Library Learning Patch Nature Club--All About Trees

This week our nature club class was all about trees. Our book was My Favorite Tree.  The book not only features many trees, but also tells about their traits, wild companions, and uses.

The children were treated to a very informative presentation by Master Naturalist Dennis Wilson.  He is a staff specialist at Oklahoma State Agricultural Experimental Station in Oklahoma.  Mr. Wilson brought many specimens of both needles from conifers and branches from deciduous trees.

Explaining how pine trees grow

See the little flower?

The children were fascinated by a little inch worm that hitched a ride on one of the branches.

Now, an update to the garden!. Just look at our progress:

Cucumbers are blooming

Lettuce ready for another harvest

Almost ready to climb the teepee

Healthy sunflowers

Stay tuned for more fun next week!

                                         
                                               

Library Learning Patch Nature Club--The Web of Life and Our First Harvest

Today the group learned about how everything in nature is interrelated. The book for this session was The Web of Life.

A Giant Book!

The children played a game demonstrating how everything in nature is connected and discussed how one thing affects another.

Now it was harvest time!!

Our lettuce crop

Some of the radishes were ready also.

 Yummy  radishes!

Looks like salad with dinner tonight!

 Dividing the first harvest

The group planted new herbs (the first ones did not survive the last freeze) and lots of petunias. We hope the petunias discourage the squash bugs.

Stay tuned! We have our first blooms on one of the tomato plants, the sunflowers are growing, and peas are climbing.

Buzzz-Learning All About Bees

The Library Learning Patch Nature Club was fortunate this week to have a dynamic duo--Bobby and Lisa Cornelius--as our guest instructors. Bobby has been a beekeeper for years and is quite knowledgeable about them.

The Amazing Bee

He  brought some of his equipment as well as an empty hive box.

 He described in detail how the bees get the nectar and produce honey. The children were amazed to learn how many flowers a bee must visit in order to gather enough nectar to produce honey. He also gave them a good tip for what  they should do if  stung by a bee--don't pull out the stinger, scrape it off.   He passed out activity books which featured bees.

Lisa Cornelius, our Director,  devised a game to teach the children how a bee pollinates our flowers.[source] She filled paper bags with Cheetos and gave each child a paper bee. They visited the flower bag, took a Cheeto, thereby gathering nectar. She then gave each child a flower. After visiting the flower bag, each child went to someone else's  flower and rubbed it, thereby spreading the pollen (Cheeto yellow). What fun they had.

What a cute idea!

 Passing out the flowers and bees

Gathering Pollen

Pollinating

                                 
                                             

The snack today was honey, apples and graham crackers.

Then, it was time to go to the garden and water--their favorite activity!

Plants Can't Live Without Water!

Kat Kraft checked her worms--so far they have not frozen!

 We enjoyed our beautiful Spring day yesterday. Let's hope we don't have a frost tonight!

Stay tuned!!.

Library Learning Patch Nature Club

Our third year of Library Learning Patch Nature Club has begun. We have changed our name this year  to  more accurately reflect the purpose of the program, teaching children about their natural world. This nature club is a joint effort between the Red River County Public Library and the Red River chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist organization.We are sponsored by  Friends of the Library.

Many exciting classes are planned for this year. Several members of the Texas Master Naturalists  will be teaching classes in their area of expertise. Bobby Cornelius  will also be returning to teach a class about bees.

Master Naturalist Judy Maroney is responsible for planning the lessons this year and Master Naturalist Sheri Schwed is responsible for overseeing the garden. Master Naturalists Kat Kraft, Truman Kraft, Sharon Black, and Jan Smith are teaching lessons and assisting in the classroom and garden. Sharon Black is also writing articles about our activities and distributing them to area newspapers. This year we have nine children in the class. Simon Pease is volunteering as a junior leader.

Master Naturalist Judy Maroney

Simon  Pease, Junior Leader

In our first class we learned about earthworms and set up an earthworm composting bin. We also tested the soil for the ph level and found that it is alkaline, perfect for our gardening.

Master Naturalist Sheri Schwed testing soil

In the second class we learned about soil and worked in the garden, planting lettuce, radishes and onions.

Planting Sunflowers

In later classes we have learned about parts of plants, seeds, how seeds travel.

Master Naturalist Jan Smith 

                       

Examining a seed

Master Naturalist Sharon Black

We were fortunate to have one of our Master Naturalists, Walt Davis, lead a class teaching the children to observe things in nature and then draw them. All of the children had a great time choosing a leaf, examining it closely, discussing its characteristics with others, and then drawing it. Mr. Davis is a past director of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas and former curator of exhibits at the Dallas Museum of Natural History.

Walt Davis teaching children to observe nature

Even though we covered the plants during the last freeze, we lost a few of our plants and it was necessary to replant. This farming is hard work!!

Stay tuned -  our next post will feature photos of our little garden.

Sign Up Time--Library Learning Patch - Children Discovering Nature

It's signup time again for our nature club, Library Learning Patch-Children Discovering Nature. Children ages 6-9 are invited to sign up through January 26, 2013. This program is co-sponsored by the Red River County Public Library and the Red River Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist organization.

This is the third year for our nature club. We will again use our garden as a vehicle to explore the natural world around us. The classes will begin February 19 and will continue through June 25.  We will meet Tuesdays from 4:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.

Children will plant, tend and harvest their garden. During our sessions we will learn about soil composition, helpful and harmful insects, the water cycle, birds, botany, and the interrelationship between plants, animals and humans. We plan to have guest speakers share their expertise.

Class size is limited, so early signup is encouraged! We're looking forward to many fun-filled afternoons.

Library Learning Patch - Children Discovering Nature

We entered a cucumber from our garden in the  Red River County Fair. Guess what? We won 2nd place - a red ribbon. Hurray for the children!!!

Our winning cucumber!

Maybe next year we will enter more items--and win a blue ribbon!!

Library Learning Patch - Children Discovering Nature

Week 19 - celebration time!!
The final class was a celebratory one. The Italian Bistro donated 4 delicious large pizzas.

We're hungry!

After enjoying the pizzas and drinks, the children were given "worm" bookmarks made by one of the members of the class. Each child received a certificate signifying that they had completed the course.

 They also were given their notebooks which contained various information about the lessons. It is our hope that they will add to the notebooks as they learn more about our natural world.
The Red River County Public Library and members of the Texas Master Naturalist organization  plan to hold the classes again next year. Signup will be held at the library in February, 2013. Watch for the announcement in January, 2013!




Week 18 - Lap Books

Well, our discovery of nature has been loads of fun, but now the classes are almost over for the year. Our group had a fun time assembling  their lapbooks. For those of you new to lapbooking, our books contain minibooks featuring our lessons about nature. The children's books were all different, as each child added their creative touches.

The Lapbooks

The children also harvested their last vegetables from the garden -- tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers.                                                                                    

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Library Learning Patch - Children Discovering Nature

Week 17 - Water

This week's lesson focused on water.  Drip Drop, Water's Journey explained the processes water goes through before we can drink it.. They children learned all about precipitation, evaporation and condensation.  They learned that only a very small percentage of  the water on earth is drinkable. In our garden we use the bucket method for the children to water, thereby doing our part to conserve water.

Wow-a lot happens before we can drink.

The garden continues to flourish. As you can see, we had a very good harvest this week. So far no zucchini--lots of blooms, but no squash yet. The tomatoes are ripening, the peppers are still producing, and the summer squash are producing. We also harvested our herbs--rosemary, thyme, and basil.

Next week we will make our lap books--the children will make minibooks for each of our lessons and  place them in their lap book.

 Library Learning Patch - Children Discovering Nature

Week 16 - Trees-Part 2

This week we broadened our knowledge of  trees. The children learned that our state tree is the pecan. It can grow over 100 feet tall. The nuts provide food for many animals, as well as for us. The wood is very valuable. When identifying a tree, we can look at  the shape of the tree, the leaves and the bark. The children examined  several trees near the library, comparing the differences. 

Our garden is flourishing. We harvested tomatoes, peppers and squash today.

We like to harvest!

Today's harvest

Our efforts are being rewarded. It is fun to grow our food!!

Library Learning Patch - Children Discovering Nature

Week 15 - Insects

This week we began the session by celebrating the birthday of one of the members. What fun--we had two kinds of cake and ice cream.

Happy Birthday!

Then it was learning time. This week's lesson was about insects. The book, The Very Clumsy Click Beetle, was read to the group.

This book has sounds!

The children learned that insects have 6 legs, have three main body parts, and have their chewing apparatus on the outside of their bodies.

Learning about insects

They learned all about why insects are so numerous. They then took their magnifying glasses to the garden and searched for insects. Luckily, they did not find the dreaded squash bugs. Our bay leaves and petunias are working so far.

We harvested a few squash and a lot of peppers this week. The tomatoes are numerous, but not quite ready.  They will be ripe soon.

Nutritious vegetables



Library Learning Patch - Children Discovering Nature

Week 14 - Trees

The children began their study of trees this week. We read The Life of Bud and How The Forest Grew.



The life cycle of a leaf

Describes how a forest regenerates

The children learned how to count rings to tell the age of a tree. The wider rings signify years of good nutrition. The dark rings form in fall and winter; the lighter rings form in spring and summer.

Count the rings!

Our sunflowers are beginning to bloom, the peppers continue producing, the tomato plants are loaded!

Sunflower bloom just beginning to open!

Tomatoes will be ready soon!

Next week we will continue learning about trees-identifying trees by shape of leaves and bark.