A New Year for Exploring

January 1, 2019 by Nancy Sheehan

It's a new calendar year! What kinds of things will you wonder about in 2019?

Mrs. Weaver's class in Independence, Kansas wondered, "What would happen if we froze the bulbs, then planted them?"

It is an exciting time of seasonal change in the Northern Hemisphere. Surprise snowfall blanketed the southern USA and with the the new year much of northern North America is experiencing cold and snow. With all these changes above ground we wonder how the tulips are doing underground?

Student-posed questions are central to the learning process throughout the Test Garden investigation. Gather your questions about tulips, gardens, planting experiments, daylight, and climate.

  • Are my tulips growing?
  • Are my tulips sleeping?
  • What is happening underground?
  • Where on the map will the first gardens emerge?

Exploring with "Wonder Rings"

Throughout the winter months and into spring, build your own set of questions and wonderings. Record everything in your own 'Wonder Ring." As the seasons change, add more questions and explore possible answers.

Time to celebrate over 176 Test Gardens planted across the Northern Hemisphere! Also watch the map for more warm-region gardens to appear in early 2019.