tools for teachers curriculum to enhance your ield...

Bok Tower Gardens - Tools for Teachers Curriculum – K-2 1 www.boktowergardens.org

TOOLS FOR TEACHERS

CURRICULUM TO ENHANCE YOUR FIELD TRIP EXPERIENCE GRADES K-2


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page 3 Welcome to Bok Tower Gardens Page 4 Overview of Bok Tower Gardens Page 5 Planning a Field Trip to the Gardens Page 6 Pre-Visit Activities Points of Interest at Bok Tower Gardens Composition of the Tower/Tower Mosaics Reading Passages: Bertie the Squirrel & The Landlord Wildlife Tally Page 18 Activities to Include During Your Visit Points of Interest at Bok Tower Gardens Observing Pollinators 0 Post-Visit Activities Reading Passage Creating Art – Decorative Tiles & Fish Kites Page 26 Digging Deeper with Classroom Gardening & Florida Conservation Page 27 Post-Visit Questionnaire


WELCOME TO BOK TOWER GARDENS! A National Historic Landmark, Bok Tower Gardens, was dedicated in 1929 as a gift to America from Edward W. Bok. Bok lived by the words of his grandmother, “Make you the world a bit better or more beautiful because you have lived in it.” In creating Bok Tower Gardens, Edward Bok was motivated with the belief that we, as human beings, have the opportunity to learn and enrich our lives by the simple idea that beauty is all around us. Educational Mission: The mission of the Garden Campus is to connect and engage learners of all ages in quality programming that creates appreciation, knowledge and awareness of the environment, art, history and culture. Bok Tower Gardens Educational Values, The Five A’s: Authentic, Engaging Experiences Academic Excellence, Integrity & Respect Accessibility for All Audiences Advocacy of Relevant Education Alliance of Collaborative Partnerships Tools for Teacher Curriculum Guide: This guide was created as a foundation of learning for your students before, during and after their visit to the Gardens. It will help them explore, discover and understand the Gardens beauty, history, nature and art. The curriculum cover: Science & Nature, Visual & Performance Arts, and Culture & History. The lessons in this program correlate with the Sunshine State Standards and the Polk County Learning Maps. These are indicated with each lesson. At the Gardens, students can engage in the following activities, depending on your specific field trip: The Gardens - Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., the gardens offer tranquil resting places,

shady recesses, picturesque vistas, expansive splashes of colors, ponds, Florida wildlife and natural settings as well as the unique opportunity to see endangered plants found along the Lake Wales Ridge and nowhere else in the world.

The Carillon Tower – The 205-foot Neo-Gothic and art deco carillon tower is one of the finest works of architecture in America. Students can hear the 60-bell carillon throughout the day every half hour.

Pinewood Estate - Guided tours of the 1930’s Mediterranean-style Pinewood Estate allows your students to experience the luxurious lifestyle of C. Austin Buck, an early 20th century industrialist.

The Visitor Center – Design for large groups, the Visitor Center features the orientation theatre, historical museum, café and gift shop. Here your students can explore and delve into the fascinating history and life of Edward W. Bok, learn about the Gardens creation, and discover first-hand about the craftsmanship of the carillon tower and bells.


AN OVERVIEW OF BOK TOWER GARDENS

Bok Tower Gardens sits atop Iron Mountain. The grounds consist of the gardens, citrus groves, grass fields, a wildlife pond and the Pine Ridge Nature Preserve. When Edward Bok purchased this land, he envisioned a special place to conserve the beauty found in nature, wildlife and plants. Since 1929, our grounds have been cared for to protect the beauty and nature for the enjoyment of a diverse public audience.

The Gardens are a man-made landscape of native and exotic plants:

Florida native plants and trees include live oak, magnolia, longleaf pine and the sabal or cabbage palm tree.

Exotic or non-native plants that come from other parts of the world include azaleas, philodendron, camellias and camphor trees.

Rocks and minerals found in the Gardens:

Etowah (Georgia) marble and Florida coquina were used to build the Tower.

Coral stone covers the floor of the Exedra by the overlook. The Exedra is made of same marble as the Tower.

Florida capstone, a type of limestone, can be found in various locations in the gardens and around the reflection pool.

Fish and plants in specific areas of interest:

The fish in the moat are Japanese koi. This is a type of golden carp.

The plants in the water around the moat are philodendron, water iris, water lilies, spider lilies and papyrus.

The fish in the Window-By-The-Pond are bass, tilapia, mosquito fish, bluegill and shellcracker.

The Pine Ridge Nature Preserve is a diverse sandhill habitat with plant and tree species including long leaf pine, turkey oak, wire grass, lopsided Indian grass and wildflowers.

The Endangered Plant Garden showcases rare Florida native plants. The plants within the circular bed are all federally listed as being globally threatened or endangered. Plants surrounding the outside of the circular bed are native grasses and wildflowers that grow in association with the rare species.

The State of Florida symbols you can find in the Gardens:

State Tree - Cabbage or Sabal palm

State Flower – Orange Blossom

State Freshwater Fish – Largemouth Bass

State Bird – Mockingbird

State Butterfly – Zebra Longwing

State Wildflower – Coreopsis


PLANNING A TRIP TO BOK TOWER GARDENS Registration & Information

When you’re ready to register for a field trip please provide us with the following: o Program name, name of school and contact, school address, phone number, email,

number of students, grade level and arrival date and time

Make your reservation at least two weeks in advance by contacting Bok Tower Gardens at 863.332.0742 or [email protected].

Reservations are required for groups of 10 or more

Admission for school groups is based on the field trip selected. Two chaperones per 15 students are required and are admitted free of charge with your group. Additional chaperones are welcome with paid admission.

Complete Pre-Visit Activities in the Tools for Teachers Curriculum Guide.

The Gardens encourages your students to wear nametags, school/camp t-shirts, clothing appropriate for the weather and closed-toe .shoes.

All field trips are approximately 1.5 – 2 hours. Day of the Trip

Upon arrival, check in at the front entrance gate and then have the buses drop off the students at the Visitor Center. Complimentary vehicle and Bus parking is in Lane 9.

One total payment is due on the day of your visit (check, credit card, cash or P.O.)

All field trips include the use of picnic areas – complete with large sandbox, vine-covered tunnel and bamboo tree house.

We encourage your students to visit the Blue Palmetto Café and/or the Tower & Garden Gift Shop. The gift shop has a great selection of items for children for $5 or less. It’s a great way for the children to purchase a souvenir of their trip.

Garden Etiquette at Bok Tower Gardens

Please remind your students to:

Respect the peace and quiet of the Gardens

Remember to walk along the paths

Put all litter into the trash containers

Do not feed or pretend to feed the squirrels

Do not pick plants or frighten wildlife Please remind your chaperones to:

Stay with the students at all times

Escort the students to the restrooms

Remind the students to respect the peace and quiet of the Gardens

mailto:[email protected]


PRE-VISIT ACTIVITIES Activity One: Bok Tower Gardens Points of Interest

The Singing Tower When you drive into Lake Wales from any direction, you can see the Tower rise out of the landscape. The Tower contains a 60-bell carillon, which can be heard every half hour. The main purpose of the Tower is to be a centerpiece for the gardens and to house the carillon. Materials for the Tower consist of Florida coquina stone and pink and gray marble from Georgia. Motifs depicted in the stone sculpture and ceramic tiles are based on southern animal and plant life. With hints of neo-Gothic, the Tower is an example of art deco design. The lines and the arched windows are neo-Gothic while the tile and sculpture are Art Deco style. The carillon fills the upper third of the tower. The bell chamber is enclosed by eight large, tiled grilles which let music/sound travel out into the Gardens. At the top level is the bell chamber. Directly below the carillon is the playing room which houses the keyboard. The carillon keyboard resembles a piano with handle-like keys. Steel cables connect the keys and bell clappers. When a key is struck, the cable tightens and forces the clapper to strike the bell. You can see the original keyboard in the Visitor Center historical museum. There are 60 bells ranging from 12 pounds (the highest pitch) to 22,300 pounds (the lowest pitch). The bells were cast by John Taylor and Company, Ltd., of Loughborough, England in 1928.

The Gardens The meandering paths of the Gardens serve as a refuge for people, plants and animals and allow visitors the opportunity to explore and find nature at its best. The following features are found in the Gardens:

Visitor Center orientation theater & historical museum—learn the history of the Gardens and Edward Bok

The moat around the Tower—look for Japanese koi and observe the beauty of the Tower.

The Reflection Pool—marvel at the reflection of the Tower at the end of the pool.

Window by the Pond—sit back and watch wildlife come and go from the pond. The Exedra—look out to the west and see for miles at the highest point in peninsular Florida.

Japanese Lantern—made of stone with dove carvings, it is a tribute to Edward Bok and reflects his interest for world peace. It was a gift from his personal assistant who was Japanese.

Pinewood Estate—explore Pinewood Estate’s beautiful gardens and 20 room Mediterranean-style mansion built in the early 1930s.

Endangered Plant Garden—learn about the rare flora of our state.

Pine Ridge Preserve—experience this natural Longleaf Pine/Turkey Oak habitat on a 3/4-mile trail.

Bok Tower Gardens has had four musicians at the helm of the carillon in its history. These include:

Mr. Geert D’hollander (pictured) is currently the resident carillonneur at Bok

Tower Gardens.

Mr. William De Turk, the third resident carillonneur,played from 2004-2012.

Mr. Milford Myhre, the second resident carillonneur, played from 1968-2004.

Mr. Anton Brees, the first carillonneur, served from 1928 until 1967.


Pre-Visit Activities Activity One: Bok Tower Gardens Points of Interest

1. Review the information on page 6 with the students either by reading aloud to them or having

them read in small groups. 2. Distribute to each student or small groups of students, a map of Bok Tower Gardens (page 8). 3. As a class, view the map. 4. Using a highlighting marker, allow

students to highlight areas that interest them.

5. Have students pick three of the areas they highlighted and write down what they think they will see in each of those areas.

6. Have students draw animals onto the map that they think they will see.

7. As a group, discuss each student’s predictions of what they will see at Bok Tower Gardens.

8. Practice finding: a. The shortest path from the

Visitor Center to the Tower. b. The shortest path from the

parking lot to the reflection pool.

c. The longest path from The Tower to the Window by the Pond.

Sunshine State Standards covered in this lesson

include:

SS.K.G.1.1: Describe the relative location of people, places,

and things by using positional words.

SS.1.G.1.1: Use physical and political/cultural maps to

locate places in Florida.

SS.2.G.1.1: Use different types of maps (political, physical,

and thematic) to identify map elements.

Polk County Learning Maps covered in this lesson

include:

Social Studies/Globe & Map Skills

Key Learning: Gaining map skills and becoming familiar with

geography helps us gain world perspective.

Key Learning: Maps and globes are useful in identifying unique

characteristics of a place or region on earth.

Social Studies/Global Beliefs

Essential Question: How are maps useful in identifying the

unique characteristics of a place or region on earth?


1. Using a highlighting marker, highlight areas that interest you. 2. Pick three of the areas you highlighted and write what you think you will see in each of

these areas. 3. Draw animals onto the map that you think you will see.

The Tower

Reflection

Pool

Visitor Center Window by the

Pond

The Exedra

Moat

Pinewood Estate

Pine Ridge Nature Trail

Japanese

Lantern

Activity One: Bok Tower Gardens Points of Interest


Pre-Visit Activities Activity Two: Composition of the Tower Materials for the Tower consist of Florida coquina stone and pink and gray marble from Georgia. Motifs depicted in the stone sculpture and ceramic tiles are based on southern animal and plant life. The scheme for the sculptures and grille work is mostly birds and plants with a few other forms of wildlife depicted. Besides various flowers and trees, you can find cranes, herons, eagles, seahorses, jellyfish, fin fish, pelicans, flamingos, geese, swans, fox, storks, tortoise, hare, baboons, Adam and Eve, and the serpent.

This activity allows students to create a paper mosaic of plants, trees and birds similar to the massive mosaic-tiled grilles attached over the bell chamber openings in the upper third of the Tower. The colorful tiles found only in the top third of the Tower were designed by J. H. Dulles Allen depicting the perfect balance in nature, species and gender. A tree is depicted in the center of each grille - The Tree of Life. Different wildlife surrounds the tree in different grilles.

1. Distribute copies of the Tower images on page 10 or allow groups of students to view them on a computer.

2. Give each student a pair of scissors, piece of chalk and a 9" by 12" piece of black construction paper.

3. Fold paper horizontally and hold by the fold. Take scissors and cut to make half of a Gothic window.

4. Open paper. Draw lightly with chalk: birds, animals, fish or plants in their surroundings.

5. Have students select construction paper in colors they will need for their objects.

Students will cut paper into small pieces and fill their objects letting the black show between pieces. The negative spaces around their objects should remain black.


include:

VA.A.1.1

The student understands and applies media, techniques,

and processes.

VA.E.1.1

The student makes connections between the visual arts,

other disciplines, and the real world.


include:

Visual Art/Space, Pattern, Texture

Essential Questions:

How do you use space, pattern and texture in

artwork?

What is the difference between smooth and rough

texture?

How can solid shapes overlap?

How can texture create a rough or smooth

appearance?


PRE-VISIT ACTIVITIES Activity Two: Composition of the Tower

The Tree of Life is the center of each tiled grilled. The black space behind each grille is open space.

Picture on left: Tree of Life with blue baboons.

Picture on right: 3 different grilles on one side of the Tower.


PRE-VISIT ACTIVITIES Activity Three: Bertie the Squirrel and Other Reading Passages

Reading Passages: “Bertie Spends a Night in the Tower” by Patricia Hall “The Landlord” by David Price Directions:

1. Read the passage aloud to the students. 2. Complete the questions either individually or in small groups. 3. Share the answers with the class and facilitate further discussion with the students with:

Bertie Spends a Night in the Tower:

1. Do you have a favorite story that you like to hear over and over? 2. Who tells you this story? 3. Do you have a favorite hiding place to go to during a major thunderstorm? 4. Can you think of any other way Bertie could have tried to get out of the Tower?

The Landlord:

1. Discuss the term landlord. 2. Allow students who have seen gopher tortoises to share their experiences.


include:

LA.K.1.7.3: The student will retell the main idea or

essential message, identifying supporting details (e.g.,

who, what, when, where, why, how), and arranging

events in sequence.

LA.1.1.7.3: The student will retell the main idea or

essential message.

LA.2.1.7.3: The student will summarize information in

text, including but not limited to main idea, supporting

details, and connections between texts.


include:

Language Arts/Non-fiction

Nonfictional (informational) text provides me with

information that helps me understand the facts about a

topic.

Main ideas are used to understand and summarize text.

I can summarize what I read by describing the main

idea and supporting details.

Language Arts/Main Idea & Details

The use of main idea and supporting details deepens

student understanding of what they read and write.

Features of nonfiction text help students understand

what they read.

How do readers locate, record, and use information

from a variety of nonfiction text?


Adventures of Bertie, the Bok Tower Gardens Squirrel

Bertie Spends a Night in the Tower

One evening, the squirrels at Bok Tower Gardens were

resting in their nests high in the oak trees. Squirrel mothers were holding their babies. It was just about bedtime and the young squirrels were ready for a bedtime story.

One of the youngest squirrels asked Bertie to tell the story about the night he spent in Bok Tower. This was one of their favorite stories. It was a true story and Bertie had been so lucky to have had this exciting adventure.

Bertie started off the story with, “It was a…”, when a young squirrel piped in, “I know, I know! It was a dark and stormy night!”

Bertie smiled. Actually, it was a bright and sunny day but, it quickly turned into a dark, stormy and scary night! The young squirrels all inched closer to Bertie. If there is anything squirrels like better than dark and stormy night stories, it is dark, stormy and scary night stories.

On that bright and sunny day, Bertie was just checking under the mat in front of the great brass door of the Tower to see if there were any peanuts., There weren’t any and as he was deciding what to do next, the great brass door opened and humans began coming out. They were walking so fast and making so much noise, Bertie got confused while scrambling to get away and ran in the wrong direction and ended up inside the Tower! The humans didn’t see him and they shut the door! Bertie was locked in! It was very dark and he was all alone.

As Bertie looked around the room he saw a huge fireplace and some furniture for humans but nothing comfortable for a squirrel. The ceiling was as high as any tree! He could see no way out, so he began to go up the stairs. He climbed up and up and up and up! It was very dark and so quiet. Finally, he reached a door that was open just a tiny bit. When he went in, he could tell that it was the carillonneur’s office. The carillonneur is the person who plays the carillon bells in the Tower. There was recording equipment, music and even a piano. Then he noticed the room had a familiar smell. Peanuts! There was a bag of peanuts on the desk. Bertie didn’t think the carillonneur would mind if he helped himself so he had some for supper.

The room had windows and as he looked out he could see the trees far below. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find a way out. Next, he climbed some very narrow, twisty stairs. At the top of the stairs was a little room with the keyboard that plays the bells that make up the great carillon. As he was turning to go back out of the room, he accidently ran into some books that were were stacked up by the keyboard. When the pile of books fell, they fell onto the pedals of the keyboard and created a great clang by ringing three bells all at once.

All the young squirrels were so impressed! No squirrel had ever gotten the chance to play the bells before. At the time, Bertie wasn’t too excited, he was scared and the great sound from the bells made him scamper quickly out of the room.

Bertie cautiously headed back to the office. He found a sweater and made a soft nest with the sweater to

rest. It was very quiet in the Tower and Bertie was feeling very lonely.

Then, a great storm began. Poor Bertie had never heard such thunder. The wind howled through the Tower. Bertie did his best to remain brave.

Bertie spent the night under a desk, wrapped deep inside the sweater he had found. Only the tip of his bushy tail stuck out and after a great clap of thunder even that disappeared!

As soon as it was light, Bertie ran back downstairs and sat near the door. He knew he had to be quick when the humans came. When they opened the door, he ran out right under the humans’ feet as fast as he could.

The carillonneur and his assistant couldn’t believe that a squirrel had been in the Tower. They were worried about the damage he could have caused. They went in and checked the furniture on the first floor and found nothing wrong. Then they hurried up to the office and checked very carefully. Except for the sweater nest and a small pile of shells from peanuts, Bertie had been very neat. The carillonneur sat the fallen books back on the shelf where they belonged. It never occurred to him that a squirrel had played his carillon the night before.

Bertie ran and ran when he came out of the Tower! He was so happy to be back in the Gardens with his friends. Let the humans keep their houses—give him a giant oak tree to sleep in anytime!

T H E S Q U I R R E L C H R O N I C L E S



Bertie Spends a Night in the Tower

1. How did Bertie end up in the Tower? 2. What does the word “clap” mean in the following sentence? “Only the tip of his bushy tail stuck out and after a great clap of thunder even that disappeared!” 3. Give one example of how Bertie stretched the story he told to the younger squirrels. 4. Why do you think Bertie would rather sleep in an oak tree than a human house?



PRE-VISIT ACTIVITIES Activity Three: Bertie the Squirrel and Other Reading Passages

The Landlord by David Price

For 60 million years the gopher tortoise has roamed the land. Their underground homes or burrows are up to 15 feet long with multiple chambers. The legs of the gopher tortoise are specialized so they can dig with the front and push soil with the rear. The burrows offer shelter for 350 different species of animals. Some of the animals found in these burrows are so rare that they occur nowhere else. Some animals share the burrow with the tortoise, while other animals occupy abandoned burrows. Animals as large as bobcat, fox and coyote will expand a burrow to make a den. The gopher tortoise lives in the pinelands of the South, where frequent fires are a natural

occurrence. Many animals safely escape the heat of the fire in these burrows. Gopher tortoises regularly make new burrows when the old burrows become soiled. The constant digging brings up fresh soil with nutrients. The mounds of soil are fertile ground allowing many seedlings to germinate and grow. Because so many animals and plants depend on the gopher tortoise, it is referred to as a biological “keystone species.” If the gopher tortoise population disappears from a habitat, many other species will decline. That is why the gopher tortoise is the landlord of the Florida uplands.

Questions: 1. In paragraph # 1, what does the term burrow mean? 2. Why is the gopher tortoise considered the landlord of the Florida uplands? 3. How does making a new burrow help out plants?


PRE-VISIT ACTIVITIES Activity Four: Wildlife Tally

1. Visit different areas of the school to look for evidence of wildlife. This can be indoors and out!

2. Have students record with tally marks their findings on the chart on page 17. 3. Discuss as a group the findings on the charts.

Wildlife is Everywhere! Directions: Visit different areas inside and outside. Look and listen for wildlife and evidence of wildlife. Record your findings on the chart below.

Location

Name

Sounds

Tracks

Droppings

Home

Actual Animal

EXAMPLE: PE Field

II

III

I

II

IIII


include: SC.K.N.1.1: Collaborate with a partner to collect information.

SC.K.N.1.3: SC.1.N.1.3: Keep records as appropriate -- such as

pictorial records -- of investigations conducted.

SC.1.N.1.2: Using the five senses as tools, make careful

observations, describe objects in terms of number, shape, texture,

size, weight, color, and motion, and compare their observations

with others.

SC.2.N.1.1: Raise questions about the natural world, investigate

them in teams through free exploration and systematic

observations, and generate appropriate explanations based on those

explorations.


include:

Science/Becoming a Scientist

Key Learning:

Scientific knowledge is acquired and revised based on

data from scientific observations and experiments.

Science is a way of thinking and analyzing the world

around us.

Science/Living Things Interact with their Environment

Key Learning:

Animals interact and depend on one another and their

physical environment.

An environment has both living and nonliving parts that

are interdependent.

All living things have needs and must depend on and

interact with resources in their environment in order to

survive.


Wildlife is Everywhere! Directions: Visit different areas inside and outside. Look and listen for wildlife and evidence of wildlife. Record your findings on the chart below.

1. Which location had the most wildlife?

2. Which locations did you only find evidence of animal life?

3. Which locations did you actually see animals?

Location

Name

Sounds

Tracks

Droppings

Home

Actual Animal

EXAMPLE: Garden 1

II

III

I

II

IIII


DURING YOUR VISIT ACTIVITIES Depending on the Field Trip you have selected, you can choose any of these activities to complete while you visit the Gardens, or you can use the Self-Guided Garden Hunt provided by Bok Tower Gardens to help guide your visit.

Activity One: Bok Tower Gardens Points of Interest

During your visit to the Gardens, complete the Bok Tower Gardens Garden Hunt stopping at the various points and completing the activities.


include:

SS.K.G.1.1: Describe the relative location of people,

places, and things by using positional words.

SS.1.G.1.1: Use physical and political/cultural maps to

locate places in Florida.

SS.2.G.1.1: Use different types of maps (political,

physical, and thematic) to identify map

elements.


include:

Social Studies/Globe & Map Skills

Key Learning: Gaining map skills and becoming familiar with

geography helps us gain world perspective.

Key Learning: Maps and globes are useful in identifying unique

characteristics of a place or region on earth.

Social Studies/Global Beliefs

Essential Question: How are maps useful in identifying the

unique characteristics of a place or region on earth?


DURING YOUR VISIT ACTIVITIES Activity Two: Observing Pollinators

1. Supply each child or group of children, with an Observing Pollinators sheet. 2. Stop in different areas of the Gardens with flowering plants. 3. Have students observe the area for several minutes looking for insects that are

helping pollinate the plants (bees, butterflies, etc.) and record their findings on the chart.

Example:

Area Name or Area # Bees Butterflies Flies

Round Garden

III

IIII

II


include:

SC.K.L.14.3: Observe plants and animals, describe how they are

alike and how they are different in the way they look and in the

things they do.

SC.1.L.14.1: Make observations of living things and their

environment using the five senses.

SC.1.L.14.3: Differentiate between living and nonliving things.

SC.2.L.17.2: Recognize and explain that living things are found

all over Earth, but each is only able to live in habitats that meet

its basic needs.


include:

Science/Becoming a Scientist

Key Learning:

Scientific knowledge is acquired and revised based on

data from scientific observations and experiments.

Science is a way of thinking and analyzing the world

around us.

Science/Living Things Interact with their Environment

Key Learning:

Animals interact and depend on one another and

their physical environment.

An environment has both living and nonliving parts

that are interdependent.

All living things have needs and must depend on and

interact with resources in their environment in order

to survive.


Activity Two: Observing Pollinators

As you tour the gardens, stop and observe flowering plants and the insects that are helping pollinate the plants. Use tally marks to count the number of bees, butterflies and other flies that stop at the area

you are observing.

Area Name or Area # Bees Butterflies Flies

EXAMPLE: Round Garden

III

IIII

II

1. Which area had the most insects?

2. Which insect did you see the most?

3. How are these insects helping the plants?


POST-VISIT ACTIVITIES Activity One: Reading Passage

“Ivanhoe, the Indigo Snake” by Patricia Hall Directions:

1. Read the passage aloud to the students. 2. Complete the questions either individually or in small groups. 3. Share the answers with the class and facilitate further discussion with the students with:

a. Can you think of a time when you weren’t appreciated for a job you did? b. Do you think we as humans forget to appreciate others because of their

appearance?


include:

LA.K.1.7.3: The student will retell the main idea or

essential message, identifying supporting details (e.g.,

who, what, when, where, why, how), and arranging

events in sequence.

LA.1.1.7.3: The student will retell the main idea or

essential message.

LA.2.1.7.3: The student will summarize information in

text, including but not limited to main idea, supporting

details, and connections between texts.


include:

Language Arts/Non-fiction

Nonfictional (informational) text provides me with

information that helps me understand the facts about

a topic.

Main ideas are used to understand and summarize

text.

I can summarize what I read by describing the main

idea and supporting details.

Language Arts/Main Idea & Details

The use of main idea and supporting details deepens

student understanding of what they read and write.

Features of nonfiction text help students understand

what they read.

How do readers locate, record, and use information

from a variety of nonfiction text?



Ivanhoe, the Indigo Snake

Ivanhoe the indigo snake made his way

through the tall grass with his shiny blue-black body sliding effortlessly along the ground. Occasionally he would raise his head high to look around, but in his present mood, he really wasn’t interested in his surroundings. He twisted himself sharply. Those silly squirrels! His family had lived at Bok Tower Gardens just as long as any of the squirrel families. However, everyone always made a fuss over them and it seemed that no one cared about the indigos. If a human saw him, they were likely to run away or say something that hurt his feelings. Didn’t they think he had feelings? Bertie the squirrel came over to Ivan. Bertie was enjoying the day and was excited with how many people were in the gardens. It seemed like there was a visitor there for every squirrel. Ivan wasn’t happy that there were so many people in the gardens. He didn’t want to be reminded that many people are afraid of snakes. When Ivan didn’t say anything, Bertie looked at him more closely. It’s sometimes hard to tell about snake moods, but Bertie thought Ivan looked down. Bertie offered Ivan some peanuts to try and cheer him up. Ivan, of course didn’t want any peanuts. Snakes don’t eat peanuts. Bertie asked Ivan if he was sick. He offered to find him a berry or root to help him feel better. Bertie was becoming concerned. Ivan was usually a very lively, friendly fellow, not at all like the sad snake before him now. Ivan told Bertie he was okay physically, but he was upset. He was tired of squirrels getting all the attention in the gardens. Ivan’s family has been here since the beginning of the gardens, getting rid of pests and keeping the grounds safe for everyone—including squirrels! But it

seems that no one appreciates what snakes do. Ivan’s head dropped to the ground. Bertie tried to tell Ivan that all the squirrels appreciate how helpful Ivan and his family are, but Ivan was referring to the people. He wanted people to like and appreciate him. He wanted people to see him and say nice things about him too. Ivan slithered away slowly, his mouth turned down in a snaky pout. Bertie felt terrible. He often teased Ivan—he had even dropped acorns on his head from the oak trees for fun. But he felt safe in the gardens, knowing Ivan and his family kept “outside critters” from entering the grounds. He had never thought about Ivan wanting to hear his appreciation, to hear the word Thanks. For days, Bertie thought about Ivan and wondered what to do. He knew he had to do something. Ivan was so sad he wasn’t doing his job of patrolling his area of the gardens. One morning, Bertie saw a group of people following a guide on the road leading to the Pine Ridge Trail, the more rugged part of the gardens. The guide told the group that he hoped they would be lucky and see some of the wildlife in the area: rabbits, owls, gopher tortoises and maybe, one of the beautiful Indigo snakes. They’re very shy, but so beautiful. Everyone was excited about this. Bertie ran as fast as he could to find Ivan. He told Ivan a group of people were looking for him! They wanted to see him! A startled Ivan listened as Bertie explained about the people. Ivan was afraid of being disappointed. He couldn’t believe that anyone would be looking forward to seeing him. Bertie lost his patience and pulled Ivan’s tail! Ivan rose up and let out a loud HISS. He couldn’t believe that Bertie had pulled his tail. And with



that, Ivanhoe began to fly down the trail so fast that Bertie could hardly keep out of his way. Bertie ran down the trail, looking back occasionally to make sure Ivan was still chasing him. Ivan was definitely still trying to catch Bertie. In fact, he had never been so interested in anything in his entire life as he was in catching Bertie. Ivan was concentrating so hard on catching Bertie. Before he knew it, he had reached the group of people. Ivan was unsure what to do next so, he curled up in the middle of the sunny path. When the guide saw Ivan, he went on and on about how beautiful Ivan was with his shiny blue-black glow. He told the visitors that indigos are the most wonderful snakes and everyone loves having them here. Indigos are protected, and so it’s rare to get to see them. They usually won’t come into the open, they’re so shy. The people said the nicest things about Ivan. They looked and admired him until Ivan was beaming with pride. People did know how valuable he was and they liked him and they did think he was beautiful. Oh, how wonderful to know that he had human friends too!

After a bit, Ivan began to feel self-conscious, so he made his way back into the woods. When he had gone a little way, he stopped and thought about what had happened and about Bertie. Ivan thought a lot about Bertie as he made his way home. Bertie was a good friend—he had worked hard to help Ivan. Ivan found Bertie up in one of the oak trees and thanked him for being such a great friend. Just as he finished thanking Bertie, an acorn fell from the tree and hit Ivan on the head! Ivan laughed. Bertie is a great friend and is always looking for fun! Ivan slowly made his way down the grassy slope. He began to smile and hum a little tune as he slithered along. Life with Bertie would be a lot different now. Bertie was dealing with a respected, very important member of the gardens’ family.



Ivanhoe, the Indigo Snake

1. What does Ivan claim he and his family do to help at the gardens? 2. Why was Bertie searching for Ivan so excitedly? 3. Paragraph 7 states, “It’s sometimes hard to tell about snake moods, but Bertie thought

Ivan looked down.”

What does the term “down” mean in this sentence? 4. How do you think Ivan will react now when he sees visitors at the gardens?



POST-VISIT ACTIVITIES Activity One: Creating Art Decorative Tiles Within the Tower, the first floor is covered with handcrafted tiles with raised designs. Allow students to create decorative tiles from paper. Materials: construction paper, liquid glue, colored chalk or oil pastels.

1. Give each student a 6" by 6" piece of construction paper (any color), pencil and glue bottle.

2. Draw simple, large lines to represent nature: waves, fish, sun, trees, flowers, turtles, etc. A border may be added.

3. Put a thin line of glue over the pencil lines. Let dry. 4. Color with chalk or oil pastels. 5. The dried glue will divide the colors and give a raised appearance. 6. Display as a ceramic wall.


include:

VA.A.1.1

The student understands and applies media, techniques,

and processes.

VA.E.1.1

The student makes connections between the visual arts,

other disciplines, and the real world.


include:

Visual Art/Space, Pattern, Texture

Essential Questions:

How do you use space, pattern and texture in

artwork?

What is the difference between smooth and rough

texture?

How can solid shapes overlap?

How can texture create a rough or smooth

appearance?


POST-VISIT ACTIVITIES Activity Two: Creating Art Chinese Fish Kite Around the Tower is a moat containing many Japanese koi fish. In Japan, on Children’s Day, houses are decorated with koinobori, or carp kites. The carp is known for its strength and its ability to swim up and over powerful waterfalls. It is hoped that children will grow up to be strong like the carp fish. Materials: tissue paper or crepe paper, scissors, colored markers, glue, hole punch, yarn or string, 1 stick, or small wooden pole about 2 feet long

1. Cut a piece of tissue or crepe paper with the dimensions of 20 inches by 26 inches. 2. Fold the paper in half on the longer side (the side that is

26 inches). 3. Once folded in half, use a colored marker to draw an

outline of a fish. 4. With the paper still be folded, cut out the outline of the

fish. 5. Open up the paper. It should look like two carp fish are

attached together. 6. Use your markers to draw and color in two eyes. You can

use different color crepe paper to add colorful scales to the fish.

7. At the head of the fish (above the eyes), use the hole punch to punch three separate holes so that they are equally distanced from each other.

8. Each row of scales should overlap the previous row. Glue the two inside open edges of the head of the fish together. Make sure you do not glue the tail edges together!

9. Now cut three 2-foot long pieces of yarn or string. One end of each piece of string or yarn should be tied to a hole of the fish. The other end of strand should be tied and knotted to the stick.

Adapted from http://americanhistory.si.edu/ourstory/pdf/internment/internment_kite.pdf


DIGGING DEEPER Classroom Gardening Florida Ecology & Conservation

University of Florida IFAS Polk County Extension Office 1702 Hwy 17-98 South Bartow, Fl 33830 www.polk.ifas.ufl.edu

Bok Tower Gardens Conservation Department 1151 Tower Blvd Lake Wales, FL 33853 www.boktowergardens.org/conservation

National Garden Association Kids Gardening www.kidsgardening.org

Archbold Biological Station P.O. Box 2057 Lake Placid, FL 33862 www.archbold-station.org

Florida Yards & Neighborhoods—Polk Chapter Drawer HS03, P.O. Box 9005 Bartow, FL 33831-9005 (863)519-8677(863)534-0001 [email protected]: http://polk.ifas.ufl.edu

Florida Institute on Phosphate Research (FIPR) 1855 W. Main Street Bartow, FL 33830 www.fipr.state.fl.us

Cornell University Ethnobotany Series http://www.hort.cornell.edu/gbl/pubs/index.html The Three Sisters: Exploring an Iroquois Garden; The Great American Peanut; The Humble Potato Rice: Grain of the Ancients Booklets designed to integrate cultural, historical, and horticultural experiences for students exploring specific crops.

Southwest Florida Water Management District 2379 Broad Street Brooksville, FL 34604 www.swfwmd.state.fl.us

Suggested Reading Maxwell, William W., Finding Yourself, A Spiritual Journey through a Florida Garden, FL, Bok Tower Gardens Foundation, Inc., 1999. Louv, Richard, Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, NC, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2005. Rushing, Felder, Better Homes and Gardens New Junior Garden Book, IA, Meredith Books, 1999. Cornell, Joseph, Sharing Nature with Children, CA, Dawn Publications, 1998. Ward, Jennifer, I Love Dirt!: 52 Activities to Help You and Your Kids Discover the Wonders of Nature, MA, Trumpeter Books, 2008

http://www.polk.ifas.ufl.edu/

http://www.boktowergardens.org/conservation

http://www.kidsgardening.org/

http://www.archbold-station.org/


http://polk.ifas.ufl.edu/

http://www.fipr.state.fl.us/

http://www.hort.cornell.edu/gbl/pubs/index.html

http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/


POST-VISIT QUESTIONNAIRE Thank you for participating in the “Garden Classroom” program. To help us keep this program relevant to teachers and students, please complete the following evaluation and return to: Bok Tower Gardens Educational Survey 1151 Tower Blvd. Lake Wales, FL 33853 FAX: 863-676-6770 Email: [email protected] Which activities in the curriculum did you find useful? What additional activities or other areas of focus would you like to see? What is your overall opinion of the curriculum, activities and field trip? Optional Information: School Name: Your Name: Grade Level: _______________ Email for future mailings:___________________________________________

Thank you for helping us improve our program and services!

Sunshi

ne

State

Standar

ds

covered

in this

lesson

include

:

VA.A.1.

2

The

student

understa

nds and

applies

media,

techniqu

es,

a

n

d

p

r

o

c

e

s

s

e

s

.

VA.E.1.2

The

student

makes

connecti

ons

between

the

visual

arts,

other

disciplin

es, and

the real

world.


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