learning+garden




 * Garden Questions **

Here are all the important vocabulary words that connect to the garden and everything we have studied this year in science.
 * Let’s Go Fishing !**

**Soil Nitrogen Water Carbon Dioxide Solution **

** Sand **** Silt Clay pH - N, P, K Test loam Soil Quality **


 * Suspension Mixture Compound Nitrogen Cycle Element **


 * Atmosphere Transpiration Oxygen Glucose (sugar) Energy **


 * Roots (root hairs) Stem(vascular system) Flower Chloroplast **


 * Mud(dirt and water) Ca+2 Fertilizer Osmosis Carbon Cycle **


 * Stomate(stomata) Xylem germination Plants Insects ** **bacteria**


 * Phloem Carbon Ion Cellular Respiration Pistil Ionic Bond **


 * Stamen Pollination Light Salt water ** **Dormancy** ** Fertilization **


 * Seed Dispersal Temperature Mulch Depth Diffusion **


 * Protons Valence Electrons Covalent Bond Electrons Neutrons **

inclined plane abiotic factors biotic factors temperature depth

 * Choose a group of the words above and then describe how they are all related to the garden. For Example – (Atmosphere, Stomate, Roots, Transpiration, Water)**

Transpiration occurs when roots take in the water and it travels up through the Xylem to get to the leaves. Any extra water that is not used in photosynthesis then escapes by the stomata back into the atmosphere. This process is part of the Water Cycle.


 * Try to do this as many times as you can with as many different combinations. When you study for exam and focus on connections between the words, you are focusing on understanding the material, rather than simply memorizing the definitions. This will help you study better for the final exam in Science. You can even act it out !**


 * Write down Five different examples below: **
 * 1) ** Choose a group of the words and then describe how they are all related to the garden. For Example – (Atmosphere, Stomate, Roots, Transpiration, Water) **

Group - Sand, Silt, Clay, Loam, Soil Quality, Soil

When looking for __Soil Quality__ in the various gardens we took data from, there were many factors in how we would interpret that data. The main factor when looking at the data was the __Loam__, or how balanced the components of the soil were. These components included __Sand__, __Silt__ and __Clay__. We went further to split these up into two groups, the __Sand__ and the __Silt__ being the materials that drain water in the __soil__. The other group was __Clay__, the only material that absorbed water from the __soil__.

Using the knowledge of the two groups, we tried to look whether the at the __loam__ iness of the __soil__. __Soil__ with 50% clay, 30% sand and 20% silt would be very __loam__ y. __Loam__ iness is very healthy for soil, and provides good nutrients and amount of water for the plant to grow.

**inclined plane abiotic factors biotic factors temperature depth**


 * The learning garden has both abiotic and biotic factors. One of the abiotic factors is the amount of sunlight. Plants need sunlight to get nutrients through photosynthesis. Another abiotic factor is water drainage. The water gets drained by the inclined planes in the garden. If the plant is on an inclined plane, the water will start draining out of the soil so that there is not overwatering. If there is too much water, the water molecules take up the room needed for oxygen molecules (in air pockets). Temperature is also a good example of an abiotic factor. Biotic factors in the garden are fungi and bacteria. They help decompose as part of the nitrogen cycle. The depth of planting will affect germination, but not as much as water and temperature. **

** LS Question **


 * Words: Mud, Plants, Insects, Water, Abiotic factors, Biotic Factors **


 * Those all relate because they are all things you would find in and around a stream.When we had the field trip to the stream all of the things listed were there. Mud and water are Abiotic Factors. Things like plants and insects are examples of Biotic Factors. That is why the topics I chose relate to each other. **


 * Planting a perennial garden this year has really helped me come to understand the importance of many concepts in botany. Some things that have helped me are planting in general, cutting the tulip open, and finding out the amount of clay, sand, and silt, in the soil. planting, in general, has opened my eyes to see the many different types of flowers and when they bloom. Before, I had never heard of the Grape Hyacinth or the Glory-in-the-snow. I now now that they both bloom in April. When we cut the tulip, I was able to see inside of the ovary and it was an astounding experience. I learned about how the flower reproduces. Last, the amount of sand silt and clay really helped me understand growing conditions that are good for flowers. Overall, the planting a perennial garden has helped me in botany. **


 * Actually, I think that the bast way to really learn is to go out into the garden, and physically touch and look at the different parts of the flower. It was fun to look at leaves, the stamen, and pistils and all the other parts of the flower in real detail, under the microscope. I got to see how the stomata actually moves when releasing oxygen and access water into the atmosphere, to only be recycled and used again. I was a really cool and fun process that I have never seen before. It really fascinated me. I thought that going out into the garden, which we are lucky enough to have, and be able to really look and feel the parts of the flower. **

** 1. Water **

** 2. Sugar **

** 3. Oxygen **

** 4. Carbon Dioxide **

** 5. Nitrogen **

** All of these are connected because they are chemical compounds that are essential in the growth of the garden. Water, which all living things need. Sugar, food and an energy source produced by plants. Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide, which the plants breathe in and out. This also plays a key role in transpiration process. And finally, Nitrogen gives the plants it’s growth and green-like color. In the end, all of these are chemicals that are important for the garden. ** ** Planting a perennial garden helps illustrate the concepts of a garden in many ways. One way for example, is by teaching us how a flower works. I say this because if you see a process of the flower and follow the process, you would see a bud, then a stem, then a blossom, then a full grown flower. It also helps because if you look at a flower, you ca see all of the parts of it like the sepals or the petals. It gives you an understanding of how the sun, soil, and flower work together so that the flower may live. You can see how the flower breathes by taking a leaf and looking at the under side. Depending on the leaf, it could be easy or hard to see but there are tiny little slits called stomata. The stomata breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. This process not only helps the plant but it helps people too. **

** Planting a perennial garden helped illustrate the many concepts and ideas we have studied. First of all the garden helped on tests and quiz's especially on identifying the different flowers such as the blue squill and glory in the snow. Planting the garden helped me identify the parts of the flower which were the ovary, petals, filament, anther, stigma, style, pistil and stamen. A perennial is a plant that comes back each year. We learned that a perennial becomes dormant, begins the process of germination then blooms. We also learned the different times when these plants bloom for example snowdrops bloom in late February, the red emperor tulip blooms in April and crocus blooms in March. **


 * Learning Garden Questions for the Final Exam**


 * read over the sample essay questions below and then record your own detailed response below:**


 * A) How does planting a perennial garden this year illustrate the many concepts and ideas we have studied in life science and botany?**

Planting a perennial garden has helped me see the many concepts in botany that we went over this year. First, we can see the pistil, stamen, petals, sepals, etc. on a real flower instead of just looking at pictures. Second, we can take a leaf, split it apart and see the stomata, waxy cuticle, etc. under a microscope. Finally, we can get the joy of planting (I love planting) all the flowers we learned about, like glory-in-the-snow, red emperor tulip, blue squills, and crocuses and watch them grow from a tiny seed (bulb) to a tall, proud plant. For these reasons, the perennial garden helped me learn about gardening this year and really developed a like for gardening in me.
 * Sample #1**

This year when we planted our perennial garden there were many important words that kept popping up from earlier in the year. __Osmosis__, __Glucose, and Oxygen__ are examples of words we learned in the beginning of the year in life science, that we came back to again in the study of botany. __Nitrogen__ and __Carbon__ are also things we learned in the beginning of the year that showed up in botany. __Nitrogen__ and __Carbon__ are in the soil, along with water, and all these help the plant grow. Then it is released by the __stomata__ in the atmosphere, and then it repeats itself over and over. This is called the__Water Cycle__, __Carbon Cycle__, and __Nitrogen Cycle__.
 * Sample #2**

The perennial garden this year included red emperor tulips, grape hyacinths, glory-in-the-snow, squill, snowdrops, daffodils, and crocuses. The garden ranged from March through late April. This helped me understand how botany worked and was a great experience. We learned all about the stamen and the pistil, germination, and pollination. The process of pollination starts with pollen, then an animal and wind picks it up and deposits it into the stigma where it goes down the pollen tube and into the ovary. Then the seed is created and spread around the area. This process shows me how complicated a plant’s job is. It was one of the best parts of the entire 6th grade science year.
 * Sample #3**

​ Your Groups Response Below:


 * B) A school in** **Philadelphia** **is interested in creating a learning garden. Give the students your own advice on what to do to create a successful garden. Follow the important steps of decision making when considering the important steps the students need to make to create their own learning garden.**


 * Sample #1**

An important step to making a successful garden is first reading your decision making skills; following clear values, useful information, framework, sound reasoning, creative alternatives, and commitment to the decision. You should then decide where to have your garden and make sure it is a good spot. Ask yourself what plants would grow well in this location. Make a schedule when you are going to plant and water. You should decide what soil and fertilizer to use. If you use the decision making skills and commit to making a garden you are on your way.


 * Sample #2**

Dear Phila. School,

It is great that you guys want to make a learning garden. It takes a lot of hard work. When you make it you need to make sure it is in a good spot. For example, good sun exposure, not too many trees, and things like that. Make sure that you take care of the garden every day. Make sure it is in a good spot. Try not to overflow it with water or mulch. That was a terrible problem in our garden. When you plant the garden bulbs or flowers, don’t just throw them in. You should place them nicely on the ground. Make sure they get enough water. I hope your learning garden is successful.

Sincerely,

Connor Burke

School in Philadelphia, You will find that making a learning garden is hard work, but it will pay off. First you must not put any mulch in your garden. From experience, that can’t make the plants grow good. Second, you must put it in a place where there is a lot of sun or light. You must also make sure the plants are watered. If the soil around the plants is dry to the touch, you need to water the plants. Before you put the bulb/seed in, make sure it’s healthy. Also make sure there are no bugs that could eat the plant. Then, make sure the plant is not around anything that could stunt its growth, like rocks under the roots. Another thing is to build birdhouses so the birds won’t pick at the plant. Hopefully, these factors will make you have a successful garden. From, Experienced Middle School Gardener
 * Sample #3**

Dear Students, I think it is a great idea to start a learning garden. You will first need to figure out where to have it. Does the place get enough sun? If so, you will want to figure out what kid of soil you want. You will have to order that soil and put it down. Be sure to put mulch on the top. One of the problems we had was that we put too much mulch down. Also you will want to make sure not to over water it or it will get flooded. You will want to figure out whether you will be planting perennials and annuals. What flowers will you be planting? Make sure that you have plenty of room to grow and resources. Make sure that the teacher helps you out and that she (he) approves everything. Sincerely, Peter Blynn
 * Sample #4**


 * Your Groups Response Below: **

Dear The School of Philadelphia, It is taken with great initiative to work hard and try to make a learning garden. LearningGardens take a large amount of hard work, and good decisions. When trying to decide on where the LearningGarden should be located, always make sure that it is in a place where it will be exposed to lots of sunlight, and always check the loam of the soil, to make sure of the soil quality. Also, you should make a schedule to show when maintenance of the plants is needed, and there should be plenty of water and fertilizer to use. When planting and watering your garden, make sure everything is done with a caring and committed hand, and that you gently place one bulb in each space, leaving everything lots of space to thrive. Also, when watering the garden, make sure the water is not overflowing, as this will drown the plants. If you make good decisions and keep maintaining the garden very well, then the garden will flourish and provide a nice attraction in your school. I hope your LearningGarden is successful, and does good to how much work you will have put into it. Hope this letter helps you,

An Experienced Middle School Gardener

** Dear **** Philadelphia **** School ****, **

** Having a learning garden is a lot of fun but also a lot of hard work. The important things that you need to have for a successful garden are good soil, good drainage, exposure to the sun and not a lot of foot traffic and predators. There are many types of soils such as sand,silt,and clay. You will have to determine which type of soil you have and what type of nutrients to add such as nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus, in other words fertilizer. PH is also important because the acidity of the soil is important in how your plant grows. **

** Different types of plants will grow best depending on the type of soil and the PH. You should read about what type of plant you are growing and what environment is best for it’s growth. Good Luck on your garden! **

** Sincerely, **

** Robert **

DearSchool in Philadelphia,

First, you should find a good spot for the garden. Take into consideration its surroundings such as trees, which will make lots of shade. Second, you should make sure that you have the right proportions for the gardens soil. Too much of either sand, silt or clay will be bad for the garden. Sand and silt will make the soil be able to drain the water. Clay will keep it. You want to have a good mixture of all three. Third, you should consider the fact that the garden will need constant care which includes watering every day. also you should mulch the garden when needed. Also, weeding must be done for your plants to survive because sometimes the weed can strangle the roots of the plant. And lastly, you should take into consideration the kinds of plants you are planting. Some plants need shade and some need sun, that is the same with the amounts of water, some need more some less.

From,

David Bunn at The HaverfordSchool

** Dear Philadelphia school, **

** There are many aspects of a successful learning garden which you need to follow through on. First of all, You must have a group of willing and committed students who are willing to both take care of it and learn from it. Without this, a learning garden is useless. You also have to have enough tools and plants to build a good looking and well rounded garden. You will need to put the garden in a place where it will get a lot of sunlight and there is a water source near by. The first thing you will have to do before you plant anything will be to amend the soil so there is enough clay, silt, and sand, but not too much. Then you will have to plant the plants and take care of them every day. If you are not committed enough and can’t take care of it everyday, then you can’t build one. Then you have to use it to take data and to have an interactive way to learn how a plant grows. **

**B) A school in** **Philadelphia** **is interested in creating a learning garden. Give the students your own advice on what to do to create a successful garden. Follow the important steps of decision making when considering the important steps the students need to make to create their own learning garden.**

**Sample #1**

An important step to making a successful garden is first reading your decision making skills; following clear values, useful information, framework, sound reasoning, creative alternatives, and commitment to the decision. You should then decide where to have your garden and make sure it is a good spot. Ask yourself what plants would grow well in this location. Make a schedule when you are going to plant and water. You should decide what soil and fertilizer to use. If you use the decision making skills and commit to making a garden you are on your way.

**Sample #2**

Dear Phila. School,

It is great that you guys want to make a learning garden. It takes a lot of hard work. When you make it you need to make sure it is in a good spot. For example, good sun exposure, not too many trees, and things like that. Make sure that you take care of the garden every day. Make sure it is in a good spot. Try not to overflow it with water or mulch. That was a terrible problem in our garden. When you plant the garden bulbs or flowers, don’t just throw them in. You should place them nicely on the ground. Make sure they get enough water. I hope your learning garden is successful.

Sincerely,

Connor Burke

**Sample #3** School in Philadelphia, You will find that making a learning garden is hard work, but it will pay off. First you must not put any mulch in your garden. From experience, that can’t make the plants grow good. Second, you must put it in a place where there is a lot of sun or light. You must also make sure the plants are watered. If the soil around the plants is dry to the touch, you need to water the plants. Before you put the bulb/seed in, make sure it’s healthy. Also make sure there are no bugs that could eat the plant. Then, make sure the plant is not around anything that could stunt its growth, like rocks under the roots. Another thing is to build birdhouses so the birds won’t pick at the plant. Hopefully, these factors will make you have a successful garden. From, Experienced Middle School Gardener

**Sample #4** Dear Students, I think it is a great idea to start a learning garden. You will first need to figure out where to have it. Does the place get enough sun? If so, you will want to figure out what kid of soil you want. You will have to order that soil and put it down. Be sure to put mulch on the top. One of the problems we had was that we put too much mulch down. Also you will want to make sure not to over water it or it will get flooded. You will want to figure out whether you will be planting perennials and annuals. What flowers will you be planting? Make sure that you have plenty of room to grow and resources. Make sure that the teacher helps you out and that she (he) approves everything. Sincerely, Peter Blynn

** Your Groups Response Below: **