School and Community Summer 2023

Seizing Wildflower Lessons with Discover Nature Schools

Scattering seeds for the stratification process during the cold months to trigger germination

BY MARY BETH FACTOR, MDC CURRICULUM COORDINATOR L ooking for a few nature-focused science activities to do with your students? Because native plants offer a wide range of benefits, including pollinators like insects and birds, the Missouri Department of Conservation always encourages schools to plant native species. “Fast-growing native flower annuals such as plains coreopsis ( Coreopsis tinctoria ; bloom time: July-August) and black-eyed Susan ( Rudbeckia hirta ; bloom time: June) are recommended as they can sprout in as little as three weeks,” according to staff at Missouri Wildflower Nursery in Jefferson City. Because both plants require full sun, these flowers would be ideal for the younger age groups to explore how varying amounts of sunlight and water can affect how plants grow. Start by planting each seed in pots separately and finding different areas to place your plants. Students can observe and analyze the growth as it relates to the amount of sun and the amount of water given. Once your classroom experiment is completed, celebrate learned knowledge by transplanting outside to the perfect schoolyard spot for your coreopsis and black-eyed Susan to bloom. Be sure to talk to your administration and maintenance staff to coordinate where you will plant your flowers. Or, to give your plants greater success with a dependable water routine, allow your students to take their flowers home in pots. Allowing the flowers to go to seed will give students the opportunity to collect seeds and start the cycle again. Better yet, Kindergarten students can discuss plant growth by planting coreopsis or black-eyed Susan seeds in the spring, and then in the fall when they enter first grade, they can analyze growth changes from seeds to adult plants. As both coreopsis and black-eyed Susan seeds require cold stratification through the winter temperatures to germinate, it is recommended to plant the seeds in late autumn for spring sprouting. Plant seeds at a quarter-inch to a half-inch deep in the soil in November or early December. The Discover Nature Schools Kindergarten: Bears Through the Seasons and First Grade: Exploring Missouri guides teachers through the process of seed growth and changes through Kindergarten Lesson 4B Sprouting Seedlings and First Grade Unit 8: Parents and Offspring . Kindergarten students analyze the growth of seeds by separating the

28 | SUMMER 2023 S&C