San Diego Zoo

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Pinkie Pup's

Baby Mice

The development of baby mice is very interesting to witness. However, one must be sure not to disturb the mother as she may become extremely protective and even eat her young. If the nest is located in some form of nesting box, it is best to resist the temptation to look inside for at least three days after the babies are born. Even though it truly depends on the mouse, I find that my females usually tolerate handling of their babies once they are 3-5 days old. However, you are always taking a risk when you disturb the nest so soon after the birth because the mother's actions can be unpredictable. Here's a chart depicting the average growth of baby mice:

0-3 days

the babies are blind, deaf, and completely hairless

3 days

the pigment of the skin is visible on darker colored mice

5-7 days

days fur begins to grow and ears perk up

10-14 days

eyes open and the babies will become increasingly mobile and begin experimenting

with solid foods

12-24 days

the babies will enter what's called the "flea stage." They are extremely quick and jumpy,

which makes them very difficult to handle

21-28 days

the flea stage comes to an end, and the babies should begin weaning from their mother's milk

28-35 days

males and females should be separated, and the mice are ready to go to new homes

i love EwE...

Homeschooling and Photography

We had a wonderful field trip visiting "EWE" today.We have passed by these sheep on several seperate occasions and I've expressed to the children how...I would love to photograph those sheep.They too wanted to stop and see them sooo....today I decided that it would be the kick off to one of our many Valentine's Day Projects! I Love "EWE".... so I took it as an opportunity to teach them that sheep are also called "EWE".

Aiden has always been great at taking photos and Cody just adores the camera in general. So today I handed the camera over to Aiden and he took of few pictures of me as well as a few others that i've posted. He hasn't gotten to the editing stage yet,maybe soon?

Update: Since our little visit,the kids have been running around the house and into grandpas room...saying "i love EwE"... "i love EwE"!

Photography Projects for Science
- After a trip to the zoo, use pictures of an animal on your Treehouse of Life page.
- Use a camera to take photos on your next trip to the park or wilderness.

Picking flowers is often forbidden, but it's still possible to take the flowers home in a picture!
- Take pictures of caterpillars, chicks, puppies and other animals in various stages of development. Looking back at the photos can really make it all connect.
- Likewise, take photos of seedlings or a young sapling as they grow.
- Take pictures of the same tree for a year. This will vividly illustrate the changes that a tree goes through.

What are the educational benefits of children's photography activities?
- Photography for children offers a range of exciting and valuable learning experiences, not to mention some great experiences.
- Learning a new skill boosts children’s self esteem.
- Encourages planning and presentation skills.
- Allows children to display their potential through creativity.
- Provides children with the opportunity to be innovative.
- Photography is a way children can communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings.
- Photos can stimulate children to develop their own ideas on design.

The photos that you and your children take will also serve as documentation of your school year, and can be a useful addition to your yearly portfolio, if you need to turn one in. It also makes a nice way to look back at the changes and growth of your homeschool.