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Youth Education Programof San Francisco Botanical Garden Society

Web of Life

Suggested Activities

I am a cameraChildren work in pairs, taking turns being a camera and a photographer. The camera keepstheir eyes closed while the photographer takes them by the shoulders and carefully guides themto a spot of photographers choice.The photographer positions the camera so that the childs face is pointing at somethinginteresting or attractive. The photographer then presses on the cameras shoulder for a count offive while the camera opens its shutter (eyes). The camera closes their eyes again, thephotographer moves the camera away, and then the camera describes what they saw. Childrenswitch roles.

Be a plantThis activity works especially well with younger children who love to pretend, but even olderchildren will become engaged if asked to imagine The kids should imagine that they arerooted to the ground, with roots growing out of their feet. Can they feel the water being pulledup into their stems or trunks (legs and bodies) and moving out to their leaves (arms and hands)?Have them turn their hands to catch the suns rays can they feel the warmth? If they werereally plants, they would use that energy from the sun to make food in their leaves! You cankeep this activity simple, or make it more elaborate by weaving in the life cycle of a plant,changes in the weather, or having children represent specific kinds of plants (watching a forestof child trees waving wildly in a winter storm is always fun!).

Share your airMany kids can tell you that plants produce air that allows us to breathe. Some may even knowthat plants are actually producing oxygen as they photosynthesize. But most dont realize that weanimals are also producing air for the plants! Explain to the children that as plantsphotosynthesize, they give off oxygen, which we animals need to breathe. But oxygen makes uponly part of the air around us. As we exhale, we add something else to the air, carbon dioxide,which plants need in order to grow. So lets all take a big breath of what the plants have made(big noisy inhalation) and then give them back something they can use to grow (big noisyexhalation)!

Roll a logThis is a great way to introduce children to the decomposers in the forest, as well as helping youmodel a positive attitude toward creepy-crawlies. First talk with the children about the role ofdecomposers in the forest, then ask them to think about where these decomposers might behiding. Find a log in the Redwood Grove or Cloud Forest which is small enough for you to roll,but big enough to have significant surface area in touch with the ground. Have the childrenposition themselves so they can all see the log. Tell them you will count to three, then roll thelog. Many of the small animals will try to hide quickly, so its essential that kids watch closely!

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Web of LifeSuggested Activities

Have kids describe what they see how many legs? Which end is the head? How do you know?If you wish, you may catch a critter or two in a magnifying box.

Collect algaeMany children may not realize that the green stringy stuff in a pond is actually plant life! Use anet, stick, or your hand to pull a strand of algae from a pond (the ponds in the Dwarf ConiferGarden are particularly good for this). Encourage children to touch it what does it feel like?Explain that this is a plant, using energy from the sun to grow. Older children may be interestedto see the bubbles caught in the algae, oxygen bubbles which form as the algaephotosynthesizes. Animals in the pond eat the algae, or make their homes in it. What animalscan they see that might make use of the algae? (note to the scientifically precise: strictlyspeaking, algae are no longer part of the plant kingdom. However, they are indeedphotosynthesizing organisms at the bottom of the food chain. It is entirely appropriate to referto these organisms as plants with younger children.)

Observe a beeChildren are often unnecessarily afraid of bees. Explain to them the important role that beesplay in pollination, and that they have gotten a bad reputation due to their more aggressiveyellow jacket cousins. On a warm, sunny day, when the garden is abuzz with bees, have eachchild find a bee to follow. Staying on the paths (especially in the Native Garden!) childrenshould follow their bees for a minute, observing where they go and what they do. Then childrencan describe or act out what they discovered.

Sense poemThe redwood forest is a wonderful place to help children focus on their senses. Before entering

the redwoods, explain to children that this is a special place and that to recognize how special itis, we need to enter it silently. Encourage them to use all their senses (except taste!) to observethis grove. After you have spent a few minutes moving quietly through the grove, settle thechildren on a bench or on the ground. Tell them that they will create a group poem about whatthey experienced in the redwoods. Go around the group and ask each child to complete onesentence:

In the redwood groveI heard ------------I saw --------------I smelled ----------

I felt---------------

Record their sentences on an index card. Repeat as necessary to include each child. When theyfinish, read their completed poem to them. Be sure to include it in their folder.

THERES LOTS MORE YOU COULD DO, THESE ARE JUST SOME SUGGESTIONS!