Pre-K Uses Their Senses!

Pre-K has been using four of their senses - see, hear, smell and touch - while exploring objects in science.  They are also observing some of the science critters and learning how to handle them!

Making observations.

The log feels smooth and bumpy.

The snail is eating the carrot!

The snail is slow.

The mealworms can move fast!

Using a magnifying glass makes them look bigger!

To touch or not to touch?!

I think it's eating.

They love to hide under the tent!

It has legs!

Pre-K focusing on their sense of touch, put their hand in a mystery bag and tried to determine what the object was by the way it felt.  Often, the temptation to look in the bag before deciding what the object was, was too great! But they all had fun in the process and learned new words to describe objects!

What is in bag 4?

I think it feels round.

It's squishy!

The pine cone is spiky!

A sea star!

It's a spoon!

The worm is long.

It feels slimy!

Earthworms are captivating!

  

Gardening with First Graders!

First graders started gardening class in December.  That might sound like a crazy idea, especially when the temperatures are hovering around freezing and the garden looks like this:

But 1st grade has actually been very busy exploring soil...

We found rocks, twigs, leaves and grass.

We found lots of roots.

We even found a strange critter!

The soil from our garden looks very healthy!

 and observing red wigglers from our classroom wormery.

Red wigglers are smaller than earthworms and live in compost.

When they get scared, the squiggle around like crazy!

We even found some baby worms!

After looking at our garden soil and the composting worms, we dissected a lima bean seed.

The lima beans were soaked in water to soften
the seed coat and make it easier to get off.

Trying to get the seed coat off the seed. We
discovered the seed coat protects the seed
just like our coats protect us!

 There is food in every seed which allows it to
grow in the soil before reaching the surface and
the sunshine.

Look!  You can see the root is already starting to grow out of the seed!

The root growing from the seed.

You can see the little leaves.

The seed coat and the food for the seed.

I found the root and the leaf!

 Next we will plant mystery seeds and see what grows!

PS58's Garden Comes to Life!

After school gardening has started!  We have been busy cleaning the raised beds, adding new compost and planting plants!  

Two different types of lettuce that will
ultimately be harvested for our school salad bar!

Yikes! A baby slug!  Not in our garden!

Much better, one of many earthworms in our raised beds!

More earthworms helping our garden!

We even found a centipede!

Tomatoes and peppers.

We added kale and tomatoes!

Cleaning up leaves.

Planting basil because you can never have enough!

Tomatoes!

Time to water.

We have a special raised bed in our garden dedicated to Nadav from K-115. This garden will keep Nadav's memory alive in our hearts. 

K-115 worked together to get Nadav's garden ready. First they filled the raised bed with soil, then planted some of Nadav's favorite herbs and vegetables: sage, parsley, basil, peppers, eggplant and cherry tomatoes. And lastly, they watered all the plants. K-115 will continue to care for Nadav's garden through the year.

Planting herbs.

Three levels of plants!

Time to water!