One of the things I am most excited about in the coming year is the study of botany. We plan to devote the entire year to it on the science side. The challenge will be learning in a Reggio-inspired way that brings together Micah's exploration of the alphabet with Max's well-developed reading and language abilities.
The learning plan caters to both and involves activities and field trips pursued in common with individualized activities and investigations. There is a heavy emphasis on narrative explanations, scientific method, and descriptive writing. If this sounds like something you'd enjoy, come back and visit to see how we're doing over the next year. Here's the skeleton:
IN COMMON:
- Basic botany terms for leaves and trees
- Nature stories specific to each plant
- Wildcraft game
- Plant dyeing and printing
- Plant collecting and foraging
- Herbal recipes
- Herbal garden
- Herbal Bingo Game (via Herbal Roots Zine)
- Tree Leaf Bingo Game (via Ellen J. McHenry)
- Basket weaving with pinestraw
- Herb skits and presentation
- Plant museum
- "What the Tree Teaches Us" skit
- A family plant quilt
MAX:
- Nature journal
- Herbal Roots Zine issues devoted to study of specific herbs
- Tincture preparations
- Qualitative description of plant species
- Basic herbal medicine
- Drying herbs and making teas
- Botany Scavenger Hunt (via Ellen J. McHenry)
MICAH AND MILLA:
- Flower Fairy ABC's coloring book
- Measurement in inches and centimeters
- Illustrated books based on plants and herbs
- Flower mushing and sifting
- Woodland fairy play
- "The Little Tree That Wished for Different Leaves"
- "The Little Acorn"
