At Woodlawn School, the organic vegetable and flower garden serves as an outdoor classroom for gardening and science classes. Lower School students spend time in the gardens each fall and spring growing vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Students plant, weed, harvest, add compost, and have fun learning science concepts in the gardens. Students frequently take home organic produce they have grown themselves to enjoy around the dinner table with their family.
In May 2020, with schools closed for the pandemic, Mrs. Denham recorded this video tour of the garden when only Mrs. D and the birds and pollinators were able to be in Woodlawn’s garden! Mrs. D says:
“The garden went crazy growing and growing and the pollinators (bees and butterflies) and birds were quite happy. In the tour, you will see that if you plant seeds in March, you will have crazy growth by May, just two months! This is the miracle of living things – they grow and grow!”
Also during the tour, you will learn about easy herbs to grow for pollinators and for eating. You’ll see the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly and milkweed plants growing strong as host plants for Monarch butterfly eggs and larvae (caterpillars).
“Milkweed is a perennial wildflower that we grow at Woodlawn to be able to host Monarchs! We love butterflies!”
Mrs. D wanted you to know that if you are inspired by the video to grow a garden or have questions about planting a wildflower garden, or a vegetable garden, then please email email@example.com. We’ll pass your information to Mrs. D. and she will be happy to share information. Her final words for STEAMfest:
“Go green! Show the love to pollinators by planting flowers! :)”
- Is Woodlawn’s garden organic or not organic? What does that mean?
- Mrs. Denham mentioned 3 kinds of mint that she and the students grow on Woodlawn School’s campus. Can you list them?
- Woodlawn grows milkweed in it’s garden for what purpose? Why is milkweed so important to this special garden friend? Can you list its life cycle?
- Do you remember the most fun fact about the Monarch Butterfly? Where did Mrs. Denham say it migrates to for the winter?
- If you have a garden at home or plan to have one, what do you like to grow and why?
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