Topic: CLASSROOM HORTICULTURE

Source: A seminar presented in Central Illinois Saturday Science Education Seminars for Elementary Teachers

Presenter: Donald Schmidt Biology Horticulturist Illinois State University Normal, IL 61790

Funded by: Scientific Literacy Center Illinois State Board of Education 1990-1993

Abstract: This seminar focused on plants and procedures with plants that can be used in elementary school classrooms to develop process and problem-solving skills among children. Variations of these activities can be used in most grades from K-9.

CLASSROOM HORTICULTURE (Teacher Copy)

INTRODUCTION

The following are factors and conditions that influence successful growth of plants in somewhat more isolated conditions such as a greenhouse. They will introduce the non-horticulturist to important strategies even applicable to the growing plants in the classroom.

A. Major Factors (get these right and the rest is easy)

1. Light. Sunlight and fluorescent lamps with a timer set for 16 hours of light and 8 hours of dark is an effective combination.

a. Quantity. This the most important factor. Remember, intensity (quantity of light) decreases by the square of the distance from the source. Translation: The closer the better, just keep the leaves from touching the bulb.

b. Quality. This is not as important as quantity, but the rule for artificial light is, cool white types are good, gro-light types are better.

2. Soil and Water. Good plant growth is achieved by having adequate amounts of air and water in the soil matrix with neither in excess. The watering rule: Water when the soil is dry (the pot will feel light and the plant may be slightly wilted). When watering add water until water runs out the drain hole. Then do not water again until the soil is dry. WATER THOROUGHLY AND INFREQUENTLY.

B. Minor Factors

1. Fertilizer. N-P-K, any balanced source such as 10-10-10 will work fine. Follow label directions. Use about every two months.

2. Pests. Always purchase sterilized potting soil. This will eliminate almost all disease problems. For "insect pests" (mites, aphids, white flies, scales, and mealy bugs) just wash the infected plant with warm soapy water. DO NOT use chemical insecticides in the classroom.

C. Special Growing Conditions

1. Mosses and Liverworts. These are easily grown in a terrarium with a cover. Grow on wet orchid media and mist regularly. Purified water works the best.

INTRODUCTION Continued

2. Insectivorous Plants. Grow in a closed container on moist, unmilled sphagnum moss. Mist regularly with purified water and grow under bright light.

CLASSROOM HORTICULTURE (Teacher Copy)

Table of Contents

Lesson 1 Stem Cuttings.........................................5

Lesson 2 Leaf Cuttings.........................................7

Lesson 3 Growing Paper White Daffodils.........................8

Lesson 4 Growing a Winter Bulb Garden.........................11

Lesson 5 Fern Reproduction....................................12

Lesson 6 Growing Trees From Seeds.............................13

Lesson 7 Butterfly Gardens: A Project for the Entire School..15

CLASSROOM HORTICULTURE (Teacher Copy)

LESSON 1 STEM CUTTINGS

Materials large wandering Jew plant Swedish ivy plant Coleus plant 1 small air pump several glass jars (or) soda bottle bottoms

Procedure

1. Make cuttings about 4-6 inches long from any of the selected plants.

2. Remove the bottom 1 or 2 sets of leaves. Place the stem in the container fill with water, and place in a warm bright place.

3. In about one week you should start to see roots form.

4. Observation. How many days does it take for roots to form? Do all the plants produce roots at the same rate? Where do the roots form? Is it the same on the different kinds of plants?

5. Quantified Experiment. Have one half of the students place their cuttings in water as described above. Have the other half place their cuttings in water that air is being bubbled through. Quantitatively compare the rooting success of each treatment (air vs. no air) by counting the number of roots produced and measuring their length. Record your data in table on the next page.

6. Questions. Is there a difference in the number of roots produced between the treatments? Is there a difference in the average root length? Does air improve rooting?

Continued

LESSON 1 continued

The number of roots and the length of roots for cuttings grown in water with air bubbled through and without air.

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CLASSROOM HORTICULTURE (Teacher Copy)

LESSON 2 LEAF CUTTINGS

Materials several African violet plants--different varieties drink cups with holes in bottoms plastic bags rubber bands rooting hormone

Procedure

1. Remove the entire leaf, petiole and all, from the African violets.

2. Plant each leaf in potting soil and cover with a plastic bag with a rubber band wrapped around the bottom.

3. Water the plant from the bottom by placing it is a dish of water.

4. In several weeks you should start to see roots, and even later, you'll see plantlets which can be transplanted into individual pots.

5. Observations. When do the roots form? Where do the roots form? Do all varieties produce roots at the same rate?

6. Experiment. Take leaf cuttings as described above. Before planting, treat one half of the cuttings with a commercially available rooting compound. Record the number of cuttings that produce roots and calculate the percentage rooted for each variety in the table below. Measure the length of the longest roots on each cutting and record these in the table.

7. Questions. Does rooting hormone help or hinder rooting? What percentage of the cuttings in each treatment rooted? Was there a difference between treatments? Were results similar between different varieties? What might this mean?

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CLASSROOM HORTICULTURE (Teacher Copy)

LESSON 3 GROWING PAPER WHITE DAFFODILS

Materials paper white daffodil bulbs (available in mid-September) pots or cups with a hole in the bottom triple beam balance or similar weight scale

Procedure

1. Weigh each bulb before planting. Record the weight on a marker to be kept with the bulb. Use a pencil or permanent marker, not ball point or other water soluble inks.

2. Place potting soil in the cup. Push the bulb into the top of the soil.

3. Place pot and bulb in a bright location and begin to water. Keep well watered since they grow fast and consume a lot of water.

4. Observation. What happens first? How fast do they grow (rate cm per day)? When do they flower? How many flowers do they produce? Record your observations on a graph like "A" below.

5. Quantitative analysis. Record all the weights of the bulbs on a graph like "C" below. What is the shape of this graph? Collect other biological size data sets, such as, the heights of the students in your class, the weights of the students in your class, or maybe their show sizes. Graph these data in a similar manner. What are the shapes of these curves? Does this mean that people and daffodils are the same?

6. Construct a graph that plots number of flowers produced per bulb against the weight of the bulb (see "B" below). What is the shape of this line? What does this mean?

CLASSROOM HORTICULTURE

PAPER WHITE PROJECT DATA SHEET

A. Individual Data Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Length Г of Leaf Г Г Г Г Г Г Г o = 1st flower Г x = 1st root Г ____ weight of bulb Г ____ number of flowers РФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФ Time in Days

B. Group Data Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Number Г of Flowers Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г РФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФ Weight of Bulb

CLASSROOM HORTICULTURE

PAPER WHITE PROJECT DATA SHEET

C. Bulb Size Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Frequency # Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г РФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФ Size

C. Bulb Size Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Frequency # Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г РФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФ Size

CLASSROOM HORTICULTURE (Teacher Copy)

LESSON 4 GROWING A WINTER BULB GARDEN

Materials purchased tulips, crocus, and daffodil bulbs 6" pots (class stock)

Procedures

1. Plant bulbs in the pots by just pressing them firmly into the soil. Place the pots in a warm place and begin watering the setup.

2. In about 3-4 weeks a good root system should have formed (sometimes a little longer). Now move the pots to a location where they will be exposed to cold temperatures. This can be either a refrigerator or outside in a protected location. If you place them outside, push the pots into the soil and then cover with a mulch such as straw. If you put the pots in the refrigerator, water the pots occasionally to keep the roots moist. Once a week is probably enough.

3. After about 12 weeks, start to move the pots from the cold location to a warm bright location. Soon the plants will start to grow and produce flowers.

4. Observation. Do the plants grow when they are in the cold? What happens when you bring them in from the cold? How fast do they grow? If you used different varieties, do they all grow at the same rate?

5. Experiment. Do not treat a few of the pots to cold. Do those plants grow leaves or flowers? Bring some pots in from the cold in two weeks, four weeks, six weeks, etc. Does the length of time that the bulbs were exposed to the cold make a difference in the bulb's response to warm conditions? Does there seem to be some minimum exposure to cold that is required to produce proper growth? Why do you think this is so?

CLASSROOM HORTICULTURE (Teacher Copy)

LESSON 5 FERN REPRODUCTION

Material fern plant producing spores jar (Mason pints seem to work best) Jiffy peat pots (class stock)

Procedure

1. Place a peat pot that has been soaked in water on the lid of a mason jar.

2. Take fern spores removed from the fern and sprinkle them on the surface of the peat pot.

3. Place the jar over the peat pot and onto the lid. Screw it down. Now set the jar in a warm, shaded location.

4. Check the jar occasionally to make sure the peat pot is still moist. If needed, open the jar and add a little water.

5. In about 4-6 weeks you should start to see some growth on the peat pot. Wait for several more weeks and you should be able to see the prothallus--which is the gamete producing generation of the fern. It will require several more weeks to begin to see the new fern plant--which is the spore producing generation of the fern. START EARLY AND BE PATIENT!

6. Observation. Put fern sporangia from the lower side of the leaf on an overhead projector and see what happens. Look at them under a magnifying glass and place a hot lamp over them while you're looking. If a dissection microscope is available, use it to make your observations. Draw pictures of these observations as you study them.

CLASSROOM HORTICULTURE (Teacher Copy)

LESSON 6 GROWING TREES FROM SEED

Material collected tree seeds various growing containers

Procedure

1. Collect tree seeds from around the school yard and/or a nearby park.

2. Tree seeds can be divided into two basic groups based on their germination requirements. First, those that require a long period of cold before they will germinate; and second, ones that will germinate without any special pretreatment. Most seeds you'll be able to collect in the fall will require a cold treatment to germinate. White oak and oaks in the white oak group (oaks with rounded lobes) are the exception to this rule. Of these, white oak germinates easiest and should be used if it can be obtained.

3. Before planting seeds clean the hull from the seed body. Place all cleaned seeds in a pail of water.

4. Do all the seeds respond the same way? Hickory nuts should be left in the water over night. Cut open a couple of the floating seeds and also some of those that sank. Do they look alike inside? Use only those that sank for this activity.

Seeds Requiring No Cold Pretreatment

5. White oak (Quercus alba) works the very best for this activity, however, Burr Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) also works but not as well.

6. If a scale/balance is available, weigh each seed before planting and record weights in a table of your construction.

7. Press the seeds into a pot of soil and begin to add water on a regular basis.

8. Every couple of days remove the seeds from the soil and weigh them--recording their weight in the table constructed earlier. What seems to be happening?

9. Once roots begin to appear on the seed, record the data and stop removing the seeds for weighing. Graph the results in a figure like the one below.

10. After those roots have developed well, move the pots to a cold location or plant them outdoors. In a few years you'll have a nice grove of oak seedlings.

LESSON 6 Continued

Seeds Requiring Cold Pretreatment

11. This group includes all the red oaks (oaks with pointed lobes) and hickories.

12. Sort the seeds as before. Take the good seeds and put them in a zip-lock bag with moist vermiculite. Place this bag in the refrigerator for about 12 weeks.

13. Remove the seeds, and plant and weigh them in the same manner as was described for the white oaks.

Change in Seed Weight

Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г weight Г Г Г Г Г Г Г Г РФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФ

days

CLASSROOM HORTICULTURE (Teacher Copy)

LESSON 7 BUTTERFLY GARDENS: A PROJECT FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL

Purpose

This is an outside gardening project. The goal is to create a garden that attracts large quantities of butterflies by providing plants that butterflies feed on. This is a year round project that requires the same amount of work and effort as any other garden. A butterfly garden is a commitment, but the rewards make it worth the extra effort. Besides creating a beautiful garden, you are acquiring a living outdoor science laboratory.

Basics for Planning Your Laboratory

The garden will require money and outdoor space, so the first thing to do is talk to the school administration. The amount of money required will depend on the size of the garden you are planning. Two to five hundred dollars would be a reasonable range to begin with, but any amount would get you started.

Next you need to pick your site. Choose a site that is in the full sun near your classroom. Talk to the city or school district to see if they can rototill the site and do the heavy preparation.

Your garden can be any shape you choose. It will work best if you layout paths that allow students to walk into the garden. This will provide access to the plants and will make maintenance easier.

Plant selection is the most important consideration when creating a butterfly garden. There are two classes of butterfly food plants, (a) larval foods--leafy material consumed by caterpillars, and (b) adult foods--flora with nectar. The most successful butterfly gardens will have some of each.

Larval foods usually have a very specific range of butterfly hosts. Some examples are milkweeds for monarches; dill, fennel, and parsley for swallowtails; broccoli and cabbage for cabbage butterflies; and tomatoes for tomato horn worms.

Adult foods do not usually have a specific butterfly host range. However, the best butterfly flowers usually fit the following profile, (a) they flower in the late summer or early fall when adult butterflies are most abundant, (b) flowers are arranged in groups that make a large landing area for the butterflies, (c) flowers produce nectar, and (d) individual flowers are tubular.

LESSON 7 Continued

Here is a short list of good butterfly flowers--butterfly bush (Buddleia), purple cone flower, milkweeds, ironweed, Veronica, blue salvia, various sunflower types, and goldenrod.

Garden Science Activities

1. Observation. Butterfly gardens are full of activity. There are many simple observations that can be easily made. For example, how many different kinds (species) of butterflies, bees, or other insects can you find? How many caterpillars and pupae can you find? These gardens can supply a wealth of activity on a bright and sunny fall day.

2. Quantitative Studies--butterfly population census. For this study you need hula-hoops or an equivalent, and a watch with a second hand. Place the hoops in the garden the day before you start the activity. The hoops mark the areas to be studied. If you can, anchor them to the ground with stakes so they are reasonably permanent markers.

3. Assign a small group of students to each study area. Go to the garden and have each group watch their assigned study area for a one minute period. Record the number and kind of butterflies that visit the study area during the allotted time. Add all the total observations from the different observation study areas for that day and record in a table of your design. Repeat this activity once a week for as long as the weather permits. This will give you an estimate of the change in relative abundance of each species of butterfly over time. Graph your weekly results like below.

4. Questions. Are the populations of butterflies constant over time? Why are there changes in the numbers? Do you have any idea how long butterflies might live?

Numbers of Г Butterflies Г

Observation Dates