Library Learning Patch - Snakes, Praying Mantis, Pesto and Harvest

This week's harvest!

Whew! What a busy meeting. First we heard a very informative report from one of our members, telling us how a snake sheds its skin. (I brought a snake skin last week.) It secretes a milky substance between its body and the skin, rubs its head on a stick and splits the skin before it wriggles out. The milky substance covers its eye while shedding and therefore cannot see while it is shedding. Interesting--we all learned something!, Then we learned about a beneficial insect, the praying mantis. We had actually seen one in our garden. We were served tomato pesto (made from the tomatoes in our garden) and crackers by the Assistant Librarian at our library. Yummy! Then out to the garden for our harvest. Lots of tomatoes and peppers. The sunflowers are huge now!! The children watered, watered, and watered more. This heat is brutal on the garden. All in all, a very successful day!

The workers

Wow-huge sunflower--can you believe it came from a tiny seed?

Next week-more insects and more bounty hopefully! Stay tuned!

Library Learning Patch-Insects, etc.

Today we began to learn all about insects. We borrowed the library's laptop and watched an informative video. We all learned a few new facts about insects.

My mother had been kind enough to make pesto from the basil that we grew from seed. So we had a tasting.

Something we haven't eaten before

I brought a snakeskin I found in my pasture. They were enthralled by it. One of the children volunteered to tell us all about snakes shedding their skins next week.

Neat!

Then out to the garden. Harvest time!! Tomatoes galore!!

Just a sample!

We also had a giant cucumber that we had missed before. Next week we should have squash also. Now the fun begins. The fruits of our labor! Stay tuned!

Library Learning Patch-Progress Report

Our library director, Lisa,  was kind enough to take these photographs of our vegetables. As you can see, we have a nice crop growing!

We are looking forward to the next harvest-won't be long.

Stay tuned!

Library Learning Patch-Scarecrow day

Last week (sorry I'm late with my post) we met inside and began reading a fascinating book from our library, One Well The Story of Water on Earth. I learned new things about water--I guess I had never really thought too much about the cycle of water. Very informative book!

Then outside for a fun project. We made a scarecrow (or rather, Mrs. Scarecrow). We used a frame I had made out of scrap wood, then stuffed her with plastic grocery bags filled with newspaper, made her face out of a water jug and added a cute straw hat. The children were pleased with the results. We're hoping it helps keep the birds away from our tomatoes. Of course, our sunflowers just beg them to come!

Scary face!

Dressing her!

Boots and hat

We love our scarecrow!

Okay, Mrs. Scarecrow, keep the birds out!

Our crops are bearing fruit--lots of tomatoes on the vines.

Library Learning Patch-Zinnas

Today we had a catch-up day. Three of our group could not come because of car trouble, so the group decided to wait until next week to make our scarecrow. Today we read about the history of scarecrows.

Garden before harvesting last week

We  planted zinnas  and discussed watering techniques-it is better to water low and not splash the plants in order to prevent mildew.

                                            

Our radishes did make after all. This photo is from our harvest last week










Stay tuned for our great "lady scarecrow" --weather permitting, we will make her next week!

Library Learning Patch-Dicots and Monocots

Have I mentioned that our library has a great children's section? It is a nice environment in which children can sit, relax and read!   And to have classes.

History tells us that Columbus brought cucumbers to America

We also  learned that flowering plants are divided into two classifications--dicots and monocots. We learned that you can identify them by both the leaf and root system. The group did leaf rubbings and looked at plants.

This is more difficult than it looks!

Hot and dirty work!

Finally-the reward--harvesting lettuce, radishes and onions! A nice salad for tonight.

Library Learning Patch-making maple syrup

Today we learned about something new--how maple syrup is made. We first discussed different ways of learning about things--reading fiction, non-fiction and using the internet. I read two cute books. One in particular was both funny and informative.  Our  library has great children's books!

The children discussed what parts of the book are probably true. It did give a good description of gathering the syrup.
I then read from an encyclopedia about how maple syrup is made. We also watched a neat video about making maple syrup. The children were very impressed.

We learn in many ways!

Now it was fun time--the children all pretended to be trees going through winter and spring. One of the group served as the gatherer and drilled holes in the trees and gathered the sap (all pretend of course).

It's fun being a tree!

We learned that it takes 10 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup. Wow!

Thanks to our library director, Lisa,  for this great demonstration!

Of course it is more fun when you can actually taste the finished product!

Delicious!

The boys in our group were out today because of illness, so the girls will demonstrate the process to them next week.
Then out to the garden for our chores. These children are the best--they even weed with enthusiasm. Wish they would come to my house! :) They also brought in more soil to our flower bed. The garden is looking great!

More fun next week-if we can just get a few more days of warm weather, we may be able to harvest the lettuce. Stay tuned!

Library Learning Patch

Library Learning Patch-Success and Failure!

One of our group read a very interesting report that he had prepared about squash. I learn something every time from these children--for instance, I didn't know that squash was  related to the pumpkin. Today we talked about diet in different countries. First we made a list of the food everyone had eaten yesterday. Then I read from a book, What the World Eats. I believe all of us found it very interesting to learn how different the diet is in different countries. We observed that here in the U.S. we seem to eat much more processed food than people do in other countries.

A totally fascinating book!

Then it was outside to the garden! Everyone was eager to see the progress. Our sunflowers had grown so much that the children needed to stake them up with longer stakes. And of course the weeding needed to be done. They worked like troopers. After the chores came the fun part--planting and watering. Our squash seeds never did sprout--so we planted zucchini and crookneck plants. We also planted a cucumber.

Team effort!

Then of course everything was watered very thoroughly. It's a good think we have sandy soil! It drains well. :)

Now it was time to enjoy the first fruits of our labor--wrong!! We pulled two radishes and lo and behold--they didn't make. They were long and stringy. So we replanted them to give them another week. Disappointing!

Our first failure!!

But  we did have success after all. We decided to check the onions. Each child pulled an onion--and washed them and ate them! Yummy!!  The library smelled like onions for a while.

Hurray!

We were also excited to see tiny peppers beginning to grow! And our tomatoes look great also.

Exciting!

What a great day we had--I just love the enthusiasm of these children!

Our lettuce is beginning to look like lettuce!

Our garden looks great!

Stay tuned for our next report--next week we will learn about how maple syrup is collected from the trees.

Library Learning Patch-Inside Day

Last week our session was mainly inside, as we had only maintenance work to do outside. First we heard an interesting report one of the girls had prepared about lettuce. These children put a lot of effort into their assignments!

We read a book, Brother Eagle, Sister Sky. Then we played two games that reinforced how we are all connected with nature.

First we ate blueberries--also known as starberries. I read an article about how the Indians used blueberries for medicinal purposes, as well as a dye. They looked at the blossom end with a magnifying glass to better see the star shape. Then we passed out 12 blueberries to each child. I explained that twelve of these blueberries represented water in the ocean. They ate the 12, naming a sea animal or fish when eating each one. Fun! Then I explained that out of the remaining three, one represented mountains and one represented desert. Only one represented the land we live on and that sustains us. We then discussed how important it is to take care of this portion.

Yummy starberries!

We then played a game with string. I asked questions about nature and with each answer string was tied to the child's finger who answered. Before long the string was stretched in criss crosses to every child. Then we discussed what would happen when one piece was cut and how that affected everyone. I then cut several pieces to demonstrate this.

The web of life

Then it was off to check on the garden. The children we happy to see almost everything doing well. Next week we will harvest the radishes! Their sunflowers are doing well also. The only plants that didn't sprout were the beans and squash. We will replant squash next week. They pulled the few weeds that had sprouted.

Stay tuned for our first meal -- radishes!!

Library Learning Patch-maintenance day

Now that our major work was done (the preparation and planting), we can now observe and maintain. We met in the library to begin our class. One of the children gave us a very interesting  report about the history of tomatoes. We learned that they are native to South America.  At one time people here in the U.S. would not eat tomatoes because they thought they were poisonous. We also learned that tomatoes are both fruits and vegetables. According to one source, when eaten fresh, they are fruits, and when cooked, they are vegetables.

Of course since this is a joint project between me as a Master Naturalist and the library, we stress reading. I  read a book, Tops and Bottoms--we all thought it was a cute and funny story. The children guessed in each instance what the rabbit was planting except for the corn--he harvested neither the top or the bottom. Reading to these children is fun--they immerse themselves in the story and do not hesitate to interact.

A cute story with several themes

I read another book from the library, Apples to Oregon, a story about a family bringing fruit trees to the West. They liked that one also.

One of the newest books in the children's section

The children were eager to check on their garden, so they gathered their tools and we went outside. Almost everything had sprouted! Our lettuce and peas that we planted from seed are up and growing! Our tomatoes and peppers also looked good. The children were most interested in the progress of their sunflowers that they had transplanted. They all were growing also. Soon we will tie them to the fence. While one group began watering their crops, others leveled an area outside the fence and planted pink dianthus.

A broken arm doesn't stop this gardener!

Conserving water by using a watering can

I am very impressed by the cooperation among the children. They are very good about sharing and taking turns.

After everything was thoroughly watered, the group picked up all the tools. My youngest member, a four  year old, carried everything inside for me.

Stay tuned for next week's progress report!