Making Summer School Fun

By Angie Clarke MMN 2021

Having to go to summer school – no fun, right? But at least there’s recess and your friends! So, you can just imagine my surprise when a hand full of 4th graders have chosen working in one of our pollinator gardens over playing at recess almost every day!

Back in the late fall, our 2nd grade classes worked with MDC and Courtney Green to plant seeds for a pollinator garden. The ground was tilled, the seeds scattered, and then we all waited. This spring, many of my school friends thought we had nothing but a pile of weeds coming up, but as the rain came down and spring progressed, everyone was in shock! What was growing was a large bed full of many native plants!

For summer school, we decided to start a Gardening Club every Tuesday morning. And what started out as a few mornings outside for about 30 minutes at a time has turned into a group of kids who beg to pull weeds at every recess! In the process, they have learned about crabgrass, nut sedge, and different types of clover. They have also learned how to identify Black-Eyed Susans, Queen Anne’s Lace, Coreopsis, Vervain, Milkweed, Bee Balm and more! We have also spent time learning about why these plants are so important as opposed to other things they might choose to plant instead. They get so excited each time they come across something they’ve never noticed before, and they have definitely learned that crabgrass is their nemesis. 

I seem to have the best nature encounters with kids during summer school. No one likes summer school, trust me, but it’s been fun to take advantage of these hot summer days to help kids learn about the natural world around them. They are curious and excited and just love that there’s an adult out there who encourages them to get dirty. If we have to be here, let’s at least make it fun!