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| Sunflower Inquiry Freebie |
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| Books, pictures, artists, and I wonders... |
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| Seeds, tweezers, books, and ... |
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| An inquiry question and activity! |
Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
Science Inquiry Based Learning In The Library!
Digging For Gold...Yukon Gold That Is
Today, we started our FOSS mock rock activities. We observed properties, measured what we needed to measure...then as geologists we dug for "gold". Could it be pyrite or copper or yukon gold potatoes. What a great way to get my second grade planters, who are now our 3rd grade geologists to make connections. We discussed what properties we could use if we found a rock in the earth. How could we safely excavate? Safely, we went out to our dig site to find our "rocks" and then use our geology words to measure the circumference, diameter, and depth as well as use our property words once again. What a golden opportunity to tie the garden into science in a new way again. We even found green rocks and red rocks...potatoes that saw the sun and red potatoes. Golden!
Here is the sheet we will be using next week to record our data and observations. Digging For Gold freebie!
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| Digging for "gold". Learning how to be geologists in and out of the classroom. |
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| We will be measuring this "rocks" properties. What is its circumference? What is its diameter? What is its weight and depth? Making FOSS connections! |
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| Digging for gold is fun...so is science! |
Rock on!
Measuring Up In The Garden
It is that time of year, harvest time and a bit of frost coming our way, however that doesn't stop us from getting out in the garden with kids. Today, our third graders practiced measuring in the garden after...OMG...first off learning that a ruler isn't for weighing things. Yes...my friends...starting from ground level ZERO. Well, I guess all we can do is go up from there. I first created stations for the indoors. Did I tell you that I have a smartboard! I put up the stations on the smartboard and they wrote their answers down after checking their partner's work.
Station 1: Length...measuring with a ruler, measuring with the metric system, and practicing measuring scissors, markers, and our pencil box.
Station 2: Weight...measuring in grams the scissors, markers, and an item that fits in the cup.
Station 3: Volume...measuring in ml 25 ml, 50 ml, and 32 ml.
Now, out to the garden to practice length, weight, and volume.
length...the circumference of our pumpkins and tomatoes.
weight...10 cherry tomatoes in grams
Volume...40 ml of water to water a plant.
A garden of knowledge was happening today! Measuring up is our goal. Next week, a quick quiz and then back to our garden. Active learning is where it is at. You can not believe the retention of information in our outdoor classroom!
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Station 1: Length...measuring with a ruler, measuring with the metric system, and practicing measuring scissors, markers, and our pencil box.
Station 2: Weight...measuring in grams the scissors, markers, and an item that fits in the cup.
Station 3: Volume...measuring in ml 25 ml, 50 ml, and 32 ml.
Now, out to the garden to practice length, weight, and volume.
length...the circumference of our pumpkins and tomatoes.
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| Tomatoes...our September Harvest of the Month |
weight...10 cherry tomatoes in grams
Volume...40 ml of water to water a plant.
A garden of knowledge was happening today! Measuring up is our goal. Next week, a quick quiz and then back to our garden. Active learning is where it is at. You can not believe the retention of information in our outdoor classroom!
I Took A Walk...In The Garden
Yesterday was my Garden Class and did we get a ton done. Littles heard the book I Took a Walk by Henry Cole. I love this book because littles get so excited about trying to find all of the hidden pictures on "their" walk. I then gave them a clip board, pencil, and paper I included in a previous post and encouraged them to meander (word used in the book...great vocabulary word) quietly looking closely for things to uncover.
Take a look at what some of them found when they took a walk...
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Take a look at what some of them found when they took a walk...
Our littles also planted asparagus in the new bed that our bigs worked on! They even got to make strawberry jam! All in 50 minutes!
Onto our middles and bigs...We planted donated plants, filled a new bed with dirt, made strawberry jam, weeded the garden, and then picked vegetables to take home. Zucchini, lettuce, radishes, peas...oh my!
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| Observing... |
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| Americorp helpers cutting... |
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| Bed is ready for plants... |
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| Making jam with one of the groups... |
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| Mashing the berries... |
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| Some of our bounty! |
What a great job I have, teaching kids about gardening! I am growing as a teacher everyday!
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Our school garden is in full swing. Each week, when I come to check the progress, set up my lessons, and pull weeds I am amazed at how fast vegetables grow in good conditions. We are fortunate to have an irrigation system that frees me up so that I don't have to water every other day. This picture shows just some of our plants. Can you name them? Which one is...
a potato, a pea plant, dill, a ground cherry, nasturtiums, zucchini, lettuce...and what yellow flower shows that our plant has gone to seed?
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a potato, a pea plant, dill, a ground cherry, nasturtiums, zucchini, lettuce...and what yellow flower shows that our plant has gone to seed?
How cool that these pictures are from our school garden! We are incorporating art into our Community Connections time! I can't wait to see their snapshots! Here is a free download!
Tops and Bottoms In The Garden
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| Tops...lettuce! |
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| Pulling radishes that have gone to seed! The bottoms! |
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| He pulled out the biggest radish. Gardening is so much fun! |
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| My little sweet pea...he's my cousin! |
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| Shucking peas! The Middle! |
Our "Herb"an Jungle
What is an urban jungle? Well...it is the city. It refers to the streets, alleys, and subway systems, as well as the inner-city neighborhoods, playground, and schools. It can also be seen as a decaying industrial section of town. However, we want to redefine an urban jungle. Yes, we live in a city, and maybe even in one of the harder areas of our town...but that does not define our school. Our kiddos here are over 80% free and reduced, but that does not label us. Our farm to school grant proved that even if our families struggle a bit, we as a school community want to teach our students how to learn healthy eating habits, how to create a school garden, and learn the value of being outside, actively learning in our outdoor classroom.
People ask me, what next for your school garden. First it is our school garden. One where we are always learning something we can take with us outside of our garden. From GMO's to plants going to seed. Perennials vs. Annuals or even growing seasons and what vegetable look like (I had volunteer teens in the garden this week that didn't know what vegetables we were even picking, yikes!) The garden is a tool to teach kids life skills! Our next goal, to make sure we create a fun learning atmosphere in our garden...in comes the "herb"an jungle. We planted herbs throughout our perennials that we will use to cook with, understand their value, and add to the bounty of our garden. We are hoping to connect the high school art department and shop to make large scale animals that we can place within the garden. Then hosting an art show to get more community members to see what we are doing. Check out our herbs...chocolate mint, orange mint, sage, thyme, chevil, rosemary and more! Next week, we will be making sun tea with our herbs! Stay tuned for what we will make to eat on Tuesday!
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People ask me, what next for your school garden. First it is our school garden. One where we are always learning something we can take with us outside of our garden. From GMO's to plants going to seed. Perennials vs. Annuals or even growing seasons and what vegetable look like (I had volunteer teens in the garden this week that didn't know what vegetables we were even picking, yikes!) The garden is a tool to teach kids life skills! Our next goal, to make sure we create a fun learning atmosphere in our garden...in comes the "herb"an jungle. We planted herbs throughout our perennials that we will use to cook with, understand their value, and add to the bounty of our garden. We are hoping to connect the high school art department and shop to make large scale animals that we can place within the garden. Then hosting an art show to get more community members to see what we are doing. Check out our herbs...chocolate mint, orange mint, sage, thyme, chevil, rosemary and more! Next week, we will be making sun tea with our herbs! Stay tuned for what we will make to eat on Tuesday!
Book Talk Tuesday...Tops and Bottoms
This book is one of my favorites for many reasons. For one, it is turned sideways to read...how fun. Two, it teaches some good lessons. Three, it gets kids in our garden and connects them to great book. Here is a video to watch the reading of the book. Then you'll know why this is one to have in your collection!
I also have a fun freebie for you that I made for my gardening class this week. Enjoy!
Worksheet Wednesday...It's Raining It's Pouring
So, I am sitting here looking out the window and thinking...what to do....what to do...with my garden class today. Obviously, we can not go out in the thunder and plant, weed, and pick. Plan B...worms! I have over 5 bins of worms that I can have the kiddos learn from. I am pulling one of my favorite worm books...
I will be using the worms with our littles and using a free worksheet download from First Grade Blue Skies...Worm Day, but for my bigs I will be using some gardening activities that allow for some taste testing. Here is the sheet I will be using with them today.
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I will be using the worms with our littles and using a free worksheet download from First Grade Blue Skies...Worm Day, but for my bigs I will be using some gardening activities that allow for some taste testing. Here is the sheet I will be using with them today.
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| Playing "ketchup" Freebie Wish me luck with 60 students indoors...out of the rain... Stop on by other school yards for great freebies at The Teaching Tribune  |
First Peas to The Table
How lucky is it to work at a school called Thomas Jefferson, when you are going to plant peas? Well... let me tell you! There is an awesome book that I came across last year, as I was planning for our first school garden. It is:
It is based on Thomas Jefferson's own contest he had with his neighbors to see who could win a pea growing contest. Jefferson knew that healthy soil was key to healthy plants...especially his peas for the competition. He also worked with composting and finding ways for his plants to be resistant to insects.
Use your school garden with this book to teach the scientific process through testing different pea seeds and different soils to plant them in. Compost vs. potting soil for example. Here are some great resources to add to this lesson:
First Peas To the Table activity pack and some great illustrations I use for my kiddos to see the life cycle for my plant sheets in my plant packet. You can find them at: First Peas to the Table Coloring Sheets.
You don't have to work at a school called Thomas Jefferson to inspire your students to this fun growing competition...just like one of our founding fathers. For more competition ideas, graphs, and certificates check out...first peas to the table graph and certificates and more.
Here are some pictures to inspire you!
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It is based on Thomas Jefferson's own contest he had with his neighbors to see who could win a pea growing contest. Jefferson knew that healthy soil was key to healthy plants...especially his peas for the competition. He also worked with composting and finding ways for his plants to be resistant to insects.
Use your school garden with this book to teach the scientific process through testing different pea seeds and different soils to plant them in. Compost vs. potting soil for example. Here are some great resources to add to this lesson:
First Peas To the Table activity pack and some great illustrations I use for my kiddos to see the life cycle for my plant sheets in my plant packet. You can find them at: First Peas to the Table Coloring Sheets.
You don't have to work at a school called Thomas Jefferson to inspire your students to this fun growing competition...just like one of our founding fathers. For more competition ideas, graphs, and certificates check out...first peas to the table graph and certificates and more.
Here are some pictures to inspire you!
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| Beans...and peas growing |
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| peppers, too |
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| Family Garden Day...picking peas and more! |
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| Getting everyone involved...gardens do that! Can't wait to compete in our pea competition at Thomas Jefferson! |
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