May
13
2011

Bulbs R Us!

On Oct.8th 2010 the Priory School in Westmount, Montreal along with the grade 3 students of Anna Trionfo’s class were excited to have Westmount Florist for a fun filled workshop on plants. For the event, Westmount Florist donated 1000 daffodil bulbs. Over 400 were planted with the remaining bulbs sold in a fundraiser for a school in Zambia called Shitima Community School.

As the newly appointed green guru at Westmount Florist Esther wanted to do more then just plant bulbs; she wanted to convey a message.  Esther strongly believes that better environmental practices are linked to a feeling of belonging.  So, through this activity she addressed photosynthesis, mainly to explain that we need plants and trees for the air we breathe.  The students got to act out the different roles in a food chain (plant, rabbit, cougar, and worm) to demonstrate how we are all dependent on one another and it all starts with plants.  She also illustrated pollination with beautiful pictures to explain that plants need animals and insects to reproduce.  The idea was to show that through different processes we all need each other to survive.

They were then ready to go outside, the rain had stopped and the kids were anxious to go play with bulbs.

Out they went ! The trenches were already dug up (Anna, Esther and her husband had prepared the soil a few days before) so the children only had to place the bulbs in, add some bone meal (bulb food) and cover with earth.  The girls chose the trenches along the school walls and they efficiently and neatly planted their bulbs.    The boys chose the big hole under the trees, where the biggest piles of earth were.  Not only were they on a mission to plant bulbs, they were on the mission to save earthworms, because they understood that they were important in the life cycle of our bulbs.  The boys rushed around, made a mess and they got the job done.

They ended this activity with Esther’s husband Raph playing his guitar, getting the kids to clap along, while others danced around.  They even had the chance to strum the strings of the guitar and make some music.  The fun came to an end just in time for recess.

Thanks to Lauren from Westmount Florist and Anna from the Priory School, we have all these beautiful pictures.