Alpaca Fiber and Spinning
True or False: Alpacas shed their fur like dogs and cats
False, they must be sheared 1x a year
What was the name of the alpaca that came to visit the school?
Captain Jack
In this activity, what did the apple represent?
The earth
What is a watershed?
An area of land that collects water
What is another name for the fur of an alpaca (Hint-there are 2, they both start with the letter F)
fleece or fiber
True or False: Alpacas don't like to walk on crinkly or smooth surfaces like a gym floor
True-they prefer natural earth on their hooves
Roughly, how much of the earth is covered in water?
71%, or almost 3/4
True or False: All water eventually flows to the ocean
True
What is it called when you twist the alpaca fiber into yarn
Spinning
What do Alpacas like to eat?
grass or hay
True or False: You can grow food everywhere there is land
False: Food can only be grown in topsoil, a small percentage of the land on earth
True or False: Cow manure is good for the river
False. Cow manure contaminates water, but is excellent as a natural fertilizer
Name at least 2 animals whose fleece we use to make yarn
Alpaca, sheep, goat, camel, llama
When Alpacas run an obstacle course, is it more important for them to complete all of the tasks, or get done fast
Complete all of the tasks
When we cut the apple into pieces, what did the peel represent?
The area of earth that food can be grown on, topsoil
List 2 things from your home that could contaminate the watershed
Trash, chemicals, car oil
Name 2 or 3 steps that are needed to get the alpaca fleece ready for spinning
Shearing, washing/cleaning, and brushing (called carding)
What continent do Alpacas come from originally?
South America
Name 1 type of land that is NOT good to grow crops on
desert, cities, swamp, polar regions
How does a farmer help prevent erosion (where the soil washes away into the watershed)
The farmer could plant cover crops (so the roots can absorb moisture), place waddles (barrier to absorb or slow the water)