The Hopkins Pond Activity Book

The Hopkins Pond Activity Book
by
The Spring 2012 Tatem Elementary Inquiry Project Team:
Autumn
David
Katie
Martin
Stephen
with the help of…
Mrs. Hall’s 4th grade class
Autumn
Briana
Bridget
Connor
David
Elizabeth
Emma
Giancarlo
Gaetano
Jackson
John
Kailey
Kyra
Madison
Martin
Molly
Nick
Peter
Riley
Roman
Ryan
Sam
Sebastian
Sofia
Stephen
Brainstorming. Boy did we do a lot of that. Before our project could begin we had to figure out,
and agree upon, what problem we were trying to solve. So early in January 2012 we started the
many sessions of brainstorming. We came up with loads of ideas, but in the end the problem we
all really wanted to try solving was: “Hopkins Pond is a resource Tatem Elementary does not
use as much as it should.” Once we had our problem defined, we were quickly able to agree on
our underlying research question:
“How might Tatem Elementary better use Hopkins Pond to teach students lessons?”
It was this question that led us to several accomplishments, one of which was this Activity
Book you are looking at right now. Our team thought this book was a perfect opportunity to not
only do our own learning about Hopkins Pond, but to involve others in the process of that
learning, not to mention leaving behind a resource future Tatem students can use too.
We started our project by doing some initial research in our town and school libraries, the town
historical society library, on the internet, and we asked some experts. From that research we
came up with a list of items to research further and a framework for this book. With the help of
Mrs. Hall’s 4th grade class, more research was done on all of the species you see listed in the
following pages. The class got quite creative!
We hope this book has a little something for everyone within the Tatem student population.
Some of the activities might appeal to learners who have not yet learned how to read, while
others might appeal to those higher-level thinkers who thirst for more knowledge. Whoever you
are, we hope you have fun with our book.
Oh yah. And if you really want to learn more, take us up on the challenge at the end of the
book!
Good luck and have fun,
The Spring 2012 Tatem Elementary Inquiry Project Team:
Autumn
David
Katie
Martin
Stephen
Page 1
Index:
Feathered Friends
American Goldfinch ………………………….
Black Capped Chickadee ……………………..
Blue Heron ……………………………………
Blue Jay ……………………………………….
Canadian Goose ………………………………
Cardinal ………………………………………
Cooper’s Hawk ……………………………….
Check what you know………………..
Downy Woodpecker ………………………….
Hairy Woodpecker ……………………………
Mallard Duck …………………………………
Muscovy Duck ……………………………….
Red Bellied Woodpecker …………………….
Red Tailed Hawk …………………………….
Robin …………………………………………
Swan ………………………………………….
Tufted Titmouse ………………………………
Turkey Vulture ……………………………….
Check what you know………………..
Furry Friends
Gray Squirrel …………………………………
Muskrat ……………………………………….
Opossum ………………………………………
Raccoon ……………………………………….
Skunk …………………………………………
Check what you know………………..
In the Water
Crocodile ……………………………………..
Box Turtle …………………………………….
Bull Frog ………………………………………
Carp …………………………………………..
Catfish ………………………………………..
Eel ……………………………………………
Painted Turtle ………………………………..
Sunfish ……………………………………….
Check what you know ……………….
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Bugs & Crawlers
Cicada ………………………………….
Trees
American Beech ……………………….
Black Cherry …………………………...
Black Locust ……………………………
Black Oak ………………………………
Black Willow …………………………..
Catalpa …………………………………
Cottonwood ……………………………
Flowering Dogwood ……………………
Japanese Maple …………………………
Northern Red Oak ……………………...
Check what you know …………
Flowering Pear …………………………
Pin Oak …………………………………
Red Cedar ………………………………
Red Maple ……………………………...
Sassafras ……………………………….
Short Leaf Pine …………………………
Silver Maple ……………………………
Sweetgum ………………………………
Sycamore ……………………………….
White Ash ………………………………
White Willow ………………………….
Willow Oak …………………………….
Plus…
Poison Ivy ………………………………
Check what you know …………
Hopkins Pond History Pages ……………..
A Map of Hopkins Pond …………………..
Our Challenge to You ……..…………………..
Thanks & Disclaimers …………………………
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Page 2
Feathered Friends
The following pages have facts and activities on species of “feathered friends” that are likely to
be seen at Hopkins Pond.
Martin
Page 3
American
Goldfinch
The
American
Goldfinch is found in
almost all of the USA
and parts of Canada.
The Goldfinch habitat
is in fields, floodplains,
and backyards.

When Goldfinches molt,
they
look
bizarrely
patchy.

The Goldfinches are
feeder birds and eat
Sunflower and Nyjer
thistle seeds.

The Goldfinch is the state
bird of New Jersey, Iowa
and Washington.
 The Goldfinch travels
with Siskins and common
Redpolls.
Autumn
Page 4
Black Capped
Chickadee
The Black Capped
Chickadee is found in
Canada and the USA.
The places they live are
parks, woods, forests
and a lot of places that
have trees.
 The
Black
Capped
Chickadee is small, has
white cheeks, and a white
buffy stomach.
 They hide their food and
seeds in a very far place
and they can remember it
from miles away.
 In the winter they eat half
seeds and in the spring
they eat other plants.
 The
Black
Capped
Chickadee is frequent to
bird feeders.
 Both male and female
take care of the babies but
the father hunts for the
food.
Emma
Page 5
Great Blue
Heron
Great Blue Herons live
in
freshwater
and
saltwater habitats and
also in grasslands and
agriculture fields where
they stalk mammals
and frogs.
 The Blue Heron’s wing
span is an average of 2
meters.
 The call of the Great Blue
Heron is a harsh croak
and if they are disturbed,
they will fly to a new
perch.
 Blue Herons eat insects,
sea creatures, or rodents
and they usually swallow
their prey whole but are
known for choking if their
food is too large.
 They lay three to six pale
blue eggs and raise about
one brood per year.
 Other predators include
bald eagles, great horned
owls, hawks, bears and
raccoons.
Bridget
Page 6
Blue Jay
Blue Jays live in the
Eastern part of the
U.S., throughout the
Northern Rockies, and
as far west as Oregon.
Some have even been
sighted in California.
They are also found in
the southern part of
Canada.
 Blue Jays weigh twelve
oz. to two lbs.
 Blue Jays eat fruit, nuts,
berries, seeds, and suet.
They will eat caterpillars,
beetles and other small
bugs.
 The Blue Jay’s predators
are larger birds like
Raptors and other “Jays”
like the Stellar’s Jay.
 Blue Jays can live to be
17 years and 6 months
old.
 A Blue Jays nest is cup
shaped and made out of
twigs, small roots, cloth,
bark strips, moss, paper,
feathers, and other plant
material and occasionally
adding mud to the nest.
Katie
Page 7
Canadian
Goose
The Canadian Goose
lives mostly in Canada
and in parts of the
United States.

The Canadian Goose has a
black head and neck, and
a brownish grey body
with white patches on the
face.

The
lifespan
of
a
Canadian Goose is 10-24
years.

A Canadian Goose can lay
up to 1-10 eggs.

Its diet is small insects
and fish. It also eats food
that has grains.
Sam
Page 8
Northern
Cardinal
The Northern Cardinal
can be found in
southern Canada and
throughout the eastern
United States. You can
find it in woodlands,
gardens, wetlands and
swamps. It builds its
nest in tall trees.
 The Northern cardinal is a
year round resident of the
Eastern United States.
 The male Cardinal will be
a bright red. The brighter
the red, the more plentiful
the food in its territory.
 The female Northern
Cardinal is brown so it can
blend into trees and
protect her babies.
 Their clutch size is 2-5
eggs.
 The Northern Cardinals’
breeding begins in late
March to early April.
Roman
Page 9
Cooper’s
Hawk
The Cooper’s Hawk is
found from southern
Canada
to northern
Mexico. Those found
east of the Mississippi
tend to be larger on
average than those found
to the west.
 It is among the world’s most
skillful flyers.
 The adults have red eyes.
 They kill their prey by
squeezing the life out of it
or by drowning it.
 The oldest Cooper’s Hawk
is 20.
 They
prey
almost
exclusively on small to midsized birds.
David
Page 10
Check what you know
1. The Goldfinch is the state bird of New Jersey, Washington and __________.
2. A _____________________has a wing span of 2 meters.
3. The Northern ________________ clutches are 2-5 eggs big.
4. The Canadian Goose has a diet of small insects and __________.
5. Adult Cooper Hawks have ____________ eyes.
6. Black ____________ Chickadee loves eating from bird feeders.
7. Blue Jays can weigh up to 12 ___________.
8. The Great ____________ Heron’s call is a harsh croak.
9. _______ ______ can live up to 17 and 6 months old.
10.The ___________ of a Canadian _________ is 10-24 years.
11.The ___________ Cardinals breeding begins in late _________ and ends in early April.
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by Martin
Page 11
Downy
Woodpecker
Downy Woodpeckers
mostly live in the
North because it’s cool
and has a lot of trees
there.
 The Downy Woodpecker
is the most common back
yard wood pecker in
North America.
 Adult
Downy
Woodpeckers are the
smallest
of
North
America’s woodpeckers.
 The Downy Woodpecker
gives a number of
vocalizations, including a
short pik call.
 They nest in a tree cavity
especially in the winter.
 They mainly eat insects,
also seeds and berries.
Connor
Page 12
Hairy
Woodpecker
They are found in
almost all the United
states and Canada and
some of Mexico. They
make their homes in
trees and logs by
making a tree cavity.
 They have a fairly square
head, long straight chisel
like bill and a stiff long
tail feathers.
 They are mainly black and
white, black and white
checkered on the wing.
 Their diet is wood borig
beetle, bark beetles, ants,
moth pupae, bees, wasps,
caterpillars, spiders and
millipedes.
 They make their homes at
woodlots, suburbs, parks,
and cemeteries.
Sebastian
Page 13
Mallard Duck
The Mallard Duck
usually nests (but not
always) in natural
cover near streams,
wetlands, ponds, and
reservoirs. It also nests
around farm areas,
residential areas and
even backyards.
 The Mallard Duck is the
most common wild duck
in the U.S.A.
 Once the Mallard Duck is
in flight it can reach up to
70 feet per second.
 The male Mallard Duck is
more distinctly colored
than the female Mallard
Duck.
 Mallard Ducks fly in
groups called flocks. They
fly in a V formation.
John
Page 14
Muscovy
Duck
Native to Mexico,
Central and South
America, small feral
populations of the
Muscovy Duck can
now be found in some
parts
of
North
America. A male and
female were spotted on
Hopkins Pond in the
spring of 2012.

The Muscovy Duck has
long claws on its feet.

They are large ducks. The
male Muscovy can weigh
up to 15 pounds.

The
females
are
considerably smaller, and
only grow to 7 pounds.

Although
the
term
“Muscovy” means “from
the Moscow (Russia)
region” the Muscovy duck
was not originally from
that region.

The diet of the Muscovy
duck is exactly what
Hopkins Pond has to
offer: Plant material,
small fish and insects.
Martin
Page 15
Red Bellied
Woodpecker
Red Bellies’ are very
common in Eastern
woodlands like forests.
They also love a good
backyard feeder.
 Red Bellied Woodpeckers
are pale, medium-sized
woodpeckers common in
forests near the East.
Their striking backs and
gleaming red heads make
them look astonishing.
 Some people call them
red-headed woodpeckers
because of their bright red
heads. Don’t be mistaken,
they’re red-bellied.
 To identify the red-belly
look for a sleek, round
head and a bold black and
white striped back. If it is
flying, look for white
patches near the wingtips.
 Red Belly grows up to 9
or 10 and a half inches
and 72.5 grams.
Riley
Page 16
Red Tailed
Hawk
They are found in
North America and
Alaska. There have
been many sightings in
Connecticut
and
Massachusetts as well
as at Hopkins Pond.
 Red tailed hawks have
short tails, broad necks,
and chunky wings.
 A male red hawk weights
690-1300g.
 A female weights 9002000g.
 They measure 45-65cm
long.
 They eat small mammals
and rodents.

They breed in April or
March 1-3 eggs.
 They have yellow feet and
a red tail.
Sophia
Page 17
Robin
The Robin’s habitat is
the North East in a nest
in a Pin Oak tree.
 Earth works are the
Robin’s favorite food.
 The male American Robin
sings a lovely hymn.
 The Robin is the official
state bird of Connecticut,
Michigan and Wisconsin.
 American Robins make a
different sound when
communicating. When a
predator is coming it
makes a Peking sound.
When the Robin feels
threatened, it makes a
similar sound to a
whinnying horse.
 In the summer the females
sleep on their nest.
Briana
Page 18
Swan
The Swan enjoys living
in damp areas such as
ponds, lakes, rivers and
swamps. In the US
Swans
range
from
western
Washington
state to western NYC.
 The numbers of eggs in a
clutch are 3-8 for a Swan.
 The Swan species eats lots
of food. Some eat insects
and small mammals. Most
Swans are herbivores—that
means they only eat plants.
 Swans often have their
neck curved on top of the
front of their body, and
their heads are curved
outwards.
 These birds are in the same
family as geese and ducks,
which is the Anatidae
family.
Molly
Page 19
Tufted
Titmouse
A Tufted Titmouse is
found
over
north
America and southern
Canada. They like to
be found in suburban
areas. It lives in
deciduous woods or
places with tree species
 The Titmouse is about 6
inches long.
 Its diet is made of pine
seeds and fruit.
 They don’t gather in large
flocks like chicks.
 The
oldest
Tufted
Titmouse lived 13 years
long.
 They are actively on
braches sometimes on the
ground looking for food.
 They are very curious
about human neighbors.
Kyra
Page 20
Turkey
Vulture
These birds live in a
variety of different
places. They live along
costal lines, in deserts,
throughout the plains,
and even in tropical
forests.
 The Turkey Vulture does
not have a voice box so, it
only hisses and grunts.
Usually when they hiss it
means
they
feel
threatened. When Turkey
Vultures
grunt
it’s
normally they’re hungry.
 The Turkey Vulture is a
gentle,
non-aggressive
animal.
 The Turkey Vulture nests
on the ground or in a
cave. Often people find
Turkey Vulture nests in
abandoned barns or sheds.
 The Turkey Vulture eats
rotten pumpkins, grass
hoppers, shrimp, palm
fruit,
and
stranded
mussels.
Kailey
Page 21
Check what you know
Fill in the blanks to unscramble the words.
1. The _____________ _____________ live in the north and eat insects, berries and seeds.
2. The Tufted ___________ is about 6 inches long.
3. The _______________ likes to live in Pin Oak trees and is the state bird of 3 different states.
4. The ______________ ______________ have stiff feathers, live in all of North America, and
are black and white.
5. The ______________ Vulture don’t have a voice box and live in caves or on the ground.
6. The ______________ ______________ were spotted on Hopkins Pond. The males weigh
around 15 pounds and the females weigh around 7 pounds.
7. The ______________ ______________ lay about 1-3 eggs and they eat small mammals /
rodents.
Now unscramble the words:
1.
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Stephen
Page 22
Furry Friends…
Challenge yourself! Draw a picture on this page that has to do with the types of furry friends we
might find at Hopkins Pond.
Page 23
Gray Squirrel
The Eastern Gray
Squirrel can be found
in the entire world
except Australia. Their
habitat is backyards
and roadsides.
 The Gray Squirrel has
brownish gray fur with a
bushy tail.
 There are more than 200
squirrel species planetwide.
 The smallest squirrel in
the world is the African
Pygmy Squirrel.
 The Gray Squirrel has
four front teeth.
 The Gray Squirrel eats
small mammals, birdseed,
and tree nuts.
 The Gray Squirrel lives up
to ten years.
Autumn
Page 24
Muskrat
Muskrats are found in
North America, Europe,
Asia and South America.
They live in marshes, or
alongside ponds, lakes,
rivers, and streams.
 Muskrats build houses called
lodges out of aquatic plants,
mostly cattails.
 The muskrat breeding season
starts in late winter and ends
in September.
 Baby muskrats
without fur.
are
born
 Muskrats live in large family
groups inside a territory.
 The males and females are the
same except the females are
bigger.
 They have thick brown fur
with a long, furless, scaly tail.
Their ears are small and feet
are webbed.
Nick
Page 25
Opossum
The Opossums range
was from Costa Rica,
north through Mexico
and the central and
eastern half of the
United
States
to
southeastern
Canada.
But then it went north
and west. They live high
in trees where they sleep
during the day.
 Opossums make up the
largest
amount
of
marsupials in the western
hemisphere.
 They are
Possums
also
called
 The Virginian Opossum
was the first animal to be
named Opossum.
 They can be as big as a
grown housecat, or as small
as a mouse.
 They are immune to the
venom of rattlesnakes,
cottonmouths, and other pit
vipers.
Nick
Page 26
Raccoon
Raccoons live in North
America.
Raccoon’s
habitat in an area with
small stands of timber
bordering corn and
vegetable fields, and
with water close by.
 Raccoons can live in the
wild until they are 16.
 Raccoons are very good
swimmers as well as
climbers.
 Raccoons carry a lot of
diseases including rabies.
 Raccoons can
anywhere.
survive
 Raccoons mostly live in
trees.
Peter
Page 27
Skunk
All skunks inhabit the
Americas from Canada
to South America. You
can also find two stink
badgers in Indonesia
and the Philippines.
 Skunks usually mate in
early
spring
and
(successful) males will
mate more than once.

Skunks vary in size from
15.6-37 inches (40-94cm)
and weigh 1.1-18 lb (.58.2 kg).
 Skunks can range in color
from black and white to
brown or cream colored.
All skunks have stripes,
even if they only have
one.
 Skunks eat insects, larvae,
earthworms, grubs, small
rodents,
lizards,
salamanders,
frogs,
snakes, birds, moles, and
eggs
 Skunks
are
primary
predators of honey bees
and rely on their thick fur
to protect them from bee
stings.
Martin
Page 28
Check what you know
Fill in the blanks to fill in the crossword puzzle.
1 Raccoons live in the wild to be _____________ years old.
2 The _____________ opossum was the first animal named opossum.
3 Female muskrats are ____________ than males.
4 (across) The smallest squirrel in the world is the African _________ squirrel.
4 (down) Opossums are also called ____________.
5 Raccoons mostly live in ___________.
6 Skunks eat ____________ larvae, earthworms, grubs, small rodents and other things.
7 ___________ are primary predators of honey bees.
8 There are more than 200 species of ___________ in the world.
9 Muskrat feet are ______________.
10 Opossums are immune to the ______________ of rattle snakes, cotton mouths and other pit vipers.
Martin
Page 29
In the Water…
Won’t you join us with more friends who like to be in or on the water?
Martin
Page 30
Crocodile
Member species of the family
Crocodylidae are large aquatic reptiles
that live throughout the tropics in Africa,
Asia, the Americas and Australia.
Crocodiles tend to congregate in
freshwater habitats such as rivers, lakes,
wetlands and sometimes in brackish
water. One was reportedly spotted in
Hopkins Pond on Friday, May 18, 2007
by a citizen and park police officer, but
has never since been found.

A crocodile’s physical traits allow it to be
a successful predator. Its streamlined body
enables it to swim swiftly. It tucks its feet
to the side while swimming.

Their armored skin has scales and is thick
and rugged, providing some protection.
They are still able to absorb heat through
this armor, as a network of small
capillaries allows blood through the scales
to absorb heat.

Crocodiles have a palatal flap, a rigid
tissue at the back of the mouth that blocks
the entry of water. The palate has a special
path from the nostril to the glottis that
bypasses the mouth. The nostrils are
closed during submergence.

Crocodiles are ambush hunters, waiting for
fish or land animals to come close, and
then rushing out to attack. Despite their
appearance of being slow, crocodiles are
top predators in their environment, and
various species have been observed
attacking and killing sharks.
Martin
Page 31
Box Turtle
Box
Turtles
live
underground in the
Carolina’s and South
Eastern US. The reason
why
they
live
underground is because
they have sharp nails
for digging.
 Box Turtles weight 50 lb
and usually no more than
6-8 inches but the Florida
Box Turtles are 10-12
inches.
 Box Turtles eat fresh
fruits, fresh vegetables,
worms, Night Crawlers,
and Crickets.
 Box Turtles predators are
raccoons.
 The oldest Box Turtle
lived to be 120 years old
and the average is 40
years old.
 Box Turtles are a mix of
browns, yellows, and dark
grays with orange or
brown eyes.
Katie
Page 32
Bullfrog
They live in the eastern
United States and
North Nova Scotia,
Florida,
Wisconsin,
Colorado,
British
Columbia, California,
and New Jersey. They
like to live in wet
mucky places.
 The bullfrog’s color is
greenish-brown, so it could
blend
in
with
its
surroundings. Their eyes
are gold or brown.
Sometimes the bullfrog can
have spots.
 A female can lay up to
25,000 eggs under water.
 Adult males are larger and
more
muscular
than
females. The male is
slightly darker than the
female. When the baby
tadpoles turn into frogs
they are darker than their
parents.
 They have a voracious diet.
They will eat anything they
can swallow, like birds,
fish, retiles, mice, and even
turtles and other frogs.
Maddie
Page 33
Carp
The Carps’ habitat is
still water, canals and
slow flowing rivers.
Carps originated from
Japan.
 Carp can live anywhere
and still live up to 20 to
50 years old.
 The Carps is a family of
the Cryprinidae and its
Phylum is Chordata.
 The biggest Carp is 70
pounds and it lived up to
40 years.
 The types of Carp are the
Silver Carp and the Gold
Carp.
 Most Carp can weigh 1-10
pounds and can grow up
to 40 inches in length.
Gaetano
Page 34
Catfish
The Catfish lives in
mostly North America
and South America but
also in Asia, Europe,
Africa and Australia.
 The catfish got its name
for its cat like whiskers.
 A female catfish lays
about 5,000 to 20,000
eggs.
 While guarding the eggs a
male catfish may eat some
of the eggs.
 Some
catfish
poisonous.
are
 In some species, catfish
can grow up to 50 pounds!
 When a catfish feels
threatened, it may bite you
with a poisonous sting.
 Many are farmed or fished
for food.
Jackson
Page 35
Eel
Eels are found in
Europe, East America,
and most of South
America.
 There are over 200
species of eels and 20
families.
 Electric eels can shock
people at 600 volts and
are more like carp that
eels. There are no known
electric eels in Hopkins
Pond.
 Garden eels live in small
burrows they don’t really
leave and eat small
creatures. The eels spotted
at Hopkins Pond are likely
to be Garden eels.
 Eels are not related to
snakes.
 Little is known about the
eel’s history.
Stephen
Page 36
Painted Turtle
Lives in wide spread
parts
of
North
American,
southern
Canada, and northern
Mexico
in
slow
waterways.
 The Painted Turtle’s
scientific
name
is
Chrysemys Picta.
 The adult Painted Turtle
female is 10-25 cm or 410 inches long. The male
is smaller.
 The Painted Turtle’s top
shell is a smooth oval
without a keel on the top.
Its skin is olive to black
with red, orange, or
yellow.
 It eats aquatic vegetation,
algae, and small water
creatures
including
insects, crustaceans, and
fish.
 During the winter the
turtle hibernates, usually
in muddy bottoms of
waterways.
Ryan
Page 37
Sunfish
Sunfish are found in
North America, Europe,
South Africa, Asia, South
America and Oceania.
They are found in ponds,
rivers and streams.
 Sunfish fishing starts to really
pick up as the water
temperatures move into the
low 70’s. That signals the
start of the spawning season.
As spawning begins, males
move into shallow waters – 2
to 5 feet – and build nests. A
firm sand bottom is preferred
but even soft mud will do.
 The waters with the biggest
sunfish generally have good
populations of bass. These
bass feed on the young
sunfish and keep the pond
from developing a stunted
population of sunfish.
 Green sunfish mostly feed on
Bluegill fry.
 Sunfish eat worm chunks,
fishes such as Bluegill and
Longear.
Giancarlo
Page 38
Check what you know
1. The __________ has armored
skin, are reptiles, and can kill
sharks.
2. __________ are found all over
the world, have whiskers, and are
possibly poisonous.
Connect the picture with the
name of the animal…
Bull Frog
3. The __________ are found in
warm areas, eat worms and are
eaten by Bass.
4. The __________ is a frog and
live in wet, murky places and eat
anything that can fit in their
mouths.
5. __________ are found in east
America, South America, and
Europe. There are over 200
species.
6. __________ __________ weigh
up to 50 lbs on average, eat fruit,
vegetables and worms, and live to
be about 40 years old.
Sunfish
Catfish
Crocodile
Eel
7. Bull Frog babies are called
__________.
8. A __________ was supposed to
be in Hopkins Pond, but it was
never found.
Box Turtle
9. The Box Turtle have sharp
__________ for digging.
Stephen
Page 39
Bugs & Crawlers
These little critters shouldn’t go unnoticed, but because of their size and how well they hide, we
often walk right by them. Can you draw something to introduce these small creatures?
Page 40
Cicada
They live on every
continent
except
Antarctica.
 Cicadas are well known
for their clicking and
bussing sounds.
 When they are born they
suck liquids of plant roots.
 Cicada in English means
tree cricket.
 When they are an adult
they are two to five
centimeters.
 Their average habitat
temperature is 84f.
 They live thirteen
seventeen years.
to
Elizabeth
Page 41
Trees & Plants
The high school Ecology class identified species of trees at Hopkins Pond. We took their list
and learned more for ourselves.
Martin
Page 42
American
Beech
The American Beech is
found in east America,
mostly in the northeast,
and in mid-east Canada
 Beech nuts that the tree
produces feed animals
such as a squirrel or a
chipmunk.
 The American Beech tree
has smooth, soft bark.
 The Beech tree has very
shallow roots.
 There is a disease that can
harm the Beech trees by
insects attaching on to the
tree and then it causes an
opening for fungi.
 The Beech trees have
especially good wood that
is good for most uses such
as furniture and tables
made out of wood.
 The nuts are enclosed in
small prickly red sacks
that can fall off the tree
with one or more nuts
inside them.
Stephen
Page 43
Black Cherry
The Black Cherry’s
habitat
is
mostly
located in the eastern
part of United States,
little bit in Canada,
parts of Mexico and a
little bit of Guatemala.
The temperature where
the
Black
Cherry
grows is in cold
weather.
 The Black Cherry can
grow up to 70 to 80 ft.
 The scientific name is
Prunus Serotia.
 The lifespan is up to 258
years.
 Black Cherry is usually
made in Soda, Ice Cream,
Jam and Cherry Pies.
 The wood is for cooking
and smoking.
Sam
Page 44
Black Locust
The live anywhere
from
Alabama
to
Pennsylvania and from
Alabama to Illinois.
They do not tolerate
shade.
 The bark of a Black
Locust is reddish brown
and poisonous.
 The wood from the tree is
resistant to rotting.
 The fruit is a reddish
brown and in it are the
same color seeds.
 A young branch is gray
and has ridges.
 The trees get damaged by
an insect called a locust
borer insect.
 The twigs on the Black
Locust are crooked and
have unbranched thorns.
Sophia
Page 45
Black Oak
The Black Oak is
found in the eastern to
Midwestern
United
States. It grows best in
rich, moist and well
drained soils. But they
are often found in poor
dry sandy or glacial
clay hillsides.
 The Black Oak is a
member of the Beech tree
family.
 Acorns will not be
produced until the tree is
at least 20 years old.
 The Black Oak and every
Oak tree are very hardy
and live for a long time.
 The Black Oak and other
Oaks can live up to 200
years old.
 A mature Black Oak
needs a lot of water to
stay healthy so heavy
rains help it a lot.
 The tree’s scientific name
is quercus or lithocarpus.
Roman
Page 46
Black Willow
The Black Willow tree
is found near streams
and anywhere they can
get sun light. They are
also found near the
American Sycamore,
Sweet Gum, Eastern
Cottonwood and the
Red Maple trees.
 The Black Willow is a
large tree, up to 100 feet
tall.
 The Black Willow trees
leaves are narrow, long
and shiny.
 The leaves are 3-5 inches
long.
 There are little yellow
flowers on the tree called
Catkins.
 The Black Willow is
home to a lot of small
birds,
mammals,
woodpeckers,
and
raccoons.
 Deer, rodents, butterfly,
bees, and other insects use
the Black Willow as a
food source.
Maddy
Page 47
Catalpa
It is found in North
America,
the
Caribbean and east
Asia. It grows best in
warm weather.
 Catalpa trees provide
large dark shade.
 The wood of the Catalpa
is quite soft.
 Another name for it is the
Catawba tree.
 Caterpillars eat the leaves
and the Catalpa moth lives
there too.
 Catalpa trees are popular
habitat for birds.
 The height of it is as small
as 40 feet and as tall as 70
feet.
Giancarlo
Page 48
Cottonwood
The Cottonwood trees
grow only in wet soil
and are found along
lakes, riverbanks and
irrigation ditches. It
comes from North
America.
 There are three species of
Cottonwood, they are
populous
deltoids,
populous fremontii and
the populous nigra.
 The most recognizable
feature of a Cottonwood
tree is the fluffy catkins
the female trees produce
in the summer.
 A Cottonwood tree can
live up to 100 years old.
 The female trees produce
the cottony covered seed
and the male trees
produce the pollen.
Guy
Page 49
Seeds
Flowering
Dogwood
Tree
The Flowering Dogwood
occurs naturally in the
Eastern United States from
Massachusetts to Ontario
and Michigan, south to
Eastern
Texas
and
Mexico, and east to
Florida.
 The Flowering Dogwood can
live up to 80 years.
 Dogwoods “berries” are not
really berries but are drupes.
 The drupes of a Flowering
Dogwood are poisonous to
humans.
 The Flowering Dogwood is
North Carolina’s state tree.
 Dogwood bark has been used
as a fever medicine.
John
Page 50
Japanese
Maple
Japanese Maple trees
are found in Japan, but
spread around the US.
It grows well under
translucent light. It can
also be found in the
woodlands.

There are between 8001,000 different varieties
through to exist of
Japanese Maple trees.

Japanese Maple leaves are
green in the spring and red
in the fall.

The Japanese Maple trees
grow well in a wide
variety of environments
and they rarely have any
damage from pests.

Their seeds are small and
pink.
Bridget
Page 51
Northern Red
Oak
Native
to
North
America, the Red Oak
is typically found in the
northeastern
United
States and southeast
Canada. It grows from
the north end of the
Great Lakes, east to
Nova Scotia, and south
as far as Georgia.
 The hard, strong wood is
used
for
furniture,
flooring,
millwork,
railroad ties and veneer.
 The grain of the Red Oak
is so open that it is subject
to moisture. For this
reason it is not typically
used
for
outdoor
construction or boating.
 The Red Oak grows best
in good soil that is slightly
acidic.
 The Northern Red Oak is
New Jersey’s state tree.
 The Northern Red Oak is
one of the most important
oaks for timber production
in North America.
Martin
Page 52
Check what you know
Fill in the blanks to fill in the crossword puzzle.
1. The Flowering Pear tree grows little white _____________.
2. The leaves of a ___________ ___________ tree are 3-5 inches long.
3. The _______________ Maple tree’s seeds are small and pink.
4. The hard strong wood of a ____________ ___________ Oak is used for milling.
5. The Red Oak grows best in good soil that is slightly _____________.
6. The _____________ Cottonwood tree produces cottony covered seeds.
7. A __________________ tree can live up to 100 years old.
8. The Black Cherry’s scientific name is _____________ ____________.
9. The ______________ tree has very shallow roots.
Martin
Page 53
Flowering
Pear
The place you can find
the flowering pear is in
the United States.
 A lot of people like to use
the Flowering Pear for
landscaping and yards.
 In the fall the Flowering
Pear grows red and orange
leaves.
 The Flowering Pear tree
grows white little flowers.
 The tiny pear fruit is good
source of food for birds
but do not taste good to
humans.
Emma
Page 54
Pin Oak
Pin Oak trees are
mostly found in sunny
areas and they are
found in all 48
continuous states.
 Pin Oaks are the most
popular tree in the oak
family.
 With a Pin Oak tree it is
more dense so you can
make furniture with it.
 It takes a lot of time
before producing acorns
 The Pin Oak is sometimes
called the Swamp Oak.
 The Pin Oak tree’s height
is 50-75 feet.
 In the fall, the leaf color is
copper red.
Kyra
Page 55
The Seed
Red Cedar
The Leaf
The Red Cedar is
found in the United
States, Canada, Rocky
Mountains, and the
Mississippi river.
It is found in the states
where the water is
warmer like in Ohio.
 The Red Cedar is good
shelter for many birds and
mammals when it gets
cold and nasty.
 On female trees there are
berries but most animals
do not like the taste of
them.
 On male trees there are
pinecones
on
the
branches.
 The color of cedar trees
changes from green to
bluish green to bronze.
 The tree is up to 50 feet.
 Some branches can make
a change in size from a
grape to a walnut.
Elizabeth
Page 56
Red Maple
The Red Maple tree is
common in swamps
and most slopes in
New York. You can
easily recognize it in
forests and on the
edges of rivers.
 The Red Maple bark is
shaggy or scaly on a
surface edge. The bark
on a medium size tree
often has a concentric
pattern.
 The Red Maple twigs
are bright or dark red in
color without odor
when they are cut or
broken.
 The leaves of the Red
Maple are reddish or
yellowish in color.
 Older Maple trees have
bark that is dark gray,
rough and scaly.
Briana
Page 57
Sassafras
They are found in
Ontario and all the way
to New England. They
grow in hardwood
forests.
 You can make teas and
spices out of the leaves.
 They usually grow from
20 to 40 feet.
 The tallest Sassafras tree
is 80 feet.
 The Native Americans
used it for oil.
 The bark of an adult tree
is red brown and thick.
All parts of the plant have
a nice smell.
Peter
Page 58
Shortleaf Pine
The tree spreads from
southern New York to
northern Florida, to the
southeast of Kansas
and eastern Texas. This
tree’s habitats range
from rocky uplands to
wet flood plains.





Another name for the
Shortleaf Pine is Pin
Echinata.
The leaves are needle like,
7-11 cm long.
The trunk has a diameter
of 0.5-0.9 meters long.
The trunk of this tree is a
brownish yellowish color,
and the pine leaves are of
course green.
The
Shortleaf
Pine
reaches the height of 2030 meters.
Molly
Page 59
Silver Maple
The Silver Maple tree
is one of the most
common Maple trees in
the Central United
States.
 The seeds of a Silver
Maple are eaten by
finches, wild turkey,
ducks and small mammals
like
squirrels
and
chipmunks.
 The Native Americans
used the sap for injuries
or sicknesses like coughs,
cramps, dysentery, sore
eyes, measles, running
sores,
and
venereal
diseases.
 As a food source, the sap
was used for sugar,
intoxicants, and bread.
 The Silver Maple flowers
in March and April before
the leaves turn color.
 Fruiting occurs in April,
May, and June and
matures about 3 weeks
after pollination.
Riley
Page 60
Sweetgum
You
can
find
Sweetgum trees near
swamps, pounds, or
streams. Sweetgum is
native to the hardwood
forests
of
North
America. It grows
mostly in valleys and
lower sloped areas.
 Twigs of these trees often
develop corky ridges,
making
them
easily
identifiable.
 In autumn the leaves turn
red, orange, yellow, and
purple.
 Sweet gum has a straight
trunk making it ideal for
veneers.
 The Sweetgum tree can
not survive temperatures
below 21 degrees F, and
are found mostly in the
Eastern and Southeastern
United States.
Kailey
Page 61
Sycamore
The Sycamore ranges
from Iowa to Ontario
and Maine in the north,
Nebraska in the west
and south to Texas and
Florida. It is often
found in riparian and
wetlands in the south
and Northeast.
 The terms under which
the New York stock
exchange was formed are
called the Button Wood
Agreement because it was
signed under a button
wood (Sycamore) tree at
68 Wall Street, New York
City.
 It can grow to be 90 to
130 feet tall.
 The American Sycamore
is a favored plant of the
Sycamore Leaf Beetle.
 It is sometimes grown for
timber.
David
Page 62
White Ash
The White Ash is
found in north into
Canada,
south
to
northern Florida and
west to East Texas.
 It is the best used wood
for baseball bats, hokey
sticks, polo mallets and
playground structures.
 The White Ash is used for
these items because it is
tough and does not break
under large amounts of
strain.
 The wood can be bent into
different shapes without
losing its strength and it is
quite light.
 It has a light gray brown
bark that is characterized
by having deep narrow
ridges that form a
diamond shaped pattern.
 The wood is also used for
church pews, bowling
alleys, garden and porch
furniture.
Sebastian
Page 63
White Willow
White Willows are
found in the eastern
United States and
southern
Canada.
White Willows grow
especially well in mild
climates but can grow
in dry and freezing
environments.
 White Willow trees are
used in boats because they
are
extremely
water
resistant.
 White Willow trees have
been known to be 450
years old.
 White Willows are the
state tree of 3 states in the
U.S.
 White Willows are used in
furniture and wooden
Japanese weapons.
 Even though called White
Willows,
you
will
probably see a light gray
one.
Jackson
Page 64
Willow Oak
Willow Oak trees grow
in eastern US from
southern New York to
northern Florida, and
west to Illinois and
Texas.
 The Willow Oak grows
very fast to adulthood (10
- 15 years).
 The Willow Oak can grow
up to 60-90 feet tall.
 It needs a lot of sun light.
 The scientific name is
Quercus Phellos.
 The leaves are 2 - 5 inches
long and only ½ - 1 inch
wide.
 The Willow Oak produces
many acorns, making it an
important food source for
animals of the forest.
Ryan
Page 65
Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy is found
worldwide
but
is
usually
found
in
southeast
Asia,
Mexico, and most parts
of America.
 There are three types of
poison ivy depending on
how they grow—ground,
tree, and shrub.
 Never burn it. Use
herbicide or, using gloves,
weed it.
 Only 50-80% of people
are allergic to poison ivy
 The chemical in poison
ivy that causes the
reaction is urushiol
 It takes 1-2 weeks to get
rid of the rash
 Poison ivy can grow
white, fuzzy berries
Stephen
Page 66
Check what you know
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The __________ Oak is found in sunny areas in all of the US.
The __________ ___________ tree, or Pin Echinata, is 20-30 meters high.
The _________ Maple tree is common in swamps and has redish or _________ leaves.
The _________ Maple tree is found in central USA and can grow fruit.
The Red __________ tree is found in states with _________ water and can sprout
pinecones or berries.
6. The Sweetgum tree can’t survive below ________ degrees Fahrenheit.
7. You can make _________ and spices out of the __________ tree leaves. They grow to
20-40 feet tall.
8. The Shortleaf Pine can produce leaves like ________.
9. Red Cedar trees can grow up to ________ feet tall.
10.The __________ tree has a straight trunk making it ideal for veneers. The leaves in the
fall can turn purple and red.
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X
E
R
T
D
L
Z
J
Q
R
J
S
N
S
M
I
A
I
P
O
U
R
S
Find these words:
Acorns
Branch
Cedar
Leaf
Maple
Needle
Pin
Pine
Pinecones
Sassafras
Seed
Shortleaf
Silver
Sweetgum
Tree
Stephen
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Before the Pond
Haddonfield and the area that is now Hopkins Pond was originally settled by Lenni Lenape Native Americans.
The Lenape disappeared when the settlers arrived.
The Delaware River and its tributaries were explored and settled in the 1600s by western Europeans including
Swedes, Dutch and English. Foremost among the settlers were the Quakers.
In 1916 Haddonfield bought Hopkins, Driscoll and Evans ponds and the land surrounding them. At that time
town fishermen liked to fish at Hopkins Pond. In the April 27th Haddon Gazette, the pond was referred to as
“the best place in south Jersey to fish.” It was reported to be 30 feet deep.
Quiz yourself:
1) Who explored the Delaware River and the surrounding area?
a. Russians
b. Chinese, Japanese & Korean
c. Swedes, Dutch & English
2) How deep was Hopkins Pond in 1916?
a. 30 yards deep
b. 45 yards deep
c. 30 feet deep
d. 45 feet deep
3) Town fishermen liked Hopkins Pond for:
a. Picking berries
b. Fishing
c. Hunting for bear
d. Playing cards
Martin
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The Buildings & Selling of Hopkins Pond
Hopkins Pond wasn’t always there. Originally it
was just a stream of water that came from an
underground source. In 1789 Haddon Mill was
built by John Estaugh Hopkins for business.
Originally Mr. Hopkins intended for the mill to
operate on wind. However, that was not
successful so it was then decided to build a dam
for water power. The dam has been repaired more
than once, but it still stands today and divides
Hopkins Pond from what is now called Driscoll
Pond. The mill ground grain and stayed in
operation until the 1850s. The building is no
longer there, but remnants of the rock formation
can still be seen behind the Birdwood house.
The Birdwood Farm house was built in 1794 by John
Estaugh Hopkins for his son William Estaugh Hopkins.
The house still stands today. Alfred E. Driscoll,
governor of New Jersey from 1947-1954, lived for most
of his life in the Birdwood Farm house on Hopkins
Lane. The pond next to it is named for him.
In 1916 Haddonfield bought Hopkins, Driscoll and
Evans Ponds and the land surrounding them. The
Hopkins Pond tract of land was 24 acres and cost
around $7,000. The town voted to keep Hopkins and
Driscoll Ponds, and to raise money to do so, it was an
extra 30 cents per $1,000 of assessed home owner
value.
In 1927 the Camden County Park Commission got the authority to spend no more than $2 million dollars to buy
land for their parks. The Commission purchased Hopkins Pond along with other properties at that time.
Quiz yourself:
1) Before the dam was built, Hopkins Pond was a ________________.
2) Haddon Mill was built by _______________________.
3) Camden County Parks bought Hopkins Pond from ____________________ in 1927.
4) What famous governor lived in the Birdwood Farm house most of his life?
Done collaboratively by Martin, Autumn & Stephen
Sources: Haddonfield Historical Society Library
Page 69
Take a Walk
When we did our research we took many walks around the pond to research through
observation. Try it yourself. See what you see. Do you see what we saw? Or do you see
different things? Record what you see and then look it up when you get back to school or home.
Source: Haddonfield Historical Society Library
Page 70
Final Challenge
Challenge yourself and learn! You’ve just seen the results of our own challenges. First we
identified species likely to be seen at Hopkins Pond. Then we researched the species to find 4-6
facts on each species and pictures of what they looked like. Finally we drew our own pictures
and came up with “activities” for other people to do while they learn what we learned.
Did you notice anything missing from the pages you just read? We did! But we didn’t have the
time to get to all of them, so instead we’re now challenging you.
The following is a list of species we identified, but did not create pages for. See if you can come
up with your own Activity Pages. Research your species of choice. Find 4-6 facts, and draw
pictures to fill in the blank activity sheets at the end of this book.
Good luck!
Feathered Friends not yet researched:
Eastern Screech Owl
Furry Friends identified but not yet researched:
Chipmunk
In the Water…
Minnow
Bugs & Crawlers
Mosquito
Worms
(Surely you can come up with more!)
Trees
American Elm
American Holly
Eastern Hemlock
Magnolia
Norway Maple
Shagbark Hickory
Tulip Poplar
White Mulberry
White Oak
Page 71
(male animal or seed or leaf)
(Name of species)
(female animal or fruit or season)
(Put your “Activity” here. Some examples include:
 Coloring page
 Color by number
 Dot-to-dot
 Maze)
(where to find it in the U.S.A.)
(4-6 facts about the species)






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Page 73
Special Thanks
There are many people who helped us pull this book together. Without them it could not have
been done. There are some special people though we want to call out in our thanks.
Mrs. Schultz—our school principal who helped us get this book out to the Tatem student
population.
Mrs. Hall—who took our idea and ran with it in her classroom.
The students of Mrs. Hall’s 2011-2012 4th grade class—who worked hard to fill in the pages of
this book with loads of fun and informative stuff.
Sylvia—our mentor who gave us insight into the trees at Hopkins Pond and so much more.
The people at the Haddonfield Historical Society Library—who helped us learn more about our
own back yard.
Disclaimers
There were many people involved in some form of research to make this book. While we all
tried hard, we cannot guarantee all of the facts presented in this book are 100% accurate as,
well, the internet was used for much of our research on species and we all know that sometimes
the internet contains inaccurate facts presented as accurate. Perhaps this is actually our final
challenge to you: Go back and fact check everything in this book!
Throughout the book we present quizzes and puzzles at differing levels of challenge. In most
instances we provide the answers on the same page, but in some, such as the word searches or
mazes, we went without. Rest assured that each one was tested before it was posted so there is a
way to solve it.
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