Primary's Plant Update

We loved checking our sunflower seeds each day and watching them sprout. 

Many even had the seed coat stuck to the sprout!

Below you will find our half-eaten pepper plant. At least somebody was able to enjoy them!:)

Worms aren't just for books!

Third grade students LOVED getting dirty creating a habitat for our worms!  We collected organic material from around the schoolyard to create compost bags for our live red worms.  This activity was a fun way to end our Plant and Soil unit in science!

"Souper" Soup Time!

First grade will be enjoying the last week of school with a fresh batch of soup! Yum!

We grew scallions and celery which will be soon be transformed into a bowl of vegetable soup. We had hoped to add some freshly grown potatoes, but they have yet to sprout. 

Our low-carb soup will be the perfect ending to a fabulous year:)

Busy birds!

We've been busy with EOG's in fourth grade, but our Kingswood birds have been busy too! We currently have a "full house" with all of our birdhouses full with nests. So far, we think we've had bluebirds, chickadees and house wrens build nests on our playgrounds.

Our chickadees hatched! We were able to observe them for a couple weeks, until they were big enough to fly and they fledged the nest!

This strange looking nest was in one of our boxes. It was deep, like a cave, and made of all sorts of materials.

Once the eggs were laid, we predicted that this nest belonged to a house wren. We hope to see them hatch soon. 

Second Grade Three Sisters Garden

Second grade is doing a project based learned project based on a Three Sisters Garden. This type of garden, originally used by Native Americans, has three different types of plants that are all planted together strategically to help each other grow.

Mrs. Kelaher's class has planted squash, which has big leaves and provides shade for the roots of all of the plants. Mrs. Black's class has planted beans which provide extra nutrients for all of the plants in the soil. Mrs. McLeod's class has planted corn which provides a stalk for the beans to grow up.

Students are taking care of the garden as well as taking data on the plant's growth. We are excited to see how our plants work together in our garden!

When the weather is warm we take class outside..  In April, 5th grade students solved problems while soaking up the sun on the blacktop.
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The garden club transplanted seedlings the Friday before Spring Break.  Unfortunately after days in the 80s, that Friday turned out cold and windy, not a good day for planting, but the only day available.  Ms. Zeugner watered twice over the break, because, we had no rain.  Not a fortuitous start for our outdoor gardens.  And then, there were the critters.  Our cucumber and squash were eaten, but the spinach is still surviving.

Tomatoes also suffered, and some were bitten off near the ground.  We tried again, with plants from the hydroponics stand near the cafeteria.  Keep your fingers crossed!
Herbs fared better, with cilantro thriving, and partly eaten basil trying to grow.  There are a few chives, one parsley plant, and nasturtiums.
 
During April, students also planted seeds for the aquaponics stand in Ms. Scharen's room.  Each homeroom put plants in the tubes and they began growing well.  They, too, suffered over spring break when a tube came loose, spraying the floor and not the plants.  Ms. Scharen and Ms. Zeugner came in mid-week and repaired the damage.  The lettuce was looking great, basil thriving, and parsley curly and thick.  Then again, a weekend snafu.  The water to the lettuce stopped dripping and we lost that crop.  It is hard running gardens when you can't monitor them every day.

We are learning.  We will put out newspaper to organically keep weeds at bay outside and spread hair collected by a 5th grade parent, to deter the bunnies and squirrels.

Our field trip on April 20th was again a success.  Students traveled to Carolina Beach where they boarded a boat to Masonboro Island.  There, they learned about the tidal ecosystems where crabs thrive along with snails and sea oats.  Students were careful with plastic bags that collected shells, learning that when dropped into the water, they are a great threat to loggerhead turtles that think they are jellyfish.  We saw oyster beds, and jumping dolphins .  We saw the difference in color where the fresh water of the Cape Fear River, meets the salty Atlantic Ocean.  We learned about how sand dunes form.  We collected and sorted shells. We enjoyed  perfect weather, with no threat of storms like last year!  Students also visited the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher and played on the beach.  The water was cold but felt great on hot, tired feet.  Thanks to all who contributed to our trip, especially volunteers who donated in the office, chaperones, and to the PTA for purchasing our pizza. We are loving this event and hope to continue for years to come.

Are you tired of waiting for April the Giraffe?

I don't know about you, but we're beginning to think that April the giraffe is NEVER going to have her baby! BUT, don't worry! Kingswood 4th graders have exciting news:

WE HAVE BLUEBIRD EGGS!

Stay tuned! Fourth grade has given up on April the giraffe, and are now on bluebird watch!