Third graders study Chumash plants

This week Ms. Schwartz's class and Ms. Bihari's class continued their study of the native plants used by the Chumash and Tongva Native Americans. The kids smelled these sages and learned about their uses by our local tribes: hummingbird sage (made into tea), black sage (sun tea then rubbed on sore area or to soak feet), white sage (dried leaves were burned as smudge and passed over body in ceremonies)  and cleveland sage (dried flowers made into potpourri). They also looked at miner's lettuce (the seeds were eaten by Chumash), monkey flower (leaves were ground in mortar and pestle and then put on wounds) and California poppy (roots were used to cure stomach aches). The kids liked the smell of the hummingbird sage best!

Mrs. Bihari's class has started to plant the poppies and monkey flowers near their room.

Dried white sage is used in Chumash ceremonies.