Journey North International Plant Study Spring 2008

Tulip Test Gardens

Update: March 13, 2008

Today's Report Includes:

Data, Maps, and Highlights >>
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Explore: Can You See Them Grow? >>
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Try This: How Much Do You Notice? >>
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News: From a Journey North Garden >>
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Links: This Week's Tulip Garden Resources >>

Gardeners at Torrey Pines Elementary care for their own tulips.

Data, Maps, and Highlights: Signs of Spring

The Irish aren’t the only ones celebrating green as St. Patrick's Day nears. We have an incredible 169 GREEN gardens showing on the map! Here are some reports shared this week:

"The snow melted. Some tulips emerged. We were happy and surprised! We screamed and we ran in the mud. Only one emerged in our experimental garden. We think it's because it is not sunny there, and we planted our bulbs all different ways." Williamsport, PA 03/06/08

"On Saturday it snowed all day. But then it began melting on Sunday. We have had a real winter here, so I am surprised our tulips emerged so early." Lexington, KY 03/10/08

	This Week's Map >> Data (for your map) >> Handout: Making Sense of Tulip Garden Maps >>
This Week's Map >>		This Week's Map Question Handout >>

Explore: Can You See Them Grow?

Photo: Gayle McGehee

There is an old saying in the Midwest where corn is a very big and popular crop to grow. In the summer when it’s really warm and the fields have ample moisture (perfect conditions) the farmers say, “Today I can see the corn grow!”

Like corn, tulip plants need certain conditions and factors to grow. Can you think of some of them? When all these are present the plant will grow the best. If all of them aren’t present what might happen to the plant?

This spring as you observe your tulips and keep a record of their growth make note of recent conditions. Record temperatures and rainfall. As you measure your plants be alert to conditions that could affect their growth. Use this growth chart to help organize your work.

Try This: How Much Do You Notice?

Slow down a little to really see the flowers! In this exercise you may be surprised at how much you notice.

Here are pictures of 2 flowers. They might both be found in the same family picture album. In fact they ARE both in the same plant family. One may look familiar to you because it is a Red Emperor tulip!

Try This!
Observe the flowers closely and write as many details as you can. Then find out what we see >>

News: From a Journey North Garden

While we are waiting for spring to spread across the map we’ll focus on a special garden.

At Torrey Pines Elementary, La Jolla, CA, Ms. Isom organized the gardening projects. She writes,

"We have two different locations for our gardens because we have many different teams (k-3) of gardeners this year! Our latest garden that's emerging and blooming belongs to our Kindergartners. Their garden is blooming later because we planted later in the month. Each pair of gardeners planted their own bulb and have been responsible for watering it and making sure it has everything it needs to survive. Everyone, young and old, loves our bright red tulips!!"

Planting Day

Blooming Garden

Resources: This Week's Tulip Garden Resources

Making Tulip Books: Creative Assessment for Elementary Students >>
Useful Chart: How Does Your Garden Grow >>
Monitoring Weather: Tulips and Temperatures: Is this a Normal Spring? >>
Helpful Weather Links: Climate Weather and Seasons >>
Tulip Garden Journals (click-and-print) >>

Try this creative assessment (K-2) >>

More Journey North Lessons and Teaching Ideas!

The Next Tulip Garden Update Will Be Posted on March 20, 2008