Hoosier Mysteries Are Happening!!!
Dear Ron,
We have enjoyed your mysteries very much. We are learning lots about where you live. Now it is your turn to learn about us. Here is a mystery for you...
This was found across the street from the middle school. It is part of a living fossil. It takes 15-20 years for the parent to produce "offspring." While most of us have seen these, usually in the park, we didn't all know its name.
Have fun with our mystery!
Your friends in Mrs. N's class
posted by Mrs. Newton @ Monday, February 13, 2006
8 Comments:
Dear Mrs. N's Class (and Mom and Grandpa of Cara),
Ah Ha! You didn't know I spend a lot of time walking through midwestern woods! I sure liked your clues to the mystery and I like to hold it, remembering the many trees that grow near you, but don't live in our forests. This is a seed pod from a Sweet Gum! But does anyone chew the gum?
Your Friend, Ron
Ron,
Birds eat the seeds. Did you shake the seed pod to hear the seeds?
Regan
Ron,
Yes, sometimes the sap is used in making chewing gum. We used to have a Sweet Gum tree here at Eastview, but a storm damaged it. The star-shaped leaves were nice to see and they smelled good too. You can go to http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/sweetgum.htm to learn all kinds of things about this tree.
Oops, the whole web url didn't come through. Try this instead...
http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/sweetgum.htm
http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/
Ecology
/mpages/sweetgum.htm
We found out this week that there is a sweet gum tree ouit by one of the parking lots at school
There is also a large Sweet Gum tree at the Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary.
I just heard on TV recently that scientists are planning to use this seed pod in making the vaccine for Bird Flu!
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