V-Learn万思乐学小西妈双语工程2006期262号Alvin-Day 18

Sunny

Reading:
Heinemann
Oxford Tree Reading
Oxford Traditional Tales
Listening:
a) English songs from Kinder Power
b) Heinemann
c) Oxford Tree Reading
d) Peppa Pig
Video：

Peppa piggy ：5 chapters

Field trip:

Background



It is the raining season in Guangdong, and we usually have typhoon in recent months, especially at the weekends. It brings the big storm, lighting, thunder and heavy rain, which blocks our outdoor games and field trips.

Anyhow, the clear blue sky and kinds of clouds make us happy. It is a very good experience to breath fresh air after raining. Trees are green, with colorful raindrops on the leaves, full of vitality. Near our apartment, there are lots of mimosa in the grass. Alvin has many interests on its folding and stretching, so I decided to take him to the lawn, to have a close contact with mimosa.

Set up



M: Hi Alvin, change your shoes please. It just rained outside, we had better put on sandals, to get rid of the wet.

A: Okay, mom. We go to see the mimosa, right?

M: Yes, lots of mimosa on the lawn, in front of our house. You have time to observe and touch it today.

A: Good!

Three minutes later, on the lawn



M: Alvin, go to the lawn by yourself, and I believe you will find mimosa very soon.

A: Yes, Mom. I know where I can find them (Then go straight along the road).

M: Alvin, did you find any mimosa?

A: Come here, Mom, see the mimosa here.

M: Congratulations, you find it.

A: There are many green leaves, but very small.

M: Yes, here is the steam on the mimosa. The steam helps to transfer the water and nutrition from the root. And root absorb nutrition from the soil.

A: Oh, many “刺” on the steam, Mom.

M: Be careful, Alvin, many thorns on its stem, like rose.

Find more mimosa and touch the leaves



M: Alvin, let us find more mimosa on the lawn, we walk to left side now.

A: I will find some more.

M: Alvin, come here, I found lots big mimosa.

A: Oh, what the big mimosa.

M: Look at the green leaves, Alvin. Still has some raindrops on the leaves, look cute.

A: Can I touch it, Mom?

M: Yes, you can touch it, but be careful of the thorns. It may hurt you.

A: Oh, my fingers.

M: Look, when you touch it, the leaves are folded immediately. Mimosa is very sensitive, they are afraid of any touch from people or animals. They closed the leaves and try to protect themselves.

M: The mimosa also has flower, it is in purple. Can you see its flower, Alvin?

A: No, no flowers.

M: It is autumn now, the flower turns into fruit, after that, there may be seeds some months later.

A: Can we have some seeds to plant the mimosa?

M: I think we can do that. Let us wait the seeds.

A: Many ants, Mom

M: Yes, I was sting by the ants, terrible. Let us watch out our surroundings.

A: 好痒，on my face and head.

M: Do contact your finger with head or face, serious itches will be occurred.

Muddy puddle on the way home



On the way back, we met some muddy puddles. Alvin is so excited, he wants to have a muddy puddle, like Peppa did in chapter one.

Alvin: Mom and Daddy, there are some muddy puddles here.

Daddy：Really, a real muddy puddles after raining.

A: I want to jump in the muddy puddle.

D: No, Alvin, you do not wear your boots.

A: But I really want to try the muddy puddle.

D: Ok, you try to stretch your feet, I will pull your hands.

D: Be careful of your feet, Alvin. Do not go to the deep water.

A: It is interesting. I want to go home and wear my boots.

D: It is too late Alvin, we are going to play piano exercise now. Maybe you can try muddy puddle next time.

A: Ok, I will wear by boots and raincoat, then to have muddy puddle after raining.

D: Okay.

Supplementary：about Mimose

含羞草(Mimose 或mimosa pudica)，原产于南美热带地区，喜温暖湿润，对土壤要求一般，所以现在中国南方很多地方都有，比如说广东。

Mimose or Mimosa pudica, large genus of plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), native to tropical and subtropical areas throughout both hemispheres. They are so named from the movements of the leaves in certain species that “mimic” animal sensibility, native to tropical area of South America, prefers warm and moist soil, so it is found in many parts of South China today，like Guangdong.

含羞草为什么会“枯萎”
Why mimosa folds its leaves?

有些人把含羞草作为室内植物，因为它的行为确实和其他植物很不一样，好像动物一样。当你触摸这种敏感植物的叶子时，叶子会闭合，茎会下垂，整棵植物看起来像枯萎了!
Some people use mimosa as an indoor plant because it does behave very differently from other plants, like animals. When you touch the leaves of this sensitive plant, the leaves close, the stems droop, and the whole plant looks shriveled!

含羞草之所以会“枯萎”，全靠它叶子的“膨压作用”。在含羞草叶柄的基部，有着一个“水鼓鼓”的薄壁细胞组织——叶枕，里头充满水分。
Mimosa will "wither", all rely on its leaves "turgor action". At the base of the mimosa petiole, there is a "water drum" of parenchyma cells called the leaf occipital, which is filled with water.
当你用手触碰含羞草，叶子震动了，叶枕下部细胞里的水分，立即向上部与两侧流去。于是，叶枕下部像泄了气的皮球似的瘪下去，上部像打足气的皮球似的鼓起来，叶柄也就下垂了、合拢了。
When you touch mimosa with your hand, the leaves vibrate and the water in the cells below the occipital leaves immediately flows up to the upper part and both sides. Thus, the lower part of the occipital hollow down, likes a deflated ball, the upper part air up, likes a expanded ball, the petiole also dropped and closed.
在含羞草的叶子受到刺激，合拢的同时，产生一种生物电，将刺激信息很快扩散到其他叶子，其他叶子就跟着一起合拢起来。
When mimosa leaves are stimulated and closed, a kind of bioelectricity is generated, which quickly spreads the stimulus information to other leaves, and the other leaves then close together.
用不了多少时间，当这次刺激消失后，叶枕下又逐渐充满水分，叶子就重新张开恢复原状。含羞草在夜间也会关闭以节省能源。晚上，树叶没法从阳光中吸收能量。如果植物把叶子撑开，茎杆挺直是对营养的浪费。相反，像含羞草一样放松这些叶片，就像睡觉一样!，能留住更多的能量。
In a short time, when the stimulus wears off and the underside of the leaf gradually fills up with water, the leaf opens again and returns to its original status. Mimosa also shuts down at night to save energy. At night, the leaves can't absorb energy from the sun. If a plant propped its leaves open, its stems would be straight, a waste of nutrients. Instead, relax the leaves like a mimosa, just like sleeping, can hold on more energy.
Hundred Thousand Whys Alvin also found some more information from the book 《十万个为什么》Hundred Thousand Whys, see below. I am proud of his diligence and enthusiasm on reading.

　　

Keep going, Alvin！