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Growing a garden is a great adventure. Putting a seed in the prepared ground, watering it, and then waiting and checking up on it until -- POP -- it springs up through the ground. It's like a kind of magic really, how that tiny seed transforms into a seedling, and then grows and grows until it becomes a full-sized, mature plant. The kids who come to my garden delight in getting their vegetables fresh from the source -- pulling their own carrot out of the wet, sticky earth, washing it clean and then chomping down! They seem to feel like they are taking part in the magic, just by biting into this tasty vegetable that was a tiny seed just weeks before. But.. growing a garden is not only fun, it's educational. We can learn a lot in our garden -- how things grow, what parts of the plant our different foods are, what jobs the different insects have, what soil is made of and what it needs to do its job well, and how different food tastes when its fresh from a real organic garden where the soil is still rich and full of life. A garden is also a quiet place to learn about ourselves, and to feel our connection to living things. In a garden we can remember to feel with our skin (the warmth of sun, cool tickle of wind, and the moist warmth of soil), to smell with our nose, see with our eyes, to feel with our hearts, and to listen to all the soft sounds of nature -- the birds, bugs, wind, and so on. In a garden we can remember that food comes from the Earth, that we are part of the Earth, and that the Earth needs us to take care of her, so that we can both go on living. Find a place where you can plant a garden -- even if all you can find is one large-sized pot. And see what you can learn, spending time, with yourself, in your garden. Here are some useful links to help you with questions you might have or with supplies you might need....
This is a fun site for kids to surf to information about farm animals,
crops for food, science project ideas, and lots of fun games and
activities. AITC stands for
Agriculture In The Classroom
If roses are your flower of choice, this is THE website for rose growing information. Here you will find :
All American Rose Selection Winners, article of the month from
American Rose Magazine, arranging roses, Color & Symbolism of
Roses, Cooking with Roses, health and safety in the garden, tips on
growing, fertilizing, and rose diseases, how to find roses on the
web, and much more.
Learn how to grow your own butterfly garden! Includes ideas for
just which plants to grow, and other useful tips.
Learn interesting facts about bugs and find out
how they can be helpful to humans. Especially great for young
children! Created by one of Earth's Kids' junior staff members! Bugs & Butterflies In Your Garden
Find out more about the useful jobs that insects can perform!
Learn how to do a bug count in your garden. Here's a place to look up those unfamiliar gardening terms that you may find on the back of a seed or bulb package.
Here's a site that's chalk full of lots of fun do-it-yourself ideas for
kids just like you. Lots of ideas and instructions for things to
grow as well as things to make, like a
Barometer,
a Garden Pond ,
a
Miniature Secret Garden,
Mini-Hothouses and so much more! Help detective Leplant and his partners Bud and Sprout unlock the mysteries of plant life. (Grades 3-6) Sponsored by the University of Illinois Extension.
Learn about hydroponics, the science of growing plants in water instead
of soil! Includes ideas for
projects
that you can do!
The 4-H Children's Garden is a special garden where plants and children
and imaginations grow. It is so big, containing about 60 different
individual theme gardens! Take a virtual tour to see it and get
ideas for what to grow in your own garden. Did you know that the
four "H"s stand for "Head, Heart, Hands and Health"? Don't miss
their ideas for fun
activity
ideas you can do with your garden or with plants you've collected
from other sources.
Agriculture and farm related pages that are multimedia and interactive.
Includes printables and coloring pages. Earth's Kids Environmental Science Page Here's a great place to learn about food webs, find links to great websites about saving the environment and various endangered animals, and to find exciting toys and equipment for the young naturalist. While you're there, check out our book offerings on related topics.
A great site for parents, teachers, and kids! Ideas for gardening with kids at home or at school, plant information, thematic activities, a Teacher's Resource room, a registry of School Gardens, and an online store where you can fun and interesting products for kid's gardening. Also features a Parent's Primer [great for teachers too] that outlines how to get kids started and how to keep them interested -- including what plants are best for kids.
National Gardening Association
This site is packed with useful articles and
FAQ's about various plants and plant growing problems. Nice seasonal
focus highlighting the plants and activities you should be thinking
about at this time of year. Also features a "seed swap",
information on useful products, a plant name finder, regional
reports, message boards, and a garden dictionary! Even hosts an
series of online gardening classes called The
Learning Garden
The Secret Garden
Plant and Gardening Lesson Plans and Activities
The Great Plant Escape Activities Plant science writing and thinking activities for 4th and 5th graders. A great way to help teachers structure their plant science investigations. Includes vocabulary.
Garden Related Activities from Child Fun
Recipes, songs, science, and art ideas as well as book recommendations. Not all plants reproduce in the same ways. The spider plant produces willowy stalks that sprout blossoms and then turn into tiny baby spider plants. These grow larger until they are read to put down roots of their own. For this activity you'll need to plan ahead by purchasing, or growing, a spider plant with lots of "babies" ready for harvesting and transplanting -- enough for each child, or team of children. (Grades K-4) From Teacher Vision.
This
lesson has students using observation and experimentation to think about
the different ways plants get spread from their parent plant to a new
location. Magnifying glass or microscope recommended. From
Scholastic. How Plants Grow: What Do Living Things Need to Survive?
This lesson revolves around building a terrarium.
A trip to a botanical garden or farm is also recommended. (Grades 4-8)
How To Get Kids Interested In Gardening
Parents and teacher may see the value of learning about gardening... but
students may already be smitten with Nintendo and laying about.
Reads these ideas for motivating kids to participate.
Here's a treasure trove of articles just about gardening with kids!
Includes song, family projects, as well as in-depth articles on
interesting plant species. Fun Garden Related Pages for Kids of all ages! Fun craft and science activity ideas plus information on starting your own fun school or community garden.Little Ideas -- Activities To Do In the Garden A long list of fun and creative ideas, from composting with worms to planting lettuce in attractive window pots to making beautiful leaves. Idea sparkers to get you started.
Make
Three-Dimensional Plant and Animal Cell Models
NOTE: The Kid's Gardening Guide pages are PDF files. To view a PDF file, you need Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Pair the Plants: An Introduction to Scientific Names
Plants Thematic Unit (Grades PreK-3) A comprehensive lesson plan for primary grades in which students learn all about the different parts of the plant, and what plants need to thrive!
Here's a great lesson plan/activity to help kids learn about the different parts of vegetables through an edible feast of roots, leaves, stems, flowers, and etc. Includes a planting activity.
This is the classic bean sprouting activity. Tips for using this
in a school science project are included. Spring Is Sprung: Water Movement in Plants This is the classic experiment with celery and food coloring! Very easy to do and fun for preschoolers and school age kids alike. From Scholastic.
Use the inner scroll bar to view more books and activities.
Supplies & Equipment
Burpee Seeds -- Online Catalog Burpee seeds have been starting gardens for 120 years! Visit their website to order bulbs, seeds, and other products online -- or ask to have a free catalog mailed to you. While you're there, check out their recipes and take a "3-D" tour of their "test" garden.
Shiitake Mushroom Kit
This trivia game for birders challenges players to test their knowledge of North American birds found in the continental United States and Canada from Alaska to Florida and California to Newfoundland (does not include Mexico or Hawaii). Questions fall into three categories - beginner, intermediate and expert so no matter what your level of birding skill, there's a game here you can play and have fun at. 2 or more players. Read more...
Edmund Scientifics Illuminated 30X Pocket Microscope
Microscope measures 5" long x 1" wide. Powered by two “AA” batteries (not included). Features a clear acrylic base, on/off switch and side focus knob. Specifications: Magnification: 30X Field of View: 3/16" -- Working Distance: 3/4" -- Weight: 2.5 oz (with batteries) -- Dimensions: 51/8" L x 13/8" W x 3/4" T
11/17/01
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The Great North American Bird Watching Trivia Game
