Pollinator Learning Lab
This past fall, Lakeview students in grades 3-6 learned about pollinators by studying bees’ behavior in the pollinator plants right in their own garden! As the students explained, when the bees feed on the nectar and pollen, the pollen sticks to their bodies. As they move to the next plant, the pollen is transferred from the male parts of a flower to the female parts of a flower of the same species resulting in seed production. The students’ favorite plant to keep an eye on? The turtlehead flower (Chelone), as the bees squeeze themselves into the flower, wiggle around, and collect loads of pollen along the way before emerging in search of the next turtlehead flower to dive into!
The Lakeview Garden
The Lakeview Garden is a living classroom where students cultivate knowledge, curiosity, and a deep appreciation for the natural world. Through hands-on experiences, students embark on a journey of discovery blending traditional academic subjects like math and science with practical skills of gardening, sustainability, and ecological awareness.
Each fall and spring, students spend time in the garden observing, sketching, harvesting, playing cooperative games, sharing garden jobs, reading together, finding caterpillars, releasing butterflies and so much more!
The first week of school, we host a garden party for the whole school! This past fall, we ate our very own harvested cucumbers, tomatoes, and carrots with dip, played games, made new friends and got to know our new teachers.
Later in the fall, students harvest kale and apples and make healthy kale chips and pressed cider to share with our families at Fall Open House!
In the spring, students enjoy hundreds of tulips bursting forth in bloom from the bulbs they plant in the fall. They grow a variety of sunflowers, pumpkins, and morning glories from seeds under grow lights in the classroom. They then transplant and direct sow seeds into the garden once the soil warms up in early June, and come back in the fall to enjoy their bounty!