Gonzales Master Gardeners
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The Gourds Program

We strive to teach science and horticultural through fun activities and meaningful projects.  The Gourds Program let students plant a seed for a plant they may not know but which would help them understand the many ways in which people and animals make use of plants for reasons other than food.  They saw a plant used as a tool for humans and a home for animals.

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The third grade at Gonzales Elementary planted gourds along the fence at the Fair Street Building in the spring and Master Gardeners tended the gourds over the summer.  The lesson plan describes the many roles that gourds have played from musical instruments to water jugs.

It takes a long time for gourds to grown and dry in South Central Texas so the gourds aren’t ready for the children who planted them as 3rd graders.  So we connect the children back to their gourds the following spring when they are fourth graders.  The gourds are cleaned and prepared as bird houses and delivered to the school.  The fourth grade (who planted them last spring as third graders) painted them in their art classes and took them home.  


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