Growing Valentines 2016

Such fun when 5th grade buddies help Kindergarteners!

This is the third year that Falmouth Elementary students have planted hundreds of bulbs to bloom just in time for Valentine's Day. While they grow, students nurture and observe them inside our building. Just as they are about to bloom, we reach out and deliver these heartfelt Growing Valentines to seniors in Southern Maine.  Several private and civic senior communities have been designated as distribution centers. Some of these locations include, Ocean View, Falmouth By the Sea, Foreside Harbour, Sedgewood Commons, Piper Shores, and Falmouth Memorial Library. Special recognition for organizing and implementing this project goes to first grade teacher, Cathlyn Langston.

Many students throughout FES participated in this fun-filled project. Here is a summary from 5th grade teacher Amy Wheeler "We had a great time today planting valentines with our kindergarten buddies. There was lots of fantastic communicating and cooperating going on which are two huge goals of this mentor program between fifth and kindergarten. I am really excited at the questions that came up for fifth-graders about how bulbs work, What a paperwhite looks like, and how they grow without soil! We also have some misconceptions to clear up since many kids thought these were avocados we were planting. This fits perfectly into our non-fiction reading unit which introduces primary research projects to fifth grade. After vacation we will use this topic as a model before children pick their own topics to explore. Good times and a nice unplanned connection to reading!"

5th grade and K buddies

4th graders graphing their observvations

Mrs. McNally's K class bringing bulbs to the lobby

Happy Bulb Recipients

Luna the service dog delivering Valentines!

Mrs. Voisine's 2nd grade Bulbs

Ready for delivery!

The Roly-Poly Pumpkin Contest

Throughout the month of October we sponsored a school wide pumpkin contest. Two pumpkins grown in the Learning Garden were affectionately named Roly and Poly. All classes went outside to analyze the pumpkins. Each class estimated weight and seed count using math and science lessons. Roly and Poly moved into the front hallway in mid-October. Students organized the data from lowest to highest estimates. Class winners were announced over the morning announcements. This contest incorporates the garden into the classroom in whimsical fashion!

Estimating and analyzing pupmkins

Mrs. Arsenault discussing pumpkins

Mrs. Clark's class estimating weight 

A captive audience learning about pumpkins

Front hallway display

Students from Mrs. Merrifield's class collating the data

Mrs. Booth's class won the seed estimate

Mrs. Defoliart's class won the weight estimate

Mrs. Goldman's class won the weight estimate

Mrs. Lallemand's class won the seed estimate

Mrs. Stiles class won the weight estimate

Mrs. Voisine's class won the seed estimate

Mr. Olins class counted and roasted pumpkin seeds

Fall Harvesting and Learning

The Learning Garden has been bustling with activity over the past few weeks. Students harvested vegetables,  and husked corn for Maine Harvest Lunch Week. Monarch butterflies were tagged and released for their migration journey southward. Apples were harvested and cooked into sauce. Cabbage and carrots were made into school garden slaw. We are enjoying the beautiful fall garden while we learn.....

2nd Graders picking flowers for the cafeteria.

1st grade corn husking

Mrs. Poliquin demonstrating corn husking

Ready for Maine Harvest Lunch

Corn husking with Jen Meserve

Angie Clark enjoying Harvest Stew

1st graders with Kate Bacon getting ready to harvest apples.

Separating eating apples from cooking apples very carefully.

Reviewing the School Garden Slaw Recipe

Teamwork!

1st graders releasing tagged monarch butterflies with Josh Olins

Laurie Winslow tags the monarchs for us!

Look carefully at the zinnia to see who is hanging out in the garden!

Welcome Back to Fall 2015/ Who Has been Seen in the Garden?

The Learning Garden is overflowing with vegetables, flowers, students and teachers who are enjoying the warm September days in the garden. Follow the pictures below to see how we integrate the school garden into our fall curriculum and cafeteria. 

Mrs. Bacon's first grade class harvesting tomatoes

Kindergarteners love the garden!

Observations of nature

Mrs. Farmer's Kindergarten basking in garden fun

Mrs. Paradis, Mrs. Mowatt & Mrs. Duncan 

There is so much to explore.

Picking tomatoes with Mrs. Grover while 2nd Grade Art with Mrs. Taylor is in the upper slope.

2nd grade Art with Mrs. Taylor

Mrs. Clay with her beautiful pollinator bed

Sisters and sunflowers

Ms. Conley instructing students how to harvest carrots

Rare sighting of a Monarch butterfly visiting the Learning Garden