Earth Day

April 22, 2020

Today marks 50 years of Earth Day.  It is an annual event celebrated around the world on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, but it now includes events in more than 193 countries.

Take some time today to be in nature.  It could be doing some clean up around the yard, picking up garbage at a park or maybe it is just going the pace of a small child and truly looking at the gift nature gives. 

As I was working in the yard this past weekend, I was rather irritated by the dry thistle plant that I kept coming across. 

Thistle Plant

The seeds kept sticking to me, they got all over Dusty's fur and somehow ended up attached to the carpet in the living room. I couldn't even vacuum the seeds up because they stuck to the roller on the vacuum cleaner!  UGH! I cannot tell you how much time I spent picking the seeds out of Dusty's fur, pinching them out of the carpet and then taking the vacuum cleaner apart to get them off the roller. 

I don't know if it is because I am a teacher in my heart of hearts or not, but as I was cleaning up this thistle seed mess, it dawned on me how amazing nature is. 

In the Montessori classroom we have an impressionistic chart that represents how seeds travel. (Pictured here is the black and white version.) The airplane represents see dispersal by means of animals. The seeds is protected by a special shell and passes through the digestive tract of the animal and expelled through waste.
The boat illustrates how some seeds are transported on streams or rivers.  The volcano illustrates that some seeds explode our of a pod and disperse that way. The parachutes represent seeds that are dispersed by 'wings', they get caught in the wind and land elsewhere. Lastly, the car illustrates how some seeds have spines to hooks that adhere to fur or clothing and are transported in that way.

Now, while I do not enjoy being the transporter of the thistle seed, I must admit to the cleverness of Mother Nature...she was using me as a conduit to transport and transplant the Thistle plant.  

Mother Nature never ceases to amaze....Take some time today to be amazed!

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Today we have two shorter books read aloud by Ms. Rose Ann

Fishes by Brain Wildsmith

Do you Want to be My Friend by Eric Carle








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And a few pictures from our homes within the SJB Community: