Plant These to Help Bees

Spring is upon us!

This comes as a welcome relief to many across the country. Spring in the northern states means warmer weather, sunshine, and the beginning of planting season. The world becomes green again.

Yet just what do you plant? There are so many choices. Maybe you’ll go with a vegetable garden, maybe a fruit tree, or maybe you want to plant some native trees and shrubs. Whatever you choose, you may consider supporting pollinators in your efforts. It’s easier than you think, even common plants you have in your yard can be good for bees and other pollinating insects.

This colorful illustration lists several plants you may consider.

If you’d like a poster of this illustration, you can buy them on Etsy. (https://www.etsy.com/listing/174811929/16×20-plant-these-to-help-save-bees)

Gardening is a great springtime activity for adults and kids alike. And if you want even more fun spring activity ideas, check out this post from last year or this neat article from GoExploreNature.com.

Celebrate the Beginning of Spring!

Today marks the first day of spring, or to be technical, the vernal equinox; one of two days in the year when the day and night are the same length. To those of us in the northern U.S., its one signal that warmer weather and longer days are on the horizon.

It is also the time of year when people start getting anxious about getting outdoors. Long months of being cooped up inside to escape the cold have taken their toll. A little sunshine and we all want to be doing something in our yard, camping, fishing, hiking, or any other of the countless activities to be done in the great outdoors. Kids are no exception to this.

So if you have a young one, or are a teacher to several, here are a few ways to celebrate the coming spring and introduce them to some of the amazing things we’ll see in the coming months.

 

 

Spring Has Sprung

Source: EducationWorld.com – connecting educators to what works

The Vernal Equinox is one of the four great seasonal changes every year. Day and night are equal, and the changing weather can lift the spirits of young — and old — alike. Don’t miss this opportunity to have some fun and educate at the same time.

CELEBRATE SPRING: LESSON IDEAS

Plant Seeds of Learning:
Classroom Lessons Bring Plants to Life
Five classroom lessons involve students in growing things and learning about scientific classification, plant cell structure, the importance of plants in our history, and the many uses of plants. Included: Links to more lessons.

Additional Education World Resources Best Books for Teaching About… Spring, Butterflies, Baseball, Life Cycle, Plants, more… Reader’s Theater Every-Day Edits for March Bulletin Boards That Teach Check out bulletin boards for this month. Spring Cleaning for Parents Spring Poetry Unit Writing Bugs Coloring Calendars Month of Fun Word Search Puzzles

Springtime On-Line
Does spring fever have your students all a-buzz? Use their boundless energy to help them learn about the bees — and the flowers and the seeds.

Gems from the Garden:
Digging Up Activities for All Ages
Plant a seed, design a garden, or investigate the life of a worm — welcome the new season with those activities and a crop of others. Included: More great resources.

Grow a Great Spring Bulletin Board: Eggshell Flowers
Create a colorful spring bulletin board using this fun art project. (Grades K-5)

Trees Sprout Classroom Lessons Throughout the Year
Why not go out on a limb! Springtime and Arbor Day are great times to branch out and include in your curriculum timely lessons about trees. Included: Lessons for measuring trees, reading a color key map, creating tree silhouettes and a “good behavior tree,” more.

Five “Eggs-traordinary” Lesson Plans: Just Add the Eggs
Looking for a teaching theme to welcome spring? We have “eggs-actly” what you’re looking for. Toss eggs into the curriculum mix. Eggs can be used to teach skills in math, geography, and science. And don’t forget the art “eggs-hibit.”

Affordable Art for a Sensational Spring
Celebrate the arrival of spring with art activities that will bring out creativity, not break the bank. You can find all the ingredients for these sunny lessons in a classroom closet. Included: Five lessons that make everyday materials into uncommon treasures.

Grow a Garden of Opportunity
Classroom gardens, whether outside or indoors, provide the perfect opportunity to bring life to lessons in science, history, math — even poetry.

Schoolyard Soil Dwellers: What’s Living in Your Schoolyard?
Participants in the Schoolyard Soil Dwellers online project are discovering the rewards of getting their hands dirty and comparing data across the miles. Included: Teachers and students share their experiences.

Soar Into Spring With Kites
Spring has sprung! Soar out of the winter doldrums with a lesson plan both you and your students are sure to enjoy.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

EW’s Best Of The Bug Books
Book Reviews: Six new books provide information, experiments, and stories to motivate students’ explorations of the insect world.

Composting In Schools
Web Site Review: The site has resources, information, and experiments for students to learn about composting.

Planting The Seeds Of Science
Book Review: Thirteen hands-on science experiments teach basic concepts about plants in this new book from the Ontario Science Centre and Kids Can Press.

Kinder Garden
Web Site Review: The information here serves as an introduction to activities and ideas for allowing children to interact with plants and the outdoors.

Engage ALL Your Senses This Spring

The push lately has been to get kids outside, but what do you do once you’re there? Do you just look around? Any time out in nature is a good thing, but sometimes looking at things from a different angle can open your eyes to all that is around you. Have you ever had your kids pick up a leaf or a rock and really look at it, feel its texture? How about listening to the birds or the wind? Smelling the earth after a rain storm? There are things our five senses pick up that we never really pay attention to because we are inherently so focused on our sense of sight.

With the onset of spring and the melting of snow, this is a great opportunity to get outside with your children or students and really observe everything around you as the earth wakes back up. The following blog post from Simple Kids gives some wonderful examples.

Simple as That: The Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Tastes of Spring

by Kara on March 12, 2014

After such an odd and dreary Winter, I’m so happy that Springtime is here! The cold, grey days are (mostly) behind us, and in my part of the world we’re already enjoying the green, sunny days and the blues skies of Spring.

While I’m not convinced we won’t still see a March or April snowstorm before Winter truly says farewell, I see Spring’s arrival as an opportunity to use all of our senses to savor the season. I’m especially looking forward to celebrating baby Mia’s first Spring and I can’t wait to introduce her to flowers and exploring outdoors in the sunshine.

I thought it would be fun to carry on what has become a seasonal tradition here at Simple Kids, and list some of the different ways we can experience the sights, sounds, smells, textures, and tastes of Spring with our kids.

What Does Spring LOOK Like?

The hallmark of Spring is the return of color. The skies seem bluer, the grass begins to grow again, and the flowers bloom, bursting open with color and fresh life. The trees begin to bud and the birds and animals are very active. The whole world seems to wake up from the long Winter’s nap.

In our neighborhood, a Spring shower brings with it the sight of children in bright raincoats and boots and a rainbow of umbrellas opening against the falling raindrops.

Look UP

• The trees are beginning to bud
• The birds have returned
• The Spring constellations

Look DOWN

• What is happening to the grass? The flowers?
• What are the insects and animals doing?
• What does the garden look like now?
• Do you see any acorns? Walnuts? Seed pods?

What Does Spring FEEL Like?

As the weeks pass, we begin to trade our heavy woolens and coats for lighter jackets and short sleeves. Perhaps we’re even donning sandals or going barefoot and letting our toes wiggle in the grass or squish in the mud.

There are other ways to feel the season:

Go on a nature walk and ask your child …

• What does the sun feel like on your skin? What about the shade?
• Is there any wind today? Can you feel a breeze?
• What do we smell outside? What sounds do we hear?
• What does the air feel like? Dry? Humid?

What Does Spring TASTE Like?

For me, Spring tastes light and crisp after a season of hearty, heavier fare. Spring marks the return of salads and early veggies to the dinner table. We had a string of sunny days last week and grilled out for the first time of the year. That night Spring tasted like grilled chicken, new potatoes, asparagus, and french bread with blue cheese followed by ice cream cones for dessert.

What recipes does your family enjoy in the Spring time?

What Does Spring SMELL Like?

There are good smells coming from our kitchens in the Springtime, it is true. What other wonders can we experience with our sense of smell this time of year?

To my family, Spring smells like …

• dirt
• fresh breezes
• laundry drying on the line
• rain
• daffodils, crocus, and tulips

What Does Spring Sound Like?

Springtime is a noisy time, when new life is bursting forth and the birds return to chirp and sing.

Consider …

• the delicate pitter patter of a gentle falling rain
• the glorious roar of a thunderstorm
• windchimes
• the birds singing

At our house, Spring time might sound like a reading of Miss Rumphius. Do you and your kids have a favorite read-aloud for this time of year?