First Grade Scientists
Students do field work collecting spores.
In late September, our first-graders used their Science Lab time the way real scientists do: outside, looking closely, and taking only what they needed. Science Specialist Deborah Landon brought the class to the fern garden behind the Hakimi Amphitheater to collect spores.
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Spores are the tiny packages ferns use instead of seeds. They ride the wind, and they are easy to miss unless you know where to look. On a mature fern they gather in little clusters on the underside of the fronds — brown dots you can find if you turn a leaf over.
The students combed through the ferns, checking the undersides for fronds that looked ready. They clipped a few, carried them back to their clipboards, and used magnifying glasses to study the clusters up close. A piece of tape let them press a small sample onto the page and keep it. Ms. Landon reminded them that scientists do not take the whole plant. A small sample is enough.
"The students learned that to study something, scientists only need to take a small sample!" Ms. Landon said. "They learned how to spot spores on ferns and take samples using tape."
The students combed through the ferns, checking the undersides for fronds that looked ready. They clipped a few, carried them back to their clipboards, and used magnifying glasses to study the clusters up close. A piece of tape let them press a small sample onto the page and keep it. Ms. Landon reminded them that scientists do not take the whole plant. A small sample is enough.
"The students learned that to study something, scientists only need to take a small sample!" Ms. Landon said. "They learned how to spot spores on ferns and take samples using tape."
It was a perfect September in Florida morning, warm and sunny — a good day to be outside with a magnifying glass.
“There's nothing more exciting than seeing the joy on a child's face when they make a discovery of something so simple that's been right there under their nose, or, in this case, under the leaves of a fern!” said Ms. Landon.
Jacksonville Country Day School
Located in Jacksonville, FL, Jacksonville Country Day School is a private school for Pre-K 3 through 5th grade. JCDS prepares students for a healthy and productive lifetime of intellectual exploration, character development, and social responsibility.
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