The Mesozoic Era began around 250 million years ago and ended about 65 million years ago. Both it's beginning  and end are marked by major extinction events. The Mesozoic Era is often called the age of the dinosaurs because they were Earth's dominant animals during this era. It's also the era when the first mammals and birds appear in the geologic timeline. T he Mesozoic Era is divided into three periods: the Triassic, the Jurassic, and the Cretaceous.  If you haven't already, be sure to check out my other posts about geologic history: Learning About Geologic History- The Paleozoic Era Learning About Geologic History- Fossils Animals of the Mesozoic: Triassic - The end of the previous geological period is marked by a widespread extinction event that resulted in the loss of around 90% of Earth's species. The Triassic Period began with Earth as a sparsely populated planet with low biodiversity.  The two groups of animals that dominated the early Triassic  were the...

While browsing through books for a unit study I'm working on, my girls and I came across a book about the Australian spotted jellyfish. They were fascinated by the pictures and asked me to read it to them. This ended up inspiring an entire day of jellyfish themed learning. Below are instructions for the activities we did and links to the resources we used. Interesting Facts About Jellyfish -Jellyfish are not actually fish at all. They belong to a group of aquatic invertebrates called cnidarians which also includes sea anemones and corals. Since they are not fish, scientists often call them sea jellies instead of jellyfish. -Many sea jellies have stinging tentacles which help them hunt for food. Some, like box jellyfish, are extremely toxic to humans.  -Sea jellies have no brains or bones. They do however have a simple nervous system that allows them to detect light, vibrations, and chemicals in their environment. -Some sea jellies have bioluminescent organs that make them glow in t...

  Japan might be my favorite country unit study we've done yet! We found several awesome art and craft activities to try, made an erupting volcano, learned about the Pacific Ring of Fire, made teriyaki chicken, and lots more! Basic Information  Japan is an island nation in eastern Asia. It's comprised of nearly 7,000 islands, of which only 421 are inhabited.  The climate varies from sub arctic in the north to subtropical in the south.  Capital - Tokyo Population - 126 million Size - 145,937 square miles  Currency - yen National Anthem -  Kimi Ga Yo National Animal - Japanese macaque National Bird - Green pheasant Flag-  Famous Places and Landmarks Jigokudani Monkey Park - Jigokudani Monkey Park, also known as Snow Monkey Park, located on the island of Honshu, is famous for it's unique troop of Japanese macaques. Japanese macaques are unique in general, as they live further north than any other non human primate, but the troop of macaques that lives in ...