Squash in. the Schoolyard by Susan Blackaby Build Vocabulary. Online Leveled Books H O UG H T O N MIF F L IN H ARCO URT

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1 Squash in Level: N DRA: 34 Science Strategy: Monitor/Clarify Word Count: 620 the Schoolyard by Susan Blackaby Build Vocabulary HOUGHTON MIFFLIN Online Leveled Books H O UG H T O N MIF F L IN H ARCO URT 4_253244_BL_VRSE_CVR_L15_Squash.indd 1 3/3/10 3:35:59 PM

2 Squash in the Schoolyard by Susan Blackaby PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS: 3 (b) Harcourt; 4 (br) Photodisc, Inc.; 5 (bl) Photodisc, Inc.; 6 (b) Photodisc, Inc.; 7 (t) Photodisc, Inc.; 12 (b) MedioImages; 14 (br) Getty Images. All other photos Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishers Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law. Requests for permission to make copies of any part of the work should be addressed to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt School Publishers, Attn: Permissions, 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, Florida Printed in China ISBN-10: ISBN-13: If you have received these materials as examination copies free of charge, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt School Publishers retains title to the materials and they may not be resold. Resale of examination copies is strictly prohibited. Possession of this publication in print format does not entitle users to convert this publication, or any portion of it, into electronic format.

3 Table of Contents Planning to Plant... 4 The Three Sisters... 6 Getting Rid of Weeds Pest Control Goodbye, Birds Habitat Helpers Enjoy!

4 Planning and taking care of a schoolyard garden is a good way to learn ecology. In a garden, you can study plants, insects, wildlife, and weather. You can study all of these subjects while you grow your own lunch. 3

5 Planning to Plant To get started, ask the principal where you can set up your garden. You do not need a vast, empty space. If there isn t room for a big fenced plot, you can use large pots, tubs, troughs, and barrels. These containers are great for growing tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, and peas. If you do have space, you can prepare the beds for a variety of crops. You get to use tools when you work in a garden. 4

6 A garden needs three key things. First, it needs plenty of sunshine. Plants cannot grow unless they have energy from the sun. Second, it needs a source for water. Make sure there is a faucet handy for your hose hook-up. Third, it needs good soil. Planting mix for vegetables is rich in nutrients to grow healthy plants. Neighbors and parents can donate tools and help. Your school parent club may help pay for seeds from the garden supply store, once you decide what to plant. watering jug 5

7 The Three Sisters Corn, beans, and squash are the perfect trio in any garden. Native North Americans called these plants the Three Sisters. People have been planting these three species together for centuries. These plants affect each other in good ways. Including these plants in your garden is a good start. Plants take root from a seed as they grow. Bean seed 6

8 Corn stalks can be taller than people. As the plants grow, the Three Sisters work together. Train the bean plants to climb directly up the corn stalks. The tall corn stalks will support them. The roots of the bean plants produce nitrogen. Nitrogen helps the soil. Nitrogen helps feed the corn stalks. 7

9 Around the base of the corn and the beans, the squash plants will spread over the ground. The big leaves of the squash plants provide shade. They help the soil stay moist. They help keep weeds from sprouting. They help keep pests away. A healthy garden looks good. 8

10 Many different types of seeds are available at garden shops. In lots of places, you can plant vegetables to harvest year-round. Find out what grows best in your area. Plant carrots, turnips, lettuce, and broccoli in September. Plant rhubarb and artichokes in March. Plant the Three Sisters in May. Plant vegetables you think you don t like. Plant vegetables you think you won t eat. You ll be surprised how good things taste when you grow them yourself! 9

11 Getting Rid of Weeds You will need to work through the summer to keep the garden watered and weeded. If you make weeding a habit, it won t get out of hand. If you let weeds get out of hand, weeding will seem like a chore. Do a little weeding every day as you check to see how your plants and their habitat are doing. A hoe is one of the most useful garden tools. 10

12 Pest Control Six-legged and four-legged and winged creatures need to eat, too. Your garden is going to be a favorite spot for all kinds of creatures. Some of these creatures can cause a lot of damage. You can find natural ways to take care of small hungry organisms in your garden. DDT Pesticides get rid of bad bugs. However, some pesticides can do more harm than good. In 1972, the pesticide DDT was banned. It could no longer be used to control pests. Studies showed that traces of DDT got passed up the food chain. Even tiny amounts posed big health and environmental risks. 11

13 Goodbye, Birds Make a scarecrow, get some rubber snakes, or set up a big plastic owl. These will fool the birds and make them think twice before they perch on your plants. Cover beds with screens. Screens protect newly planted seeds from being eaten by birds. Plants need radiation from the sun in order to grow. They use light energy to make their own food. However, plants can wilt in the heat. Scarecrows look funny, but they work well! 12

14 Habitat Helpers Keeping birds away from plants can be hard. Keeping insects away can be harder. Bugs are very small and very pesky. But not all bugs are bad bugs. Some bugs, such as ladybugs, are good bugs. You can buy ladybugs by the carton to release in your garden. Ladybugs will eat bad insects. Toads eat bad insects, too. A toad can live under an overturned flowerpot. A flowerpot house and a dish of water will keep your garden toad happy. Ladybugs are very useful insects. 13

15 Plant things that pests don t like. Beetles and slugs don t like sage and parsley. Mice don t like lavender. Ants and fleas don t like mint. Tomato-eating worms don t like marigolds. Planting herbs and flowers will make your garden pretty and help keep it pest free. Enjoy! Spending time in a garden is relaxing and interesting. Gardening gives you lots of things to think about. The vegetables in your schoolyard garden will feed your head while they also feed your body! You ll be surprised at how many different types of plants can be grown in a garden. 14

16 Responding TARGET VOCABULARY Word Builder Make a Word Web to show things that you find in a garden habitat. What organisms live there? What organisms grow there? Copy and complete the chart below. toad? habitat?? Write About It Text to Self Taking care of a garden is a lot of fun. Write a paragraph to describe a garden you have visited or a plan for a garden you would like to have. Include at least four words from the Word Builder in your description. 15

17 TARGET VOCABULARY affect banned directly habitats organisms radiation species traces variety vast TARGET STRATEGY Monitor/Clarify Notice what is confusing as you read. Find ways to understand it. Look in animals favorite places/you will see their tracks and. 16

18 Squash in Level: N DRA: 34 Science Strategy: Monitor/Clarify Word Count: 620 the Schoolyard by Susan Blackaby Build Vocabulary HOUGHTON MIFFLIN Online Leveled Books H O UG H T O N MIF F L IN H ARCO URT 4_253244_BL_VRSE_CVR_L15_Squash.indd 1 3/3/10 3:35:59 PM