For those of you who like animals, nature, and want to help make a difference, I have compiled a list of websites to help you do that. These sites create an easy way to automatically send letters to important people. If anyone is looking for some extra credit and/or self-satisfaction, you can (in your own words) write a letter to the newspaper editor about a certain issue you like. (and get published in the newspaper!) I will help you write it up and send it to The Cortland Standard or Ithaca Journal for you.

These will get you started:

http://www.environmentaldefense.org/actioncenter.cfm?linkID=5
http://whistler.sierraclub.org/action/actionindex.jsp
http://www.nrdc.org/action/default.asp

Greetings...I will compile a list of everyone who I have a record of turning in their Me Manuals (either emailed, put in the shared folder, or physically handed to me). This will be updated as much as possible. So far I have.....

NICK C., SPENCER W., NICOLE J., JOHN L., ALLISON C.,
HANNAH W., AIMEE R., SHELBY W., MALLORIE M., COURTNEY P.,
HANNAH I., MARINA S., MATT R., MARKIE R., CRYSTAL B.,
BETHANY S., VANESA Q., DeANNA D., CORINNE N., CORY K.,
HAYLEY P., NICHOLE O., STACEY C., JAKE V., CRISSY C.,
EMILY C., KATIE S., AARON D., SAM W., ASHLEY M., TRAVIS C.,
TIFFANY S., JENNIFER E., MARISSA B., GAGE B., JOSEPH M.

Remember! Full credit cannot be achieved if handed in after 12 midnight of Friday 5 May 2006. You are better off finishing it and handing it in late than handing it in 1/2 done but on time.

Good luck to the procrastinators out there.

Congratulations to the modified baseball and softball teams for big wins yesterday over Trumansburg. NICK C. picked up the save on the mound at Ross Field. Over at the elementary school LIZ M. cracked 1 homerun and a triple for the ladies.

Meanwhile, the modified track team had their first home meet. You girls ready for some high jump?

MATT R. goes the distance in the long jump.

Annie Rowe, a graduate student from Cornell, came in to school today to work with 4th period on environmental microbes. The students picked a sample from outside and Annie will be getting them ready to grow bacteria on agar plates next week. We will be examining them on Friday. Here, STACEY C. and DeANNA D. isolate their samples in a nutrient broth. I'm looking forward to seeing what grows on DANIELLE H.'s band-aid that she found.

KEVIN F., JEFF L., CHARLES W., WILLIAM D., and CORY K. pose for a picture while we planted White Spruce (Picea glauca) behind the school in the woods. This was part of a program where the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation provided free tree seedlings to schools.


MARKIE R. and SARA T. do some planting as well.

AARON, SPENCER, and SAM chow down at the ice cream social put on for all middle school students who get above a 90% overall, each marking quarter. This must be why all of the ice cream was gone in a record 6 minutes, I believe is what Mrs. Filzen told me. Boy, I wish the middle school I went to had this! (Sorry girls, my camera died before that other picture I took.)

Nice eye TIFFANY! The Groton ladies gave free lessons to the Southern Cayuga team tonight during the home softball game. Nice game girls!

JENNIFER E. runs in for a point. That girl better move!

Ok, it's extra credit time!

Today we talked about kidney stones a little bit. I would like to know what doctors think cause this painful disorder. Why do these things form, what causes them? If you can find out, write a couple sentence response and put it in my office mailbox by Friday. This will be worth 2 points. Wiki it up!

FRIDAY several 6th and 7th graders went to the Museaum of the Earth and Cornell's Lab of Ornithology at Sapsucker Woods. It was a beautiful day for a hike and we all learned a ton about the history of the Earth. This was just one example of the wonderful programs that Viola runs at the school. If you've never taken advantage of her stuff, you should look into it!! Its better than sitting home being bored. Here are some pictures:










Also, just a reminder that tomorrow (Saturday) is Earth Day! I wish that everyone would do something for this holiday. You do not necessarily have to replant a forest or anything. Even if you simply recycle something, ride a bike instead of driving, remember to turn off your lights, etc. it will make a difference. Things like this are very important and we should all get into these good habits.

Enjoy the weekend. Monday we will be in the computer labs to work on Me Manuals, so come prepared.

HEY EVERYONE! Hope you're enjoying the nice weather. I've been taking advantage of it to train for my summer bike trip that I am doing from Syracuse, NY to Bar Harbor, Maine. Don't I look hardcore?? I have determined that Salt road is one of the nicest roads in the area to bike on...very scenic. I went on a 50km (30 Mile) bike ride the other day and got up to 45 mph at one point, the fastest I've gone this year. Its kinda scary going that fast and I don't recommend it. Make sure you wave if you see me out...it'll be a nice change from the car horns and whistling.

In other news I have been fishing a little bit. I had some luck on Old Stage rd...couple small brown trout. They were hitting salted minnows on red hooks. No luck with the fly fishing though. Whats everyone else been up to? Feel free to post any of your adventures.

Well, I hope everyone is enjoying their spring break. I was out in the woods recently splitting firewood and noticed that a couple wildflowers are starting to pop up on the forest floor. In particular, I saw a lot of Spring Beauties (as shown in the picture). Anyway, go check 'em out! This link has more.

A REMINDER to those of you going on the Science Explorers field trip to the Museum of the Earth and Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The vans will leave Friday morning at 10am. Please bring your lunches. I'm looking forward to this trip.

Wow...the 7th grade did much better this quarter in science. Here is a list of everyone that got above a 90%: RYAN A., RHYS W., GAGE B., STACEY C., TRAVIS C., DeANNA D., EMILY K., ASHLEY M., JONATHON S., VANESA Q., MARINA S., SHELBY W., HANNAH W., CHAD N., ALLISON C., NICK C., AARON D., EMMA G., SARAH G., DYLAN H., CORINNE N., NICHOLE O., COURTNEY P., HAYLEY P., KATIE S., BETHANY S., SPENCER W., and SAM W.

The following students IMPROVED their averages at least 10 points from last quarter: RYAN A., BRANDON A., KENNY C., NICOLE J., NICK R., MARKIE R., TANNER W., STACEY C., EMILY K., SHELBY W., JENNIFER E., CAITLIN H., LIZ M., AIMEE R., JENNIFER S., TIFFANY S., LAURIE S., and JAKE V.

Special recognition goes to RHYS W. for improving 30 points from last quarter!! Also to VANESA Q. for receiving the first 100% this year in science. WAY TO GO EVERYONE!

JENNIFER, LAURIE, and MIKEY pose for a quick picture with Mr. Bumbles...today we talked about his respiratory and circulatory systems. Do you like your new shirt Mr. Bumbles?

On Saturday 12 members of the middleschool Tri-Sci science club went to the Cornell Vet. School's annual open house. It was a great day despite the cold walk too and from our lunch spot. Here are some pictures - Be sure to click on the picture to see an enlarged version. 7th grade girls that attended included KERRI R. CORINNE N. JENNIFER E. LIZ M. ASHLEY M. AMBER L. BETHANY S. SHELBY W. VANESA Q. and NICHOLE O.



Here is a picture of a dog heart with heartworms...I thought it was kinda cool.

NICE JOB GIRLS!
MALLORIE, CRYSTAL, and EMILY are hard at work researching their immune systems.

Good stuff, right guys?

Here's something to think about...Lime Hollow Nature Center in Cortland is looking for students age 11-19 to help maintain, cleanup, mulch, and build trails in their Teen Trail Blazers program. Afterwards you can hang out with your friends and eat pizza. This event will be happening from 10am-2pm on Sat. 8 April and Sat. 13 May. Bring work gloves, water bottle, and $3 for pizza. If there are any questions you should call Carol at 758.5462 or click here.

AND THEY'RE OFF!
Today students tested their hypothesis: "Pulse rate will increase with the level of exercise"

EXTRA CREDIT!!
OK..our library offers an excellent selection of magazines that can be read during studyhalls or REC. One of Mr. DeVoe's favorite magazines is called "UTNE". All you have to do is write down (in 10-20 words) what the article is about that starts on page 59. These need to be put in my office mailbox by the end of the day Friday.

SHELBY and ASHLEY get started on their "Me Manuals"


TRAVIS is hard at work also.


SPENCER, DYLAN, and SAM got right to work once I told them I'd take a picture.

A couple students were interested in the website I showed today with the heart animations. That website can be found here. Select the "video" tab for the heart surgery everyone was so interested in = )

Also, MARKIE R. pointed out an excellent website for our "Me Manuals". Clicky

MAKING GROTON BEAUTIFUL
On Sunday several students cleaned up our 1 mile stretch of S. Main St. Ext. for the Adopt-a-Highway program. It was great to be outside on this beautiful sunny early spring day. Special thanks to ANGELA SHURTLEFF for helping out with this event. Today's cleanup crew was GAGE B., TRAVIS C., CORINNE N., VANESA Q., JOSEPH M., CHARLES W., and CHAD N.

THANKS GUYS...YOU REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE!!!


CHAD N. digs in to Mr. DeVoe's famous stuffed Portabellas after the cleanup.