Ms. Abrams' class prepares their bed and more

On April 8, Ms. Abrams' students did a great job in the garden. They did several different tasks depending upon their group: measuring the area of their bed and calculating how much fertilizer to add; added the organic fertilizer (all of them); turn the soil and removed roots to get soil ready for planting. One student found a worm that he will use for his science fair project. We discussed the Three Sistes that they will be planting in their bed.

Some students wrote what they did: WE MEASURED THE BED AND GOT 6 BY 4 SQ. FEET. THE CONTAINER OF FERTILIZER SAID TO PUT 1 POUND OF  FERTILIZER FOR EVERY 50 SQ. FEET. BECAUSE 6x4 IS 24 WE HAVE TO PUT HALF A POUND BECAUSE 24 IS APPROXIMATELY HALF OF 50. AND BECAUSE 3 CUPS MAKE 1POUND SO WE ARE PUTTING 1 AND A HALF CUPS OF FERTILIZER.

Ms. Gardner's class starts gardening

Today Ms. Gardner's class started gardening. They were enthusiastic learners! We discussed composting: what does into the compost (greens, browns), what else is needed (air and water), what decomposers do the work (they volunteered names of decomposers that they had learned in science-earthworms, fungi, bacteria, pill bugs), that heat is generated by the decomposing process and that the outcome is humus which we add to soil to enrich it.

The kids then had the choice of two jobs: adding greens to the compost bin or weeding an area where the fourth graders are planting seeds of our state flower, the California poppy.  They tore the greens into small pieces so they will break down easier. They all should recognize what the poppy looks like since one is blooming in the bed.

Finally, they looked at the earthworms and bugs in the sample of compost which I brought from home. At the end of the morning, some kids added my compost and worms to the 4th grade bin.

It would be great if fourth graders could bring items for the compost bin on the days that they garden. They know what they can bring: vegie and fruit scraps, coffee filters, coffee grounds, tea bags, paper towels, newspaper. I forgot to mention egg shells to them, but they can bring those as well. When adding to the bin, we need to keep an equal balance of greens and browns and keep the bin moist.

Ms. Abrams class starts composting

We worked with Ms. Abrams class on March 11. We discussed decomposers (which they had studied in science), composting, and what vegetables we will start growing in the raised beds.  The kids had a good grasp of the types of decomposers and enjoyed looking at the worms and pill bugs in the compost which I brought from home. They learned what goes into a compost bin and the started putting greens and browns in one of them.

In addition some kids prepared areas for planting.  One area has a California poppy and we reviewed that this is the state flower and that it was used by local Indians.  The most exciting thing was the discovery of a strange bug in one of the raised beds. It was a Jerusalem cricket.