Warning - handle plants with care in the sunshine

You may have parsnips on your patch that are past their best. Take care when clearing then away as sap from parsnip leaves can react with sunshine and cause the skin to be badly burned and blistered.

Parsnips are related to the giant hogweed which is known for its danger to skin. Parsnips are not the only plants to have potentially dangerous sap, among many others, carrot and celery sap can cause a similar problem.

Care should also be taken when strimming grass in sunny weather - if legs are not covered grass sap is likely to splatter your skin and again react with the sunshine to cause burning.

Unconvinced then read this

If in doubt always wear gloves and have skin covered when cutting plants to expose their sap.

Bird Watching Online

Recently we set up a bird box complete with a web camera in our garden and a pair of blue tits almost immediately claimed it as a nesting site.

The female built a cosy nest in which she laid eight eggs that she is now incubating.

You may like to let your class follow what happens so I have popped a direct link to the web area that contains updates of the birds activity on the sidebar of this blog.

Use the links at the top of the web page to see earlier activity.

The cabbage family resource is now available online

The third plant family resources are now freely available. The resources follow exactly the same format as the peas and beans resources

Click here to access all resources

If you don't have Smart Notebook software you can use the web based Smart Notebook Express with the whiteboard resources click here to read more

The cabbage family resource includes information on growing brassica seeds, the pests that affect brassicas and the life cycle of the large white butterfly - complete with video clip.

Onion plant family resource now available

The third plant family resources are now freely available. The resources follow exactly the same format as the peas and beans resources

Click here to access all resources

If you don't have Smart Notebook software you can use the web based Smart Notebook Express with the whiteboard resources click here to read more

Root Vegetable plant family resource now available

The second plant family resources are now freely available. The resources follow exactly the same format as the peas and beans resources

Click here to access all resources

If you don't have Smart Notebook software you can use the web based Smart Notebook Express with the whiteboard resources click here to read more

*FREE ONLINE & DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES*

The resources that were originally available on CD are now being transferred online. Commission gained from sales from the links on this and our other website and blogs now enable us to offer these resources freely.

So far I have transferred the first of the plant families resource - Peas and Beans.

There are two resources to support work on each of the plant families. One is delivered through web pages and contains information and photographs of each of the stages of each plants development including some information about raising your own plants from seed.

The second resource is a downloadable Smart Notebook file with activities to support the online resource - these included naming of the plants, matching the plant to the seed and arranging the lifecycle.

Other resources are also available that link to composting activities and literacy/sowing and raising seeds.

To access the resources visit this page of my website but don't forget to revisit as more resources will be added as I manage to create the web pages.

I welcome feedback on any of the resources and remember you can help resource the wesite by sending me an article supported with photos of your own school website - it would make a great literacy activity for some of your children.