Remember way back in the fall when the Cilantros became interested in planting cilantro seeds? Well, those cilantro plants have come full circle. After transferring them into a bed in our Community Garden Community, we have watched them grow from little sprouts to past our heads!! Recently, we have observed their beautiful blossoms forming at the tips and now seeds are appearing, ready for their next generation.
The Community Garden has become a special place where a small group ventures during our Sand Area days. It’s filled with life, from the plants, wiggly worms in the vermiculture bins, and a variety of other insects. It’s also a place where we see life come to an end. This group was very aware of that when we began to clear out the cilantro bed. After so much love and care, we are now pulling them from the bed where they had thrived. We shared some ideas on how this dead plant could continue it’s next phase within our garden. One plan is to leave a few tall stalks in the bed to insure a strong seed production. Having seen food scraps in the worm bin, we tilled some stalks into a large bed for composting. The children came up with one final plan after discovering a few rollie pollies in the cracks of the gardens walking path. Feeling concerned that they might get stepped on, they twisted the last batch of cilantro stalks together, tucked them into a small corner under the bed where the cilantros had been growing, and made safe place for the rollie pollies to roam, away from the danger of our feet on the walking path. This experience shows the compassion that is genuine in these children. As we move forward into our new planting season, and new life, we will continue to observe the traces of our beloved cilantro plants.
As adults, we tend to forget our interconnectedness – the house plants provide oxygen, the solar tubes and windows lights for Vitamin D and ambiance, we have drinking water in the classrooms and we rely on, and are part of, all of it. Comparing these environments with the children and listening for their demonstrated knowledge of interconnectedness, as we have with the turtle tank and the ocean projects, will help to consolidate their knowledge and deepen its application. We’re all learning so much!!
Even though Hallmark has designated Sunday, May 9th, as Mother’s Day, we love our moms everyday and send you much love and gratitude for all you do for us. As a community of learners together, the teachers have been taking time to really think about identity and the influences that are very much a part of who we are. The people in our lives who were the nurturers resonate loudly and sweetly. Roleen reminds all of us: Take some time for moments to reflect not only on yourself but on our mothers and their mothers and our godmothers and aunties and for the mothers next door who “mothered” us. Know that our arms are around you as mothers in friendship and gratitude. We can’t wait to celebrate you all on Parent’s Day!
Thank you Oona’s family for the beautiful flowers this week. They truly brighten our West Wing spaces and provide children with multiple opportunities for exploration and investigation. Here’s the link to our SignUpGenius for classroom flowers:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0449afa629a02-flower
Enjoy the Peek At The Week’s photos!
