Sleeping Gardens and Science Outdoors
Izzie Malkani, Communications and Development Associate
We’ve had a busy start with our programs in the new year. Read on to see what's been happening at CitySprouts in 2022!
"Banana Vault" Experiment on Decomposition at Nathan Hale School
This winter, Garden Educator Karl has taught students at Nathan Hale School a lesson on the different types of decomposition! As the gardens are sleeping during these cold weeks, Garden Educators haven’t had as much of a chance to teach the Early Start in Science curriculum outdoors as they did in the fall. Despite this, students had fun with this “Banana Vault” Early Start in Science lesson using bananas instead of the fall apples!
Firstly, the students weigh the fresh banana peel and note some observations. They put one peel in a vault (a tennis ball can or jar), and one in a compost bin to let it decompose aerobically vs anaerobically. While it decomposes, they make predictions on how the smell, appearance, and weight will change over time!
A week later, students open the vault and re-examine the banana peels, as well as the difference between the two types of decomposition.
They were so excited to see the worms (maybe even more than the banana peel), and also loved to see a spider-webby mold growing over the peel in the vault. What surprised them the most though, was the difference in smell! The tight, enclosed environment of the banana vault made it smell sour and rotten, but the peel in the bin just smelled like soil. This simple, yet effective demonstration of aerobic vs anaerobic decomposition surprised many of the students and helped tap into their little inner scientists!
Garden visitors!
Whose tracks are these in the Orchard School Garden? Could they belong to the snowshoe hare, commonly found in New England? Read about their fascinating winter fur adaptations here!
An over-wintered harvest
Against all odds, some carrots prevailed through the below-freezing weather! How do you think they tasted?
Garden education doesn’t stop during wintertime. We encourage kids to get outside and observe what’s around them every season. Although gardens are sleeping and less is growing, we can slow down and recognize the little moments that we miss during the busy growing season!
For example, showing kids the possibility of unharvested vegetables making it to the wintertime and how we share our garden space with other animals who consider it home.