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Youth Education

Jul 16 2021
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Plant Awareness Disparity & Our Snap-It Challenge!

By Bellevue Botanical Garden, Botany, Nature, Youth Education No Comments
By Kate Sorensen What is “Plant Awareness Disparity”? Plant Awareness Disparity (PAD) is a term proposed by Kathryn Parsley to replace an older term: “plant blindness.” To summarize her proposal, there is a disparity between how Euro-centric people notice plants in their environment versus how they notice animals. This disparity is based on attention, attitude, knowledge, and relative interest towards plants. She wrote: “The disparity between how often people notice plants compared to how often people notice animals is what…
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Apr 28 2021
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2021 Online Educational Activities for Kids and Families

By Resources, Youth Education No Comments
City Nature Challenge City Nature Challenge is an international four-day bioblitz that encourages folks to get outside, take as many pictures of plants and animals they find in the wild, and upload them to their iNaturalist app. This event is ordinarily a friendly challenge between cities, but this year the organizers want to embrace the healing power of nature and encourage the collaborative aspect of the City Nature Challenge. The Challenge takes place in 2 parts: For 2021, April 30-May…
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Dec 06 2020
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Leaf Diamonds

By Nature, Youth Education No Comments
Leaf Diamonds By Barb Williams Drip tips You may have noticed that here in the Pacific Northwest it rains often, which is one reason we have such a variety of healthy plants in the Bellevue Botanical Garden. When it rains, or when watery dew drops collect on the leaves, you may notice the sparkle of water droplets shimmering like diamonds on surfaces. Or they may be precariously hanging from “drip tips” at the leaf’s end. Many leaves end in a…
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Dec 02 2020
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Plant Heroes

By Nature, Resources, Youth Education No Comments
Are you curious about plants and animals? Are you always asking questions about the natural world? Do you like being outdoors and having fun? Then check out the American Public Garden Association’s “Plant Heroes” website. On the website you will find: Videos to learn more about moths, beetles, and fungi and explore each species like a scientist! Read comics about insects and plants Activity books with word puzzles, coloring pages, and other activities related to the comic books Lesson plans…
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Nov 19 2020
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Leaf Magic

By Bellevue Botanical Garden, Crafts, Nature, Youth Education No Comments
Leaf Magic  by Barb Williams At every season of the year there is Leaf Magic to be found at the Bellevue Botanical Garden. You will find leaves of different colors, shapes and sounds. The Nature of Sitting by Pam Beyette Treat yourself by sitting in the leaf chair opposite the Ground Cover Garden waterfall (this chair is actually an art piece titled "The Nature of Sitting" by artist Pam Beyette). As you sit, notice the colorful leaves as they whirl,…
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Nov 05 2020
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Ethnobotany at the Garden

By Adult Education, Botany, Nature, Youth Education 2 Comments
Ethnobotany at the Garden By Barb Williams Ethnobotany is the study of how people of a particular culture and region make use of indigenous (native) plants.  The native plants sprinkled throughout the Bellevue Botanical Garden remind us that us that the Coast Salish people lived in this area for thousands of years and skillfully developed a plant technology to support their daily needs. Maidenhair Fern Containers were necessary to hold and carry a multitude of items. Native Americans discovered that…
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Sep 04 2020
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Leaves in our Lives: A Living Lab Historical Perspective

By Nature, Youth Education One Comment
Leaves in our Lives: A Living Lab Historical Perspective By Barb Williams, former manager of the Living Lab Program In the Pacific Northwest, deciduous and evergreen leaves are an integral part of our lives. They provide shade, oxygen, shelter, scientific discoveries, art forms, nesting materials for animals, a symphony of sound and so much more. For these reasons I chose leaves as the topic for the first activity that I developed in 1999 as the new Manager of the Bellevue…
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Jun 28 2020
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Neighborhood Nature Walk

By Nature, Youth Education One Comment

Neighborhood Nature Walk By Angela DiLorenzo I’ve seen many families out walking during the pandemic. It has been nice to see bikes and scooters on the streets and pathways of our neighborhoods and parks. As the weather improves, we are pulled outside. Consider taking a nature walk in your own neighborhood. I know we are separated from our Bellevue Botanical Garden programs, docents, and other nature professionals, but you can still enjoy the forested parts of our city. An after-breakfast…

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Jun 16 2020
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Shadow Picture

By Nature, Youth Education One Comment
Shadow Picture By Marcy Reynolds As we approach the summer solstice, daylight is shining longer each day, giving us lots of chances to play in the sun. One activity I enjoy on a sunny afternoon is making a shadow picture outside. All you need is pencil or pen and a piece of paper. Take a walk at the Garden or in your neighborhood Find a shadow you like. Put a piece of paper on the sidewalk Draw a line along…
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Jun 05 2020
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Why Are New Leaves a Lighter Color?

By Nature, Youth Education One Comment
Why Are New Leaves a Lighter Color? By Marcy Reynolds Spring is a time of new growth at the Garden. While dazzling displays of colorful flowers easily catch the eye, I love seeing so many different shades of green on the trees and shrubs. Some of them almost look like they are glowing green! But why? With more sunshine and rain, plants grow, but why is the new growth light in color, while the existing leaves or needles look darker?…
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