A New Year for Exploring

December 15, 2017 by Mary Hosier

It will soon be a new calendar year. What kinds of things will you wonder about in 2018?

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

It’s been a exciting time of seasonal change in the Northern Hemisphere. Surprise snowfall blanketed the southern USA and as the year end approaches much of the 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 237 Test Gardens planted across the Northern Hemisphere! Also watch the map for more warm-region gardens to appear in early January 2018.