Learning About Nature

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When students hike in the Oak Savanna, garden, and cook together, they cannot escape learning about the science of local plants!  As they hiked through the Oak Savanna, they learned to identify invasive plants such as garlic mustard and native plants such as wild bergamot, cup plant, and wild onion.  In the garden they learn that tomatoes and raspberries grow well in Wisconsin, whereas pineapples and starfruit cannot be grown in our outdoor space.  While we chopped basil from the garden to add into our homemade pizza sauce, students learned about the chemical reaction between the metal of the knife and the herb that turns basil black.  Check out the garlic mustard that students will be able to taste next spring but will also be taught to remove from our Oak Savanna:

Next year students will learn even more about our native plant species by carrying out surveys with our Natural Areas Manager.  This opportunity will give students interested in pursuing nature-based careers the base of knowledge they will need to learn everything they can about the great outdoors.  For those students who go into other professions, they will learn about nature and develop a conservation ethic.