Hi there Students & Families!
April is National Gardening Month. Now is a perfect time to try these activities and create memorable moments with family.
Studies link gardening and good mental and physical health over and over. Gardening isn't just about reaping a harvest. It's good for you and leads to quality family time. It's known for reducing stress, and restoring a sense of well-being and balance.
Getting outside is excellent for your immune system. The sun delivers valuable vitamin D which is vital for a healthy immune system. Gardening teaches children a sense of responsibility. Children are naturally attracted and curious to all living things around them. Gardening gives them the ability to nurture a plant learning delayed gratification, the harvest. It's rewarding to see something you planted grow over time.
It's a perfect time to plant some seeds in a pot on your porch or a little garden plot. Just work with what you have. You can even grow plants without soil.
Check out this video I created on how to make a hydroponic garden in your kitchen from a water bottle. It's a wonderful way to reuse and recycle what you have yielding something you can eat. Now that's sustainable living!
The following are more lessons from Mystery Science that are all about plants:
I love butterflies and bees. They are both excellent pollinators. Click here for some tips on creating a butterfly garden.
Connecting kids to gardening increases literacy skills! See why here.
"Limiting screen time is always challenging for parents, but especially now with COVID-19 and families together at home, more parents than ever are searching for entertaining and meaningful activities,” said KidsGardening Education Specialist Sarah Pounders.
Here are the Top 10 recommended activities by Sarah Pounders of KidsGardening:
Kitchen Scrap Gardening:Help the planet and clean up your kitchen, this one is a great way to think about where your food comes from.
Seed Viewer: There are many different ways to explore plants with simple dried beans from the soup grocery store aisle.
Plant People: Create your own "chia pet" family.
Grow Your Own Salad: We bet you won’t stop doing this activity as kids who grow edibles are more likely to eat them. Adults too!
Pressed Flowers: Save beautiful spring blooms for future crafts. Pressed flowers provide a base for numerous projects and gifts.
Leaf and Flower Prints: Engage those high energy kids with this fun craft that uses a mallet.
Make More Plants from Houseplants: Houseplants make great gifts and what a great ‘giving’ activity or to ensure more rooms have the benefit of houseplants.
Hydroponics: Ever wonder how hydroponics really work? All that’s needed is a cup with a cover, water and seeds. (See the video above for a different version of this.)
Garden Scavenger Hunt: Turn garden exploration into a game! You can even have prizes for those competitive family members.
Soil Art: No paint on hand, no problem. With a little glue and water, soil can inspire creative artwork.
If you’re looking for additional ideas, we have even more lesson plans, garden activities, and garden basics.
STEM Careers with Plants
Gardening leads to a love of learning and life beyond school walls. Some students love it so much that they pursue engineering careers linked to growing food. Check out the many viable options:
I'd love to see you! Please post pictures of activities you do on social media. #isleLEARN #SimplyST3M #seeusSOAR
I love you! Stay curious. Keep asking questions and looking for solutions, and remember engineering is everywhere you look.
Mrs. Pamela Hall
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