Sensitive Plant
Hunting for mushrooms is like going on a treasure hunt in the forest! First, we put on our special shoes and grab our baskets! Then, we tiptoe, looking under leaves and near trees. Sometimes we find small mushrooms hiding, like tiny umbrellas. We have to be careful because some mushrooms are not safe to eat. We only pick the one we know are safe, like the round button mushrooms, or the chanterelles.
Botanical gardens are magical places full of flowers, trees, and plants. When you visit a botanical garden, you can see plants from all over the world. Some flowers are big and colorful like rainbows, while others are small and delicate like whispers. You can learn about how plants grow and why they're important for our planet. There are paths to walk on and benches to sit on, so you can relax and enjoy the beauty all around you.
Botanical gardens
Mosquitoes are tiny bugs that can be a big bother! They fly around, looking for something to eat, and often, that's us! They use their pointy mouths to suck blood from animals and people, leaving itchy bumps behind. But did you know they're also helpful in nature? Even though they annoy us, they help plants make seeds and give food to other animals like birds and bats. So, even though they bother us, mosquitoes are still important!
Mosquitoes are important
Stink beetles, also called stink bugs, may not look fancy, but they have a cool way to stay safe! When's they're scared, these beetles let out a stinky smell to scare away enemies. This smell can be strong and not nice! Stink beetles can look different, but they all can make this smelly scent. Even though they smell bad, they help gardens by eating bugs that can hurt plants. So, even if they stink, they're still helping plants stay healthy!
Stink beetles
In a cozy garden, there was a special plant called hens and chicks. This plant was very dear to Lily because she had carefully moved it from her aunt's house to her own garden. Every day, Lily would check and see how the plant was doing. It started with just a few hens and some tiny chicks. Soon it spread out and more chicks popped up on and around the hens. As the days passed, the hens and chicks filled the planter Lily had put them in.
Lily growing a plant called hens and chicks
Sarah and her friends went on a hike in the desert. They walked and talked, enjoying the warm breeze. Suddenly, Sarah spotted something prickly by the trail. "Look, a cactus!" she exclaimed, excitedly. Stepping back, she lost her balance and sat right on it. Ouch! Sarah jumped up feeling the sharp needles poke her bottom. Her friends rushed over to check on her. Sarah carefully removed the spines that had gotten stuck in her clothes and skin. She walked more cautiously after that.
Sarah was pricked by a cactus
Jacob was helping clean up the yard after a storm. As he picked up fallen branches and scattered leaves, he stumbled upon a surprise! A tiny bat was nestled among the debris. It looked dazed from the storm. Jacob carefully scooped up the bat in his hands and brought it into the garage. He made the bat a cozy nest to rest in. As the sun began to set, Jacob released the bat back into the night sky.
Jacob caught a bat
Mia and her brother went to their garden to pick some vegetables for dinner. Mia reached out and plucked a ripe tomato from the vine, its skin warm from the sun. She took a juicy bite, feeling the burst of flavor explode in her mouth. Nearby, her little brother giggled as she crunched on a crispy carrot he had just pulled from the earth. Together, they enjoyed a picnic right there in the garden, savoring the delicious taste of vegetables fresh from the earth.
Garden picnic
The redwood forest is like walking into a land of giants! These tall trees make one of the most amazing forests ever. Some redwoods grow as tall as 364 feet. This is like standing next to a 35-story building. They can live to be over 2000 years old! you can see the great redwoods in the Redwood National Forest in California. When you walk among the redwoods, you will likely feel very small next to their big trunks and leafy tops that reach to the sky.
The Redwood National Forest
Insect fossils are like time machines. They give us a glimpse of the past. Fossils are the old, saved parts of bugs that lived millions of years ago, stuck in rocks and amber. When scientists find these fossils, they can learn lots of interesting stuff about the bugs from way back then. They find out about old beetles and big dragonflies, and how bugs changed a long time ago. Fossils help scientists figure out how life was long ago on Earth, showing us how insects lived in their old world.
Fossils help us learn about the past.
Venus flytraps are special plants that eat bugs! They have leaves with trap mouths that close when bugs go inside. They live in a small spot in the United States and are known for catching bugs to eat. When a bug touches tiny hairs inside the trap, it snaps shut quickly and traps the bug. Then, the plant uses special juices to break down the bug and take its food. Venus flytraps are interesting to watch and help control bug numbers, which is good for their home!
Venus fly traps
One sunny day, Kohen and his friends decided to go on a bug-hunting adventure. Armed with magnifying glasses and jars, they explored the fields and woods near the lake where they camped. Excited giggles filled the air as they discovered colorful butterflies, busy ants, shiny beetles, and a frog or two. They carefully placed each bug they caught into a jar. They headed back to the camper to study the bugs they had found.
Bug hunting
Ladybugs are like tiny superheroes in the garden! They have colorful bodies with spots and are famous for eating bad bugs. Even though they look cute, they're strong defends of our plants. Ladybugs love to eat pests like aphids that can hurt flowers and veggies. They use their strong mouths to eat up these bugs and keep gardens healthy. Ladybugs are also through to bring good luck.
Ladybugs
When Wani was a little girl, she loved chasing fireflies in the summer. Wani and her friends would run around the backyard, giggling and trying to catch the glowing bugs in their hands. They watched the fireflies flicker like tiny lanterns. Wani remembered how magical it felt to hold them gently, their soft glow illuminaitng her palms. Those memories filled her heart with warmth, reminding her of the simple joys of childhood.
Wani remembering her summers
Visiting Monet's gardens is like walking into a colorful painting! They're in Giverny, France, and Claude Monet made them with love. You'll see lots of pretty flowers, just like the ones he painted. There are bridges over ponds with water lilies, just like in his pictures. It's a special place where you can walk where Monet walked and see the things that inspired him to paint. It feels like you're inside a real-life masterpiece.
Monet's gardens
Tropical plants add bright colors and special beauty to our world! They grow in hot, humid places near the middle of the Earth, where the sun shines strong and rain falls a lot. In tropical forests, you can find big trees with wide leaves, like huge umbrellas, making shade for animals. Palm trees move in the wind, and orchids show off their fancy petals. Some tropical plants even give us delicious fruits like bananas and pineapples.
Tropical plants