Sunday, 30 August 2009
Saturday, 8 August 2009
Onsite at Newington Green Primary School with Myra Heller
Wednesday 8 July was great. I had a really good time with the children exploring, observing and putting in our books drawing and writing about all the different kinds of seeds and seedpods they could find (backing up the seed workshops at King Henry's Walk Garden). I also brought some seeds in for the children and they had to examine them quite carefully, counting the sections etc. We also tested some helicopters (sycamore seeds) to try and understand why they are so efficient at dispersal and they found lots of baby sycamores to prove the point about why they are considered weeds (very successful!).
We looked at sweet pea seeds and touched them to see how incredibly hard they are and pine cones and we looked at ivy and Virginia creeper to understand how they spread (curling tendrils, gripping stem suckers) and some of them drew them.
They made seed envelopes from folded card to take home to collect from home some seeds from fruit or vegetables they eat or someone else in their family eats (homework).
I hope we can do some giant blow-up models of seed pods (poppies are good) out of wire, cane and tissue paper at a later date.
We looked at sweet pea seeds and touched them to see how incredibly hard they are and pine cones and we looked at ivy and Virginia creeper to understand how they spread (curling tendrils, gripping stem suckers) and some of them drew them.
They made seed envelopes from folded card to take home to collect from home some seeds from fruit or vegetables they eat or someone else in their family eats (homework).
I hope we can do some giant blow-up models of seed pods (poppies are good) out of wire, cane and tissue paper at a later date.
Hanover Primary School with Camilla Baker
The first group from Hanover visited Culpeper garden in June. Everyone loved the smells of bay, rosemary and coriander. We tasted mustard leaves. They look like lettuce, but are a surprise when you taste them - they are very fresh and sharp.
Charlotte recognised broad beans that were in flower, and Rojda explained why another broad bean plant already had fully grown beans on. Artie knew that onions grew underground - but no one recognised the potato plants!
Bertie learnt to grow seeds, carefully picking up one at a time. Charles, Jotha and Otto planted nasturtiums, spacing them out neatly in a line. Tommy said he didn't like carrots - I hope we can change his mind, when he tastes ones he has grown himself!
Everyone had a pot to take home - please remember to keep the soil moist, and let us know when the seedlings start to show.
Charlotte recognised broad beans that were in flower, and Rojda explained why another broad bean plant already had fully grown beans on. Artie knew that onions grew underground - but no one recognised the potato plants!
Bertie learnt to grow seeds, carefully picking up one at a time. Charles, Jotha and Otto planted nasturtiums, spacing them out neatly in a line. Tommy said he didn't like carrots - I hope we can change his mind, when he tastes ones he has grown himself!
Everyone had a pot to take home - please remember to keep the soil moist, and let us know when the seedlings start to show.
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