SUMMER GARDEN PROGRAM
Lesson 5

MAKING A HERBARIUM
HARVESTING
string beans, carrots, salad greens,
broccoli, rosemary, tarragon, parsley, basil
Objectives:

  • Learn about herbarium as way to keep a record of plants
  • Examine differences among different leaves
  • Become more familiar with vegetables we might eat

MATERIALS

FOR ACTIVITY:
  • folders that fit 8 1/2 by 11 inches paper; or journals; 1 per child
  • paper, 8 1/2 by 11 inches; 3 sheets per child
  • pencils
  • wide, clear tape
  • garden scissors
  • bowls
  • ziplock bags; 1 per child
  • scissors for harvesting

INSTRUCTOR PREP:
  • Put 3 or more sheets of office paper into each folder, if using.
  • Check on leaf specimens.

divider

WARM UP

Go-round: Say a plant you like to eat

divider

HERBARIUM
Review
Reacquaint students with what an herbarium is.

ASK: Why might people make a herbarium?
  • To record new plants
  • To make a record of the plants growing in one's garden


ASK: What are the names of some plants from which you collected leaves a few weeks ago?

The leaves have been pressed to preserve them.

Today you are going to look at the specimens and make a herbarium: a collection of dried and pressed plants.

divider

MAKING AN HERBARIUM
Explain and demonstrate how to make the herbarium.

  • Choose 3 leaves. Tape each leaf to a separate sheet of paper. (No need to cover the entire leaf, just use
    a few strips.) Be sure to work carefully because the leaves are fragile. Leave room to write and draw
    underneath the leaf or next to it.

  • Describe the leaf size and shape. Think of 3 different ways to describe each leaf and write them on the page.
    ASK: In what ways can leaves be different or alike?
    Sizes, shapes, edge patterns

  • Ask students to elaborate on each difference. For example, "How big or small could a leaf be?" and "What different shapes can they be?"

  • Take your leaf page to the garden and look for the plant that the leaf came from.

  • Once you find the plant, make a drawing of it on the same page or on a separate sheet.

The children work on their herbarium, assisted by adults as needed.

Have each student show one herbarium specimen to the group. Ask each to describe the leaf and say the name of the plant it came from and one other thing about it.

TIME TO HARVEST

Team up adults with small groups of children and assign each team a different area in the garden. Ask adults to demonstrate/review the appropriate harvesting technique and safe tool use and then assist children as needed. With each vegetable discuss how much should be harvested that day

ASK: How might we prepare the vegetables?

ASK: How much of a particular vegetable or herb will be needed for a dish?

ASK: How much is ready for harvesting?

ASK: Is there enough?

ASK: Is there too much?

ASK: What should be done with extra vegetables?

For harvesting tips for specific vegetables link to HARVESTING TIPS:

WATER

Check soil to see if it is dry. If it is, water till it is damp but not soaked.

info WATCH Terms and Techniques VIDEO