The longer, warm days of summer are finally here, and that probably means you’re spending plenty of time outside. Why not brush up on some new summer vocabulary to take with you on your next adventure? Summer is the perfect time to explore a hobby, like writing or art. It’s also when students of all ages might need some dedicated educational activities to prevent summer …
As the weather warms and the flowers start to bloom, you may have noticed an increase in the different types of birdsong you hear each day. Birds’ songs and calls serve many purposes, from warning flocks of predators to helping birds catch the attention of potential mates. In the cases of the birds on this list, their songs and calls also inspired their names. The …
Here’s the obvious thing about poison and venom: you don’t want either one in your body. But after that, things can get confusing. Although the two words are sometimes used interchangeably in casual use, a distinction is made between them in scientific contexts. In this article, we’ll look at the key differences between poison and venom as well as the adjective forms poisonous and venomous, …
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Confused about annual vs. perennial plants? You’re not alone—it’s especially difficult to remember which is which because they sound like they might mean the same thing. To make matters worse, there’s also a third confusing term: biennial. Join us as we root out the differences and give examples of perennials, annuals, and biennials so you’ll always remember which is which. The word perennial is applied …
Punxsutawney Phil is the official mascot of Groundhog Day, but is he really a groundhog? Or is that a gopher hole out of which he emerges to see his shadow? Is a woodchuck even a thing? Or is it just a made-up part of the tongue twister? In this article, we’ll dig into the differences between gophers, groundhogs, and woodchucks, discuss how the terms can …
Reptiles vs. Amphibians: it sounds like a monster movie title, but it’s a classic question of animal classification. Although both are cold-blooded vertebrates and the two are often mistaken for each other, there are some key differences. Many people think the difference is whether or not an animal spends some time in water, but it’s more complicated than that. In this article, we’ll explain how …
Timber and lumber sound a lot alike, and they both generally refer to the same thing: wood. But when exactly is wood considered timber and when is it considered lumber? Join us as we split the differences between the meanings of timber and lumber, cover the ways they overlap, and explain why timberjack (yes, it’s a word) might be more accurate than lumberjack. Hint: there’s …
Wildlife encounters are often more common in the summertime. Whether you’re on a trip to the local zoo, visiting an aquarium in a new city, or heading outside for a hike or day at the beach, you’re likely to encounter insects and animals who are enjoying the great outdoors as much as you do. For word lovers and parents of school-aged kids alike, these chance …
Summer is the season for basking in the warm sun and rejoicing in the freedom of vacation. Summer officially starts in late June—but try telling that to the students who’ve been enjoying their school break for weeks by that point! So let’s take a look at the name summer and what it actually means, while answering that age-old question: when exactly does summer begin and …
Most of us landlubbers live out our dry lives on solid ground, so it can be easy to forget that Earth is primarily an ocean planet that’s 71% covered in water—most of which connects in a giant blue mass around our little green islands. Ocean, sea, it’s all the same salt water, right? Yes and no. In general use, it’s extremely common for the two …
There has been a lot of buzz around cicadas recently—you’ve probably heard about Brood X by now (if not, read on). But do you know what a cicada actually is? Are they the same as locusts? Are they all just a kind of grasshopper? Telling cicadas and locusts apart can be a bit complicated, especially since the words are sometimes used interchangeably and the particularly …