Silas' floating explorer camp!

K.C. and Mira work with grasshoppers.

Garden Lab has come a long way since April!

Rhiana's Viceroy Photo's

Viceroy

Viceroy

Viceroy

K.C.'s Photo's

K.C.'s explorer mannequin at the top of an interesting looking plant

Again

Again

Rhiana's Photo's

Grasshopper and bee

Red Admiral in adult form

Black Swallowtail caterpillars

American Lady caterpillar

Explorer collections

Explorer collections

Explorer collections

Explorer camps in the wilderness.

First Monarchs!

Ben fills garden boxes

Thanks Ben!

Thanks for a great week.

Our first class in the garden lab has come to a close.

We concentrated on some methods for discovering new things and ideas. First an experiment in perspective: we became miniature explorers (only 2 inches tall) to change the way we see things. In one explorer campsite a five foot tall sunflower became a huge shade tree; and in another, some summer poinsettias cast beautiful yellows and reds over a snug shelter. We made miniature gardens/labs for our explorers replete with paths, vegetables and miniature trees (bonsai.) We also made cricket cages to study the local wildlife (a 2 inch grasshopper can be pretty frightening to a 2 inch tall explorer.)

Next, we took series of photos that conveyed information about specific creatures or plants. Some of these series can be seen below.

And last, we began to create signs for the garden to convey information about interesting features like the sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica.)

Matthew's Photo Sequence

Black Swallowtail, 2 Caterpillars, 2 Chrysalis

Red Admiral- Wings closed

Red Admiral-wings open

LiliJune's Photo Sequence

Pussytoes

Love-in-a-mist

Love-in-a-mist Flower

Justin's Sensitive Plant Sequence (Mimosa pudica)

Unfolded leaves of the Mimosa

Folded leaves

Flowers of Sensitive Plant

Joclynn's Worm Sequence

Worm


Worms in compost bin


Compost

Caleb's Black Swallowtail Sequence

Black Swallowtail


Chrysalis of Black Swallowtail

Black Swallowtail Caterpillar

A Red Admiral feeds on beer, molasses and bananas.

Justin creates among the summer poinsettias.

Photo by Cindy

An explorers camp.

Photo by Lili

Joclynn at work

Photo by Cindy

Strange life forms to be studied.

Journal entries.

July 19, midnight.

Wet. The drops of dew falling from above were huge- the size of my head. My shelter kept me somewhat dry but every drop that hit the ground sounded like an explosion.

July 20, 6 a.m.

As I sat by my campfire planning my exploration for the day, an unimaginable creature with eight long legs- as tall as my waist- crept nearby. As I hid behind the giant Janga-Purana tree it quietly went down the trail. Will I see it again?

July 21, 7 p.m.

Lightning is flashing overhead. My treehouse is shaking in the wind and rain.