Other Subjects: Math, Language Arts, Applied Arts

Other Subjects: Math, Language Arts, Applied Arts

Math

There are numerous possibilities for math applications in the garden.

Students calculate “square foot” planting on plots that are set out on a 4’ x 4’ grid. They are shown a map of the grid and told how many plants can be planted in a foot square, which kind of plants need to be planted where, etc. They need to use mapping and math skills to figure out how to complete the planting properly.

Every winter the math teacher has students plant peas, and as they grow, students measure their growth rate and graph the results.  Not only is this a great math exercise, but the students are very excited to see their peas growing.  They often run out to pick the peas and eat them fresh during the 5-10 minutes between classes, and always pick them during their class exercise! Their joy is evident and infectious, and makes math fun.

Students plant wildflowers, tend them and derive diversity indices. These are based on a  dichotomous key created by the math teacher, Ms. Nayyar, for this particular garden. Students use the key to search for similarities and differences among plants.  This is a complex exercise used by many universities to identify, classify and describe the characteristics of plant life.and students gain practice in this technique in the Emerson garden.

Algebra Pea Growth Activity

Spanish

As a Spanish teacher, MS Ottman wondered how she could use the school garden. At first, she just had students come out  because it is a beautiful space. Then one year, she had a brainchild: Grow gourds and use them in a project related to El Dia de los Muertos. Now, students grow, harvest, dry and decorate the gourds. This series of activities become a hub for Spanish language and culture lessons.

Students plant marigolds and talk about how they are related to the Day of the Dead El Dia de los Muertos is often associated in the U.S. with Haloween, but in Mexico, it is closer to Memorial Day and is linked to the Virgin Mary. It is the day when people make altars to remember and revere their loved ones, It’s expected that every family go once a year go to the cemetery and clean the cemetery—very communal, healing and serves functions for the community.

Marigolds are used for dyes, like a poor man’s saffron, to color food. They can be edible, and students not only plant and harvest them, but make artificial flowers as well. In past years, they have gone to “Altars of the World” display in Sacramento, and Ms. Ottman encourages students to do something for the display, not just to remember people that have passed, but to highlight social issues that are important to the culture.

Notes from the Spanish teacher:

• From hibiscus, they can make the drink, Jimaca, which has a slightly sweet-tart flavor and is very popular in Mexico. We also can make jello and jam out of it.
• "e;Everything is language"e;—whatever students do in the garden has to link to one of the stories they are reading or topics discussing. All 100% Spanish. Ms. Ottman makes it interdisciplinary—all connected: something scientific, something around health, something social/cultura.
• Chayote squash climbs up the arbor in the garden. In the past they have planted oca tuber (tubers), yacon—and the class prepares them and eats them together.
• They tried episode, which smells like kerosene and helps with intestinal bugs. It’s putin bean dishes in South America (Bolivia). So as a teacher of Spanish, Ms. Ottman tries to work on customs and foods from different Spanish speaking countries around the world.
• They planted stevia, which is sweetner and more powerful than sugar, but good for diabetes—the flavor comes through but it doesn’t have the same effect as sugar.
• So regular plantings include tomatillos, peppers, tomatoes, jimaca, marigolds, chayote, and of course gourds.
• They also plant fava beans, one of the national dishes of Spain. Besides culinary uses, it replenishes the soil with its nitrogen fixing roots.
• Finally, dent corn is a variety of corn that is very hard & dry that is mashed for tortillas. It is also used to make homily for pozole, a food traditional to Mexico.

Cempazúchitl & Calabacines:

• Spanish worksheet-blank
• Spanish worksheet-with answers
• Gourd Project Summary 

Language Arts Activities

• Signage for the plants in both English and Latin allow students to track the origin and meanings of names. This way, students study the etymology of words.
• Students adopt a plant in the garden and research it.
• Students develop a timeline of when certain plants traversed the world.
  • Emerson Garden Plants (scientific & common names)

Applied Arts

The Applied Arts teacher, Matt Sonstein, uses artist Andy Goldsworthy (link?) as a model for doing art in the garden. Students bring in Goldsworthy’s attitude towards the land, which is to work with elements found in nature. Goldworthy’s art is place based and he uses whatever is available for art that lives as long as the elements live.

Working with the natural processes and site specific materials, students design and re-place materials orchestrating aesthetic decision-making. For example, they plucked thorns and posted them around in a spiral on the tree trunks with rose petals. Made a double spiral out of the mulch. Did a labyrinth—organized the wood chips, orienting them, turning them into herringbone scales. Subtle and noninvasive reorganizing. Kids were blown away with with it—lot of fun.

Some kids have worked collaboratively making botanical illustrations in pen and ink and watercolor. Then, using calligraphy, they fill in the drawings and make posters of recipes with edible vegetables.

Art and Color—Students go out into the garden to find colors, sourcing with the color wheel. They look for analagous and complementary colors, different color relationships, palates, and relate that to color theory.

Art and Space—Students talk about “line,” gestural line, contour line, and outline. These are the basic building blocks of illustration. Line defines space, which leads to discussions of western and non-western concepts of space: Non- linear as well as non -scientific space. They look for space cues—atmosphere overlap, scale, textural vs. more generalized; highly focused and targeted objects vs. a more broad spectrum approach. This morphs into geometry and the different way plants form—axial vs. alternate. They compare plants to trees and are introduced to the Greek key of pattern and repetition.

Essentially, the art students slow down and really look very closely at their objects and scenes from all perspectives.