Wednesday, November 16, 2011

A November "Treet"




I rambled on about cell communication to my AP Biology class--they're bright, they're young, but they're not clamoring to know about G-protein-linked receptors, despite my cartwheels (good for kinesthetic learners, no?)


Even the College Board recognizes that the course is, well, receptive to the rush of air particles from a surrounding area of high pressure.

I walked home on a gorgeous November dusk, and then I saw it.

Across the street from the school is a tree with a streetlight buried in its nether-lands. The tree is bare, except for a patch of leaves around the lamp.

A block away, a barren tree broken by our freak storm two weeks ago has three large boughs still hanging from it--classic widow makers. On each bough, and only on these broken boughs, cling clusters of leaves, days after the leaves of the still living branches fell away.

How can I teach of G-protein-linked receptors to children who do not see the leaves still grasping onto the dead limbs that no longer talk to them?

And why would I want to?

Next dry day I'm taking my lambs out for a walk. Not sure they'll be any fonder of G-protein-linked receptors, but they might be a little fonder of trees.






Hey, we're not so different from trees and bacteria after all....
Snowstorm photo by Ed Murray, NJ Star-Ledger

3 comments:

Mary Ann Reilly said...

Value of walking about: to make overt the connections that are hard to discern, especially w/out a guide. I am more and more convinced that we don't need & shouldn't be subjected to national/state standards. They steal our breath. We need occasions to notice: the leaves clinging to the broken boughs; the ones still scattered beneath the living tree. That is plenty.

KPd. said...

I blogged.
Love, Kerry

doyle said...

Dear Mary Ann,

Indeed--your words on jst that subject have inspired me to take the lambs out more often. You canot observe the world through a screen.


Dear Kerry!

Yay!!!!!!!

Love,
Dad