Fall Garden Session 4 Daniel Bagley Elementary
Harvesting, Preparing for Winter and Cloches, Herbs, and Garden Art
Grades 1-3, 45 minutes
Stations: Harvesting greens, Setting up Cloches, Herb Study, and Watercolor Herb Sketches
Science Standards: 1-LS1, 1-ETS1, 2-LS2, 2-LS4, 2-ETS1, 2-ESS2, 3- LS1, 3-LS2, 3-LS4, 3-ESS2
Objectives:
● The student will help harvest from the garden
● The student will taste food grown in the garden (taste, salad, dressing..)
● The student will learn how to prepare the garden for the winter (weed, mulch)
● The student will learn what a cloche is
● The student will learn why we cover beds for winter
● The student will explore and smell herbs
● The student will create art...fun!
Key Questions:
Is this plant ready for harvest and how can we tell? What parts are okay to harvest and eat? What do the plants need to overwinter? Why do we cover the garden beds? Why do we grow herbs? How are they used in cooking? How are they different from other foods we grow?
Materials:
● Collecting colanders
● Food prep/other ingredients if applicable
● Compost or straw for mulching garlic, leeks
● Weeding bins, gloves
● Cloches/fabric/plastic, hoops, and clips
● Thermometers (optional for 3rd grade)
● Watercolors, watercolor paper, pencils, clipboards, plant press
Prep:
Plan and gather supplies for cooking project if doing
Make example of art project
Gather materials for cloches
Vocabulary:
Harvest, cloche, aromatic
Background Info:
Harvesting different plants depends on what plant part is to be used. Often in the fall we are not harvesting fruits but leaves. They can be harvested young as new, baby leaves or bigger when more mature. Usually by the time the plant begins to flower the leaves develop a bitter, sour taste and are no longer harvested.
Cloches raise the air inside them almost 10% as well as the top layer of soil temperature. This can help protect the plants from cold, harsh weather and increase germination rate. Depending on what type of cloche is used the temperature and moisture will be affected. Too much moisture or heat is not a good thing and the cloche may need to be opened or adjusted depending on weather patterns, especially if made of plastic.
Mulching, or adding a protective layer over the soil, can help protect plants from frost and winter weather. Straw is often used or extra compost.
Herbs are often planted in vegetable gardens. They have strong scents due to essential oils and can be beneficial in keeping pests away, attracting beneficial insects, as well as for seasoning food. Herbs are used as medicine in teas, ointments, tinctures, and supplements.
Actions:
Station 1- Harvesting
● Talk about what will be harvested and what will not
● Demo harvesting technique and have students harvest
● Discuss food prep (salad) or food bank donation
Station 2- Prepping for winter
● Add compost/mulch for leeks, garlic
● Weed grass and tidy pathways
● Introduce different types of cloches, plastic, fabric, tents
● Ask students what they think the effects of each type will have on moisture, temp
● Assemble cloches on beds, secure with clips
● Place thermometers in various cloches and outside to compare temperature differences (optional for 3rd grade)
Station 3- Herbs
● Harvest variety of herbs
● Have student identify and smell herbs
● Discuss herb uses and aromatic properties
● Use for cooking project or lay out on trays to dry in growlab (No lights)
Station 4- Art project
● Sketch herbs with pencil
● Fill in sketch with watercolors
Clean Up:
● Gather weeds and harvest scraps, put in yard waste
● Clean and put away colanders, cloche materials, and tools
● Store unused compost and mulch
● Press watercolors in plant press to dry flat
Grade level adjustments:
First Grade: Ask about picking and tasting food, what senses are you using, how herbs are used, are they different than fruits and vegetable we grow? Can they think of anything similar to a cloche and why do people make cloches?
Second Grade: Ask about the interactions herbs have with pests, animals, plants, soil, and people. Think about cloches and what problems they are trying to solve, what are different ways you could design something to solve these problems, how would you test your idea to see if it works?
Third Grade: Talk about different ways herbs are used. Ask about what plant parts might get damaged if not protected from frost or reasons why food might not be harvestable, what is a monocrop and why should we plant many types of plants in a garden versus just one, how people farm in different areas and countries, how could we improve on cloches and how to tell?
Next Generation Science Standards:
Life Science
Plants have different parts with that perform specific functions. They are interdependent on light, water, and other organisms to survive, thrive, and spread seeds. Begin to understand the biodiversity in any one area and the interactions between different organisms and other objects.
Earth and Space Science
Weather is the combination of sunlight, wind, snow or rain, and temperature in a particular region at a particular time. People measure these conditions to describe and record the weather and to notice patterns over time and make predictions about might happen next.
Engineering, Technology and Applications of Science
Practice engineering a solution to a problem people want to solve. Define the problem so it is clearly understood through observation, gathering information, and asking questions. Sketch a design or make a model to illustrate concept and compare or test with other designs.
Resources:
http://www.nextgenscience.org/search-standards-dci
http://www.gardenswag.com/2011/09/garden-cloches/
http://www.motherearthliving.com/in-the-garden/companion-planting-herbs-to-help-your-garden-grow.aspx
Written by April Dalinis