Garden Earth Naturalist Ecology Clubs and Give Wildlife a chance poster contest 2012-2013 calendar [2012]

Give Wildlife a Chance (GWAC) Poster Contest and Garden Earth Naturalist (GEN) Ecology Clubs have teamed up to bring you this great calendar!
e thank the children who have shown their love of the Earth . Poster contest artists express their stewardship of Earth's resources through environmental artwork. Members of GEN Clubs investigate and restore their sites through hands-on investigations and Service Learning projects.
See back pages for information about how your school or 4-H Club can participate in these programs!
Program Partners:
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division , Nongame Conservation Section The Environmental Resources Network, Inc. (T.E.R.N .) The State Botanical Garden of Georgia The Georgia Museum of Natural History Georgia 4-H

Division 1: Kindergarten 1st Place: Hallie Haggard
Tiftarea Academy Chula, GA

Division 2: 1st and 2nd Grade 1st Place: Daisa Hollenquest
West Clayton Elementary School College Park, GA

Division 3: 3rd and 4th Grade 1st Place: Katelyn Mao
SKA Academy of Art and Design Duluth, GA

Division 4: 5th Grade 1st Place: Megan Steph ens
Mt. Vernon Elementary Gainesville, GA

What should I do with my calendar?
ut on your sneakers and do some real world exploring! Each month, your calendar highlights Questions to Explore and provides Key Workers that you might see in your own backyard. Use these to spur your outdoor explorations and note everything you discover on the pages of this calendar.
Garden Log: Each month will introduce a different project that you can monitor and record in the calendar. This is a great way to get in the habit of going outside each day and observing what's going on around you in nature and in your garden. You can record your find ings in the calendar itself, or you may choose to start a nature journal.
Plant of the Month: Each month will feature a seasonal vegetable that you may be able to harvest from your garden or find at your local farm market. Eating seasonal produce from your garden or another local source is a way to ensure that you are getting the most nutritional benefit from your food. Fruits and veggies that have traveled the least number of miles to your plate have higher vitamin content and a lower carbon footprint-a great way to take care of your body and our planet at the same time!
Monthly Recipe: Each month includes a delicious, kid -friendly recipe. These recipes will feature the vegetable of the month , so you can harvest the main ingredient right from your garden (or farm market) and create the delectable treat with the freshest and most nutritious ingredients! What asweet reward for all of the hard work you put into your garden !
You might note on your calendar:
February 5 - Found raccoon prints by cat bowls. July 9 - Saw 10 robins in my backyard. October 20 - Collected 2 inches of rain in gauge.
A wise man named Henry David Thoreau once said, "What ~ood is a house if you don't have a decent pia net to put it on?"



GARDEN L

I. March is tne

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montn when th .

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tern m weather crops. M o plant seeds

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th

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oy. How

_e end of the month e _beginning to

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o make a c

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2nd Place: Kalyn Humphries Hamilton Elementary Har tsfield, GA

MO DAY

TUESDAY WED ESDAY THURSDAY

I

Fact: AI houqh rnost

know~""'"'" ~ ~ '@' carrots are orange-. some

How do you are good

for

yOUt

~es?



H"'e you ever- a rabbit w1th glasse!?

vaoetes are wh1te red or

e'llet"' purple

3

4

5

0

7

I

FR IDAY
1

SATU RDAY
2

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

1 s

16

I

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

I Sprirt4 Equinox (fi"IO.yofSPfl~ )

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Full Moon
(527am)

31

I Th~t's Amllingl Soils are full of life. A cup of soil can contain 50 ,000
arthropods, 20 million protozoans, and 200 billion bacterial
=,

~

GARDEN NOTES

Plant of the onth:
This delicious fruit is a sure si~n of summertime! Watch you r own watermelons ~row on the vine in your ~arden, as the fruit forms from the base of pollinated flowers. Farmers know their watermelons are ready to sell when they knock on the hard shell and hear a hollow sound. Try knockin~ on
the watermelons in your ~arden ! What kind of sounds do you hear?

Did you know that the first five US presidents were all farmers? Thomas Jefferson ~rew over 300 ve~etable varieties and 170 varieties of fruit on his farm in
Monticello , Vir~inia.
GARDEN LOG:
1. If you have access to a scale, weigh and measure produce that you harvest from your garden . Record what you picked and how much it weighed in pounds and ounces (example: tomatoes: 8 pounds 6 ounces; watermelon: 5 pounds 8 ounces). Also record the total weight of harvested vegetables.
2. ~ugust is one of our hottest months
In Georgia. Certain crops thrive in this weather, while others do not. Pick a time :ach day to record the air temperature In your garden. At the end of the month
place a * next to the 3 hottest days.

.. Recipe: Watermelon Ice Pops INSTRUCTIONS:

INGREDIENTS:

Blend watermelon and sugar in a food processor until

5 cups of cubed watermelon (seeded). smooth . Pour into a bowl.

7{ cup of sugar.
OTHER SUPPLIES:
8 small paper cups. 8 popsicle sticks.

Place 8 small paper cups into a baking pan, and spoon in the puree, dividing evenly.
Freeze for 2 hours (until almost frozen ).
Using the tip of a small knife, make a slit in the center of each frozen mixture, and stick in a popsicle stick.

Freeze for 1 hour or more.

Division 1: Kindergarten 1st Place: Hallie Haggard Tiftarea Academy, Chula, GA

Website of the Month, for the planting guide for your Fall garden:
http://www.caes.uga.edu/applications/publications/files/htmi/BS77/BS77PiantingChart.pdf

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Why do watermelons have fancy weddings?~ ~
r. . ~ -

8ecause they cantaloupe!

WEDNESDAY
1

THURSDAY
2

FRIDAY
3

SATURDAY
4

Whit Davis Elementary

5

6

7

8

9

10

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12

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26

27

28

29

30

31

Full Moon

Once in a Blue Moon: Evening nature activities

(!1 :28pm)

SBG

8:00-1O:OOpm

Did you know? Less than 1% of Geor9ians are professional farmers, but
over 30% of Geor9ia households 9row food in 9ardens.

25
p ary School Wilkinson County rtm
GARDEN NOTES

Plant of the Month:
Tomatoes can come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors. Have you ever eaten a purple tomato? How about one the size of a grape? If you don't have any growing in your own garden , check out your local farm market to
see tomatoes all the colors of the rainbow !

Hello! My name is Su9a Ma9nolia. My bees are hard at work in your 9arden collectin9 nectar at all the flowers. Their furry bodies and sticky feet spread pollen from flower to flower which is an important part of 9rowin9 delicious vegetables like tomatoes!
This month, let's observe some pollinators at work in the 9arden.

GARDEN LOG:

1. Pollinator Count Pick a favon.te Plant In your garden that is flowering .'

Once a week or once a day sit in

front of your plant for ten minutes

and. keep a tally of all the different

poll.inators that visit the blossoms.

bPollmato.rs

can

be

bees I

fl 1' es,

utterflles, hummingbirds, wasps etc

Record the numbers of visitors on . the calendar.

2. Look for caterpillars, chrysalides and
:oubutte_rflies. Draw a picture of any ~lnd on your calendar. Can you
1dent1fy them?

INGREDIENTS:
45 large fresh tomatoes. ~ cup chopped cilantro. 2 cloves of garlic. 1 small chopped onion . 1 chopped jalapeno pepper (optional). 1/ 4 cup lime juice.

Recipe: Salsa!
INSTRUCTIONS:
Chop all of the ingredients into small cubes, and put them into a medium-sized bowl.
Stir in the lime juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy your salsa with chips or tacos!

Division 2: 1st and 2nd Grade 1st Place: Daisa Hollenquest
West Clayton Elementary School, College Park, GA

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

<Why did the tomto turn red? > "'"'"" it "w the salad dressing!

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

2

3

4

5

6

FRIDAY

SATURDAY
1

7

8

CfN ti~W ift 4f1Pi
Russell Elementary

9

10

1

12

13

4

15

1
23
30
r

17

18

19

20

24

25

26

27

Did you know? The Southern Blueberry bee is an expert at collecting pollen from blueberry plants and rarely visits any other plant species.

lnsectival!
SBG 9:30am - !2:30pm

21

22

Fall Equinox
(First Day of Fall)

28

29

Russell Elernentary
GARDEN NOTES

Full Moon
( ! 1:19pm)

Pumpki ns grow on a vine, just like watermelons do! Did you know that you can eat pumpkins? You may have tried pumpkin pie before. Also, t he seeds can be roasted with salt for a tasty, crunchy snack, and you can bake and eat the whole pumpkin fruit! This Halloween try getting one pumpkin for carving
and eating the seeds, and one small "pie pumpkin" for eating!
.:.

In your 9arden ecosystem, my workers keep a healthy balance by controllin9 pests that make their dinner from your plants. Wasps, ants and spiders make excellent security 9uards
by capturin9 pests in your 9arden.

GARDEN LOG:

1. So~e i~sects help the garden by ~ollmatmg or eating insect pest~. Other

Insects harm the garden by eating the

roots, stems, fru its and other parts of

the plants. This month keep a "h I f I

b " "h

e p u

ug ' armful bug " tally for each da in

your garden.

Y

2. The !~aves on our deciduous trees start
changing color as the days get colder
and ,shorte~. Go outside and pick a tree that~ starting to change color. Make a dra~m.g of the tree with color at the
beglnnmg of every week and notice the
changes throughout the month!

Recipe: Roasted Pumpkin Seeets

INGREDIENTS:
The leftover seeds from your Halloween pumpkin.
Salt and Pepper. Cinnamon. Vegetable Oil.

INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat the oven to 375 . Rinse your seeds, in a colander, removing all of the
extra pumpkingoop.
Once seeds are mostly dry, place in a bowl and drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper or cinnamon .
Spread on a sheet pan, and roast in the oven for about 1520 minutes or until the seeds are crispy.

Division 3: 3rd and 4th Grade 1st Place: Katelyn Mao
SKA Academy of Art and Design, Duluth, GA

rr. ~

l

J r

_J

r r
. - J.. J

SUNDAY

Did you know that pumpkin vines can <;;row six inches per dcry? You need a lot of space to <;;row pumpkins in a <;;arden!
7

14

MONDAY
1

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

2

3

4

8

9

10

11

15

16

17

18

FRIDAY
5

SATURDAY
6

" CtN tltlt II 4fiP
Findley Oaks Elementary

12

13
Salamander & Stream Ramble
SBG
1O:OOam 11 :OOam

19

20

21 28

22

23

24

25

26

27

Stone Mountain Elementary

29

30

31

,j~~~~ ~ ~ ~~r r How do you ~
mend a broken Ja ckO Lantern?



~
-~~

With a pumpkin

,

patch!

'!;..t~~~~l. ~

... . . ~J1r :>. g~J

- ~"'

-~

Did you know? Fun<;;i also control 9arden pests. Some fun<;;i use their rootlike hyphae to form loopin9 lassos in the soil that trap root-feed in9 pests called nematodes.

GARDEN NOTES

Plant of the Month:


I'm Madame Squirrel and Fall is a busy
time in my department. Many creatures are p repari n~ for winter by ha rvesti n~ and sto ri n~ food. Seeds like acorns and pecans are ener~y
rich foods that store well in nature's pantry.

When you look at a sweet potato patch, you may wonder, "where are the sweet potatoes?" That's because they grow underground! To harvest your sweet potatoes, take your garden fork and gently loosen the soil around the plants. Then, get on your hands and knees, pull up the plant, and dig around
in the soi l to find the potatoes. It's like an edible treasure hunt!

GARDEN LOG:
1. Once or twice a week, harvest ~omething from your garden and cook It or eat it raw! Keep track of what you harvest, how you prepared it, and whether or not you liked it!

2. Many birds, such as warblers and

ar e

~Tllgrat. mg

at

this

time

of

gees~
year. Go

outside and observe birds you see in

your backyard or school yard. Record

what you see by using a drawing, a bird

co~nt o~ both! See if you can figure out

W~lch birds are residents and which

m1grants.

are

Recipe: Sweet Potato Fries

INGREDIENTS: INSTRUCTIONS:

45 medium sweet potatoes.

Preheat oven to 400, chop sweet potatoes into long th in slices, and place in a large bowl.

23 tbsp. olive or Coat thoroughly with about 23 tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil , add

vegetable oil.

salt and pepper to taste.

Salt and Pepper.

Spread the slices out on cookie sheets so that there is only one layer on each sheet.

Bake for 30-40 minutes. About 20 minutes into the baking time, take the sheets out and turn the slices over, scraping with a metal spatula if necessary (they can definitely stick!).

The sweet potato fries are done when they are crispy and slightly browned.

Division 4: 5th Grade 1st Place: Megan Step hens Mt. Vernon Elementary, Gainesville, GA

MONDAY

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

1
Madame Squirrel likes all the food that your site produces for animals, such as nuts, berries, leaves, mushrooms, and insects .

4

5

6

7

8

FRIDAY
2

SATURDAY
3

African Family Day
SBG 10 :00am 12:00pm

9

10

CfN ti~W ift 4f'ilft
Russell Elementary

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

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25

26

27

28

29

30

Full Moon
(9:46am )

That's Amazing! Australian honeypot ants store su9ary food in the abdomens of workers that han9 in the under9round chambers of the colony.

@ Why do sweet
potatoes
make 900d If
detectives?

Sedalia Park Elementary
GARDEN NOTES
Because they keep their
eyes peeled!

... ~ ~ t I ) _\ .......,....f..."., JI

Plant of the Month:
Many of your favorite foods Qet their delicious flavor from this Qroup of plants- herbs! Tomato sauce wouldn't taste the same without basil, thyme, and oreQano, and salsa wouldn 't be as flavorful without cilantro. Lu cky for you, many herbs can be Qrown year round in GeorQia! Try QrowinQ parsley,
cilantro, and rosemary in your own Qarden throuQhout the winter!

Remember that ecosystems are all around you and plants and animals work to~ether to provide the ecoservices that all livin~ thin~s need. Rosemary plants not only have chemicals to provide pest protection services, but also ~ive people a fra~rant herb for cookin~. and breathin~
the aroma may also boost memory.

GARo EN

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Shortest we are afJ

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and retativest ' ay Presents r



or

Recipe: Her bal Vinegars

INGREDIENTS/SUPPLIES:
Glass bottles with corks that fit and seal.
Vine9ar of your choice (cider, white, rice, white wine, etc.).
Herbs that are 9rowin9 in your 9arden : rosemary, ore9ano, parsley, sa9e, lemon9rass, mint, your choice!

INSTRUCTIONS:
Cut spri9s of your favorite herbs, and add them to the clean, 9lass bottles.
Create your own combinations such as rosemary and ore9ano, or mint and lemon9rass.
Fill the bottles up with your choice of vine9ar. Cork the bottles, and let the flavors infuse the vine9ar for a few
weeks before usin9.

Division 1: Kindergarten 2nd Place: Andrew Edwards Pike County Primary School,
Zebulon, GA

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Fact: Yellowstone National Park, the world's first national park, was estaDiished Dy an act of Congress in 1872, with over 2,220,000
acres!

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

FRIDAY

What is green and sings?

Elvis Parsley!

SATURDAY
1

2

3

5

6

7

8

State Botanical Garden of Georgr.a Camp

9

10

1

12

13

14

15

Full Moon
(5 :21am )

30

31

That's Amazing! Did you know that some toads dig down into

garden beds and spend the winter in the soil?

:..l
the onth:
Lettuce can come in many shapes, sizes, and colors, just like tomatoes ! It can be green or red , sometimes speckled! The smooth , ruffled , or wavy leaves grows in heads that are tall and oblong, short and round, or wide and close to the ground. In Georgia, the seeds can be sown at the very end of
winter. Try planting many different types of lettuce in your garden!

Hi, kids! Take some advice from Dr. Arrow. If you want to keep your ~arden healthy, ~row a diversity of crops. After a season of tomato
~rowin~. plant lettuce the next year to keep disease populations low.

GARDEN LOG:

1. January is one of our coldest months

Spend this month recording the air .

temperature just like you did in Au t

Wh ' h
IC

day

was

the

warmest

and

gus

~hich was the coldest? Calculate the

difference between these two numb

and

w n't e

t
I

on

your

calendar.

ers

2. Ch.eck out your planting chart and
guides and start planning your spring garden!

Division 2: 1st and 2nd Grade 2nd Place: Erik Godbee
South Effingham Elementary, Guyton, GA

INGREDIENTS:
1 head of lettuce from your garden. 1 small bunch of parsley, cilantro, or other
herbs growing in your garden. ~ cup plain yogurt. 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon . 1 tsp. mustard. Sal t and pepper.

Recipe: Fresh lettuce and herb salad with homemade ranch
INSTRUCTIONS:
Rinse your herbs and lettuce, and set aside to dry. In a small bowl , mix together the yogurt, lemon and mustard . Add salt and
pepper to taste. Chop the dry lettuce and herbs into bite sized pieces, and place in a large
sa lad bowl. Pou r ~ the dressing over the salad and toss. Serve salad with the extra dressing.

SUNDAY

MONDAY

What did the salad greens say to the
hungry ki d?
We will fill your tummy if you lettu ce!

>

6

7

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

1

2

3

8

9

10

FRIDAY
4

SATURDAY
5

tlfN tictr ill 4flf
Colham Ferry Elementary

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

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26

27

28

29

30

31

Dr. Arrow is concerned about endanQered plants
and anima ls.

findley Oaks Elementary GARDEN NOTES

Did you know? Seed savers are people that help preserve the genetic diversity of crops by planting
older, heirloom varieties . Some communities have "seed swaps" where the savers trade their seeds with other gardeners.

I'm Old Man Spruce and I have been around a long time. My workers keep the air we need clean. You know that some garden plants, like broccoli, grow
best when the air is cool or even cold?

Have you ever eaten a flower before? If you 've eaten broccoli you have! The ~::;::.;~ broccoli crown that you eat is in fact a flower. Next time you have broccoli on your plate, look up close and see if you can spot the little flower buds!

GARDEN LOG:
1. Take a walk around your school site or b~ckyard and choose four different locations (forest, garden, swing set, stream,
etc.)..Ha~g an index card covered with
Vaseline In each of these sites. At the end of each week visit the sites. Which card
h:: has the most particles on it and which h
the least? Whi.ch location do you think the cleanest air? Record your observations.

2. Februa~y is a great time to plant seeds
for radishes, spinach and more. Record the dates that you plant seeds as well as the dates when the first leaves appear.

Recipe: erispy, cheesy broccoli

INGREDIENTS:
2 heads of broccoli, chopped into small florets and stem pieces.
1 cup of shredded cheese of your choice (cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan, etc.).
Olive or vegetable oil. Salt and pepper.

INSTRUCTIONS:
Set a medium pan of water to boil with about 2 inches of water, meanwhile, heat the oven to 350.
Once the water is boiling, put the broccoli in and steam with cover, just until the broccoli turns bright green. About 2 minutes (NO LONGER'! ).
Drain the broccoli and drizzle with oil. Spread out on a baking sheet and cover with shredded cheese.
Place in the oven for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Division 3: 3rd and 4th Grade 2nd Place:
Payton Lantrip Odum Elementary Schoo l, Jesup, GA

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

What kind of socks do you need to plant
broccoli?

m
~

~

Ga rden hose!

3

4

5

6

7

FRIDAY
1

SATURDAY
2

8

9

Russell Elementary

10

11

12

13

14

15

Arbor Day in Georgia

17

18

19

20

21

22

24

25

26

27

28

Full Moon
(3:26pm)

Did you know? Air pollutants, such as ozone produced by
car exhaust, can dama9e or even kill leaves.
-

16
23
Mountain Park Efementary
GARDEN NOTES

In my soil department, workers are busy all year ion~ . but especially in sprin~. Soils warm up and with the sprin~ rains, cold-blooded animals like earthworms and mites ~et extra busy. Di~ up
some soil and look carefully to see what is mavin~ around.

Just li ke our sweet potatoes, you won 't catch th is ve9etable 9rowin9 above 9round! That's because you eat the root of the carrot plant! Its bri9ht oran9e
color tells us that it is hi9h in vitamin A. which is 900d for your eyesi9ht.
Carrots taste 900d steamed, raw, or roasted, and they are one of the few ve9etables that 9ets sweeter when you cook it!

Oli Earthworm and his friends dig in the
soil; they make air spaces for plant roots.

GARDEN

1. March

L O G :

ts the month

tto

Warm

.

G arde

ners

When

the

. Sot/

starts

emperature to kn measure the soil

of Warm

ow When to I

t

Weather cro

p ant seeds

emperature and ps. Measure the .

does it ch

record it each d Sot/

the e d ange from the b . . ay. How

n critters

of the

in

v ,our

m~nth?
Sot/?

egtnntng to Did You fi d
n any

2 Create Your own

to make a c

compost! Learn h

Your

omp~t
librarv

Pt1e

by

Visitin

ow

C

" or search

9

.onstruct one in

tng the internet

Stte

a d n

start

Your add

back Yard

or

Sch

I

every da

tng Your ve

oo

Soil f, y to create rich d getab/e scraps

or Your garden! an nutritious

Recipe: Carrot Sticks with Dip

INGREDIENTS:
1-2 lbs of carrots.
Your choice of Dips: ranch dressing, peanut butter, hummus, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS:
Cut carrots into long sticks.
Put out bowls of your kids favorite dips, and enjoy the fresh sweetness of carrots!

Division 4: 5th Grade 2nd Place: Kalyn Humphries
Hamilton Elementary Hartsfield, GA

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

Fact: Althou9h most
carrots are oran9e, some varieties are white, red, or even purple!

~ How do you know if carrots
"@ m' are good for your eyes?

Have you ever seen a
rabbit with glasses?

3

4

5

6

7

FRIDAY
1

SATURDAY
2

tlfN ti~ ift llfiPilft
Benton Elementary

8

9

10

1

12

13

14

1b

16

17

18

19

20

2

24 31

25

Spring Equinox
(First Day of Spring)

26

27

Full Moon
(5 :27am )

28

)
That's Amazing! Soils are full of life. A cup of soil can contain 50,000
arthropods, 20 million protozoans, and 200 billion bacteria!
J
\

2L..

23

Washi ngton Park Elementary

GARDEN NOTES

29

30

, .....
0) ~~
~ A



Plant of the Month:

I'm G.B. Heron and !love to spend my time near the water. Alllivin~ thin~s are connected by water,
so I think my department is the most important. Did you know that strawberries are 90% water? Dry
a strawberry in the sun or an oven, and see how little it wei~hs at the end.

This sweet treat from the garden is an all -t ime favorite! The berries

start out white and ripen in the sun until they turn bright red . That's

nature's way of telling us that the fruit is sweet and ready to eat!

Grow your own strawberries in your garden or try picking your own ~N~ 1. Place a rain

at a berry farm. Make sure you pick extra to put in the freezer to

record the gauge in Your

make them last all summer long!

the r: . amount of . garden and

aln stor

ram for

A straight . ms throughout th each of a ruler ta -Sided p1asfic bottl e month.

good g Ped to the Sid e With

gauge aafutge. Don't forget e-~. makes a er you record th10 emPtY the

2. Your garde

e amount'

tast

n Should b

beenYhtreats'. Record WehPtroduclng some

arvesfin

a You h

garden th . g and eati

ave

IS month.

ng from Your

Division 2: 1st and 2nd Grade 3rd Place: Britney Hammonds, Pate's Creek Elementary Location: Stockbridge, GA

Recipe: Berry Fruit Salad

INGREDIENTS:
Strawberries. Other Berries. Plain or Vanil la Yogurt.

INSTRUCTIONS:
Wash and chop strawberries, drai n and place in bowl. Add other berries or fruit.
Spoon into bowls and top with yogurt and a sprinkle of cinnamon ... a delicious, healthy dessert!

Division 1: Kindergarten
3rd Place: Landan Garrett Mt. Vernon Elementary Gainesville, GA

SUNDAY

Fact: The strawberry is an unusual fruit - its' seeds are on the outside!

MONDAY
1

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

2

3

4

FRIDAY

SATURDAY
6

Nickajack Elementary

u

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

20

2

2

2

2

27

Earth Day

Full Moon
(3: 57pm)

2

2v

3

Mr. Dipper Bird is concerned about the

streams and waterways. Water covers over

75% of the Earth's surface and it is important

to all living things.

Did you know? It's smart to think ahead. Rain barrels can help capture water to nurture your garden plants during dry times.

What did the strawberry say -
to the other strawberry?

t O.

~

If you weren't so

~ - sweet we would

~

not be in this jam!

State Botanical Garden of Georoia
GARDEN NOTES



I'm Sol , the ~un and I work hard every day. Your 9arden wi ll 9row best in bri9ht sun, but hot temperatures also dry out the soil. In the hot summer, apply mulch to the soil to keep roots moist and cool. You can even compare the temperature of the soil in areas
with and without mulch.

Peas come in many different varieties- some you can pop in

your mouth with the shell on. Some you have to shell and eat

peas that are inside. Durin9 the month watch for your plants'
.. first flowers, that's how you know that peas are on the way!
When they come, try eatin9 them ri9ht off the vine in the 9arden. ,.~ They're sure to be sweet and crunchy!

1 Weath er I.S an . gardening. Plan Impor tant factor of sunlight ts need th . for

grow and ' Water; heat e rtght amounts
th is month~tay healthy_ 'k::d nutrients to

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garden .

ays that You

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Division 3: 3rd and 4th Grade 3rd Place: Nathan Duncan, St. Joseph Catholic School
Location: Athens, GA

Recipe: Sugar Snap Peas with Sesame Dressing

INGREDIENTS:
o lib sugar snap peas, trimmed. o 2 tbsp. rice vinegar.
o 1 tbsp. soy sauce. o 1 tbsp. sesame oil. o 1 tbsp. brown sugar.
o 1 tsp. salt. o ~ tsp. ground b lack pepper.

INSTRUCTIONS:
o Place a medium sauce pan on the stove to boil.
o When water is boiling , drop in the snap peas for 30
seconds, drain and rinse under cold water. o Mix all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl until blended, and
pour over the peas in a dish .

Division 4: 5th Grade 3rd Place: Andra Tudor SKA Ac: ademy of Art and Design
nooloo+h r:.l!t.

SUNDAY

MONDAY

W hat do ve~etables w ish for, more than anythi n~ else
in the w hole world?

TUESDAY
Peas on earth!

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

1

2

FRIDAY
3

SATURDAY
4

Sedalia Park Elementary

5

7

cJ

10

11

12

1C)

15

1

1

18

19

20

26

2

2

2~

2

2

3

24

2u

Full Moon
( 12:25am)
3

Colham Ferry Elementary GARDEN NOTES

Did you know? Early English colonists sailing to America brought dried peas with them as an essential food for the trip.

Attention K-5 Teachers!
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and The Environmental Resources Network, Inc. (T.E.R.N.) encourage you and your students to compete in the Twenty-First Annual Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest. This popular conservation art contest provides a unique opportunity for students to explore the wonders of Georgia's native plant and animal species through environmental artwork.

Native species are those that naturally occur in Georgia, unlike exotic species that were introduced from other places.They come in all shapes and sizes - from the large, moss-covered live oak tree of South Georgia (our State Tree) to the little grass frog, the smallest frog species in North America! There are approximately 3,600 species of nongame plants, 950 nongame vertebrate species and countless invertebrate species of nongame wildlife in Georgia . In fact, more than 95 % of Georgia's vertebrate wildlife species are considered nongame!

Start with a Local Contest at Your School
While following the Poster Contest Rules and Guidelines, your students will depict artistic drawings of their findings and will compete at the local level in a school-wide poster contest. First, second, and third place winners will be chosen from your school 's entries for the local level contest at your school. All participating students can receive place award ribbons and a Give Wildlife a Chance certificate. Participating schools will then choose one first place winner from each division and mail the winning entries to The State Botanical Garden of Georgia to compete in the state level contest. These entries will be comprised of four division categories described in the Poster Contest Rules and Guidelines section. Four state level winners will be chosen and presented awards after competition judging takes place.

Poster Contest Rules and Guidelines
Sponsorship and Judging The Twenty-First Annual Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest is sponsored by The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, The State Botanical of Georgia and The Environmental Resources Network, Inc. (T.E.R.N.). The theme changes yearly, though the contest is an ongoing educational effort to help child ren and teachers gain awareness of Georgia's native plants and animals. Artists, as well as wildlife and plant professionals, judge the contest entries based on artistic interpretation, originality, visual impact, and contest theme.

Eligibility

The contest is open to individual students (no group drawings) in Kindergarten through 51h grades. Home school groups, public schools, and private schools are encouraged to participate.

Schools/ groups may enter one poster from any or all divisions:

Division 1: Kindergarten Division 2: First and Second Grades

Division 3: Third and Fourth Grades Division 4: Fifth Grade

Each school/group may enter no more than a total of four posters to the state level contest (one per division).

Size and Format
Outside dimensions cannot exceed 17" x 22 " (vertically or horizontally)
Collages and other three-dimensional artwork are not suitable for this contest.
Please DO NOT use glue or staples,tag-board or on white art paper (no matting).
DO NOT FOLD. Submit art flat in a package or roll into a mailing tube. If you want the students' entries returned, you MUST include exact postage.
Contest Rules
1. While following the Poster Contest Rules and Guidelines, instruct your students to depict artistic drawings of their findings and arrange for a local competition at your school.
2. Each entry must depict at least one native, nongame plant and animal of Georgia . 3. First, second, and third place winners should be chosen at the local level (refer to Contest
Awards section).
4. All participating students can receive place award ribbons and a Give Wildlife a Chance certificate.
5. Only ONE school-wide winner from each division can be chosen to compete in the
state level contest atThe State Botanical Garden (refer to Eligibility section). State level entries are normally the artwork of the first place school winners.
6. All contest entries must adhere to the contest theme check www.georgiawi ld life.com and www.uga.edu/botgarden, for this year's theme.
7. Avoid the use of game species (*those legally hunted, trapped, or fished) such as deer, turkey, raccoon, bobcat, squirrel, and Canada geese.
8. Do not include pictures of exotic, zoo animals. 9. Do not include people as the main focus.
10. If necessary, please briefly describe the species depicted on the Poster Contest Entry Form.

For additional information and Entry Forms, please visit these websites: www.georgiawildlife.com and www.uga.edu/botgarden ,

Or contact: Kitty Spivey 229-227-522 or Cora Keber 706-542-6156

Kitty_Spivey@dnr.state.ga.us

ckeber@uga .edu

- fll MftMllf't 4P,ItftllMI ftlll:
Encouraging Scientific Study with In-School and After-School Partnerships
0ur home, our Garden Earth, is a treasure. Its ecosystems can provide valuable ecological services such as pollination, air and water purification, climate control, soil production, recycling, pest and disease control, food production, and a genetic library. These "free services" can be impacted by human activity and impaired by poo r societal choices.

Garden Earth Naturalists supports teachers and 4-H agents in extending science instruction through after-school clubs.
Garden Earth Naturalists (GEN) helps children (grades 3-5) understand the importance of these free services by studying, exploring and enhancing natural habitats on their school sites and in their surrounding communities.
Guiding questions for investigation include: tl What is the status of Earth 's life SLJpport functions on your after-school site? tl How can you investigate the life support functions on your site
or in your community?
tl How can you improve or restore the life support functions on
your site or in your community?
To learn about Pollination, children can perform these activities:
Suga's 5 Bees Puppet Show Pollination Game Pollination Relay Race Flower Inquiry: I wonder/ ID of
floral parts Insect Count and Flower
Observation
Garden Earth Naturalists helps children understand earth's ecosystems, value the services provided by these ecosystems, and take positive actions through stewardship and service learning projects to protect these ecosystems.

What club leaders say about GEN:
"Here at Fowler Drive we have had as many as 33 on the roster at a tim e. I still have a waiting list and students ask me every day if they can get in "science club." .. .. It's great to see students and teachers having "fun " doing science." (Halley Page, Fowler Drive Elementary, Clarke County)
''The training program has been great and a lot of fun! We participated in many of the hands-on activities just the way we would do them with the children at our school clubs. I was truly excited to be selected as a pilot instructor of the GEN program." Susan Goldman, Madison County Extension Agent
How can you or your school join the Garden Earth Naturalists?
A workshop, with sustained contact, will train and support teachers and paraprofessionals to implement GEN science clubs at schools. The workshop will be offered at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens, with follow-up at the participating schools. Participating schools receive a kit with supplies to implement the GEN activities. Participating teachers will receive a manual with all the GEN activities and can receive 3 PLU credits.
For more information about Garden Earth Naturalists contact:
tl Dr. Carol A. Hoffman, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia,
706-542-6015 hoffman @uga.edu
tl Ms. Anne Shenk, Director of Education
State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Univ. of Georgia, 706-542-6158 ashenk@uga.edu

Division 1: Kindergarten (August) 1st Place: Hallie Haggard Tiftarea Academy Chula, GA

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Division 1: Kindergarten (December) 2nd Place: Andrew Edwards Pike County Primary School Zebulon, GA

Division 3: Kindergarten (April) 3rd Place: Landan Garrett Mt. Vernon Elementary Gainesvil le, GA

Division 2: 1st and 2nd Grade (September) 1st Place: Daisa Hollenquest
West Clayton Elementary School College Park, GA

Division 2: 1st and 2nd Grade (January) 2nd Place: Erik Godbee
South Effingham Elementary Guyton, GA

Division 2: 1st and 2nd Grade (April) 3rd Place: Britney Ham monds Pate's Creek Elementary Stockbridge, GA

Division 3: 3rd and 4th Grade (October) 1st Place: Katelyn Mao
SKA Academy of Art and Design Duluth, GA

Division 3: 3rd and 4th Grade (February) 2nd Place: Payton Lantrip Odum Elementary School Jesup, GA

Division 3: 3rd and 4th Grade (May) 3rd Place: Nathan Duncan St. Joseph Catholic School Athens, GA

Division 4: Sth Grade (November) 1st Place: Megan Stephens Mt. Vernon Elementary Gainesville, GA

Division 4: Sth Grade (March) 2nd Place: Kalyn Humphries Hamilton Elementary Hartsfield, GA

Division 4: Sth Grade (May) 3rd Place: Andra Tudor
SKA Academy of Art and Design Duluth, GA

Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest Partners
Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division, Nongame Conservation Section
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia The Environmental Resources Network, Inc. (T.E.R.N.)

Garden Earth Naturalist Partners
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia Odum School of Ecology Georgia 4-H

AT TH UNIVEASITY Of GEORGIA

Earth Share
OF GEORGI A

JACKS ON ELEC TRIC MEM BERSHIP COR ORATION
OP ER A T I O N

Calendar Credits
Project Manager: Anne Shenk Text:
Carol Hoffman Instructor, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia Andie Bisceglia Education Specialist, State Botanical Garden of Georgia
Anne Shenk Director ofEducation, State Botanical Garden of Georgia Kitty Spivey Sr. Public Affairs Specialist, Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Artwork/Design/Layout: Sam Pittard and William Reeves
Many Thanks to our Sponsors
Jackson EMC The Environmental Resources Network, Inc. (T.E.R.N.)
The Teacher Quality Higher Education Program Earth Share
Friends of Geot"gie' Nongame Conservation Section

Copyright 2012 University of Georgia