What Marquez 4th graders Do and Learn in the Native American Garden?

The Native American Garden is an example of linking gardening to the curriculum as a way to make lasting memories for the students. In this case, we provide links to social studies and science and to our local flora of the Santa Monica mountain area.

The garden was installed in the 2014-15 school year based on a design by Ryan Drnek of Sodder Studios after approval by LAUSD personnel. Initial funding for the garden was from a grant from the Pacific Palisades Garden Club. Subsequent funding has come from Gibson International Realty.

We discuss how many of the plants in the garden can be found in the local mountains, just five minutes from school. Some of the students hike there and recognize the plants. Others use some of the plants at home, for example, white sage.

We discuss how native plants don't need much water, i.e. that they are drought tolerant and adapted to our climate. In the local mountains the plants self-seed and don't get extra water.

Many of the plants in the front garden are California native plants that were and are used by local indigenous peoples, the Chumash and Tongva, for food, medicine and other purposes.   The plants include deer grass, Cleveland sage, California poppy, black sage, purple sage, sticky monkey flower, island alum root, milkweed, white sage, hummingbird sage, sagebrush and yarrow.

In the fall, the students learn about California poppies, the state flower, as they plant the seeds in the garden. Later they can harvest and save the seeds.  We also discuss the role of mulch at this time and if necessary, add more mulch. Mulch keeps the soil underneath moist and reduces the need for watering. It also prevents weeds from growing.

In the winter, the students learn about other plants in the garden either as they plant them or as we observe them. Deer grass is an easy one to learn as it's the biggest plant in the garden. Students learn that the Chumash make baskets from this. They learn that there are several varieties of sages and that they smell good.

In the spring the California poppies, the state flower, explode with color!

California poppies in bloom

A smudge stick used for ceremonies is made from white sage

Students research and prepare reports on the different plants. During this process they learn how they are used by local pollinators as well as by indigenous peoples. During the spring annual garden celebration they tour the garden to the guests. The guests are given copies of the student's reports.

Identifying markers label the plants so community members can learn about them as well. This next year we will be purchasing identifying labels, similar to those in botanical gardens, that have QR codes that will link to explanations written by the children.

The attachments below show some pages from an iBook written by students in Ms. Chaides' class in spring of 2017. A printed copy was given to the attendees at the celebration.

In addition, reports from Ms. Chaides' and Ms. Palos' students from the garden dedication in spring of 2015 can be found on  Palisades Cares.

Ms. Reeve's class in the garden

On 2/21, Ms. Reeve's class visited the garden and learned about plants used by Chumash and Tongva Native Americans, planted seeds, composted and looked at the worms and ate broccoli. They learned that these two tribes lived in our area of California and used local plants for medicine, ceremonies and food. They were introduced to white sage, black sage, hummingbird sage, cleveland sage and monkey flower. White sage is dried, briefly lit with a flame and extinguished and then passed around people's bodies in a ceremony. Black sage leaves are made into sun tea and applied to painful areas. Cleveland sage is dried and used as potpourri. (Potpourri is a new word to many.)  The leaves and flowers of hummingbird sage can be used to make tea.  The leaves of monkey flowers can be ground into a paste and put on wounds. Hummingbird sage and monkey flower are popular with hummingbirds because of their tubular shape.  We will be planting some of these plants at school soon.

The leaves and flowers of hummingbird sage are used to make tea.

Monkey flower was used to heal wounds.  

Dried leaves of white sage are burned as smudge at ceremonies to create spiritual balance.

In the garden with Ms. Bihari's class

On 2/18, Ms. Bihari's class learned how the native Chumash and Tongva Indians of our area used some local (native) plants.  We discussed where these tribes lived and that Topanga Canyon was a border area-the Chumash lived north and the Tongva lived south.These Native Americans used local plants for food and medicine, and in ceremonies.  The students smelled the various plants and compared the smells and the sizes of leaves of the plants. We'll be planting some of these plants at school this spring. We discussed that many of the plants are drought-tolerant and not in need of much water.

• Black sage can be used against pain. A sun tea of the leaves can be rubbed on a painful area, e.g. a foot;
• White sage is burned as a smudge, incense, during ceremonies. It is picked, dried and wrapped with a string or vine and then briefly lit and blown out. People inhale the smoke which is supposed to create spiritual balance;
• Cleveland sage made into tea. We used it to make potpourri because it smells good. Potpourri is a new vocabulary word. The leaves and flowers are dried. Hummingbirds and butterflies like its purple flowers.
• Hummingbird sage is used to make tea. The pink flowers are liked by hummingbirds.
• Monkey flower is used to heal minor wounds. Leaves are ground in a mortar and pestle and the paste is applied on wounds. Hummingbirds love the nectar in monkey flowers.

At the conclusion of the lesson the children ate broccoli with or without ranch dressing. They all appear to love this vegetable!  This class seems to enjoy gardening a lot. Some children came to the garden before garden "class" started to work in the garden and others stayed after the bell rang to help!