We've got worms!

There was lots of excitement as we welcomed the newest members of the Harriet Tubman School community--WORMS !!
The science lab now has a brand new worm composting bin.  It is home to many, many redworms.  

 Students learned that while the plants we grow and study are producers and we (and many other animals) are consumers, worms are vitally important decomposers. Worms are full-time recyclers making our old banana peels and the fall's  leaves into black gold: rich soil for our garden.

 The worm bin will be a place where we can continue to look back to see the worms go through their fast and fun life cycle.

 

 You won't believe some of the wild facts we are learning about worms!

• They have no eyes but can sense light!
• They breathe through their skin!!
• They have no ears but can "hear" vibrations through their bodies!!!

Stay tuned for more crazy worm facts!

Check out this cool video from the folks at Life Lab.

Gifts for the Garden

We ended the year by making some gifts for the garden.  Our pinecone birdfeeders will attract birds to make the Living Lab garden a more lively place.

We learned a multi-step sequence for creating the birdfeeders.  We also talked about the different ways that animals respond to the harsh weather of winter.

We learned that birds find their normal food more scarce in winter.  Providing food in the garden encourages them to visit.

Did the birds appreciate the gifts?
You bet they did!

.The Third Grade students have just about finished their study of the Brassica Fast Plants.  They have seen the entire seed-to-seed life cycle. Meanwhile our regular paced Brassicas out in the garden have been completing their own life cycle.

 Look closely at the center of this photograph.  You will see a bee upside-down in mid-air collecting nectar and most likely pollinating this Brassica (broccoli).

The weather has been pretty warm still in December so we were able to see the bees are still active.
We will have to look back to see whether these pollinated Brassica flowers produce seeds like the ones we grew in the lab.

Fast times call for Fast Plants

The third grade classes have begun an exciting unit exploring the life cycle of plants.  According to a strict experimental design, the students have set up growing cubes of Brassica Fast Plants.  These plants  have been bred to go through an entire life cycle from seed to seedling to flowering to making seed within about 5 weeks!

When the plants flower, students will be using actual (dead and dried) bees to pollinate the flowers.

 Along the way students will record the growth and development of these amazing plants.

We discussed how the near relatives of these plants are some of are favorite foods from the garden: Brassica oleracea--broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, collard greens, kale, etc.

What is your favorite Brassica food?

Tracking Spring's Arrival with Journey North Tulips

It's November, so we are looking forward to Spring!  
We are planting Red Emperor tulip bulbs as part of an international experiment to track the arrival of spring.  School children all over the Northern Hemisphere plant these same bulbs in fall and record when the leaves first emerge and then when the flowers bloom.

This is the second year that students have contributed to this experiment that over time may help record evidence of climate change.
Check out the Journey North website to learn more about the project and to see Harriet Tubman School's garden literally "on the map"!

Journey North tulip test gardens

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/maps/tulip_fall2012.html

Migrating Monarchs Visit the Garden

The Harriet Tubman Living Lab Garden has been graced by visiting royalty! These monarch butterflies on their long journey south stopped to lunch on the last zinnias from our summer garden.
These monarchs are headed for their winter homes in Mexico.

Some Monarch FAQ's:
Q. What do monarch butterflies eat?
A. Adult butterflies eat nectar and water. Sometimes liquid from fruits. Larvae eat only milkweed.
Q. How do monarchs eat?
A. Adult monarch butterflies sip nectar from flowering plants using a sucking tube, that resembles a soda straw, and is called a proboscis. You can see it coiled under its head when not in use.




Check out more of their amazing story here:
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/monarch/index.html

Harriet Tubman First Garden Day of Fall--Harvest

We had our first day back in the garden and there was so much to see!  It was incredible to see how much the tiny transplants we planted at the spring festival had grown and changed.  Other plants were just seeds when we left for summer vacation. Now these seeds have grown into pumpkins, corn, squash and more!

The tomato plants are full of tomatoes that we picked to show off and share at the parent meeting.

It is so exciting to see how the things we planted have grown into real food!