Mrs. Fein's class and Ms. Yoshida's class plant in the garden

Today children from Ms. Yoshida's class discussed their favorite vegetables, their favorite cool season vegetables, wrote in their garden journals, looked at the red wriggler worms in the compost, looked at the strawberry guava tree which has fruit on it and planted. Their garden journal contained the following: "Today in the garden I  (which they finished) and My favorite vegetable is ..."  They planted onion seeds, sugar snap pea seeds and sugar snap pea seedlings.  Thanks to Dana, a parent, and Ms. Ashley for helping.

After recess, Mrs. Fein's class also visited the garden. They discussed cool season vegetables, planted onion seeds, looked at at the fruit tree and harvested basil. I videoed them saying what they did in the garden and will send that to Mrs. Fein.

We also discussed other vegetables such as celery, swiss chard, kale, red and yellow beets, purple broccoli and arugula. Part of the fun of growing your own food or purchasing food at the farmers' market is the increased variety. We'll have some different varieties in our school garden.

Vocabulary presented today: harvest, sow, red wriggler worms, composting, all the names of the vegetables and fruit above plus other vegetables such as brussels sprouts and radish. Concepts discussed included: cool season and warm season vegetables, the fact that you don't plant small seeds very deeply, companion planting (onions, carrots and broccoli are good companions-you can plant them together).

Approximately 20 children visited the garden during the two recess periods. At lunch recess the third graders amended the third bed which they are in charge of planting. At lunch recess, the second graders planted johnny jump ups and sweet pea seedlings in the butterfly garden and California poppy seeds alongside the fence.

Planting onion seeds.

Harvesting basil.