Outdoor Garden
Grade Level Gardens
butterfly
Butterfly Garden

Flower and Vegetable Garden - Kindergarten - 2nd Grade
By K-2 Teachers

The kindergarten students will use their five senses to observe the garden. They will plant, observe, and record the growth of plants. They will study newts in their natural habitat and will discuss living and non-living items in the garden. The first grade looks forward to using the Outdoor Classroom for reading and writing activities. They will also extend their Science 21 unit on “Living and Non-Living Things” by observing snails in a natural environment. Second grade will plant, observe, and measure the growth of sunflower and radish seeds, as well as onion bulbs. Students will watch for seasonal changes and observe characteristics of the pond. They will also study crayfish in their natural environment, measure the lengths of shadows and record temperatures throughout the year.
 

Butterfly Garden - Third Grade
By Mrs. Hugo

Investigating cycles in the natural world is part of the Science 21 curriculum for third grade. Investigating the life cycle of the butterfly exposes the students to this wonder of nature. Wildflowers provide a great source of nectar for butterflies,thus by creating a butterfly garden we hope to provide the butterflies with a banquet. We know that they are attracted to flowers by their color and scent. We also know that they can find gardens more easily if flowers are planted in groups of one color. We hope to have lots of white, purple and yellow flowers because butterflies are attracted to those colors.Also, tall flowers with wide petals, like coneflowers and cosmos will make great landing pads for large butterflies.
 

Colonial herb and “three sisters” Garden - 4th Grade
By Mrs. Peckham


The fourth grade students study Native American culture and Colonial life as part of the Social Studies and English Language Arts curriculum. The outdoor classroom will be a place where classes can emulate types of gardens that were once planted by the Native Americans and early settlers.

The students will learn about the Native Americans’ method of gardening. During the Colonial period, Native Americans were helpful in teaching the early American settlers their gardening skills. Together with the settlers, they planted corn, beans, and squash, which were commonly known as “The Three Sisters”. The vegetables were planted with great care and in many steps. The Natives planted this way to benefit the growth of the plants and to best nourish the people who planted them.

One type of garden that the Colonial settlers had planted was an herb garden. Students will learn about a time when people relied heavily on plants for daily needs. Herbs were not only used for cooking, but also for medicine, ornaments, and perfumes.

May 29, 2007