We are studying plants and gardens this week in the Young 4’s and 4’s & 5’s classes. Our dramatic play area has been transformed into a flower shop. We are growing our plants, providing sunlight and water.

We conducted an experiment to see if we could dye white carnations and, if so, how long it would take. We were thrilled when the Xylem vessels transported the colored water to the flowers in just a few minutes. The colors were vibrant. We decided we wanted to see if we could make blue roses, which are not found in nature. We will try tomorrow.

We read the book The Listening Walk and took a walk along the beautiful Northaven Trail with our clipboards to find a list of things in nature. Our two biggest challenges were finding a squirrel and a caterpillar. One of our adults spotted a squirrel, and we watched him travel among the trees. We were not able to find a caterpillar. We heard the sounds of a lawn mower, bikes, friends walking on the path, birds singing, and runners’ labored breathing. We enjoyed seeing the beautiful wildflowers and the small butterflies visiting them.