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Hour of AI is a national and global campaign helping schools introduce students to artificial intelligence in a fun, approachable way!
Select first and second grade student participated in the The South Bronx Gardeners Program. Participants:
1. Explored the plant and animal life in the school garden.
2. Used a science notebook to write and draw their observations.
3. Investigated plant physical properties and characteristics.
4. Developed a field guide to select plants in the garden, including photographs, drawings, writing descriptions, video, and audio.
5. Led a tour of the garden for other individuals using their field guide.
The students of The South Bronx Gardeners Program celebrate the creation of plant field guides.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 "What is a scientist?"
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 "What is a scientist?"
How should we act during this program?
Scientists use field journals. Look at these field journals of some scientists: Leonardo DaVinci and Mr. Czarka.
Scientists use field journals. Look at these field journals of some scientists: Leonardo DaVinci and Mr. Czarka.
Now we will make our own field journals. Sometimes we will call this a science notebook too!
Now we will make our own field journals. Sometimes we will call this a science notebook too!
1. First, get 20 pieces of the journal paper. Count 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19 and 20! Whew!
2. Next, select, or choose, a piece of construction paper.
3. Then, fold the construction paper in half.
4. After folding the construction paper in half, put the journal papers inside.
5. Now, staple the journal papers to the construction paper.
6. Last, take a couple of minutes to decorate your field journal.
Now draw a picture of a seed. What will you draw?
Now draw a picture of a seed. What will you draw?
Next, we will sort these seeds into groups.
Next, we will sort these seeds into groups.
Thursday, May 26, 2011 "Garden Rules and Tools!"
Thursday, May 26, 2011 "Garden Rules and Tools!"
We will learn about the tools used in gardens. We will draw each tool. We will label each tool.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011 "Leaf Exploration"
Tuesday, May 31, 2011 "Leaf Exploration"
Scientists follow protocols. Protocols are like rules to follow. Protocols make sure you do tasks the same way every time.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 "Plant Scavenger Hunt"
Thursday, June 2, 2011 "Plant Scavenger Hunt"
Today we will learn how scientists draw what they observe. Observe means to look at something closely. We will look at plant leaves.
Check out this scientist observing and drawing plant leaves.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011 "Making a Plant Field Guide" Starting the Field Guide on Full Stomachs
Wednesday, June 8, 2011 "Making a Plant Field Guide" Starting the Field Guide on Full Stomachs
Students begin to make their field guides. But first, they enjoy harvesting some plants they grew this spring. Nothing says, "delicious!" like some fresh student grown scallions, lemon balm, and mint mixed with corn, black beans, olive oil, salt and pepper!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 "Making a Plant Field Guide, Continued"
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 "Making a Plant Field Guide, Continued"
Students continue to produce their field guides. Today students observe plants in the garden. They draw detailed pictures of two new plant species. They write descriptions for each leaf, such as it's color, shape, texture, and size.
A student- scientist observes a plant and draws one of the leaves.
Here she thinks about all the details she must add to her drawing. She thinks, "What is the leaf shape? How does the leaf feel? How many veins does the leaf have?
Here she finishes her leaf drawing. Behind her is the GLOBE weather station.
A student uses the garden field guide as a reference as she draws her leaf. She labels the plant species because the field guide helped her!
Thursday, June 16, 2011 "Making a Plant Field Guide, Continued Again" Adding Details to Our Field Guides
Thursday, June 16, 2011 "Making a Plant Field Guide, Continued Again" Adding Details to Our Field Guides
Today we worked on adding details to our leaf drawings. We explored the leaves closely to see if they were pointy, rounded, waxy, long, short, skinny, wide, deep lobed or shallow lobed, green or red. So many details to look for in each leaf. And, oh yeah, did we find any veins?
We used our field journal to write rough drafts. We used our rough drafts to write our field guides' leaf descriptions.
We used colored pencils to make our leaves look just right. Now people can use our field guides to identify plants in the garden.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 "Creating an Audio/Video Plant Field Guide"
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 "Creating an Audio/Video Plant Field Guide"
Publishing Our Field Guides
Today we completed our field guides for The South Bronx Schoolyard Garden and Outdoor Classroom.
These are the steps to making a field guides:
- Research the plants in the garden.
- Choose four leaves to put in your field guides.
- Draw a pencil sketch of the plant leaf. (Or you can even take a photograph of it!)
- Color your plant leaf sketch just like it looks in the garden.
- Write a description of the plant leaf.
- Glue the plant leaf sketch to the top of the leaf description.
- Make a front and back cover for your field guide.
- Put all your field guide's pages together with a ring.
- Explore and identify the plants. You can even add more leaves to your field guide!
Thursday, June 23, 2011 "End of Unit Project Celebration"
Thursday, June 23, 2011 "End of Unit Project Celebration"
Check back often to see the students' progress.
Click here to go back to the gardening page.
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