The Garden Mural Project
This series of posts will cover many biology topics, especially for Preschool and Kindergarten aged students, although all elementary aged students will benefit from this study. This is a great study to begin in spring. The posts will cover nature study, hands-on projects and written science journal opportunities. The complete project takes about 16 weeks to complete.
1. Begin the Mural and Make A Field of Sunflowers: covers basic botany topics
3. Insects: Ants and Bees, begins the study of ants and their home, includes discussion of social insects and their behaviors
4. Insects: Butterflies and Metamorphosis: begins the study of butterflies and their life cycle, activities on butterfly behavior and how they protect themselves from predators. Also includes a comparison of moths and butterflies.
5. Helpful and Harmful Insects: Includes a study of ladybugs and aphids.
6. Spiders: Compares and contrasts the insect with the spider. Study of spiders and their homes.
7. Finishing Up the Mural: Study of what insects do in the winter, crickets and night insects. Sunflowers bloom and the meadow is complete.
Additional Resources:
Grades 3-6
5 Activities
120 pages
This guide is designed to nurture curiosity about the patterns and interactions in nature, beginning with the immediate environment?¢the schoolyard. Students learn biological sampling techniques; mapping and related mathematical skills are developed. In addition to temporarily collecting samples in “shake boxes,” special investigations focus on ants and spiders. Students discover that a bush may be home to a “community” of interacting plants and animals. Based on their observations and findings, students select a small area as their favorite location. Environmental writing about this location crowns the closing activity.
