OUTDOORS AT SHOESMITH—LEARNING BY DOING
See what they have learned—Outdoor learning more important than ever!
PHOTOS BY
VALERIE TONSGARD
text by Carolyn Pereira
The mosaic entrance to Shoesmith created by the students in 2012
Planting Milkweed: Milkweed has a thick white sap that looks like milk in its leaves and stems. It is poisonous to insects and people but not the Monarch butterfly. Monarchs lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves in early summer. When eggs grow into caterpillars, they eat the leaves. Most any predator that eats the caterpillars will be poisoned. When the caterpillars become butterflies, they, too, are protected.
Without trees we wouldn’t be able to live on this planet!
The fluffy parachute of the milkweed seed was used by Native Americans to insulate their moccasins!
Measuring to plant peas—soon to be his favorite vegetable
Artists, Scientists, Nature-Lovers
Gardening is a team sport—mulching the paths happens every year
Preparing and planning to plant—SUNFLOWERS THIS YEAR in front of the mobile units
SUNFLOWERS, SUNFLOWERS, SUNFLOWERS planted by the 4th grade last spring
Switch grass takes carbon out of the air and converts it to organic matter as it grows (on the upper left). The Purple Cone Flower has another name—Echinacea—Greek for hedgehog or sea urchin. It has been used to treat toothaches, coughs, colds, and sore throats. Insects love it.