From Seed to Seed:
Plant Science for K-8 Educators

Activity 37: Adopt-an-Herb

Grades: K-8

Associated Lesson Topics:

• Umbelliferae (carrot) family; parsley, dill and fennel are members.
• Labiate (mint) family; mint, rosemary, basil, thyme, sage, and oregano are members.
• Essential oils.
• Herbs.

National Standards:

• SCIENCE: Standard C, Standard F
• HISTORY: Standard 1
• LANGUAGE ARTS: Writing 1, 4

Planting the Seed...

Can you name-or locate, if you have access to a variety of plants-a plant whose leaves smell good? How do people use this good-smelling plant? Do your parents use any plant products to flavor their cooking? Other than cooking, how do we use good-smelling plants? Alternatively, students can play a matching game with dried and fresh herbs.

Teacher Information:

The botanical definition of an herb is a herbaceous plant with non-woody stems. Commonly, however, the term herb is used to describe a plant that has culinary or medicinal uses. Many different parts of herbs are used in cooking. In this activity, students will review plant anatomy while learning about the different plant parts that humans consume.

Vermont teacher Pat Pierce came up with a great idea for using herbs in her fifth grade classroom. Each student adopted, planted, and tended an herb in pots under lights. Students observed the plants as they grew (a great time to teach about germination and plant growth) and made drawings in their plant journals. The students were also responsible for researching the history, folklore, and medicinal and culinary uses of their herbs. Finally, the students searched cookbooks to find recipes that used their herbs, then compiled this information in a booklet and gave it to their mothers along with the grown plant for Mother's Day!

Necessary Materials:

• Plant seeds: Basil, mint, dill, chive, cilantro, marjoram, oregano, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme seeds.
• Planting materials.

Procedure:
Growing herbs from seed in the classroom

• Plant seeds either in a soilless potting mix or in a mixture of 1/3 sand, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 soil. Follow planting directions on seed packages.
• Mist the soil and cover containers with plastic to keep seeds moist until they germinate. (Instead of covering their containers with plastic wrap, Elba Iris Marrero's fifth and sixth grade students build miniature greenhouses using old coat hangers and plastic wrap!)
• To give herb plants room to grow to maturity, thin seedlings to one per 4-inch container or two plants per 6-inch container.

Growing herbs in the garden

• Plant seeds indoors six to eight weeks before you plan to transplant outdoors. Use either a soilless potting mix or a mixture of 1/3 sand, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 soil. Follow directions on seed packages.
• Mist the soil and cover containers with plastic to keep seeds moist until they germinate.
• Once seeds have germinated, uncover and move plants to a location where they will receive bright, but not direct light. Thin to one seedling per pot.
• Harden off plants by exposing them to increasingly longer periods of time outside as the time for transplanting approaches.
• Choose your garden location. Since most culinary herbs are native to the Mediterranean, they prefer full sun, good air circulation, and well-drained soil.
• Prepare the soil to a depth of 8 inches. If it has poor drainage, add organic compost.
• Transplant herbs after danger of frost has passed.
  

Drying herbs

• Spray herbs with a garden hose the day before you harvest to remove any dirt.
• Remove dead or damaged leaves and make small bunches of the herbs. Tie stems together and label the bunches.
• Hang bunches in a well-ventilated and dark room.
• Leaves are dry when they crumble at the touch.

Note: To test if leaves are dry, crush a small number of leaves and place them in a microwavable jar. Cover. Heat in the microwave for 5 minutes. If there is condensation on the jar, the leaves are not completely dry.

Harvesting the Crop...

Students can produce dried herbs or herb products from their plants. Completing this process solidifies students' understanding of where some of the food we eat originates. Some ideas include:

1) Dry the leaves to use in cooking. Once the leaves are completely dry, crush and bottle them for use.

2) Make herbal oils and vinegars for cooking. This can be accomplished by placing the leaves into olive/vegetable oil or white wine vinegar. After placing the herbs in liquid, place the container in a dark spot (a cabinet) for two weeks before using.

3) Students can bring in favorite recipes from home that use their herbs. The class can compile all of the recipes and make a class cookbook, complete with artwork.

Students can also explore the culinary, cosmetic, and craft uses of herbs by people in a time period or culture that you are studying. For example, pilgrims, U.S. pioneers, Native Americans, ancient greece, the middle ages, or the victorian era.

Relevant Books
K-4
Kite, L. Patricia. Gardening Wizardry for Kids. 1995. Barrons Juveniles. ISBN: 0-8120-1317-4.

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