Butterfly and Bird Gardens · Butterfly and bird gardening involves planning your garden to attract, retain, and encourage populations. Two small sample garden plans are shown in

How to Start

Butterfly and Bird Gardens

GREATER ESSEX COUNTY DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

ecoschools project April 2008 www.gecdsb.on.ca

Getting Started!

HOW TO START BUTTERFLY AND BIRD GARDENS 1

Take a moment and think about your backyard. Is it bird-friendly? Is it butterfly-friendly? Does it provide safety and cover for birds, butterflies and other wildlife? Are there natural food sources such as seeds, insects and nectar? Are there suitable nesting sites for the birds? Can birds and butterflies take shelter from the wind, snow, ice and rain? Butterfly and bird gardening involves planning your garden to attract, retain, and encourage populations. Two small sample garden plans are shown in Figures 1 and 2, and a list of host plants listed. Flowers of similar colours are grouped together and are more attractive to both species and the public. You should select a variety of nectar-producing plants with the aim of providing flowers in bloom throughout the season. This will entice a continuous succession of new visitors to a yard. Annuals are wonderful plants because they bloom continuously through the season, providing a steady supply of nectar. Perennial plants, such as coneflowers, lilac, butterfly weed and asters, are visited regularly by all species. Most plants in the mint family are also good nectar sources for butterflies. Figure 1. A sample butterfly/bird border garden has a large variety of host plants.

1. Purple coneflower 2. Dill 3. Hollyhock 4. Joe-Pye weed 5. Globe centaurea

6. Peony 7. Turtlehead 8. Swamp milkweed 9. Yarrow 10. Queen Anne’s lace 11. Tawny daylily 12. ‘Marine’ heliotrope 13. Gayfeather 14. Butterfly weed 15. Petunia 16. Mountain bluet 17. Annual aster 18. ‘Autumn Joy’ sedum 19. Rock cress 20. French marigold 21. ‘Happy Returns’ daylily 22. Blanket flower 23. Nasturtium 24. Goldenrod

Source: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/components/DG6711e.html

Getting Started!


Figure 2

Legend:

COMMON NAME BOTANICAL NAME CODE

Butterfly Bush Buddleia davidii 'Pink Wonder'' A Alyssum Lobularia maritima G Beard Tongue Penstemon barbatus 'Rose Elf' E Bleeding Heart Dicentra 'Luxuriant' F Butterfly Lily Lilum 'Red Butterflies' D Canna Canna x generalis I Delphinium Delphinium C Grecian Foxglove Digitalis lanata' J Salvia Salvia spendens H Scarlet Cardinal Flower Lobelia 'Compliment Scarlet' B Trumpet Vine Campsis radicans' K

Source: http://birding.about.com/library/weekly/blgardenplan2-plant.htm

Curricular Connections


Language and Mathematics Before, during and after implementation of the garden, there are many opportunities for cross-curricular links. The different stages of a growing garden would provide inspiration for writing using a variety of forms and opportunities for application of both measurement and data management concepts. Please see the following curricular links in Kindergarten through Grade 8 in Language and Mathematics. KINDERGARTEN Writing Write simple messages; communicate ideas about personal

experiences and/or familiar stories, and experiment with personal voice in their writing.

Math Measure and compare length, mass capacity, area, temperature of objects/materials through free exploration, focused exploration and guided activity.

LANGUAGE Overall Expectations (Grades 1-8) Writing Generate, gather and organize ideas and information for an

intended purpose and audience. Media Literacy

Create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions and techniques.

MATHEMATICS Overall Expectations (by grade) Measurement Grade 1 Estimate, measure and describe length, area, mass, capacity, time

and temperature using non standard units of the same size. Grade 2 Estimate, measure and describe length, area, mass, capacity, time

and temperature using non standard units and standard units. Grade 3 Estimate, measure and describe length, perimeter, area, mass,

capacity, time and temperature using non standard units of the same size.

Grade 4 Estimate, measure and record length, perimeter, area, mass, capacity, volume and elapsed time using a variety of strategies.

Grade 5 Estimate, measure and record perimeter, area, temperature change, and elapsed time, using a variety of strategies.

Grade 6 Estimate, measure and record quantities using the metric measurement system.

Grade 7 Report on research into real-life applications of area measurements.

Grade 8 Determine the relationships among units and measurable attributes, including the area of a circle and the volume of a cylinder.



Data Management and Probability Grade 1 Collect and organize categorical primary data and display the data

using concrete graphs and pictographs, without regard to the order of labels on the horizontal axis.

Grade 2 Collect and organize categorical or discrete primary data and display data, using tally charts, concrete graphs, pictographs, line plots, simple bar graphs, and other graphic organizers, with labels ordered appropriately along horizontal axes, as needed.

Grade 3 Collect and organize categorical or discrete primary data and display the data using charts and graphs, including vertical and horizontal bar graphs, with label ordered appropriately along horizontal axes, as needed.

Grade 4 Collect and organize discrete primary data and display the data and display the data using charts and graphs, including stem-and-leaf plots and double bar graphs.

Grade 5 Collect and organize discrete or continuous primary data and secondary data and display the data using charts and graphs, including broken-line graphs.

Grade 6 Collect and organize discrete or continuous primary data and secondary data and display the data using charts and graphs, including continuous line graphs.

Grade 7 Collect and organize categorical, discrete or continuous primary data and secondary data and display the data using charts and graphs, including relative frequency tables and circle graphs.

Grade 8 Collect and organize categorical, discrete or continuous primary data and secondary data and display the data using charts and graphs, including frequency tables with intervals, histograms and scatter plots; apply a variety of data management tools and strategies to make convincing arguments about data.



SCIENCE Grades 1 to 12 By the end of Grade 1, students will: • demonstrate an understanding of the basic needs of animals and plants

(e.g., the need for food, air, and water) • investigate the characteristics and needs of animals and plants • demonstrate awareness that animals and plants depend on their

environment to meet their basic needs, and describe the requirements for good health for humans

By the end of Grade 2, students will: • identify and describe the major physical characteristics of different types of

animals (e.g., mammals, reptiles, insects) • compare ways in which animals eat their food (e.g., tear flesh, crack shells),

move, and use their environment to meet their needs (e.g., gather grass and twigs to build nests)

• describe changes in the appearance and activity of an animal as it goes through a complete life cycle (e.g., mealworm)

• compare the life cycles of some animals that have similar life cycles (e.g., bee and butterfly) and some that have different life cycles (e.g., gerbil and butterfly)

By the end of Grade 3, students will: • demonstrate an understanding of the similarities and differences in the

physical characteristics of different plant species and the changes that take place in different plants as they grow

• investigate the requirements of plants and the effects of changes in environmental conditions on plants

• describe ways in which plants are important to other living things, and the effects of human activities on plants



Understanding Basic Concepts Specific Expectations By the end of Grade 3, students will: • identify the major parts of plants (e.g., seeds, stem, pistil) and describe their

basic functions • classify plants according to visible characteristics (e.g., type of tree bark,

leaf shape, type of flowers) • describe, using their observations, the changes that plants undergo in a

complete life cycle (e.g., from the germination of a seed to the production of flowers or fruit)

• describe, using their observations, the effects of the seasons on plants (e.g., leaf buds grow into leaves in the spring; leaves turn colour in the fall)

• compare the life cycles of different kinds of plants (e.g., plants that grow from bulbs or from seeds)

• identify traits that remain constant in some plants as they grow (e.g., leaf shape, leaf size, flower colour)

• describe, using their observations, how the growth of plants is affected by changes in environmental conditions (e.g., changes in light, soil)

• explain how different features of plants help them survive (e.g., leaf structure, fibrous or tap root systems)

Developing Skills of Inquiry, Design and Communication

Specific Expectations

By the end of Grade 3, students will: • design and conduct a hands-on inquiry into seed germination or plant

growth • ask questions about and identify some needs of plants, and explore possible

answers to these questions and ways of meeting these needs (e.g., predict how long a particular plant could go without water before its leaves started to droop)

• plan investigations to answer some of these questions or find ways of meeting these needs, and explain the steps involved

• use appropriate vocabulary in describing their investigations, explorations, and observations (e.g., stem, pistil, stamen, flower)

• record relevant observations, findings, and measurements, using written language, drawings, charts, and graphs (e.g., produce a series of drawings to show a plant at different stages of development)

• communicate the procedures and results of investigations for specific purposes and to specific audiences, using drawings, demonstrations, simple media works, and oral and written descriptions (e.g., make a graph that shows the number and kinds of trees found in different yards; design and construct a terrarium or garden that reproduces the conditions that they found to be requirements of specific plants)



Relating Science and Technology to the World Outside the School

Specific Expectations

By the end of Grade 3, students will: • describe ways in which humans can protect natural areas to maintain

native plant species (e.g., establishing conservation areas, wildlife reserves, wetland sanctuaries)

• describe various settings in which plant crops are grown (e.g., farms, orchards, home gardens)

• describe ways in which plants and animals depend on each other (e.g., plants provide food for energy, and animals help distribute pollen and seeds)

• compare the requirements of some plants and animals, and identify the requirements that are common to all living things (e.g., the need for water and minerals)

• demonstrate awareness of ways of caring for plants properly (e.g., ensure that a plant has sufficient light and water)

• identify some functions of different plants in their local area (e.g., trees provide shade; grass binds soil to prevent soil erosion)

By the end of Grade 4, students will: • identify, through observation, various factors that affect plants and animals

in a specific habitat (e.g., availability of water, food sources, light; ground features; weather conditions)

• describe structural adaptations of plants and animals that demonstrate a response of the living things to their environment (e.g., the height of a plant depends on the amount of sunlight the plant gets; many animals that live in the Arctic have white fur)

• classify plants and animals that they have observed in local habitats according to similarities and differences (e.g., in shape, location)

By the end of Grade 7, students will: • formulate questions about and identify the needs of various living things in

an ecosystem, and explore possible answers to these questions and ways of meeting these needs (e.g., research the population levels of a species over time and predict its future levels on the basis of past trends and present conditions; determine how the structure of specific plants helps them withstand high winds, live on the surface of water, or compete for sunlight)



Kindergarten • demonstrate an awareness of the natural and human-made environment

through hands-on investigations, observation, questioning, and sharing of their findings

• conduct simple investigations through free exploration, focused exploration, and guided activity, using inquiry skills (observing, questioning, planning an investigation, carrying out the investigation, and communicating findings)

• demonstrate an understanding of and care for the natural world • describe some natural occurrences, using their own observations and

representations (e.g., drawings, writing) • sort and classify groups of living and non-living things in their own way

(e.g., using sorting tools such as hula hoops, sorting circles, paper plates, T-charts, Venn diagrams)

• describe and/or represent, using their own observations, patterns and cycles in the natural world

• pose questions and make predictions and observations before and during investigations

• demonstrate an awareness of local natural habitats through exploration and observations

• participate in environmentally friendly activities in the classroom and the school yard



Applied and Academic Science

Grade 9 Biology: Reproduction Specific Expectations • describe various types of asexual reproduction that occur in plant species or

animal species, and various methods for the asexual propagation of plants (e.g., fission, budding, production of spores; fission in the amoeba and planaria flatworm, budding in the hydra and sponge; use of bulbs, cuttings, grafting, and modified stems in plants)

• describe and give examples of types of sexual reproduction that occur in plants and in animals, including hermaphrodites (e.g., conjugation, cross-fertilization, internal and external fertilization)

ACADEMIC SCIENCE Grade 10 Biology: The Sustainability of Ecosystems Overall Expectations • demonstrate an understanding of the dynamic nature of ecosystems,

including the relationship between ecological balance and the sustainability of life

• investigate factors that affect ecological systems and the consequences of changes in these factors

• analyse issues related to environmental sustainability and the impact of technology on ecosystems

APPLIED SCIENCE Grade 10 Biology: Ecosystems and Human Activity Overall Expectations • demonstrate an understanding of ecosystems, including the relationship

between ecological balance and the sustainability of life • analyse natural and human threats to a local ecosystem and propose viable

solutions to restore ecological balance • relate issues to environmental sustainability with a particular focus on

issues in Ontario and Canada Grade 11

Biology 11C: Plant Structure and Physiology

Grade 12 Biology 12W: Gardening and Horticulture

Resources for Starting Seeds IN THE CLASSROOM


Native Plant Species of the Essex Region http://www.erca.org/

Resources for Starting Seeds IN THE CLASSROOM


From Seed to Seed From Seed to Seed is a professional development course designed for K-8 teachers who already incorporate botany and gardening (indoors or out) into their Science curriculum and for teachers who would like to start doing so. You can work sequentially through the entire course or jump to the sections that will help you with specific concepts you would like to grasp or teach to your students. There are no prerequisites. This course will provide you with all the information you will need to get started. In addition to the core botanical information, we provide activities and experiments that address K-8 national standards in various disciplines. Although the National Science Education Standards are emphasized throughout the course, connections are also made to Geography, Health, History, Language Arts and Mathematics.

http://courses.garden.org/courses/fstsdesc.htm

Exploring Classroom Hydroponics http://www.kidsgardening.com/HYDROPONICSGUIDE/hydro1-1-intro.asp

Grow Your Own: Seedling Success http://www.kidsgardening.com/Dig/DigDetail.taf?ID=965&Type=Art

The Naturalized Habitat Network of Essex County & Windsor- Seeds of Hope program to promote the growth of native plants

http://www.naturalizedhabitat.org/

Native Plants


AUTUMN WILDFLOWERS http://www.ojibway.ca/septoct.htm

BIRD BRAIN CHALLENGE A game from Cornell University identifying eastern North American bird species.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/birding123/identify/quiz

BUTTERFLY GARDENING: GOOD NECTAR SOURCE PLANTS FOR ADULTS (This is specific to Southwestern Ontario from Evergreen)

http://www.evergreen.ca/nativeplants/lists/view-list.php?list_ID=00176

CREATING A FLOWER PRESS Information on creating flower presses from simple materials to create art work.

http://www.kidsgardening.org/growonder/flowers.php

DYEING WITH PLANTS Natural dyes from plants have been used throughout history for decorating animal skins, fabrics, crafts, hair and bodies. Kids love to colour their world, and they need look no further than their growing garden, a patch of weeds, their family garden, and local grocery stores to find enough plants to yield a rainbow of colours.

http://www.kidsgardening.org/growonder/dye.php

INFORMATION ON CONTAINER GARDENING Includes how to get started and simple step-by-step instructions for growth and care.

http://www.kidsgardening.org/growonder/containers.php

NATIVE PLANT SPECIES SEARCH FROM EVERGREEN http://www.evergreen.ca/nativeplants/search/index.php

Native Plants


NORTH AMERICAN BIRD SOUNDS The songs of many common North American birds, such as loons, gulls, woodpeckers and ducks.

www.naturesongs.com/birds.html

SPECIES AT RISK AND PLANT BIODIVERSITY http://www.evergreen.ca/nativeplants/learn-more/00_speciesatrisk.php

SPRING WILDFLOWERS http://www.ojibway.ca/apr_flrs.htm

START YOUR OWN NATIVE PLANT GARDEN FROM EVERGREEN http://www.evergreen.ca/nativeplants/learn-more/start-garden.php

SUMMER WILDFLOWERS http://www.ojibway.ca/julaug.htm

Medianet Resources


Title: Beetalker: The Secret World of Bees (35142) Physical 46 minutes Audience: Senior High (Grades 9 to 12), Adult (SA) Series: The Nature of Things - DVD (0654) Synopsis: This fascinating documentary explores the perfectly constructed, architecturally complex structure that has remained virtually unchanged for all of known time, the beehive. With the help of a high definition camera, viewers get up-close and personal with these industrious insects. Dr. Mark Winston of Simon Fraser University is attempting to solve the mystery of bee communication and behaviour by studying the effects of the queen’s pheromones on other bees in the hive. Since bees pollinate approximately 1/3 of all human food supplies and nearly 80% of the worlds plants, their rapidly declining populations are of great concern. As well, an artist tries to demystify the secrets of bees and their honeycomb by using these tiny creatures to create natural works of art. Title: Curious Naturalist (Grade 6) (70018) Audience: Junior (Grades 4 to 6) (J) Synopsis: Please compare the inventory sheet inside the kit to the contents of your kit immediately. Our list will be considered accurate unless we are contacted with discrepancies upon your receipt of this kit. All equipment that is damaged or not working must marked and returned. Students will compare and classify living things and begin to explore a scientific classification system. Title: Dirt: Nature's Sandbox (29203) Physical 13 minutes Audience: Primary (Grades 1 to 3) (P) Series: Naturally Nature (0906) Synopsis: Children love digging around in dirt. In this program, young students will learn how water and dirt mix to make mud, that dirt is full of living things and that roots from plants and trees can be found there. Students will discover the importance of soil and will receive an excellent introduction to the study of earth science.

Medianet Resources


Title: Ecosystems for Children - DVD (S00209) Audience: Junior and Senior Kindergarden, Primary (Grades 1 to 3) (KP) Synopsis: Whether you go for a walk around the block or travel around the world, you'll find complex communities of amazing plants and animals. “Ecosystems for Children” allows children to build an understanding of biological concepts through experience with living things, their life cycles and their habitats. Young students will explore many ecosystems up close, including deserts, grasslands, coniferous forests, deciduous forests, rainforests, oceans, rivers and streams, and lakes and ponds. Each program includes a stimulating visit with an expert working in the field, as well as a fun, informative experiment that students can do in the classroom. Title: Growing Green (Grade 3) (70003) Audience: Primary (Grades 1 to 3) (P) In this unit, students learn about the roles of different parts of a plant and how plants change as they grow. Title: Growing Plants: Science in a School Garden (34789) Physical 22 minutes Audience: Junior and Senior Kindergarden, Primary (Grades 1 to 3), Junior (Grades 4 to 6) (KPJ) Synopsis: How do plants grow and how do they fit into and interact with the environment? These and many other questions regarding the life cycles and importance of green plants are answered as we join a group of elementary school. Title: How Plants Grow (34062) Physical 18 minutes Audience: Primary (Grades 1 to 3), Junior (Grades 4 to 6) (PJ) Series: Understanding Plants - DVD (1027) Synopsis: Students will investigate and understand that in order for seeds to germinate and grow they must receive certain basic needs food, air, water, light, and a place to grow. Next, they are introduced to the parts of a plant and learn how plants produce their own food. They also see how plants and animals depend upon each other for growth. DVD features include on-screen teacher's guide and vocabulary plus chapter selections: (1) Introduction (2) Plant Parts (3) Plants make their own food (4) Seeds (5) Bulbs (6) Reproduction (7) Plants have needs (8) Plant habitats and life cycle (9) Plant Adaptations (10) Different kinds of plants and (11) Fun Facts.

Medianet Resources


Title: Plant Life Cycle (34065) Physical 15 minutes Audience: Junior and Senior Kindergarten, Primary (Grades 1 to 3) (KP) Series: Understanding Plants - DVD (1027) Synopsis: With the help of a friendly scarecrow, students identify the basic needs of plants. They learn how seeds grow into plants and that the plant goes through changes called a lifecycle. They witness each step as seeds germinate and grow into flowering plants which produce seeds that eventually germinate and grow again. Title: Reason for a Flower (90487) Synopsis: Big Book - Pollen, seeds and a variety of plants are featured in this book. Plants are very important for our every day needs as well. Title: Science Alive (Grade 4) (70008) Audience: Junior (Grades 4 to 6) (J) This unit focuses on habitats and communities. Students become familiar with plants and animals and how they have adapted to their habitats. Title: Seeds! Seeds! Seeds! (34575) Physical 15 minutes Audience: Primary (Grades 1 to 3) (P) Synopsis: A special package from grandpa shows buddy something interesting about seeds and how plants grow. Buddy has fun collecting, sorting and planting the seeds. Title: Understanding Plants - DVD (S01027) Physical 18 minutes Audience: Primary (Grades 1 to 3), Junior (Grades 4 to 6) (PJ)

Webquests


PRIMARY http://www.macomb.k12.mi.us/wq/WebQ97/BugsBugs.htm http://www.gecdsb.on.ca/d&g/dougpete/webquests/plants/

PRIMARY/JUNIOR http://coe.west.asu.edu/students/dnonack/webquest.htm

JUNIOR http://its.guilford.k12.nc.us/webquests/butterfly/monarch.htm

http://www.manteno.k12.il.us/webquest/elementary/Science/VeryHungryCaterpillar/questfor.htm

JUNIOR/INTERMEDIATE http://its.guilford.k12.nc.us/webquests/butterflies/butterflies.htm

Documents

Butterfly and Bird Gardens · Butterfly and bird gardening involves planning your garden to attract, retain, and encourage populations. Two small sample garden plans are shown in