Tag Archives: plants

A new reason to visit the library

By Debra Shapiro | Published: October 20, 2011
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A California middle school teacher tells how seed-lending libraries can help integrate science into the curriculum.

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Science outdoors is a natural

By Claire Reinburg | Published: April 13, 2011
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Giving students opportunities to explore and observe plants, birds, or bugs on the school grounds or in nearby gardens and parks can bring multiple benefits. The Children & Nature Network highlights research findings that support the positive benefits of environment-based studies on school achievement, citing standardized measures in basic subject areas and other indications that [...]

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Seasonal scavenger hunt

By Peggy Ashbrook | Published: March 5, 2010
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Give your students practice making observations by doing a seasonal scavenger hunt that will require closer looks at the familiar landscape to see what has changed. (Thanks to the University of British Columbia Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research for the idea.) Does the tree (with branches low enough to see) have tightly furled [...]

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Science in the community

By Mary Bigelow | Published: February 8, 2010
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I’m hoping that secondary teachers will take a look at the articles that describe authentic investigations conducted by young scientists in their communities: Creative Soil Conservation and Boulder Creek Study. The latter has examples of student work as they studied the water quality in their communities, using various indicators, including the presence of aquatic invertebrates. [...]

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More science in the early years—a reoccurring theme from high school teachers and researchers

By Peggy Ashbrook | Published: January 28, 2010
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So it’s not just me, or you…An elementary school science specialist wrote to National Science Teacher Association colleagues asking middle and high school teachers which science skills and knowledge are typically seen lacking in students as they transition from the elementary level to the middle school level and then to high school level classes. The [...]

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Gardening catalogs arriving daily? Help is on the way!

By Peggy Ashbrook | Published: January 17, 2010
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Is the arrival of gardening catalogs inspiring you to dream about planting with your students, and plan a garden of any size? You know that people of all ages benefit from spending time outdoors and that your children were interested in seeds, perhaps in October if you carved a pumpkin, opened a milkweed pod, or [...]

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“Early Sprouts” for two

By Peggy Ashbrook | Published: October 13, 2009
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When I shared my copy of the book Early Sprouts: Cultivating Healthy Food Choices in Young Children with a nutritionist friend, she got very excited about the possibilities, but then her job changed and she no longer works directly with children. Did that stop her? Read on… I am doing Early Sprouts with my neighbor Sydney [...]

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Favorite smells—stories and activities

By Peggy Ashbrook | Published: October 1, 2009
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I love the way two-year-olds inexpertly sniff, to sense an odor. They crinkle up their nose and snort, or gasp, and blink their eyes, not quite putting it all together to inhale through their nose. Yet they have an expert sense of smell—nothing comforts them like their favorite “lovey,” a much worn toy or blanket [...]

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Books about fall leaves, inspired by the autumn equinox

By Peggy Ashbrook | Published: September 22, 2009
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Do deciduous tree leaves in your area change color before they fall? On the occasion of the autumn equinox, here are a few books about trees and fall leaf colors that I have enjoyed reading to my students when we discussed the season’s change from summer to fall: Fresh Fall Leaves by Betsy Franco, Shari [...]

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Planting this fall for springtime blooms

By Peggy Ashbrook | Published: August 29, 2009
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I’m planning a fall gardening activity now, before school starts, and the first step is to mark my calendar to buy spring flowering bulbs before the end of September. Seasonal changes vary across the many climates in the United States. If you get temperatures below 40°F for extended periods of time, you can plant these [...]

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