Let's Promote Nature Field Trip

"There is pleasure in the pathless woods, there is rapture in the lonely shore, there is society where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not Man the less, but Nature more." Lord Byron

Dr Abe V Rotor

Living with Nature School on Blog [ avrotor.blogspot.com ]

The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.
John Muir

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep.

                                   . Robert Frost

Nature Field Trip, Mt Makiling Botanical Garden, UPLB Laguna

Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet
and the winds long to play with your hair. Khalil Gibran


The butterfly counts not months but moments,
and has time enough. Rabindranath Tagore

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand
everything better. Albert Einstein

Teachers visit the Museum of Natural History, UPLB

Nature holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual,
cognitive and even spiritual satisfaction. E. O. Wilson


Biology teachers in MM visit Mt Makiling Botanical Garden, UPLB Laguna

The world is a book, and those who do not travel
read only a page. Saint Augustine

Learn Science in your Garden

Learn Science in your Garden

Dr Abe V Rotor 

Living with Nature School on Blog 

Plants lose water by transpiration (through stomates) and gutation through special "valves." Here gutation is shown in Rhoeo discolor.  Droplets line the leaf edges mistaken as dewdrops in early morning. Excess water in the plant is released through special valves to protect the cells from plasmoptysis or excess pressure, the opposite of plasmolysis (shrinking of cells for lack of water). This is a physiological phenomenon existing in the plant world.  

Bagworm (Cryptothelea fuscescens) is the turtle in the insect world with the larva enclosed by a silk bag it builds which grows with the larva itself in four or five moltings becoming bigger in each instar (larval stage).  It spends its pupal phase outside, hanging at the posterior end, then emerges into a moth.  But in the case of the female, it spends its pupal and adult stages inside the bag. Because it is wingless mating is done through the posterior opening of the bag with the male attracted by pheromone (chemical scent).  After fertilization, it lays her eggs inside, squeezes out and dies on the ground.  

Lantana camara, a sturdy shrub exudes obnoxious odor from its flower and body, specially when disturbed.  Its leaves and young stems are covered with tough hairs that easily break when touched, thus emitting the characteristic odor that earned his name bang-bangsit, which means odorous in Ilocano.  This odor however makes the plant a repellant against a host of destructive insects, except for certain butterflies and other insects that pollinate the flowers.  With natural farming gaining popularity, Lantana is welcomed in garden as biological agent against pests. 

Lichens are indicators of good environment. They are plentiful when the environment is pristine, and the air is not polluted.  The three kinds of lichens indicate the degree of pollution. Fruticose (above, right) indicate very clean environment, foliose (leaf-like) indicates declining condition, and crustose (crust-like, left) tolerable level.  The less the lichens are found, the more the environment is deteriorating.  Thus the lichens are practical biological indicators. 

Preying mantis (Mantis religiosa), the executioner in the insect world, spares no insect - not even its own kind.  The female mantis kills her mate while in the act, devour it after for nutrition. But farmers and gardener like them for protecting their plants, and while they are villains in their world, they are harmless to humans.  Sometimes they are regarded as pets.  

Colony of aphids (Aphis sp) at the leaf axils of variegated fortune plant.  Black mass of fungus  grows on the sugary exudate of the aphids. It is this natural sugar made from the plant sap the insect sips that attract red ants.  these ants protect the aphids from predators like ladybugs. Note self regenerating capacity of the plant (right) that shows the plant's ability to survive the pest. 

Bumble bees have become rare in gardens, so with butterflies and honeybees. This is because the air is becoming more polluted, and there are less and less free spaces to build gardens specially in cities. Radiation emanating from transmission towers creates disorientation of pollinators, particularly honeybees as they search for nectar and pollen over long distances and returning to their hive. No wonder the cost of honey has gone up,  so with insect pollination-dependent fruits,vegetables and seeds - these apparently is a  result of our deteriorating environment.

Plant physiology. Apparently there are no common characteristics between bamboo and cactus in this photo. In the first place the bamboo can support itself, while the cactus has to depend on a support - a wall to cling on. Photosynthesis takes place in the green stem of the cactus which is not possible in the bamboo and its kind. The one thing they share, other than water and basic nutrients, is phototropism - both rise to reach for sunlight, and for space. But nature provided each one certain adaptive mechanisms to compete as well as to live under one niche. It is this principle that enables plants to live together naturally like in a forest.  

Poke marks caused by insects create a subject for abstract art.  Viewed against the bright sky the leaf shows netted venation, like veins and capillaries, which supply water and materials for photosynthesis, and it products mainly sugar, to other parts of the plant. Deep green coloration shows richness in chlorophyll.  The leaf structure is an engineering marvel that continues to inspire architecture and engineering.  In the field of medicine, the network of vascular and leaf tissues may provide the key to understanding tissue transplant and stem cell culture.  

 Makahiya (Mimosa pudica) makes a plaything for children and adults trying to steal a leaf without drooping, wishing almost anything in the world from love to fortune - if  they succeed. And no one will ever succeed in altering nature's gift to this shy plant. Special cells called pulvini control the drooping of the leaflets and the whole compound leaf, and restoring them fresh and erect once these cells are filled again with water.  The powder puff flowers attract bees and other pollinators without alarming the plant, thus insuring fertilization and production of seeds.  

A Checklist: Poor Self-image Behavior

"Mirror. mirror on the wall,

who is the fairest of them all?"

                     (From Cinderella)  

Dr Abe V Rotor

Our self-image may not be the same as our public image. Rightly so, we are being criticized for our behavior we project and perceived by people.

It is a constant struggle actually. It's not only putting our best foot forward; it is also stepping back to clear our doubts and to amend for our wrongdoings.  And re-set the stage we play our role. Building self-image requires planning, and the principal determinant is our behavior.  

The following behavior traits are evidence that there is room for improvement in our self-image:

• Negative talk about ourselves 
• Experiencing guilt.
• Failure to give compliments
• Non- acceptance of compliments
• Not asking for what we want.
• Starving ourselves of luxuries unnecessarily.
• Failure to give affection.
• Inability to receive and enjoy affection 
• Criticism of others. 
• Comparison of ourselves with others. 
• Constant poor health. 

There are no hard rules in this checklist. Post this list in your bedroom next to a mirror as a daily reminder. Remember, "Your beliefs don't make you a better person. Your behavior does." (Anonymous) ~

Reference: ll you wanted to know about happiness, by Vikas Malcani, New Dawn; acknowledgement: Internet image.   

MEDITATION: Reflection and Relaxation

MEDITATION: 
Reflection and Relaxation 
When the sun is in its zenith, half the day is gone, half of the work done, half of life's stirrings over, yet the joy of living, its challenges and rewards are whole and forever, meditate.

Dr Abe V Rotor 

A Paulinian student takes time out to meditate over a landscape mural painted by the author for St Paul College of Ilocos Sur, February 26, 2018. 

When things seem to be overwhelming, the road long and rough, the horizon far and dim, and you feel powerless under this situation, give yourself time to meditate;

When the wind stops to blow, the treetops still, birds no longer fly, the fields lay bare after harvest time, summer creeps in, and you feel the false calm of doldrums, meditate;

When the first rain is but a shower, shy and naive over the parched landscape and the dry riverbed, listen to the distant thunder, watch the gathering cloud, meditate;

When the mountains are blue in the distance, as blue as the azure sky and the sea resting after tempest, the valley deep and green, be part of the scenery, meditate;

When the birds migrate to the south before winter sets in and return in springtime, imagine the magnificence of the view from above, the adventure of travel, meditate;

When the trees proudly stand together to form a living fort, bastion against the vagaries of nature, abode and domicile of creation to which you are a part, meditate;

When the habagat is in its peak with days and days of rain, the fields now a huge lake, joining the rivers and lakes, it's nature's process of dynamic balance, meditate;

When the amihan sets in, cold wind from the north sweeps over the ripening grains, golden in the sun, undulating, lilting with kids flying kites - you're with them, meditate;

When the world seems to be moving too fast, on a chartless path, you feel you are adrift and part of a bandwagon, move out before it's too late, meditate;

When the trees come alive with music at dawn, mists settle into dewdrops, sparkling like diamonds as the sun rises, the curtain opens a new day - awake, meditate; 

When the sun is in its zenith, half the day is gone, half of the work done, half of life's stirrings over, yet the joy of living, its challenges and rewards are whole, meditate;

When the sun sets, dusk the prelude to rest, angelus prayer itself in silence, peace and harmony set in, be at the center of Home, Family and Creator, meditate. ~

---------------
Poetry reading is an art. In fact, poetry is intended to be read before an audience to fully appreciate it, its style, its rhyme and rhythm, meter cum expression of the reader. For this particular piece, the author suggests as a background music, Meditation, a symphonic intermezzo from the opera Thaïs by French composer Jules Massenet. The piece is written for solo violin and orchestra. The opera premiered at the Opéra Garnier in Paris on March 16, 1894.

Self-Test for Hypochondria*

Self-Test for Hypochondria* 

Researched and organized by Dr Abe V Rotor

Generally we worry about our health at times, but there are some of us who fear of being ill, often so strong, that even when we are in good health, we find it hard to cope with our everyday life.

A hypochondriac is one who lives in fear of having a serious illness, despite medical tests that find nothing wrong about him or her, a somatic symptom disorder, also known as illness anxiety disorder, a condition also been known as hypochondria, or hypochondriasis.

Are you a hypochondriac? 

For each number, rate yourself  that best fits the way you feel.  Add up all scores.  The higher the total, the better the chances that you are a hypochondriac.   
1 - Not at all
2 -  Little bit
3 - Moderately
4 - Quite a bit 
5 - A great deal

1. Do you worry a lot about your health?

2. Do you think there is something seriously wrong with your body?

3. Is it hard for you to forget about yourself and to think about all sorts of other things?

4. If you feel ill and someone tells you that you are looking better, do you become annoyed?

5. Do you find that you are often aware of various things happening in your body?
6. Are you bothered by many pains and aches?

7. Are you afraid of illness?

8. Do you worry about your health more than most people do?

9. Do you get the feeling that people are not taking your illnesses seriously enough?

10. Is it hard for you to believe your doctor when he or she tells you there is nothing for you to worry about?

11. Do you often worry about the possibility that you have a serious illness?

12. If a disease is brought to your attention (through radio, TV, or newspapers or by someone you know), do you worry about getting it yourself?

13. Do you find that you are bothered by many different symptoms?

14. Do you often have the symptoms of a very serious disease?  
-------------------------
There are no hard-and-fast cutoffs in the Whiteley Index , but people who score between 32 and 55 are generally considered to be hypochondriacs, while those who score between 14 and 28 are generally considered not to be. These numbers are merely indications, however; people suffering from depression also often score high. The best way to find out for certain is to consult a sympathetic physician.
------------------------
*Based on the Whiteley Index.The Whiteley Index is a widely used test to find hypochondria. As with all tests the result must be interpreted cautiously. A high score is an indication that you could profit from talking this over with your doctor.

Answers to Self-Administered Test on Teachers and Teaching:- True or False, 50 Items

 Test on Teachers and Teaching 
Nodding your head means approval, but it could also mean at the same time sign of respect. 

Dr Abe V Rotor

1. The Anecdote, a form of story telling, is Christ’s powerful teaching tool. (False, parable)

2. For effective teachers what is most important is the substance and its delivery through verbal means. Kinesics or body language contributes about 10 percent of teaching effectiveness. (False, higher value)

3. Folding arms across chest may be understood as competitive attitude or even resistance to change. It should not be used often in teaching. (True: maton attitude has no place in the classroom.)

4. Scratching your head whether you are a teacher or student may be understood as embarrassment or insult. (True. This is a mannerism outside the classroom)

5. Body tilted forward means that to get attention, so that the speaker must have to make himself clearer and to talk louder – or explain further. (True. Give the favor or benefit of the doubt.)

6. Extending arms out in front with palms up should never be used by teachers, more so by students because it violates humility. (False, this is a good gesture – just do it with respect.)

7. Covering your face and tapping the table is a reaction of one who is embarrassed. (False – impatience, too which does not go with good manners)

8. There are teachers who wag a finger. It means blaming and warning the students at the same time. (True, avoid as much as possible.)

9. Handshake with a smile is a genuine expression of recognition, which teachers must used often on the right occasion. (True, but be genuine with your intentions – not the politician’s way. )

10. Humanities and Science must go together in teaching. This requires the use of both the left brain which is creativity and the right brain which is for logic or reason. (False, brain lobes interchanged)

11. Handwriting is a mirror of your personality. This means that a person who is good in classical writing style has a better personality than one who is poor with this style of writing. (False)

12. Never allow your students to critique you as their teacher inside the classroom. Confront them after class. (False, be open to them even in the classroom.)

13. AJA is the acronym of a useful guide in making decisions and acting on the decisions properly. It means Action Judgment and Analysis. (False. Analysis first)

14. Tell your child to change wet clothes immediately to prevent colds. In the absence, of dry clothes or towellete, it’s all right to place newspaper under the wet clothes to absorb perspiration and keep the back warm. (False, newspaper contains chemicals, like lead.)

15. Be like the Greeks, specially Demosthenes, and practice talking before the mirror. Tape your voice and listen to it. Get an expert to critique you on how you talk in front of people. (True, always aim at self improvement.)

16. As a teacher aim at developing a low pitch, and high volume of your voice - like a radio announcer. (False, whether you are male or female, and other factors – level of students)

17. These two should go together always: articulation and logic. (True)

18. Tempo is the speed of talking, while Rhythm places emphasis on different words and the cadence of speech. (True)

19. Non-verbal messages are transmitted through human actions and behaviors rather than through words. These occur mostly face-to-face. The impact of each component is as follows: Facial – 25%; Vocal or Verbal – 75% (False 55% and 45%, respectively)

20. When you are angry the pitch of your voice goes up. This is but natural and students will understand. In fact this is one way you should instill discipline in the classroom. (False. Generally an angry voice is of a higher pitch. That’s why we say to an angry person, “Don’t raise your voice.” True, there are some who, if angry talk with a lower pitch, oftentimes aloud and exaggerated. It speaks of fine social grace to be able to maintain the pitch and volume of our voice even when we are angry.)

21. When posing for a photograph, relax your shoulders. (True. You will be surprised on how relaxed the muscles of your jaw, cheek, and forehead become, radiating to your nape and torso and then to your arms and legs. Use this technique when you are in for a stage fright or nervousness in a conference. It even induces you to sleep.)

22. Dr. Albert Schweitzer was great English explorer and teacher-missionary in Africa who became famous for his philosophy “reverence for life.” (True. He was one of the last great explorers to bring knowledge, peace and Christianity into the Dark Continent.)

23. We are all teachers in our own rights – parent to children, elders to the young ones, extension worker to farmers, broadcasters to audience. (True)

24. Mother Teresa’s example of service to the “poorest of the poor” is a model of a true teacher. We have a Mother Teresa Awardee Filipina in the person of Sis Eva Fidela Maamo, who is also a Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Community Development . (True.)

25. The Enhancers of teaching are the requisites or “musts” for the attainment of teaching expertise; while the Essentials are teaching practices and behaviors contributory to teaching expertise. (False, other way around)

26. Subject matter expertise means thorough/excellent knowledge of content, being up-to-date with the latest developments in their fields; knowledge of the interrelationships among the structural elements or concepts of the subject matter. (True)

27. Knowledge of the relationship of the lesson with other courses is good but not necessary in effective. (False)

28. Classroom Management Expertise is the ability of the teacher to efficient handle routine activities and time management – All expert teachers manage classroom routine and time efficiently. The teacher is familiar with the names of his students, and knows who is absent, who is a fast or slow learner. (True)

29. More than half of the experts (58%) do not check attendance because the students are properly monitored and absenteeism does not pose a problem. Classes start and end on time. The teacher employs different ways of maximizing class time, such as the use of OHP, and other instructional devises, including handouts. (True)

30.Maintenance of students’ on-task behavior - 92% of the experts use this enhancer. They use socialization techniques, encourage students to recite, motivate, and check their progress. There is never a dull moment in the classroom for an expert teacher. (True)

31. 90% of the expert teachers use varied teaching strategies. The expert teachers demonstrate facility in the use of varied instructional strategies, demonstrate knowledge of different teaching strategies, adopt group dynamics, and are particular in instructional clarity. They have the ability to simplify and clearly present lessons. (True)

32. Use of varied teaching strategies –The expert teachers employ other than lecture and recitation, song and movement, role-playing, pantomime, choral; reading visual imagery, concept mapping, brainstorming, contest, simulation, oral debate, cooperative learning etc. depending on the needs of the subject. (True)

33. All the expert teachers are very fluent, articulate and have good voice quality, like a DJ. They use English, and Pilipino often. (False)

34. The expert teacher spots and readily identifies students who experience learning difficulties. Thus he makes provisions to encourage students, or to prevent the occurrence of learning difficulties, as may be the case. Sensitivity to students’ learning problems/difficulties. (True)

35. Classroom humor – Filipinos are fond of humor, but not even one-half of the expert teachers could ignite laughter in class through jokes and anecdotes. (False)

36. Jonathan Swift is a popular novelist and poet, as well as a teacher, mainly for his trilogy of “The Travels of Gulliver.” the third and last travel of the kindly doctor is the world of the spirits and of the dead. (True)

37. Generally, the less intelligent a person is, the more he is sensitive and most likely affected by psychological/emotional problems. (False)

38. Homo sapiens mean “thinking man” while Homo faber is “playing man.” (False, faber is man, the maker.)

39. Beliefs, perceptions and views originate and are naturally produced by a local community, thus called communal property. Among these works are Iliad, Odyssey and Lam-ang. (True)

40. Traditional wisdom and ethno-science still no longer flourish in Philippine traditional cultural communities, because they are regarded as "superstition" and "works of the devil". (False. They are much felt and visible in rural communities.)

41. For the science educator and communicator, the trend of research is towards the unknown, and must bear away from tradition and the past for these have very little scientific bases. (False, they are as important as prospective research)

42. Globalization, along with information and communication in hi-tech form, very much affects the cultures of peoples and nations in the world today. The global market regime continues to erode the cultural rights of local communities. This is the trend that is happening throughout in the world. (True)

43. Our ancestors were a happier lot than us today. They had more time for themselves and their family, and more things to share with their community. They lived healthier lives and were endowed - more than we are - with the good life brought about by the bounty and beauty of nature?  (True)

44. Modern music makes a wholesome life; it is therapy. It is unlike ethnic music. (False)

45. Village folks sing or hum as they attend to their chores; they have songs when rowing the boat, songs when planting, songs of praise at sunrise, songs while walking up and down the trail, etc. Seldom is there an activity without music. Even the sounds of nature to them are music. (True)

46. Here is one example of a fallacy that education should correct today: thunder and lightning spawn mushroom because is just one of the ancestral belief handed down to us. (False, it should not be.)

47. Haystacks (mandala) once dotted the rice fields as we once knew when we were schoolchildren, but because they are inefficient for storing harvest and hay they have become obsolete. (False, the mandala is an engineering feat, and an efficient system of grain storage on the farm)

48. By examining the physical characteristics of plants, we can read how nature intended them to be used. This is a belief called Doctrine of Signatures. (False,physical appearance has nothing to do with the curative powers of plants, or animals for that matter. It is true that garlic is an effective respiratory cure, but it is its active ingredients that are responsible for it.

49. Children nursed with formulated infant food prove to be more intelligent as in the case of a girl claimed by a milk company to have an IQ higher than that of Galileo. (False)

50. Breastfeeding allows longer spacing of children; it’s nature’s way to allow the baby to be weaned properly, and the mother to recover fully before having the next child. This is only an unfounded claim of a group fighting the multi-national companies’ claim on the superiority of their infant food products. (False, mother’s milk is still the best; this is indeed nature’s way of family planning.) ~

12 Tips in Harvesting Fruits and Vegetables

Pineapple is ready for harvest when the "eyes" are filled, and the base of the fruit becomes yellow advancing upward.

 

Dr Abe V Rotor

Living with Nature School on Blog

Fruits and vegetables are highly perishable. Here is list of do's and don'ts in harvesting, in order to reduce loss and enhance quality. 

1. Fruits like mango, avocado, chico, caimito and guava should be harvested with a picking pole with a catching bag. 

 Siniguelas: Ready-to-pick fruits are shiny, well formed and purplish.  

 Sampalok or tamarind: Pods are dull brown, well formed.  Press rind if loose and open. Semi-ripe (manibalang, Tag) and fully ripe brown (kalanakang, Ilk) are eaten directly, or made into jelly or jam.
 

 Sapote: Ready to pick fruit are full and rounded, with tinge of brown or purple. 

Shrinks as it ripens. 

Guyabano:  The fruit is harvested green, it ripens in two to three days.  Fruit shown in this photo is immature when harvested, it will simply go to waste. 

2. Harvest pechay, mustard, lettuce, cauliflower, with sharp knife close to the root and trim at the same time. Uprooting is tedious and may predispose the harvest to early deterioration.   

3. Harvest green corn, melon, pineapple and the like, in the morning, they are sweeter.  They have lower sugar content in the afternoon.   

4. Avoid harvesting leafy vegetables early in the morning, they are brittle, and easily break and rot.  Allow them to get supple and the dewdrops to evaporate.   

5. Harvest root and tuber crops (e.g. radish, carrot) when they are large enough or at marketable size. When over mature the pith is hard and even dry. 

6. Harvest onions, garlic and potato when the top begins to dry out, spreads out and topples. 

7. Do not let yam (sinkamas) and ginger to over stay in the field, otherwise they become tough and fibrous. 

8. Harvest lettuce, pechay and mustard before they flower.

9. For cabbage, the head should be well formed, if cracked it is over mature.  Cauliflower head is well formed, clean white or cream. 

10. Harvest papaya, as soon as 10 to 15 percent of the fruit's surface is yellow to yellow orange.

11. Pineapple is ready for harvest when the "eyes" are filled, and the base of the fruit becomes yellow advancing upward.  

12. Apply the simple thumbnail test on the following:

• Sweetcorn exudes milky sap
• Okra snaps easily at the tip
• Upo, patola, cucumber easily give way and exude sap
• Cowpea, sitao, batao, sigarillas snap easily
• Squash when fully mature does not give way
• Chico, sampalok - scrape lightly, immature if green