From the Editor
Prayers are shared for the Boston Marathon victims. Earth Day is Monday: Many communities are having events now through Arbor Day (April 26, 2013). Most often when we think of family at the center, we think of our unique family tree (your mom's side and your dad's side). How will you celebrate nature with your child(ren)?
NewMonday Show
The lecture included the death of Sampson, and the division of a female (into 12 parts). sherleneonline.org 24/7
Let's talk Gardening and Children
Gardening allows children to plan and work together to create something they believe is important, and it allows opportunities for learning: reading, writing, math, and science. A garden doesn't have to be planted outside or require dozens of kinds of plants. A cut-in-half gallon milk jug will do (or a glass gallon container is better) just fine.
Allow young children to do "research" to find out what kinds of plants might grow best in your yard or in containers (great home schooling project). Go to your local library or a local greenhouse to find out what to plant and how to take care of those plants. Kids can even ask senior citizen friends and neighbors about their gardening experiences (they probably have plenty to share).
Math skills are essential in a gardening process: counting the seeds, measuring the correct distance (i.e., yard, inches), marking the calendar for the anticipated date of seedling appearance, measuring the height of the plants as they grow. Science lessons emerge as the plants grow and as (good and bad) insects make their appearances.
Reading and writing skills are enhanced when books about gardening are read to children and when kids draw pictures and write stories about their own plants. The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss (Harper & Row, 1945) and How Things Grow: A Book About Nature (Western Publishing Company, 1986) are age-appropriate books for young children that discuss gardening. Lastly, children develop a sense of responsibility for their gardens. They feel a true sense of pride and accomplishment as their plants grow bigger and bigger. Allow kids to share their products which is also a developmental skill. Don't forget to add a nutrient-rich mulch or compost (can make from grass clippings and kitchen waste). A home garden allows us all to recycle nature.
Prayers are shared for the Boston Marathon victims. Earth Day is Monday: Many communities are having events now through Arbor Day (April 26, 2013). Most often when we think of family at the center, we think of our unique family tree (your mom's side and your dad's side). How will you celebrate nature with your child(ren)?
NewMonday Show
The lecture included the death of Sampson, and the division of a female (into 12 parts). sherleneonline.org 24/7
Let's talk Gardening and Children
Gardening allows children to plan and work together to create something they believe is important, and it allows opportunities for learning: reading, writing, math, and science. A garden doesn't have to be planted outside or require dozens of kinds of plants. A cut-in-half gallon milk jug will do (or a glass gallon container is better) just fine.
Allow young children to do "research" to find out what kinds of plants might grow best in your yard or in containers (great home schooling project). Go to your local library or a local greenhouse to find out what to plant and how to take care of those plants. Kids can even ask senior citizen friends and neighbors about their gardening experiences (they probably have plenty to share).
Math skills are essential in a gardening process: counting the seeds, measuring the correct distance (i.e., yard, inches), marking the calendar for the anticipated date of seedling appearance, measuring the height of the plants as they grow. Science lessons emerge as the plants grow and as (good and bad) insects make their appearances.
Reading and writing skills are enhanced when books about gardening are read to children and when kids draw pictures and write stories about their own plants. The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss (Harper & Row, 1945) and How Things Grow: A Book About Nature (Western Publishing Company, 1986) are age-appropriate books for young children that discuss gardening. Lastly, children develop a sense of responsibility for their gardens. They feel a true sense of pride and accomplishment as their plants grow bigger and bigger. Allow kids to share their products which is also a developmental skill. Don't forget to add a nutrient-rich mulch or compost (can make from grass clippings and kitchen waste). A home garden allows us all to recycle nature.
Happy Earth Day!
SS
Editor-in-Chief