Rocket builds a tiny cardboard bench in the workshop. "A viewing stand for the flower watch!"
Raven rules a table in the field notebook. "Visitor, time, what it did," she reads.
Nova projects a cyan clock in the air. "Scientists watch for a set time," she says.
"Ten minutes is a good start. What will you count?"
Rocket grins. "Every single visitor. Even the tiny ones." Raven adds a column for tiny.
Pollinators have body parts that fit the work they do.
Bees have fuzzy bodies. Pollen sticks to the fuzz.
Butterflies have a long thin mouth part. It works like a drinking straw.
They uncurl it to reach nectar deep inside a flower.
Many pollinators can see colors well. Bright petals help them find flowers.
Flowers and pollinators fit together. Each one helps the other survive.
A flower watch is simple. Pick a flower patch. Sit still. Count what comes.
Scientists watch for a set amount of time. Then they can compare one watch to another.
They write what they see, not what they guess. A visitor that is yellow and fuzzy is a visitor.
You can write bee if you are sure. Write fuzzy yellow visitor if you are not.
Tomorrow you will do a real flower watch. Today, practice the log.
| Time | Visitor | What it did | Insect? (count legs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 5 minutes | |||
| 5 to 10 minutes |
| Statement | True or false? |
|---|---|
| Scientists watch for a set amount of time. | ? |
| You should write what you guess, not what you see. | ? |
| A butterfly drinks nectar through a long mouth part. | ? |
| Flowers and pollinators each help the other survive. | ? |
Your log is ready! Tomorrow is Explorer Day: the flower watch.