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WE CANNOT THINK OF A BETTER WAY TO TEACH CHILDREN
TO LOVE AND NURTURE ONE ANOTHER THAN SHOWING THEM
FIRSTHAND HOW TO LOVE AND NURTURE THE EARTH.
Hurt no living thing; -Christina Rosetti |
OUR CHILDREN ARE IMMERSED IN GARDENING YEAR-ROUND, RAIN OR SHINE.
INDOORS OUR ENVIRONMENT IS LINKED, JUST AS OUR EARTH'S LIFE IS INTERCONNECTED.
THE BEAUTIFUL, BUT MIRACULOUS ACT OF SPROUTING A SEED OR ROOTING A PLANT IS A SIMPLE BEGINNING FOR CHILDREN.
BOTANY ACTIVITIES ARE CONDUCTED CONCRETELY, AND LESSONS ARE EXTENDED WITH A VARIETY OF HANDS-ON MATERIALS, SUCH AS LEAF PARTS AND IDENTIFICATION AND FLOWER PARTS.
iN SPRING ...
We look at parts of the plant. We prepare our garden beds.
TURNING COVER CROP, AND ADDING MANURE INTO THE SOIL
Now where are those nasty larvae anyway? WE PLANT SEEDS AND SEEDLINGS. WE GROW HEIRLOOMS AND A FEW HYBRIDS, PLANTING, GROWING, HARVESTING AND COOKING OR EATING RIGHT OUT OF THE PATCH. "Inch by inch, row by row...
gonna make this garden grow...
...all it takes is a rake and a hoe
...and a piece of fertile ground."
DISSECTING A FADED TULIP
Leaves, petals, calyx, stamens, pistil, stem |
IN SUMMER ... We thin and deadhead.
We tend our miniature roses. Every child at Metamorphosis has their very own miniature rose. They tend it and love it as long as they attend. When they depart they take the rose home to their own garden.
We pollinate our corn.
We enjoy our toad, "Bufo" who has joined us for several years. He really likes his little hut we made. WE ADD THE VEGETABLES FROM OUR GARDEN TO OUR PRACTICAL LIFE SHELF. CHILDREN PREPARE THEIR OWN FOOD. WE PUT FRESH FLOWERS FROM OUR GARDEN INTO VASES IN OUR CLASSROOM. Cutting and arranging flowers for the children's tables
Dissecting a sunflower "This is a STEM."
SNAPPING BEANS..."KENTUCKY WONDER"
Shucking corn WE MADE COMPOST ALL SPRING AND SUMMER LONG.
YOU SHOULD SMELL OUR COMPOST TEA BREWING!
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WE EXAMINE INSECTS AND CULTIVATE A WORM FARM. WE CAN FEED OUR LEFTOVERS TO THE WORMS, AND THE WORMS WILL TAKE CARE OF OUR SOIL!
We love our worm farm! Worm farming is called "vermiculture." Our worms do wonderful things for our soil. They dig tunnels which aerate the soil. They feed the soil with their castings, and make it "friable."
Observing a mantis MANTIS BY TOWNES |
WE RAISE CHICKENS ADDING EGGSHELLS AND MANURE TO OUR GARDENS.
Egg-gathering...
...and EATING!
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Nature is not a place to visit, it is home.
- Gary Snyder
IN FALL... WE HARVEST...
Potatoes!
SCRUB AND PEEL
SUNFLOWER HARVEST
WE FEED THE BIRDS...
...AND COUNTED SEEDS.
We eat our carrots!
WE RAKE LEAVES TO ADD TO THE SOIL. WE ARE ADDING CARBON, AND WORMS COME TO EAT.
WE PLANT COVER CROPS TO PROTECT OUR SOIL. (WINTER WHEAT)
THE ROOTS HOLD THE SOIL SO THE WIND AND WATER DO NOT CARRY IT AWAY.
WE PUT THE GARDENS TO BED FOR WINTER. WE ADD COMPOST AND LEAVES AND FRESH STRAW.
WE CAN REST ON A MAT IN THE GARDEN AND LOOK AT THE CLOUDS. WE DREAM OF SPRING. |
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Observing a mantis
Our toad house and our toad
We each have our own miniature rose. We take care of it through the seasons. When we leave Metamorphosis someday, we can take it with us.
"Every child is born a naturalist. His eyes are, by nature,
open to the