecraft Odyssey. Odyssey is a science orbiter. It circles Mars and relays information back to scientists.

The orbiter also relays information from Spirit and Opportunity, the two rovers on Mars.

One day, humans will travel to Mars. First we must learn how to live on Mars.

NASA has some fun ways for you to learn about Mars. If you would like to play some online games, go to http://mars10.jpl.nasa.gov/funzone_flash.html

To build an easy model of Mars Odyssey, go to http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/kids/models/Odyssey_Color.pdf

If you would like to learn more about Odyssey, go to http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/odyssey/

Photo courtesy NASA.

Rock Around the World

Right now, two rovers are on planet Mars. The robots are the size of golf carts. They landed on Mars six years ago.

The Mars Exploration Rovers are named Spirt and Opportunity. Scientists thought the robots would only work for 90 days. Both of them still roam the red planet. They explore Mars and relay information to scientists. To learn more about the robots, go to http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html

NASA wants to learn as much as they can about Mars before they send astronauts to visit the planet. You can help. And you don't even need to leave earth!

NASA needs for you to send them a rock. Scientists will use a special tool to learn about your rock. The tool they use is just like the one on the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity. They will be able to find out if your rock is like a rock on Mars.

To learn more about joining "Rock Around the World," go to http://ratw.asu.edu/program.html. You might want to ask a teacher or parent to help you.

If you have trouble choosing a rock, check out one of my favorite books. It is written by Byrd Baylor and is called Everybody Needs a Rock.

Mars on the Move

Don't you just love looking at the night sky?

The red star is really the planet Mars. It can be seen early at night in the east. In late January, Mars came very close to earth. It will not get this close again until 2014.

Yesterday was a very special day for planet Mars. Since December of last year, Mars has been moving east to west. It is called a retrograde motion.

Today the planet starts to move west to east. It will get more and more dim over the next few months.

You can have fun learning more about Mars by building a puzzle. Just go to
\http://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/Solar_System_Puzzle_Kit.pdf

Photo courtesy NASA.

Nesting Time

It's nesting time! Mom took this photo of a pair of doves building a nest today. The nest sits on top of an outdoor lamp next to a house. The nest is made of sticks and twigs.

Different birds build different nests. Some birds build their nest on the ground. Some build their nest in holes in trees. Others build their nest on tree branches.

Some birds make their nests out of mud. A lot of birds make nests out of leaves and twigs. Some birds even use my fur in their nest!

Many birds make strong nests. Doves build loose nests. In fact, you have to be very careful not to scare a nesting dove. If the dove flies away too fast, the eggs may fall out of the bottom of the nest!

This mother dove will lay two white eggs in her nest. She will sit on the eggs for 14 or 15 days.

After the babies hatch, they will stay in the nest another 2 weeks. Then the baby birds will learn to fly. The doves will hatch 2 or 3 broods during the season.

Can you find bird nests around your place? We're scouting for more nests in our neighborhood!

If you would like to know more about bird nests, check out this book from your library: Birds, Nests & Eggs by Mel Boring and Whose Nest is This? by Heidi Roemer.

Tanking Up

We're warming up in Texas! Spring is almost here. Our Mexican plum tree is blooming. Most of our lily bulbs have pushed up green centers. And the birds are tanking up. They are eating lots of food to fly to their summer homes.

Here's a picture of some of our favorite birds. Lots of American Goldfinch migrate to our yard each winter.

They are tanking up on sunflower seeds now. They will need lots of energy to fly all the way to their summer homes. We had so many birds in the yard this weekend that we had to fill this bird feeder two times!

Birds can tell when it is time to fly north. They feel the days getting longer. They feel the weather getting warmer. They feel really hungry and start to eat more.

If you would like to learn more about migrating birds, go to http://www.tpwmagazine.com/ktw/media/may-09-issue9.pdf

Sled Dogs

What kind of dogs can be sled dogs? Most people think that only Huskies and Malmutes can pull sleds. Many dogs can be sled dogs... even Golden Retrievers!

It takes three things to pull a sled. The dog must have good training. The dog must love to run. The dog must be able to handle cold weather.

To train any dog, the trainer must find a way to help a dog do what he or she loves to do.

Sled dogs love to run. The trainer must find a way to help the dog do what the dog does best.

Sled dogs have special fur. They have a two coats. The second coat adds warmth in cold weather. Two coats of fur help sled dogs handle cold weather. Golden Retrievers have two coats of fur!

Dogs need one more thing to truly love sledding. They need a musher who loves them. When a dog (or a person!) feels loved, they want to do their best.

To learn more about a sled dog's life, Scholastic has information at http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/iditarod/dogs_life/index.asp?article=dogs_life

Also, there's a coloring book about sled dogs. Go to http://leppro.com/portfolio/pdfs/source/MusherBook.pdf

Junior Iditarod Winner

Merissa Osmar led the pack to win the 2010 Junior Iditarod. She is the granddaughter of sledding champion Dean Osmar. He won the Iditarod in 1984.

Merissa led her 10 dog team from Willow to Yentna Station and back to Willow again. Anitra Winkler won second place. Rebecca Ruzicka won third place.

Thirteen mushers raced their teams in the Junior Iditarod. Each team had to rest for 10 hours at Yentna Station. During that time, veterinarians checked the dogs to make sure that they were healthy. Doctors checked out the mushers.

Each team was led by one musher and had 6 to 10 dogs. They traveled 140 miles during the race.

Seven girls and six boys led teams. All of them were from the United States except for one. Guillermo Anton came from Spain. He is studying in Alaska and learned how to mush this year.

If you would like to read more about each teen musher, go to http://www.jriditarod.com/musherbio.php.

Congratulations to Merissa and your dog team!

If you would like to read more about the Junior Iditarod, Scholastic Books has a great article from the 2008 race. Go to http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/iditarod/junior/index.asp?article=winner2008