Botanicals

I have been looking for books of poetry about plants for the 5th grade Botany block (why is it you can find so many books of poetry devoted to animals but nothing for plants)? While at the Watkins Regional Park Nature Center, I saw a book called Alphabetical Botanicals in Color by Lawrence Hohman (the third in a series - number 1 being Alphabetical Birds in Color and number 2 being Alphabetical Beasts in Color). I really like his illustrations but the rhymes are atrocious so save your $8.50. I will pass on his list though:

A - Aster
B - Buttercup
C - Crocus
D - Daisy
E - Echinops (Globe Thistle)
F - Forget-Me-Not
G - Goldenrod
H - Hollyhock
I - Iris
J - Jack-in-the-Pulpit
K - Kale (Ornamental)
L - Lily-of-the-Valley
M - Morning Glory
N - Narcissus
O - Orchid
P - Pansy
Q - Queen Anne's Lace
R - Rose
S - Snapdragon
T - Tulip
U - Uniola (Sea Oats)
V - Violet
W - Weigela
X - Xeranthenum
Y - Yucca
Z - Zinnia


Then when I got it home it struck me like a bolt of lightning. DUH! Cecily Mary Barker wrote TONS of plant poetry (her flower fairy verses describe not only the look of the plant but also something of its character). So that is what I will pass on as the best collection for the Botany block. She did an alphabet version as well. I recommend buying the set of little books instead of the The Complete Book of the Flower Fairies for Botany study, so you can have the different seasons side by side.

Speaking of Botanicals...
yesterday Leah and Rebecca broke all out in an itchy rash and I assumed it was Poison Ivy from our "Last Day of Summer" hike all through Kings Landing Park Tuesday. Then Natalie came home with a letter last night saying that one of the children in her kindergarten class has chicken pox. The children have all had their shots, but I do not create chicken pox antibodies -- I have had it four times. And it is possible that Leah and Rebecca are the same way... so we are watching them closely and I will have to wait and see. It has been 10 days since the first day of school, when N would have brought it home.



















You can also buy a collection of flower fairy postcards for your Nature table or these beautiful color plates from old editions of the book!