Growing Together: Open Forum

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  • 1.  fresh flower activity ideas - 10-15 min max

    Posted 05-19-2024 07:40:00 PM

    We have an opportunity to use our abundant flowers in the garden during lunchtime to give the kids something to do since we have likely eaten most of the shareable veggies.  Some are edible and some are not.    I want to keep it low env impact.  We tried making flower are by smashing flowers between papers a few weeks ago.  I think it was more fun to do the smashing and the outcome was hit or miss.

    I might even just have them make little bouquets to take home somehow.  (wash milk cartons from lunch for vases is one idea.)

    If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear!

    We have Nasturtium, borage, cilantro, mustard, radish and kale that is bolting, a small white flower (forgot the name, similar to a daisy), a fair amount of clarkia, and sunflower petals perhaps. 

    I will search the discussions too. The glass lantern idea is cool but we can't press the flowers in advance (we only open the garden once a week at lunchtime).

    Pam



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    Pamela Bond
    Los Gatos
    16507933844
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  • 2.  RE: fresh flower activity ideas - 10-15 min max

    Posted 05-20-2024 11:16:00 AM

    Hi Pamela, I love Flower Looms. Does involve prep (you have to make the twig looms-google around for that) but the results are great and it's appropriate for all ages. 



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    sue salinger
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  • 3.  RE: fresh flower activity ideas - 10-15 min max

    Posted 06-03-2024 04:50:00 PM

    Here are a few less structured recess time activities I've seen students enjoy

    • Your smashing on paper idea! It's fun to see what colors end up coming out
    • Putting flowers in a jar to see what color the water turns. It can take a while for the water to change though, so they may have to wait until the next day to see the results if their recess is short
    • Just giving them flowers as loose parts and seeing what they create. Usually it's fairy houses.
    • Letting flowers sit in a closed jar (no water this time) and then smelling them
    • A fun plant identification/memory game. Students are shown the plant already harvested and then they discuss what they notice about it. Then they run around the garden until they can find, pick it, and run it back to you. Repeat with all the plants available for the picking to help them get better at identifying plants. Eventually they can repeat the game without a teacher as the leader.
    • I could be misremembering the details, but there is a forest school activity where you put a bunch of rubber bands on a stick and do a plant walk. Students can decorate the stick with the plants from the walk and later share what they learned and how the flowers made them feel using the stick as a talking point. 


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    Dana Scheffen
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  • 4.  RE: fresh flower activity ideas - 10-15 min max

    Posted 06-04-2024 02:10:00 PM

    Hi Pamela,

    Make nature mandalas!  This has been a very fun activity for students and teachers alike.  It can be a spontaneous activity and include other items like sticks, stones, leaves etc.  We have created a kit that lots of schools have mimicked to keep containers of nonperishables to keep on hand.  We have looped it in as one of our SEL tools.  



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    [Karen] [Taylor]
    [Get2Green Support Specialist]
    [Fairfax County Public Schools]
    [Fairfax] [VA]
    [She,Her]
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  • 5.  RE: fresh flower activity ideas - 10-15 min max

    Posted 06-04-2024 02:46:00 PM

    The kids can pick their favorite flowers and weave them into crowns, super easy and a hit with everyone. Another fun idea is flower stamping on fabric or old t-shirts with non-toxic paint. And those milk carton vases sound awesome for mini-bouquets!



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    Mark Johnson
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  • 6.  RE: fresh flower activity ideas - 10-15 min max

    Posted 06-15-2024 03:11:00 AM

    That is gonna be such a lovely activity for kids, we could also try making flower ornaments. 



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    Christeena Biju
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  • 7.  RE: fresh flower activity ideas - 10-15 min max

    Posted 07-02-2024 05:01:00 PM

    We teach re-use (of Reduce, Re-use & Recycle) in our school garden. One way we do this is by re-using plastic berry/produce containers and bags to take crops home. We also re-use a variety of glass and plastic containers (e.g. spice, salsa and spaghetti sauce jars) for flower vases. On Open Garden Wednesdays -- when the garden is open to all students during morning and lunch recesses -- those who bring in a re-useable container are allowed to take home a fresh bouquet of flowers. (Every few weeks, we collect enough re-usable containers that we can offer bouquet-making as an activity to all students.) This is a fun activity that requires minimal prep and supervision. Students really enjoy the freedom to cut whatever flowers/foliage they like. They like learning the names of favorite flowers and are able to follow directions (e.g. "cut whatever you'd like, but only one Gerber daisy each"). Students love taking bouquets home to their families and making them for school staff. 



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    Amy Cody
    Parent Volunteer / Coordinator
    Latimer Garden & Outdoor Classroom
    San Jose, CA
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  • 8.  RE: fresh flower activity ideas - 10-15 min max

    Posted 07-16-2024 04:01:00 AM

    Hello,

    Thanks for the suggestion.



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    Lila Monroe
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