StephanieFucci

Final Reflection: (I wasn't sure if it had to be in before Friday, or if that's when it was due. I hope it's not too late).
This year in Environmental Field Studies I learned many new things about the environment around Waltham High. In the beginning of the year, we collected and identified different types of plants. Plants have never been a topic of interest for me, but nevertheless I now know that acorns can distinguish different oak trees. I also know that poison ivy doesn't change colors to red until the fall! Though every science class I've been in for as long as I can remember has discussed different types of invertebrates, our class got a first hand look at some of them. We also talked about environmental issues inside Waltham High School. I would sometimes notice how the students and faculty would waste our resources, but never gave it much thought until we researched it for our PSAs. Since I started taking this course, my view on the environment has started to gradually change. I always just thought of plants as things just hanging out in the dirt. I'm now starting to realize how society's choices affect them. I haven't done much different in my life, however. I recycle regularly and rarely litter. This year I think my highs were getting as much work done as I could. My low was the time it took me to do some of it. Some of my projects were passed in late and I should have scheduled my time better. At some points of the year I did feel challenged. While collecting plants, identifying some of them was a bit difficult. My bird feeder didn't seem to attract any types of birds. Since each student (or group) had the freedom to create their own different projects, coming up with an idea, researching it and putting some of the things together in the time period we had wasn't easy. The projects were definitely manageable if every step was planned out before any action was taken. If I could take this class again, I would do many things differently. First of all, I would have planned my time better and made sure everything was done during the deadline. I probably would have taken the class a bit more seriously. There's a time for hanging out with friends, and a time for studying in school. Environmental Field Studies is a real science class. For most of the seniors it was their last chance to graduate. They took that for granted and I've seen a few of them back in high school, upset that they now have to come back next year.

Student Bio:
My name's Stephanie Fucci. Most people call me Steph. I'm 16yrs old and a junior. My electives are Business Law, Latin 3 honors and Environmental Field Science. My favorite subject is history, science is my least favorite. I have endometriosis, which is basically just tumors in my uterus (they're not cancerous). That's about it.

Favorite Animal-
Cats

Favorite Vacation spot-
Siesta Keys, Florida

Favorite Sports Team/Athlete-
__#|Patriots__

Favorite Food-
Chicken fingers

Favorite Music-
Different genres

Favorite Book-
The Hunger Games

Favorite Movie-
__#|Pirates of the Caribbean__ series, Saw series

Favorite Websites-
Google

When I grow up I wanna be a....
Not suretoc

=Questions about the Biome= -There was an animal burrow in the ground, what could have created it? Chipmunk? Snake? Probably a chipmunk, there are a bunch like that in the garden at my house -How do spiderwebs survive the rain, wind, bugs that fly into it, weather? -What months do the leaves normally change colors throughout the year? depends on the species of plants but they mostly change color around september.

Day 1: Key Questions
1. What is a PlantPress? What are they used for? Find out how to use it and what materials we need. "A properly pressed leaf highlights its structure(s) and provides you with a three dimensional leaf. Collecting the leaf aids you in it's initial identification and gives you a self-made field guide for future help." -Forestry.about.com
 * The materials you need are:**
 * 2' X 2' sheet of 1/2" plywood
 * Four 3" round-headed bolts with washers and wing nuts
 * Circular saw, scissors and drill
 * Cardboard and newspaper
 * To use:** place leaves between double or triple sheets of newspaper, place newspaper between the pieces of cardboard. "Close" the press by repositioning the top plywood portion over bolts, attach washers, screw on wing nuts and tighten.

2. What species of plants do we expect to find outside our school? Research common flora of Massachusetts to build a list of what we will find during this field __#|study__. Maple, birch, beech, oak, pine, hemlock, larch Rhodora, mountain laurel, shadbush Maidenhair, osmund Maryland meadow beauty, false loosestrife, orchids, lilys, goldenrods, asters Northeastern bulrush, sandplain gerardia, small whorled pogonia
 * Trees:**
 * Shrubs:**
 * Ferns:**
 * Wildflowers:**
 * Threatened or endangered plants in 2003:**

3. How will we know when we find these plants? By describing the characteristics of the plant and possibly pressing a leaf, we can determine the type of plant it is for future reference.

Library Questions
What were the scientist's research questions?
 * Q: What would make you go to the WHS Library more often?**
 * Q: How helpful are the library staff when you need __#|assistance__?**
 * Q: What would you change about the current WHS Library?**

How did she find the answers to these questions? (What Data did she collect) She counted the passes and number of __#|students__ who signed in at the library to see how many students were going.

How did she collect the data? Counting the number of __#|students__ who signed in.

What were her observations and analysis of the data? (What did she conclude)

Based on these conclusions, how did this scientist change her environment? She made it better for students.

Soil Discovery Activity
In the potting mix, there's some gold fertilizer pieces which look like specks of gold. They're probably nutrients which help keep the plants healthy and growing. A few pieces of thin twigs. The potting mix has a lot of dirt in it.

=Extra Credit= Soils around the World Discussion Questions: 1. What are some key factors that influence the composition of soils around the world? Climate, vegetation, organisms and the land itself influence the composition of soils around the world. 2. From studying these images, can you infer some of the processes that have formed particular soil profiles? Gelisols is caused from the constant heating/freezing of temperature. This causes "heaving" which makes the ground very unstable. Entisols is created in areas where water flows. They haven't had enough time to develop layers, but will mature if given time. 3. What are some of the characteristics of soils in the United States and how do these relate to the kinds of vegetation occurring on them? "easy to cultivate"-Mollisols "Support forests and can be used for agriculture"-Ultisols "Well suited for growing rice"-Inceptisols 4. Why is it important to know the soil structure of a particular area? Give several reasons. -Unstable soil is bad to live on. -Farmers need to know what kind of crops they can grow. -The soil tells you what the climate is like (dry- hot, wet- cold). 5. What types of soil are in your area? Inceptisols is mainly around New England, along with Spodosols. They are most common in "cool, wet forest regions"(S).