About Virtual Urban Gardens Learning about the scientific method in their own urban orchard, students post findings in their computer journal and on the Internet. Community based organizations add to their investigations that are shared with family and other classes on the World Wide Web. In early spring older students visit their urban orchard and examine bare tree branches. Discovering buds, important signs of life, they study branches and share information with their e-pals and Growing Buddies, who eventually care for the orchard. Learning Standards Students understand humankind's interactions with nature, the benefits and consequences of these actions, and the impact of science.
Students share their work with peers and the community through on-line data collection.
Students connect science and technology to a variety of career opportunities. Invite members from Urban Gardeners to demonstrate Bud Identification. Study Illustrations and create a Glossary of bud nomenclature. E-mail their observation, measurement, and sketching activities to other classes. Discuss and record in computer journals how findings may predict the health and production of trees.