HOW S YOUR SCHOOL S. by Vision CLASSROOMS

Transcription

1 HOW S YOUR SCHOOL S by Vision CLASSROOMS

2 GROW SOME GREEN FOR GROWING MINDS Hooray for plants! Plants aren t just nice to look at they actually make us feel good. Just a few plants can filter our air of toxins, such as paint fumes and air pollution. And when we have lots of plants of all different shapes and sizes around us, our feelings of relaxation, inspiration and positivity grow which is fantastic for growing minds. Children who are involved with plants from an early age also develop lifelong skills, from caring for nature, to sharing food and eating well, to teamwork and creativity.* We think all schools could do with more plants, so we ve put together this guide to help you green your school from the inside. *Source: gardening_for_children/ 34

3 CONTENTS 3 HEY SMARTY PLANTS! 4 1. MAKE A PLANT PLAN IT S A JUNGLE IN THERE Three steps to creating a classroom that s full of plants, learning and good green fun PICK YOUR PLANTS 3. GET PLANTING 35

4 HEY SMARTY PLANTS! Did you know that having plants around can actually help children learn? Studies show that plants have a calming effect and can help with concentration and memory retention. And when kids are involved in gardening, they learn how to care for plants, develop a love of nature, and learn teamwork. So, how do you turn your classroom green? IT S AS EASY AS 1, 2, Make a plant plan 2. Pick your plants 3. Get planting 3

5 Please print this page to make your plan. 1. MAKE A PLANT PLAN Note: To make it easy use 4 squares to represent 1m 2 Get the class to design what their new plant-filled room will look like. First things first, sketch out a bird s eye view of your classroom onto the grid. Now ask the kids to think about the kinds of plant homes they want pot plants and hanging baskets are the easiest to incorporate into busy classrooms. Finally, get everyone to cut out their plant homes and stick them where they want them to go. OPTIONAL: MAKE YOUR OWN PLANTERS If any parents are handy with power tools, you could make your own planter boxes, plant trolleys and herb crates one weekend. All the instructions for building them are at the back of this book. 4

6 2. PICK YOUR PLANTS MIX IT UP Did you know that plants do lots of different jobs? Some plants actually filter certain nasties out of the air. And all of them make us feel better, just by being there. By choosing lots of different plants of various shapes, sizes and colours, you can make your classroom a greener, cleaner, more awesome place to be. Give everyone in your class a plant to take care of. Have a look overleaf (ha!) for tips on the best plants to choose for kids. Ask every child to choose their favourite plant it will be theirs to look after. Consider if they could fundraise or get their parents to chip in to pay for it. Make sure the kids read how to care for their plants. Draw up a simple roster for watering and fertilising. 5

7 PERFECT PLANTS These plants thrive indoors and they re tough enough to go a weekend (or two) without water. They re also easy to find at most garden centres. They come recommended by the Nursery & Garden Industry Australia and the big kids at the University of Western Sydney. GREY STAR (Ctenanthe setosa) I m known for my wonderful tropical leaves, silvery green on top with rich purple underneath. I look great with plain green friends beside me. I like a bit of sun so keep me somewhere bright. Around $30 for a 20cm potted plant. PEACE LILY (Spathiphyllum species) I have lovely white, long-lasting flowers that bloom throughout the year, and glossy green leaves. I like to live on the drier-side so let my soil dry out a bit between watering and don t let me get waterlogged. Remove wilted flowers and foliage if I start looking messy. MOTHER IN LAW S TONGUE (Sansevieria species) I grow nice and straight and tall and I m actually a lovely plant despite my strange name. I can be up to 60cm tall depending on my variety. I m very adaptable, but please let me dry out between waterings, and avoid cold, drafty locations. Brrrr! ZANZIBAR (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) I m leafy and striking with thick stems for storing water in. I only need watering a few times a year. Never over-water me or sit me in a water tray. Urgh! Around $20 and up for a 14cm potted plant. CAST IRON PLANT (Aspidistra elatior) I m as tough as my name suggests. I ll handle pretty much whatever light and water you throw at me and I ll grow to about 60cm tall. I can be green or variegated. Remove my old leaves to keep me tidy. Around $30 for a 20cm potted plant. GREEN TIP Around $12 for a 140mm potted plant, though larger Around $30 for a 20cm potted plant. We all like liquid fertiliser every few weeks to keep us lush, or versions of me are controlled release fertiliser (Osmocote) every six months. also available. 6

8 NEED SOME MORE GREENSPIRATION? These plants would also make great classmates. Areca Palm Dracaena Janet Craig Golden Pothos Lady Palm Happy/Corn Plant And fuchsias make great basket plants! ALOE VERA (A. barbadensis Mill) I m best known for CHALK STICKS (Senecio serpens) I have chalky ZYGOCACTUS (Schlumbergera truncata) SILVER SPOONS (Kalanchoe bracteata) CENTURY PLANT (Agave species) the cooling jelly in my leaves, which is great for burns, insect bites, rashes and maybe even grazed knees! I love sunshine so keep me somewhere bright, and let me dry out between waterings. coloured fingers and I m great for creating contrast against bright green neighbours. I love the sun so keep me near a window, and maybe give me a holiday outside sometimes. Don t let me get waterlogged! I have lovely bright flowers and I m great for filling your hanging baskets. Water me when I m dry and pinch off my flowers when they re finished. I m not a huge fan of direct sunlight. I have curious spoon shaped leaves and colourful, long-lasting flowers. I m also an excellent hanging plant. I love warm, sunny spots and maths problems. Don t water me too much over winter. I m known for my crown of swordshaped leaves. I also produce a spire of cup-shaped flowers. Cool, huh? I love lots of sunlight and very well-drained soil that dries out between watering. Around $16 for a 15cm pot. Around $10 for a 12cm pot. Around $10 for a 12cm pot. Around $15 for a 15cm pot. Around $16 for a 15cm pot. 7

9 3. GET PLANTING POTTED PLANTS You ll need to re-pot your plants to give them some room to grow. Take a new pot and put half a finger of potting mix in the bottom. Next, take the plant from its old pot and place it in the new pot. You can loosen the roots a little if you like. Now fill up all the space around the plant with more potting mix and push it down, so it s hard like soil. Add more potting mix if you need to, and give it a good water. All done? See if anyone else needs some help with theirs. HANGING BASKETS Group smaller plants like succulents together in these cosy homes. Choose lightweight, wellinsulated baskets that don t dry plants out too quickly. Wire baskets with pre-formed coconut fibre liners are great. Fill the basket with potting mix, flatten it out and then dig a little well for each plant. Pop in your plant and fill around it with more potting mix. Don t pack it in too tight you want the roots to be able to breath. Once all your plants are in, give them a good water. 8

10 TA-DA! Give yourselves a pat on the back. Now all you need to do is drop your plants in the classroom, and let those hanging baskets hang out. SEE, IT S PRETTY EASY TURNING YOUR CLASSROOM GREEN AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3. 9

11 NOW YOU RE ONE STEP CLOSER TO A PERFECT FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT US AT HELLO@202020VISION.COM.AU