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Everyone had a happy ending. Liza K. and her mother are moving into a home. James James received a job that will allow him to live in the hammock 24/7 to protect it. Caruso got a job at a plant. Priscilla will live in the woods until she feels stable enough to live in house.  And lastly, Dajun is alive and is no longer “wanted”.  A wild life foundation is going to buy the hammock and model and return vanished plants and animals to other hammocks. Therefore, Dajun will be protected.

One thing I found interesting in this chapter was the term “lepidopterists”. This is similar to a bird watcher but for butterflies. I related this to the comment Dr. Wash made that students should be called a scientist when in the class. The teacher could plan a unit on the life cycle of butterflies and call her students lepidopterists.

I’m slightly sad that the book is over but I enjoyed reading it!

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This chapter was full of content that while I was reading I was thinking of how to incorporate it into a science lesson. For example, when Liza K. said she watches "acts 1 through 4" of the pupa turn into a butterfly. A science lesson about a butterfly's life cycle would fit perfectly here. I mentioned this in an earlier post but the word niche was said again. Teachers could have students draw, describe, or create a mini model of their niche. The students could also research an animal and create a the animal's niche. I loved how Liza K. described how Dajun gets warm. She said he uses the warm sand to warm his cold body. This would be a perfect chance to introduce cold blooded and warm blooded animals and how they are similar and different. Containers filled with PCP have been being washed in the lake and have caused issues. Students could learn about pH level or cross contamination.
I have mixed emotions about Liza K. and her mom leaving the woods. Liza K. has grown up in the woods and has grown very fond of the woods people. They are like her family. But, a stable HOUSE would is the ideal place for a growing child. Reading about the social worker and how she found out about the woods people and Liza K . living in the woods is frightening. Chapter 8 says the social worker is going to take Priscilla to a shelter. I hope she doesn't have a mental breakdown. This makes me wonder what will happen to James James and Caruso.

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In this chapter, Liza K. thought she knew where Dajun was. I was so excited. She said that the Gumbo Limbo hole shows Dajun is there because it is clear and beautiful and not taken over by blue-green algae. Unfortunately, Dajun was not found by the end of this chapter.
This chapter introduced a bird called Magnolia Warbler. The author said this is a rare bird and that many rare birds live in Florida. This would be an excellent lesson to have the students learn about endangered species and research their own endangered species. The teacher could also tie in the term "poacher".
The term "niche" has been in the book before chapter 7 but, it was introduced in chapter 7. This would be an excellent lesson to have the students talk about their individual niche. For the younger grades (1st and 2nd), they focus a lot on community and self for social studies. This term would allow the term to integrate social studies and science.
The ending of the book is close. I'm sure they will find Dajun, but where? I'm not sure. I really hope Liza and her mom move to an actual house, but everyone in the woods, James James, Priscilla, and Caruso, is their family.

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I would like to start this post on a personal note. I feel as if Liza's mother has so much guilt she has been carrying for so many years. She has this guilt because she feel as if she has robbed Liza of a normal childhood. She really wants to get this new job so she can begin to provide Liza a decent home. This chapter brought up gender bias which has been brought up in our textbook. Liza's mother said "managerial jobs are given to men". Most jobs are gender bias or have a stereotypical gender that works them. For example, the science field lacks women and majority of teachers are women.
I enjoyed how Liza pointed out the fact that one small change can make a big difference. She pointed out several, small environmental changes that causes a chain of reactions.
I did not know detergents contain phosphates and soaps do not. The phosphates takes the oxygen out of the water and makes it dangerous to the environment. That makes me wonder how it is possible for individuals to use detergents. Wouldn't it hurt the environment. The excess water that drains after the clothes are done washing would go into the septic tank and then into the soil. I went home and personally looked at the detergent bottle and the Tide detergent does not contain phosphates.
I'M SO HAPPY WE FINALLY FIGURED OUT WHY PRISCILLA COLLECTS MINI GIN BOTTLES. I would have never guessed it was to make hummingbird feeders. I honestly thought she was an alcoholic. Now to find Dajun!

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Two things caught my attention while reading this chapter. The first one is the lack of care the individuals of Florida have for the environment. Liza K. mentioned have big the landfill has grown. She says in the chapter that the young people of Florida have taken the initiative and began recycling at her school. Many individuals do not care about recycling because they think it does not affect them. It may not affect them personally but in the future, for a later generation, it will affect them negatively. The second thing I enjoyed in chapter 5 was Liza K. mentioning the pollutants taking over her home. Liza K. is seeing the change and how the pollutants is slowly ruining her home and sure can not change it. This is something that some individuals could relate to. It may not be pollutants that ruin the home but it could be a natural disaster such as a tornado, fire, or hurricane.

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This chapter is content heavy not only for science but for other core classes. This chapter introduced area as well as the important records and documents held at the County Government  Centers. For the science class this chapter would be great when learning about the food chain. The author covered the beginning of the food chain starting with algae to the end with vultures. Another topic introduced in chapter 4 that is not covered heavily in school is the endangered species list and poachers. I think an activity that would be interesting to do that could be done in science or ELA is have the students pick an animal that is on the endangered species list due to poaching. The last thing I found interesting is the way the author related alligators to dinosaurs. This is a misconception that students may have. Dinosaurs are extinct but students may know how closely related alligators are to dinosaurs.
On a personal note, I absolutely love the pride and joy Liza K. has for her home even if it is hammocks in the woods. It shows how some individuals will always want, want, want even if they have it all, while some are completely content with the little they have.

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This chapter was very descriptive, and I loved it! The author's descriptions made me feel as if I was in the woods with Liza. While reading I saw multiple topics that could be covered in the science classroom. There were two topics that really stood out to me. The stood out to me because the author actually described what they were in detail. The author wrote about alligators and how they are cold-blooded and things they do to regulate their body temperature. The second topic was about trees. Liza described how trees affect temperature and how they grow based on elevation.
I really enjoyed the way Liza related what she saw in the woods to what she learned in class. This would be a perfect opportunity to show my students what they are learning is not "stupid stuff they will never use".
I'm not sure if I can wait until almost the end of the book to figure out what happens to Dajun.

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While reading chapter 2 in class I was thinking how can I use this book in my future classroom for science purposes. This chapter continuously introduced new plants and animals. When studying regions this would be a good book when studying the southeastern part of the United States this would be a good read.
The chapter also introduces the term "niche". This is a vocabulary term I remember learning in elementary school.
The last thing I would like to mention that could be used for science is how the author wrote how Dajun helps the ecosystem. This would be a good example when discussing how animals and plants benefit and possibly harm the ecosystem.
I really like how chapter 2 of the novel related perfectly to chapter 2 of our textbook. There were many misconceptions addressed in the novel. One misconception is the fact that all homeless people are lazy and uneducated. The novel disproved this because the individuals that were living in Gumbo Limbo were educated. The second misception is the fact that alligators are dangerous and will hurt someone if they had the chance. It seems to me that everyone that lives in Gumbo Limbo needs and loves Dajun and would be devastated if he was killed.

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The first chapter of the novel has me hooked. I'm already so invested in the girl, Liza. She feels as if the woods are her home (which it is) and it is being invaded by someone trying to kill Dajun, the alligator, who loves. This is like if someone came into your house and killed your dog.

So far this book introduces many different types of plants. This is would be a good read when the class is studying different types of plants.

I can't wait to read more!