Wow what a fun couple of months! It might not feel like spring outside but it sure does feel like spring in the classroom! Students all over Linn County are learning about seed germination, soil, greenhouses and more. In March our second grade students began the spring season learning how important greenhouse production is to agriculture. Students explored the art of planning a garden, choosing plants, planning a layout, preparing the soil and planting the seeds. Students certainly gained real-world experience through hands-on planning and planting. This month second graders are creating a seed house. Students will observe the growth and development of seeds. They will compare the difference
Crop farmers work directly with the soil so how do they celebrate Earth Day? We have highlighted 5 actions many farmers take to protect their land. Action One: On Friday we made cover crop monsters at Hiawatha Elementary. Students discovered that cover crops help provide protection and enrichment for soil during the cash crop off-season. In Iowa, rye (grass grown as a grain) is one of the most popular cover crops because of its quick germination. This little cover crop monster is sitting in my windowsill and has started to grow "hair." Fun fact about cover crops... not only do they protect the soil but they can also provide cattle with another grazing crop! Win Win! Action two: Some farmers
