​Native Nourishment

Fourth graders study early California history, which works well with our native plants and animals curriculum.  Last week we were busy identifying and documenting native Long Beach plants, which we’ve been working with students to restore in several local school gardens.  We also performed our favorite no-rehearse play about the Iroquois Three Sisters Garden of corn, beans, and squash.  This is a playful way for students to learn how sometimes very different plants work better together than they do separately.  It’s a celebration of food diversity, and a reminder that careful observation of and interaction with plants can lead to new and exciting discoveries.  Plants have a lot to teach us, if we just learn how to listen.  And because a play is better with popcorn, we showed students how the flint corn we grew last Fall can turn into popcorn right before our eyes.

---