Kirch Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 We're getting ready to plant a square foot garden (well, two--one for me and a smaller one for the boys). I'm planning to work it into our science studies in (hopefully) a low-key way, and I was thinking of having the boys do a garden journal. I have vague ideas of writing down what was planted on a diagram of the garden, drawing pictures of the plants as they sprout and grow, etc. Any other ideas or examples that you or your kids have done? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanie Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Mine designed their ultimate fantasy gardens, pasted in seed packages and pressed leaves, added pictures of their crops, drew and identified common (and not so common) garden pests, and probably more, but it was a long time ago and my memory is failing me. :001_smile: ETA: My son just reminded me that they drew the different root systems and listed the types of natural fertilizer (cow poop, horse poop, chicken poop, rabbit poop - the poop made an impression.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I can tell you about my garden journal. We have raised beds, so each year I draw a plan of the garden and decide what is in each bed. I do this based on what was in the bed last year (crop rotation). I have a list of the type of vegetable planted and then through the summer note if we liked the variety. Then at the end of the season, I make notes like plant more tomatoes or find a better green bean. That's all I do. But for a kids science project, I might try to keep more records. Plant two rows of radishes, water one regularly and put a organic fertilizer on one row. Leave the other alone. See which one does better. Radishes grow quickly so are good for projects. Another idea is to keep a list of the type of bugs you see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 If you scroll down a bit, I have a photo and little description of ours: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=254167&page=2 (2nd pic) :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue G in PA Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I am planning something like this with my kids. We still have a good month or more before the last frost so I am still toying with ideas. I am letting each child (we have 7) have a square or several of their own to tend (depending on age....ds2 and dd5 can share 2...ds8 gets more, ds10 still more, on up to dd14 who can tend an entire 4x4 or 3x3. Anyway, my idea was to have each child decide what to plant. The older children will research the plant (how to plant it in the square foot space, type of soil preferred, pest to watch out for and how to get rid of them organically, harvest time, etc.). They will draw a picture of their plot and note important info. like time from seed to harvest, illustration, etc. Of course they have the daily responsibility of tending to their own section of the garden. I thought of keeping a journal of daily drawings of the plants growth. I'm anticipating some damaged crops b/c this is our first real gardening endeavor :tongue_smilie: and I think it will be a good learning experience for us all to research reasons why a particular crop failed or didn't reach full potential so we can do better the next time. I'd love to hear more ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keptwoman Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 My kids took control of our garden this year and decided what to grow, that alone is a huge learning thing for them. However I added in: TOPS Radishes for M, TOPS Corn and Beans for C. They are both really enjoying this! I bought these: http://www.amazon.com/Gardening-Children-Brooklyn-Botanic-All-Region/dp/1889538302 Which is wonderful and we will undoubtedly use bits from. I also got Janice VanCleave's Biology for Every Kid, which has some pretty cool stuff but we haven't really used it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirch Posted March 31, 2011 Author Share Posted March 31, 2011 I am planning something like this with my kids. We still have a good month or more before the last frost so I am still toying with ideas. I am letting each child (we have 7) have a square or several of their own to tend (depending on age....ds2 and dd5 can share 2...ds8 gets more, ds10 still more, on up to dd14 who can tend an entire 4x4 or 3x3. Anyway, my idea was to have each child decide what to plant. The older children will research the plant (how to plant it in the square foot space, type of soil preferred, pest to watch out for and how to get rid of them organically, harvest time, etc.). They will draw a picture of their plot and note important info. like time from seed to harvest, illustration, etc. Of course they have the daily responsibility of tending to their own section of the garden. I thought of keeping a journal of daily drawings of the plants growth. I'm anticipating some damaged crops b/c this is our first real gardening endeavor :tongue_smilie: and I think it will be a good learning experience for us all to research reasons why a particular crop failed or didn't reach full potential so we can do better the next time. I'd love to hear more ideas! This is kind of what I have in mind, only on a simpler level since my guys are younger. Thanks for the replies--any other takers??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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