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Pond and Gardens
During the summer of 2003 the Building and Grounds committee, under the direction of Roberts parent, Chris Povinelli, constructed a pond ecosystem that the students are using to learn about life cycles and interdependent natural processes. To encourage the students analytical skills, a waterproof kit by the pond contains question and answer guides, field guides on insescts, butterflies, and native flowers; a naturalist's notebook for recording observations and asking questions. The pond is six feet in diameter, by two feet deep and contains no pump or filtration. Submerged water plants filter the water and attract amphibians to the pond. The pond and plants attract butterflies, dragon flies, hummingbirds and geckos. Small Gambusia fish consume mosquito larvae.
Click on the link to see an interactive display of one of our gardens. Click on plants
in the display to see a larger picture and find out more about some of them.
Friends of Roberts Gardens and Habitats: New meeting time -- every other Thursday at 10:30 AM. Meet in the International Vegetable Garden facing school street on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month.
Rockin' Robins!!! Take a look around the campus and notice all the robins. Robins are easily identified by their beautiful orange breasts. They come south in the winter for food and many head bck north to nest at the first sign of spring.
Invasion of the Gulf Fritillary Caterpillars!!! - On the passion flower vine (directly behind the cafe), check out all the Gulf Fritillary caterpillars munching away at this vine. These caterpillars are orange wiht black spikes and will transform into medium-sized orange butterflies. They might eat the entire vine, but not to worry, the vines will grow back quickly.
Heavenly Lemon Blossoms!!! - In the native garden facing School Street, there are seven lemon trees which are all marked. Many of these trees are about to blossom. When these bloom, they smell incredible! These blossoms are the beginnings of the lemons being formed, so be careful when smelling.
Wildflowers in the Teachers' Parking Lot!!! - Don't miss the wonderful display of wildflowers in the teachers' parking lot. This is Southeast Texas mix and is in full bloom with many more flowers to come.
If you have seen something interesting on campus, please email Jenny Sommer for inclusion in the Nature News.
- Step outside our usual habits and modes of thinking
and see how rewarding it is.
- Become aware of the beautiful and interesting
complexity we walk past daily, unrevealed unless we stop and look.
- Spark a desire for independent investigations.
- Develop a deep understanding of the dense web
of interconnections we are a part of: historical, cultural, ecological
and biological.
- Progress from one-dimensional, prejudiced, thought
processes to multidimensional, interconnected understanding.
- Grow vegetables!
Gardening is a step off point for all these topics in Science:
Ecology, recycling, ‘bug’ biology, plant biology, genetics,
mathematics, personal initiative, research skills, inventiveness, medicine,
human history and culture, conservation, historical perspective, cooking,
and tolerance.
Examples of topics discussed during planting sessions:
- Dirt and worms. Eliminate fearful
prejudices of these creatures through touch. If you are not afraid
of it you are more likely to independently investigate and value natural
resources.
- Plant biology and ecology. Photosynthesis,
H2O and CO2 as sun-energy-driven tinker toys. CO2 and O2 exchange
between plants and us. Interdependence between plant and animal/human
life.
- Seed depth. Think about details
and trace logical pathways.
- Beneficial and pest insects.
Interdependence of plants, bugs, and us. Definition of pest and beneficial
is our perspective. Bugs are just going about their business. We are
a huge pest species to cows. Perception is often limited by perspective.
- Plant reproduction methods.
Seeds, garlic bulbs, plant cuttings, potato eyes. Curiosity:
how does each of these methods work, what are the similarities and
differences, what is the history of their evolution? Pepper seeds,
garlic bulbs, sweet potatoes, herb rootings, can all be planted from
grocery refuse. Resourcefulness and self-empowerment.
- Weeds. Common weeds (as well
as cultivated vegetables) often have surprisingly complex and ancient
historical interactions with multiple human cultures as medicines
and/or foods. World travelers: dandelion and shepherds purse. Relationship
between weeds, curiosity, personal initiative, genetics and ‘vegetables’.
Some person thought this weed could be useful (dandelions wild and
cultivated). Pest vs. beneficial. Conservation. Challenge assumptions.
- Mathematics. Garlic bulb multiplication.
Fibonacci series.
The children have planted most of what is in the vegetable garden today.
Much of it has been grown from seed. ~16 classrooms have worked in the
gardens : mostly K through 3rd grade.
This winter we planted approximately 26 types:
Chard, kale, grapes, broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, sugar snap peas,
lettuce, beets, radishes (carrots), onions, multiplying onions, garlic
from bulbs, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, herbs (cilantro, parsley 2x, thyme,
lavender, Mexican mint/marigold, mint 3X, oregano, rosemary 2-3x, lemon
balm) nasturtium. Edible and medicinal weeds.
Plants will be growing year round.
Gardening gives the chidren a sense of owner ship. They place a stick
with their name where they plant and will get to harvest what they plant.
We encourage them to check on the seeds/plant often; to watch them grow
and develop. Usually there is extra planted so some things that are
planted can be harvested by others.
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