Signs of Spring: Everett Environmental Club 2015
6.23.15: Field trip to Savin Hill Beach ... Cancelled!
Due to threats of severe thunderstorms, we were unable to visit the nearby beach and instead learned about Koko the gorilla, known worldwide for her command of American Sign Language and love of kittens
We part ways and head off to summer vacation after a last game of kickball, a longtime cherished Everett activity
Due to threats of severe thunderstorms, we were unable to visit the nearby beach and instead learned about Koko the gorilla, known worldwide for her command of American Sign Language and love of kittens
We part ways and head off to summer vacation after a last game of kickball, a longtime cherished Everett activity
6.16.15: Gardening with the Weed Wrench
we take out leafs (burdock) with a tool Jazera
The orange weed wrench uses the lever principle to pull out small trees and other plants with deep roots In their second year of growth, burdock sprouts a thick stalk above the wide large leaves which can then be pulled out If they are not removed, the plant flowers and then produces the burrs that stick on to passing animals and people, spreading their seeds far and wide These burrs were the inspiration for velcro, an example of biomimicry |
6.9.15: Ephemeral Art
Inspired by ephemeral artist Andy Goldsworthy as presented by local artist Susan Denniston
Inspired by ephemeral artist Andy Goldsworthy as presented by local artist Susan Denniston
Ephemeral – something that will go away. Andy Goldsworthy – artist. We made a fort out of sticks. The sticks were leaning against a tree. After we put the sticks up, we put stuff on the sticks. We put smaller sticks on the big sticks. We made an opening for people to come in. The opening wasn’t very big. We also put old keys in there so it looked real. The keys were hidden though. Aaron
|
6.2.15 Field trip to the Blake House
The oldest house in Boston, 400 years. There is no paper so they use “slates”. Scientists back then take plants for medicine like now. Boys dressed in a gown like clothes. Paul Revere’s house has the same windows as the Blake House. The house was moved a lot of times with horses. Amy
There is a small brick oven to bake bread and a big oven to toast bread and cook food. People use shotguns (musket) to hunt. The house is 400 years old but the trees are 800 years old. Alex
They had cellars to protect their food, the window is stained glass and that they got it from England. That boys and girls dressed kind of alike. That they use a fireplace to get warm and cook. That they mostly did not eat their animals. Jessica
There is a small brick oven to bake bread and a big oven to toast bread and cook food. People use shotguns (musket) to hunt. The house is 400 years old but the trees are 800 years old. Alex
They had cellars to protect their food, the window is stained glass and that they got it from England. That boys and girls dressed kind of alike. That they use a fireplace to get warm and cook. That they mostly did not eat their animals. Jessica
5.26.15: Beautifying the hillside
Before going outside to plant on a steep hillside, we read a book about butterflies ...
a butterfly by the same color as their skin, like if a flower was yellow, and the butterfly is yellow, it will hide in the yellow flower. Jazera
Some butterflies use camouflage to hide from predators Alex
A butterfly can travel to Mexico, well some Malik Butterflies are colorful Xavier
In China when the silkworm is in a cocoon, they get the silk and make fabric. One thing is that if a butterfly is black and yellow and a bird saw it, it would not eat it because it might look like a bee Jessica
sometimes caterpillars turn into a moth or a full butterfly from being in a cocoon Isaiah
Before going outside to plant on a steep hillside, we read a book about butterflies ...
a butterfly by the same color as their skin, like if a flower was yellow, and the butterfly is yellow, it will hide in the yellow flower. Jazera
Some butterflies use camouflage to hide from predators Alex
A butterfly can travel to Mexico, well some Malik Butterflies are colorful Xavier
In China when the silkworm is in a cocoon, they get the silk and make fabric. One thing is that if a butterfly is black and yellow and a bird saw it, it would not eat it because it might look like a bee Jessica
sometimes caterpillars turn into a moth or a full butterfly from being in a cocoon Isaiah
First I dig a big hole, and I put the plant in the hole, and then dig it back up Eric
The disadvantages of planting the hillside were it was so steep I almost fell and I had to support Eric.
Another problem is you had to make the plant stand up and it was hard. Also, we had to dig deep. Alex
5.19.15: Planting and Transplanting
We looked at a pink lily of the valley flower, ate radishes from the schoolyard, tasted violet flowers, and the nectar from red clover. We also planted sprouted potatoes and transplanted thornless raspberry.
The lily (of the valley) smells like a fresh candle. It is a purple small flower. The lily looks so fake. But it’s really, REAL. Song
Lily of the valley has a sweet smell Alex
When it grows full size it is very small Malik
We looked at a pink lily of the valley flower, ate radishes from the schoolyard, tasted violet flowers, and the nectar from red clover. We also planted sprouted potatoes and transplanted thornless raspberry.
The lily (of the valley) smells like a fresh candle. It is a purple small flower. The lily looks so fake. But it’s really, REAL. Song
Lily of the valley has a sweet smell Alex
When it grows full size it is very small Malik
Today we also learned about potato. But there is like a kind of three arms. (That’s what I thought, but they are actually called potato sprouts.) Song
The stuff coming out of the potatoes is sprouts. Malik |
So today me and my group chose raspberry to plant. So we have leaves and we transplanted it … The stem of the raspberry leaves are furry and it feels like poison ivy. But it is not. Song
|
5.12.15: Field Trip to the top of Savin Hill
It took a long time to get to the big rock. The big cliff was very scary because it was very high up. Aaron
We are going to the top of Savin Hill. On our field trip we eat our lunch and we were sitting on a rock called a pudding rock. Song
The rock that the Wamponag (actually Neponset) lived was really cool. When we were hiking on the rock, the view is beautiful. The rocks were ice before (glaciers).
Amy
We went on a field trip and when we was heading up there, we walked up a very, very steep hill. Also, we went on the top of Savin Hill and it was awesome because you could really see a great view on the top of Savin Hill. Isaiah
When we got there we saw some puddingstone, then we stared up and saw all of Boston, even the highway. Jessica
I liked climbing. I liked seeing stuff. I liked being so high. Xavier
we started to climb and slide down a wall. Then we tried to find the place Indians took a picture. Then we went back down the hill. We passed a basketball court and two tennis courts. Then we arrived at school. Alex
I liked the part of the trip where I got to show my friends where the mayor lives. I also like where we sat on the rocks, and climbed the rocks Malik
we started to climb and slide down a wall. Then we tried to find the place Indians took a picture. Then we went back down the hill. We passed a basketball court and two tennis courts. Then we arrived at school. Alex
I liked the part of the trip where I got to show my friends where the mayor lives. I also like where we sat on the rocks, and climbed the rocks Malik
4.14.15: Buds, Bulbs, Colors and Scents
Inside the classroom, students prepared their notebooks and compared the scent of a sprouting onion and a bag of pine needles before going outside to observe the new plants in the schoolyard. Here are some of their comments and photos:
We eat onions and not pine needles. 5th graders made the tiles in front of school. They tore down a house to make a big school. Acorns are everywhere. Aaron
We learned that the school (where the school is now) was a mansion. There are a lot of buds. I see purple colors. Elvan
The tree (pine needles) smells better than the onion. They both are plants. Jomani
We eat onions and not pine needles. 5th graders made the tiles in front of school. They tore down a house to make a big school. Acorns are everywhere. Aaron
We learned that the school (where the school is now) was a mansion. There are a lot of buds. I see purple colors. Elvan
The tree (pine needles) smells better than the onion. They both are plants. Jomani
A dogwood tree has buds and red bark. Catkins are very soft. I found a carrot. Lucy
4.28.15: Sprouts
The environmental club members will pull out maple sprouts and will observe other kinds of sprouts, including those that we eat.
If my backyard is any indication, there could be hundreds if not thousands of maple sprouts in the schoolyard. We also looked at a branch of forsythia. More comments;
Today is sunny, not windy and people are going outside. Malik
Forsythia is yellow and can sprout early. Alex
Bean sprouts can be eaten with noodles. Tulips are orange. Amy
Sprouts are very healthy. Forsythia is the earliest blooming plant in New England Lucy
If my backyard is any indication, there could be hundreds if not thousands of maple sprouts in the schoolyard. We also looked at a branch of forsythia. More comments;
Today is sunny, not windy and people are going outside. Malik
Forsythia is yellow and can sprout early. Alex
Bean sprouts can be eaten with noodles. Tulips are orange. Amy
Sprouts are very healthy. Forsythia is the earliest blooming plant in New England Lucy
I saw red tulips. The inside of the tulip is yellow and black. I found a wild mustard (plant). Isaiah
Last week we saw a flower that had purple petals, it is called hellebore Jessica
Club members work in teams to estimate and measure maples sprouts in the schoolyard.
(maple sprout) estimates = 70, actual = 108. Xavier |
5.5.15: Seeds
Many plants are grown from seeds & we also eat many kinds of seeds, The students separated marigold seeds from dried plants for planting.
(seeds we eat) corn, sunflower, bean, peas, pumpkin Xavier
We took out seeds from marigold …. There were a lot of seeds … the seeds don’t look like seeds Aaron
(seeds we eat) corn, sunflower, bean, peas, pumpkin Xavier
We took out seeds from marigold …. There were a lot of seeds … the seeds don’t look like seeds Aaron
I found flowers called violets in the school garden. Isaiah
I saw a cherry tree and they have blossoms, and I saw it (was) rainy on the dirt (around it) Jazera
Oak leaf hydrangea. It is a bud that is turning into a leaf and two fuzzy things are next to it. There is something on it that looks like teeth. Malik
I saw a cherry tree and they have blossoms, and I saw it (was) rainy on the dirt (around it) Jazera
Oak leaf hydrangea. It is a bud that is turning into a leaf and two fuzzy things are next to it. There is something on it that looks like teeth. Malik
We are planting an experimental hugelkultur, where you add compost to a pile of brush and plant on the top and the sides.
Writing and photos courtesy of the 2015 Everett Environmental Club students, except when attributed elsewhere.
Alicia Zipp
Alicia Zipp