sCIeNCeNS 1.6.1 Verify accuracy of observations.ESS 8.7.10 Describe ways human beings protect themselves, others and their property from adverse weather conditions.NS 1.8.1 Justify conclusions based on appropriate and unbiased observations.
LaNGUaGe arTsW 5.6.10 Write across the curriculum.W 5.7.10 Write across the curriculum. W 5.8.10 Write across the curriculum.
s objeCTIvesThe students will learn:
objeCTIve #1 To define human shelter.
objeCTIve #2 To describe different types of human shelter.
objeCTIve #3 To compare and contrast shelters built by early Americans (log cabins and teepees).
objeCTIve #4 To define methods used in gardening and agriculture that protect plants from inclement weather and extend the growing season.
objeCTIve #5 To appropriately use verbal speaking skills in class discussion with the teacher and Garden Program Specialist.
Page 2 EARTH SYSTEMS • Take Shelter: Teachers’ Guide
Gre
enho
uses
, cold fr
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rom
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e weather conditions and extend the growing seaso
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overvIewWhile varying greatly in size, design and quality, human shelter in all forms aims to provide privacy and protection from inclement weather and danger. People have also developed devices to protect plants from adverse weather conditions and insects and extend the growing season.
GardeN aCTIvITIes▲s Garden tour around the grounds, pointing out ways we
protect our garden from adverse weather conditions: Driplines, cold frames, row covers, greenhouses, rain barrels etc.
▲s Plant, harvest and work in the garden following the Garden Guide
▲s Recipes and Taste tests as time permits (refer to Delta Garden Study Recipe Book)
EARTH SYSTEMS • Take Shelter: Teachers’ Guide Page 3
TIps For TeaChersPre-lesson preparation:
1. Inform your student discussion by checking with Garden Program Specialist to determine which type of shelter is being used in the garden.
LessoN oUTLINe
activities estimated duration actual duration
in the classroom
▲s Offer the icebreaker
▲s Define human shelter, compare and contrast pioneer log cabin and teepee
5 minutes
10 minutes
in the garden ▲s Discuss how and why structures like greenhouses protect crops
10 minutes
▲s Depending on necessary tasks, work in greenhouse or maintain row cover, cold frames etc.
15 minutes
back in the classroom
▲s Hand out Student Learning Workbooks, review and assign “Take it Home Activity” as homework
5 minutes
Tips for THE GArDENPre-lesson preparation:
1. Prepare a garden tour and discussion of various plant shelters and weather safeguards (including shelters, rainwater harvesting, irrigation systems, etc.).
2. Prepare a garden work activity working with garden shelters (greenhouse, row cover, cold frames, etc.) for students in the garden.
Page 4 EARTH SYSTEMS • Take Shelter: Teachers’ Guide
LessoN pLaN
I. Start in the classrooma. Icebreaker
Tell students: “The first modern greenhouses were built in Italy in the 13th century. These were used to house the exotic plants the explorers brought back from the tropics. Can anyone guess what some of these exotic plants might have been?”
Answers: Orchids, banana trees, citrus trees and mimosas (a kind of flower)
b. present main Topic▲s Define human shelter. meeTs objeCTIve #1▲s Discuss different types of human shelter. Point out the
functions that they all aim to provide. meeTs objeCTIve #2
▲s Compare and contrast the log cabin and the teepee. meeTs objeCTIve #3
II. Take class to the garden▲s Take a tour of the garden! Ask students to explain how the rain
barrels protect the garden plants. Some reasons they may give are: the rain barrels help to prevent erosion of the plants which keeps their soil in a usable state; the rain barrels can help water during droughts. Take the students to the cold frames and describe why they are helpful in keeping the plants warm and safe during the winter. Allow the students to observe and touch the drip irrigation systems and talk with them about how the additional watering provided can help to prevent the plants from dying during dry spells.
meeTs objeCTIves #4–5
▲s 6&8 The 6th and 8th graders should really focus on observations, and making appropriate conclusions based on those observations.
▲s Then, work in the greenhouse or instruct students to help maintain cold frames, row covers, etc. Specific plants such as tomatoes can’t live in temperatures that are less than 65 degrees, which is why they must stay in the greenhouse. Explain how these devices protect plants from adverse weather conditions.
▲s Instruct students to pick and taste available vegetables. Explain that edible plants represent a major food source that needs to be nurtured and protected.
▲s Implement recipes and taste tests as time permits (refer to Delta Garden Recipe book).
III. Take class back to classroom▲s Hand out the Student Workbook as reference material and class
assignment. Review take it home activities and encourage students to do them.
EARTH SYSTEMS • Take Shelter: Teachers’ Guide Page 5
sUpporTING INFormaTIoN For TeaChers
baCkGroUNd
Above all, shelter should provide protection and comfort.
European settlers used multiple types of shelter to protect themselves and their families while they established their farms.
▲s After buying land, a farmer would first build a shanty (a rough hut with hollowed basswood logs fitted to make a waterproof roof)
▲s While living in the shanty, the farmer would build a more permanent home, typically a log cabin.
▲s The log cabin or house often shared a roof with a barn for livestock. Meanwhile, the shanty became a chicken coop and then a storehouse.
On the other hand, Native Americans of the plains were typically nomadic and followed bison herds. They required the temporary movable shelter of a tipi. Tipis were usually…
▲s Made of wooden poles and bison hides (these hides were provided by the men who hunted the bison)
▲s Measured about 10 feet high and 5 feet in diameter
▲s Had flaps and doors to regulate air flow, moisture, and temperature
▲s Were the responsibility of women who constructed, erected, and owned the tipis. They were also responsible for packing and unpacking the tipis and tipi furnishings.
Just as people have learned to build better, more comfortable and more energy-efficient types of shelter, they have also developed methods to shelter plants from adverse weather conditions and extend the growing season for crops. These include irrigation devices such as rain barrels, driplines and soak hoses, greenhouses and hothouses, cold frames and row covers.
By helping to build, maintain and use any of these methods, students will learn the functionality of each.
6&8 The 6th and 8th graders should really focus on observations, and making appropriate conclusions based on those observations. Have the students
look at the different structures and describe why they are being used. Have the
students make a hypothesis as to what might happen if the plants didn’t have the protection of the cold frame, or didn’t receive water from the rain barrels.
raIN barreLs: Rain barrels are large plastic tubs with lids set
up under downspouts to capture roof top rainfall. They offer the
following advantages:▲s They capture water that could otherwise
cause erosion, or boggy or flooded areas. ▲s They reduce the volume of water flowing
to the sewer treatment facility, saving tax dollars.
▲s They represent a valuable water repository and resource during droughts.
▲s They lower the percentage of roof top rainfall as a component of urban runoff.
▲s They save money by lowering water bills.▲s They provide rainwater that’s free of
added chemicals and dissolved minerals.
drIp sysTems aNd soaker hoses: Drip systems consist of vinyl tubing perforated every 6 to 12 inches and joined with connectors and caps. They are often sold as kits that can be customized to fit the size and layout of the garden. A simpler variation is a soaker hose, a garden hose with tiny holes regularly spaced along its entire length. Both drip systems and soaker hoses can be placed over beds to provide water where and when needed. Automatic timers make watering easier still. Drip systems and soaker hoses:
▲s Conserve water by delivering it directly to the roots of the plants.
▲s Reduce water loss from evaporation because the water is delivered directly and is confined to the specific plants that need water.
Page 6 EARTH SYSTEMS • Take Shelter: Teachers’ Guide
▲s Help prevent plant diseases like blight by directing the water to the roots, instead of leaves.
▲s Ensure adequate water supply during times of little rainfall or drought.
GreeNhoUses aNd hoThoUses: Greenhouses and hothouses (heated greenhouses) provide the following advantages for gardeners and farmers:
▲s Translucent walls to generate to provide plants with sunlight and warmth, even during the snowy months.
▲s A head start on plants that require a long growing season (tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, etc.).
▲s A warm place to start seeds far before the last frost.
Greenhouses are very advantageous; however, plants grown in the greenhouse can easily overheat or dry out, so they must be carefully monitored.
CoLd Frames: A cold frame is a simple box (usually made of wood or plastic) with a lid that allows light to pass through it and no bottom. It is typically placed on top of a vegetable bed to create a temporary protected indoor-environment. These cold frames also provide gardeners with the following advantages:
▲s An extended growing season for plants
▲s A boost in growth of heat-loving summer vegetables during cooler months
▲s Can easily be moved around the garden as needed.
A cold frame can be constructed by placing four bales of straw around a prepared seed bed. The ends should overlap to avoid drafts at the corners. An old window sash placed securely on top (provided it doesn’t contain lead-based paint or varnish) serves as a translucent top. If the glass is missing, clear plastic can be stapled in its place. Simple and inexpensive, this structure
can be used to start seeds and produce young transplants in the spring.
Cold frames can also overheat or dry out plants, so they must also be carefully monitored.
row Covers: Row covers are any type of translucent cover that fits over a garden bed to provide light and solar radiation to plants. Typically, row cover is made of a fabric called Reemay. Some advantages of row cover include:
▲s Provide a blanket for frost-sensitive plants
▲s Provide a barrier from insect pests
▲s Allow water and light to pass through to garden bed and trap heat inside
Row covers need to be anchored with pins so they do not blow away or become torn. They are usually supported by hoops so they do not crush plants. Once the cold season is over, row cover can usually be removed and stored for the next cold season.
soUrCes
Project Learning Tree, Environmental Education Activity Guide, PreK-81998, Sixth Edition, American Forest Foundation
The Vegetable Gardener’s Bibleby Edward C. Smith, Storey Publishing, 2009
A Pioneer Samplerby Barbara Greenwood,1994, Houghton Mifflin Company
how to build a survival shelterby Buck Tilton, from the February 2008 issue of Boys’ Life magazine, http://boyslife.org/outdoors/3473/taking-shelter/
study guide for studentspeople cannot survive in the outdoors very long. Human shelter provides protection against extreme cold and heat, rain, wind and snow, as well as danger, insect pests and more. Above all, the purpose of human shelter is to provide protection and comfort. The first humans lived in caves, but as we became skilled with tools, we started building structures to serve as shelters. Some early shelters were made of animal hides, stones, mud, straw or vines. Today, we use a wide variety of materials, such as brick and wood, steel and concrete, aluminum, glass and plastic.
Houses are the most common shelter for people today, but many other forms exist: treehouses, barns, igloos, tents, cabins, huts, mobile homes, teepees, castles, houseboats, yachts, recreational vehicles (RVs). Some of these don’t provide adequate long-term protection or even privacy, but will do in pinch. Can you think of other examples?
Below, study and compare how some early Americans—European settlers and Native Americans—built shelter. While their methods and use of materials varied greatly, they had the same need: protection of their people, livestock and possessions against adverse weather and danger from enemies.
pIoNeers FarmING LaNd aNd seTTLING IN The wesT: When selecting land for farming and permanent housing, pioneers preferred areas where walnut, chestnut and hickory trees grew. Land with these trees was likely to be dry and solid—the best land for farming. They stayed away from areas where cedar and hemlock trees grew abundantly—these types of trees indicated swampy ground.
After buying the land and obtaining the ownership deeds, the farmer built his first shelter: a shanty. This was a rough hut with hollowed basswood logs fitted together to make a waterproof roof. Not meant as a permanent home, it housed the pioneer family while they cut down trees and constructed the logs into a cabin.
The log cabin consisted of a simple rectangular structure, measuring 24 by 12 feet on average. The logs were notched in the top and bottom of each end and then stacked to form walls. The notches interlocked and held the walls in place. No nails were required. Any remaining gaps were filled with sticks and wood chips and then a homemade cement made of earth, sand and water. Holes for windows and doors were chopped and—time and money permitting—a wooden floor was laid to provide a dry and
relatively warm surface throughout the year. Dirt floors were cold in the winter and muddy when it rained. The windows were initially covered with animal hides and the door was made of rough planks. Glass panes and a better-fitting door were added later, if at all.
Meanwhile, two other separate log structures were constructed, connected by a single roof. This section served as a barn. Until it was finished, the cows and pigs found shelter in the shanty, which then served as chicken coop, and eventually, a storehouse. Over the years, the pioneer family could add more sections to the barn. These additions would typically be built leeward (away from the wind) to protect animals from wind.
Log structures could often be constructed within a matter of days, using only an axe and an auger, which is a hand tool used for making holes in wood. Despite their simple, fast construction, log cabins provided good protection against wind and water and proved very sturdy for many years. If a sawmill opened nearby, pioneers had the possibility of turning logs into boards and building a house.
NaTIve amerICaNs hUNTING IN The amerICaN pLaINs: Native Americans living in the Plains area of the United States didn’t settle on the land to farm, but moved around. Throughout the year, they followed the large bison herds, which provided food and material for shelter, tools and clothing. They set up camp for a few weeks at a time, so they required protective, but moveable shelter—teepees, also spelled tipis.
A teepee was a type of tent, made of wooden poles and buffalo hides. Cone-shaped, it typically measured 10 feet high and 5 feet in diameter. It tilted slightly to make it more difficult for the wind to topple it. A rope made from leather helped increase stability. Most teepees faced east so that the doors, made from flaps of bison hides, opened away from the prevailing western winds. This helped prevent drafts. In
cold weather, the base was weighted down with rocks to provide insulation; in warm weather, the teepee’s sides could be rolled up several feet to let breezes in. At the top, there were several flaps that could be opened and closed with long poles. They helped regulate the interior temperature to either allow cooling breezes in or keep rain and cold winds out. They also cleared a teepee from the fire pit’s smoke.
An inside lining, which was hung all around the teepee from about 6 feet high down to the ground, served as an insulating and ventilating device. The air space kept rains and drafts from coming inside, prevented moisture from forming
on the inside walls and provided extra insulation. It also drew away smoke
from the fire without lowering the inside temperature.
The men killed the bison whose hides were used to make the covering of a tipi. In the meantime, women constructed and maintained the tipis. Women sewed
the tipi hides together, put up and took down tipis. They also packed and
unpacked the furnishings after a move.
The teepee was an excellent shelter for the traditional lifestyle of Plains Indians. It was relatively lightweight, easy to transport and quick to set up and take down.
Just like housing is important to keep humans safe, there are things that can be done in order to protect plants or crops as well.
In the garden there is a greenhouse, rain water harvesting systems and drip irrigation. Some
cold frame simple plastic or aluminum box without a bottom and a top that lets light in and can be removed or openeddrip lines vinyl tubing used to water cropsrow covers serve as blankets against frost or insects shanty a small rough hut with a waterproof rooftipi a movable cone-shaped tent typically made of wooden poles and bison hide
gardens also use cold frames and row covers as well.
raIN barreLs: Rain barrels are large plastic tubs with lids set up under downspouts to capture roof top rainfall. They offer the following advantages:
▲s They capture water that could otherwise cause erosion.
▲s They reduce the volume of water flowing to the sewer treatment facility, saving money.
▲s They save money by lowering water bills.
▲s They provide rainwater that’s free of added chemicals and dissolved minerals.
drIp sysTems aNd soaker hoses: Drip systems consist of vinyl tubing, often sold as kits that can be used to fit the size and layout of the garden. A simpler variation is a soaker hose, a garden hose with tiny holes regularly spaced along its entire length. Both drip systems and soaker hoses can be placed over beds to provide water where and when needed. Drip systems and soaker hoses:
▲s Conserve water by delivering it directly to the roots of the plants.
▲s Ensure adequate water supply during times of little rainfall or drought.
GreeNhoUses aNd hoThoUses: Greenhouses and hothouses (heated greenhouses) are typically constructed of glass or other transparent material that lets sunlight
in and traps heat. They give gardeners a head start on those plants that require a long growing season, such as tomatoes, peppers, celery, eggplants, melons and winter squash. The seeds can be started in the greenhouse long before the last frost of the season. Over the winter months, cold-season crops such as spinach, kale, lettuce and other greens that would lie dormant in an outdoor vegetable bed can grow and thrive in greenhouses, making fresh greens available even when it’s snowing outside.
CoLd Frames: A cold frame is just a simple box with a top that lets light in
and can be removed or opened. It has no bottom. It’s placed on top of a vegetable bed to create a protected outdoor environment. Like a greenhouse, a cold frame can extend the growing season. Cold-season crops in cold frames will thrive earlier than other plants set
out in the open, and in the fall, being in a cold frame can boost the growth
of heat-loving summer vegetables. However, like greenhouses, the temperature
in cold frames must be monitored to prevent an overheating or drying out of plants.
row Covers: Made of special cloth (Reemay), row covers serve as blankets against frost or insects. They benefit both young, frost-sensitive plants as well as those who would otherwise get eaten up by bugs. Row covers need to be anchored so they don’t blow away or get torn by the wind, and supported by arched hoops so they don’t crush the plants. Once the plants have made it past the last frost of the season or are strong enough to withstand insect damage, the row covers are removed and stored.
LS 4.6.1 Identify environmental conditions that can affect the survival of individual organisms and entire species.
1. Compare and contrast a teepee and log cabin. In your answer, describe the most important considerations when choosing a shelter.
2. write about your observations in the garden today. how well do you feel some of the structures you observed are protecting the garden and plants? do you have any ideas that could help to protect the garden or plants further?
Take it HomeHere is an exercise you can do indoors:
Modified push-ups: Get into a push-up position. Lift one leg up so it is parallel to the ground and hold
it while you count to 30. Rest. Repeat with other leg. Do a set
1. Compare and contrast a teepee and log cabin. In your answer, describe the most important considerations when choosing a shelter.
Answers will vary.
2. write about your observations in the garden today. how well do you feel some of the structures you observed are protecting the garden and plants? do you have any ideas that could help to protect the garden or plants further?
