Girls in OK visiting Papa Elrod @ Oklahoma State Fair, 9/26/15
We have officially completed 6 weeks of school here at Elrod Academy! My students have been working hard each day (way to go girls!!) I am proud of their improving self-discipline, and diligence. In honor of their hard work, I would like to share a couple of their papers:
Ivy Joy ElrodSeptember 16, 2015Gecko Effects
Geckos are an interesting type of lizard. In their feet they have teeny tiny microscopic-like hairs similar to tiny toothbrushes on each toe pad. Their feet have an electric charge when their toe pad touches a surface. Millions of tiny electric charges attract to the surface allowing the gecko to hold itself upside down on a surface. Gecko’s fingers bend the opposite direction of human fingers so they can turn off the electric charge. Their tongue can stretch very long to catch bugs without their prey knowing. Geckos eat insects, flower nectar, and fruit. Some geckos lick their own eyes because they do not have moving eyelids to keep their eyes clear and moist. Geckos are the only kind of lizard that can sing. These fascinating lizards live for 2-9 years. That’s the Gecko Effects.
Petra Elrod
September 15, 2015
A Cat’s World
Did you know that cats are one of the most popular pets? There are over 500 million domestic cats in the world! To conserve energy, cats sleep from 13 to 14 hours a day. Domestic cats which weigh approximately 4 kg, have flexible bodies, and teeth adapted for hunting rodents (such a mice or rats). They are naturally sneaky which makes them prime hunters. A male cat is called a tom, females are called molly or queen and babies are called kittens. The average life of a cat ranges from 12 to 15 years. The taxonomy of cats are as follows, kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Mammalia, Order: Carnivora, and Family: Felidae.
ds.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/cat.html
www.ducksters.com/animals/cats.php
Thea Elrod
9/15/2015
Amazing Little Creatures
These fascinating little birds are called hummingbirds. They weigh less than a dime and take 250 quick breaths in a minute. Their average heart rate is 1,200 beats per minute. They surprisingly push the limit of metabolic energy. Their small head reveals a tiny straw like tongue that helps pump flower nectar up quickly. They drink 10 drops of sweat nectar in 15 milliseconds. To drink nectar they hover over flowers. Their wings beat 80 times per second. These tiny birds, known for their speed and delicacy, are extremely aggressive. Normally hummingbirds attack larger bird-thieves in their territory. They make extensive migrations. Some journey more than 3,000 miles, soaring from Mexico to Canada and back again. These amazing little creatures have limits: they have no sense of smell, they can't walk, and they weigh less than a dime.
*Pictures: retrieved from GOOGLE Images
