OBJECTIVE

Students will be able to use their senses to explore herbs in the garden

Students will be able to compare different herbs

Students will be able to identify some of the herbs in the garden

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

What are herbs?

What can we do with plants in the winter?

MATERIALS NEEDED

• Herbs to be harvested or already harvested
• scissors
• small squares of fabric (approx. 3” x 3”)
• ribbon or string

PROCEDURE

Introduction:
Ask students, “What are herbs? What herbs have you heard of or tried?” Make connections about cooking with dried herbs instead of fresh. How they can be used year round even when herbs are not in season.
Activity 1:
Students go out into the garden to harvest herbs. Come back together and share the herbs. Invite students to smell the herbs and discuss the differences and similarities. Students lay out the herbs they find in the greenhouse to dry.
Wrap up/ Assessment: Students name one herb they harvested in the garden.
Activity 2:
Next class, the herbs are brought into the classroom. Ask students to identify the different herbs. Write the names on the board. Discuss some of the uses for each herb and how they chose ones that they like the smell of or want to cook with. Tell them they will make herb sachets or pouches that can store their herbs. Tell students they can keep the sachet under a pillow, hang in a room, make tea or cook with.
Have students assemble their sachet. Students choose a fabric, then take a pinch of the herbs they want in their sachet. Many of the herbs will need to be removed from their stem (rosemary, thyme, sage) Students tie up their sachet (with teacher’s help) and return to their desks to finish their cards.
Wrap up/Assessment: Students go around and talk about what they might do with the herbs in their sachet.

FOLLOW UP & EXTENSIONS

In spring, students choose a variety of herbs to plant in the garden.