Biology Department Newsletter Issue 1: week commencing 23 March 2020
…with Mr Bagguley! Direct from the potting shed, expert information from our resident horticulturalist
This plant is called a hydrangea. Its leaves are part green, part white. What is this condition called? Why might this type of leaf be a disadvantage to the plant?
Dahlias like these can be grown from cuttings. What do you know about making cuttings? It’s really easy, and is a clever way of cloning your plants. These plants are growing in a greenhouse protected by fleece....but why?
Highlight of the week… Birds are starting to build their nests! If you are lucky enough to have a nest box, spend a little time watching the birds bring twigs and other materials back and forth.
The virtual classroom So many opportunities to learn from the experts on social media at the moment. This week’s recommendation:
Tip: Remember to wear suncream if you’re out and about, even at this time of year
Medicine in the news Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that usually cause mild to moderate upper-respiratory tract illnesses, like the common cold, in people. However, three times in the 21st century coronavirus outbreaks have emerged from animal reservoirs to cause severe disease and global transmission concerns. Check out this Nature article which investigates the origins of SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) – courtesy of Mr Lynch
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0820-9.pdf
Biology Department Newsletter Issue 1: week commencing 23 March 2020
Springwatch with Mr Coleman Now that Spring has sprung (the days are getting longer than 12 hours and the nights shorter*), the signs of seasonal change are all around us; be they plants shooting up and flowering, trees in leaf, bees buzzing and of course, birds singing. If you have access to a garden, why not try out one of the following ideas/activities (remember to follow social distancing rules): ‘Spot it’ – use the guides to tick off the harbingers of Spring and why not try to create your own spot it guide for your garden, local park etc
https://www.rspb.org.uk/globalassets/d ownloads/documents/kids-andschools/spot-it-flowering-plants.pdf https://www.rspb.org.uk/globalassets/d ownloads/kids--schools/teachingresources/seasonal-spot-it-sheets.pdf * The Spring equinox 2020, Friday March 21st was the day that schools across the country closed – conspiracy theorists make of that what you will!
‘Timelapse’ – take a photo of a plant growing/flowering, a tree coming into leaf everyday to document the photosynthetic growth. Pro tip: Use the same camera setting each time (zoom, angle, distance etc) Stuck indoors? Don’t despair – let the natural world come to you! Listen to ‘Tweet of the Day’ on Radio 4 at 05:58 There is something wonderfully lifeaffirming about waking up to birdsong and I can really recommend this programme in terms of mindfulness, general knowledge and an appreciation of the Natural World. Don’t worry if you fancy a lie in, you can catch up on BBC Sounds! https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01s 6xyk Do let me know how you get on at Coleman_S@habsboys.org.uk by sharing any of your photos/videos/stories of our Spring Nature. Tweet tweet!