Square of Life by: Mrs. Minimi’s 1 st Grade Class M. Joan Pearson School

Hello from Delanco, NJ Here in Delanco, we are in a temperate climate and live near a river. Before we investigated our squares, we predicticted that we would find a lot of different bugs (they always seem to be around us) and different plants and weeds. It was early fall and we were also hoping to find some evidence of other animals that live in our town. Here in Delanco, we are in a temperate climate and live near a river. Before we investigated our squares, we predicticted that we would find a lot of different bugs (they always seem to be around us) and different plants and weeds. It was early fall and we were also hoping to find some evidence of other animals that live in our town. We were correct in both predictions and even found some proof of other animal being present. We were correct in both predictions and even found some proof of other animal being present.

Hello Alaska! We chose Gustavus, Alaska to compare because it has a very different climate then Delanco, NJ. Gustavus is near a glacier and it is much colder there in Fall then in Delanco. We chose Gustavus, Alaska to compare because it has a very different climate then Delanco, NJ. Gustavus is near a glacier and it is much colder there in Fall then in Delanco. We thought they would have some things the same, but we predicted that some plants and animals would be different because of the colder temperature. We thought they would have some things the same, but we predicted that some plants and animals would be different because of the colder temperature.

Here is what we discovered! Our living things diagram. DelancoGustavus DelancoGustavus Rowan willow Sitka Spruce grass Black beetle spider ant cricket fly mushroom maple oak weeds As you can see we shared only grass in common.

Our non-living thing diagram DelancoGustavus DelancoGustavus dirt & mud fence trash tire chips wood chips mole holes stump dead bug pine needle animal tracks dead fireweed Wow! We have nothing in common. common

Our Lesson Learned As we originally predicted the climate differences between Gustavus and Delanco made for slightly different squares. However, we found instead, that our squares were very different. In addition, we had fun exploring and drawing our Venn diagrams to show our comparisons. We also used our imaginations and wrote in our journals about what animal made the tracks in our Alaskan friends square. Most of us chose a bear. We like to think big. We had so much fun with this project and we hope we made some new friends, too. As we originally predicted the climate differences between Gustavus and Delanco made for slightly different squares. However, we found instead, that our squares were very different. In addition, we had fun exploring and drawing our Venn diagrams to show our comparisons. We also used our imaginations and wrote in our journals about what animal made the tracks in our Alaskan friends square. Most of us chose a bear. We like to think big. We had so much fun with this project and we hope we made some new friends, too.