nature - galls

Katie and Ben visited our classroom Tuesday morning to teach the children about galls through an entertaining puppet show and hands on exploration. We learned about the small grubs living - and eating - inside goldenrod galls. These grubs provide a food source for woodpeckers and hummingbirds. A woodpecker will make a small hole in a gall and eat the larvae living inside. Thank you Katie and Ben for yet another rich and engaging nature experience!

The children worked on scientific drawings of galls early in the morning and later revisited their work with the invitation; show what you learned. 

 

 

 

 

 

Kindergarteners embody the feeling of a grub inside a gall, curling up within their winter coat and nibbling on a carrot stick until finally - after almost an entire year - they emerge as adult flies!

 


Following snack, children use pictures and words to show what they learned during nature. The use of labels help to explain their growing knowledge about galls - notice the adult flies, hummingbirds, and woodpeckers! Also note the "zoomed in" picture of a gall ZM included in her drawing. Each child taped their work to our morning message, providing documentation of their learning as well as an opportunity to revisit our experience throughout the day!