Butterfly Garden Fun Facts:
►The Chesak/Martin Butterfly Garden originated at the old North School off Route
47.
►The beds are shaped like that of a butterfly’s wings.
►We have about 30 species of plants and grasses in the garden.
►To be certified as a Monarch Way Station you must have at least two species of
Milkweed for reproduction of caterpillars and a variety of nectar plants. We
currently have two types of milkweed with a third to be seeded this fall.
►Butterflies need places to rest and obtain water. We have large stones, two
butterfly houses and a water bath.
►The most common butterflies observed in our garden have been Monarch,
Painted Lady and both the yellow and black swallowtail butterfly.
►Other insects that can be found in our garden include Praying mantis, bees,
dragon flies, species of hunting wasps, lady bugs, Japanese beetles (a pest and
non native) and yes, mosquitoes.
►We have at least one family of field mice living in the garden and have seen
toads and frogs in the past. The mice help improve the soil through their
burrowing; toads and frogs help control insects. Despite their presence, the mice
family finds more than enough food in the garden and their population is control
by wondering hunters like owls, hawks and snakes.
►Migratory birds visit the garden especially in the fall for a food source and help
spread the seeds.
►The Chesak/Martin Butterfly Garden originated at the old North School off Route
47.
►The beds are shaped like that of a butterfly’s wings.
►We have about 30 species of plants and grasses in the garden.
►To be certified as a Monarch Way Station you must have at least two species of
Milkweed for reproduction of caterpillars and a variety of nectar plants. We
currently have two types of milkweed with a third to be seeded this fall.
►Butterflies need places to rest and obtain water. We have large stones, two
butterfly houses and a water bath.
►The most common butterflies observed in our garden have been Monarch,
Painted Lady and both the yellow and black swallowtail butterfly.
►Other insects that can be found in our garden include Praying mantis, bees,
dragon flies, species of hunting wasps, lady bugs, Japanese beetles (a pest and
non native) and yes, mosquitoes.
►We have at least one family of field mice living in the garden and have seen
toads and frogs in the past. The mice help improve the soil through their
burrowing; toads and frogs help control insects. Despite their presence, the mice
family finds more than enough food in the garden and their population is control
by wondering hunters like owls, hawks and snakes.
►Migratory birds visit the garden especially in the fall for a food source and help
spread the seeds.
| Our annual flower sale was a big success! We sold 200 baskets and 120 flats, making a profit of about $1000. The Chesak/Martin Beautification committee uses those profits to buy trees and bushes for both school campuses. |
What we do:
The Beautification and Gardening committee works with the school staff and
administration, along with the school district, to improve the campus setting, as
well as create and maintain educational resources set in outdoor settings.
These include the Chesak/Martin Butterfly Garden and the new Chesak
Vegetable Garden. Nearly all of the Reed Road Campus trees and all of the
landscaping have been supported with help by the committee and by fundraising
with the Annual Flower sale.
Read an article featuring our gardens here.
Get great gardening tips from our Beautification Committee.
The Beautification and Gardening committee works with the school staff and
administration, along with the school district, to improve the campus setting, as
well as create and maintain educational resources set in outdoor settings.
These include the Chesak/Martin Butterfly Garden and the new Chesak
Vegetable Garden. Nearly all of the Reed Road Campus trees and all of the
landscaping have been supported with help by the committee and by fundraising
with the Annual Flower sale.
Read an article featuring our gardens here.
Get great gardening tips from our Beautification Committee.
| Annual Flower Sale: |
Home | Calendar | Meetings | Membership | Meet Our Officers | About Us | Privacy Policy | Term & Conditions | Site Map | Chesak | Martin | Illinois PTA | National PTA By using this website, you agree to our terms & conditions and privacy policy. The Chesak/Martin PTA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Unless otherwise noted PTA members may reproduce and distribute materials from the Chesak/Martin PTA web site without written permission. Copyright © 2011-2012 Chesak / Martin PTA All rights reserved |
Our Butterfly Garden is recognized by the National Wildlife
Federation and serves as a Monarch Way Station recognized by the
University of Kansas. The garden meets all criteria of providing food,
shelter, water and a place for wildlife to reproduce. The gardens
Federation and serves as a Monarch Way Station recognized by the
University of Kansas. The garden meets all criteria of providing food,
shelter, water and a place for wildlife to reproduce. The gardens
contain dozens of natural plants and wildflowers. It serves the students in the
district and is easily accessible to the public located off the main parking lot
between Chesak and Martin schools. Volunteers can help with general
maintenance around the planting beds. The garden beds are mostly self
sustaining.
Did You Know?To become a recognized wildlife area by the National Wildlife
Federation you must meet 4 criteria, a place for food, water, shelter and a place to
raise wild life young.
district and is easily accessible to the public located off the main parking lot
between Chesak and Martin schools. Volunteers can help with general
maintenance around the planting beds. The garden beds are mostly self
sustaining.
Did You Know?To become a recognized wildlife area by the National Wildlife
Federation you must meet 4 criteria, a place for food, water, shelter and a place to
raise wild life young.
PTA Chairman for Beautification - Bill Heiden
Mr. Heiden has served as chairman for the committee for 5+ years and has been
on the committee since the PTA was formed at the Reed Road campus. He has
over 39 years of gardening experience starting at the age of 10.
He has a B.S degree in Biology from Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois. His
education provided detailed and hands on experience in Plant morphology (or
phytomorphology - the general term for the study of the physical form and external
structure of plants). He tended to and cared for the University green house for two
years. He also spent some time in field work in Ecology and wrote college
research paper that studied the differences in plant, animal life and water
chemistry between a polluted creek and a natural spring.
He works as a chemist for the Valspar Corporation. He and his wife Barb have
two children Katelyn 13 and Matthew 18. He has remained involved with the
Chesak /Martin PTA to help maintain and create new learning environments for
kids through his knowledge and experience. He credits his own childhood
experience with gardening for his college education and science career and
believes the gardens on the campus create great learning environments. He also
serves as a merit badge consoler for Boy Scout Troop 167 in Huntley and as
assistant travel soccer coach.
Mr. Heiden has served as chairman for the committee for 5+ years and has been
on the committee since the PTA was formed at the Reed Road campus. He has
over 39 years of gardening experience starting at the age of 10.
He has a B.S degree in Biology from Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois. His
education provided detailed and hands on experience in Plant morphology (or
phytomorphology - the general term for the study of the physical form and external
structure of plants). He tended to and cared for the University green house for two
years. He also spent some time in field work in Ecology and wrote college
research paper that studied the differences in plant, animal life and water
chemistry between a polluted creek and a natural spring.
He works as a chemist for the Valspar Corporation. He and his wife Barb have
two children Katelyn 13 and Matthew 18. He has remained involved with the
Chesak /Martin PTA to help maintain and create new learning environments for
kids through his knowledge and experience. He credits his own childhood
experience with gardening for his college education and science career and
believes the gardens on the campus create great learning environments. He also
serves as a merit badge consoler for Boy Scout Troop 167 in Huntley and as
assistant travel soccer coach.
The Chesak Vegetable Garden was started
in the fall of 2009. It serves as an educational
resource for students. In 2011, the PTA
helped support the garden through some of
its flower sale funds and through care taking
duties. Volunteers are greatly appreciated
and will get to share in the vegetables
harvested for donating their time. If you are
interested in helping over the summer, let us
know!
Tomato Care
Get tips and tricks on how to grow tomatoes
this summer. Read full article here.
in the fall of 2009. It serves as an educational
resource for students. In 2011, the PTA
helped support the garden through some of
its flower sale funds and through care taking
duties. Volunteers are greatly appreciated
and will get to share in the vegetables
harvested for donating their time. If you are
interested in helping over the summer, let us
know!
Tomato Care
Get tips and tricks on how to grow tomatoes
this summer. Read full article here.
| a great source of organic methods of insect pest control and fertilizers |
Thank you! The Chesak Martin PTA and the
Beautification Committee give our thanks to
the following:
►Prairie Nursery for copies of their catalog.
►Hubbs Greenhouse in Marengo and Tom’
s Farm - Huntley for some of the plants in
the garden.
►School District 158
Principals Chuck Lamb of Chesak and
Rhonda Maciejewski of Martin and their
staff for all their support
Beautification Committee give our thanks to
the following:
►Prairie Nursery for copies of their catalog.
►Hubbs Greenhouse in Marengo and Tom’
s Farm - Huntley for some of the plants in
the garden.
►School District 158
Principals Chuck Lamb of Chesak and
Rhonda Maciejewski of Martin and their
staff for all their support
| Garden Resources: |
| Information on monarchs and creating monarch sites |
| for plants and seeds |
| 61 miles of trails just west of Chicago |
| locations to visit in the McHenry County Conservation District |
| The Annual Flower Sale was started as a means to fund beautification projects and to improve the campus setting. Proceeds from past flower sales have provided funds to plants dozens of trees and shrubs to date. |
High retention rate - When children work in
gardens 90 percent of their experience is
classified as hands-on. In a study conducted
by Bethel Learning Institute on student
retention, it was found that learning by doing
produced 75 percent retention rate and 90
percent retention rate if the student teaches
another student as averse to 11 percent for
lectures.
Empowerment - A connection to the earth
gives students a sense of achievement and
motivation.
Academics - Science, math, social studies,
art, language, and any other subject can be
taught as life skills using nature as the
learning lab, making these concepts more
meaningful.
Teamwork - Facilitating cooperation and
communication in a real world setting rather
than a classroom, makes learning teamwork
possible, as does the class goal of a
successful garden become more significant
than individual achievement.
from "The Whys of Outdoor Classrooms" by
Priscilla Logan
read full article here
gardens 90 percent of their experience is
classified as hands-on. In a study conducted
by Bethel Learning Institute on student
retention, it was found that learning by doing
produced 75 percent retention rate and 90
percent retention rate if the student teaches
another student as averse to 11 percent for
lectures.
Empowerment - A connection to the earth
gives students a sense of achievement and
motivation.
Academics - Science, math, social studies,
art, language, and any other subject can be
taught as life skills using nature as the
learning lab, making these concepts more
meaningful.
Teamwork - Facilitating cooperation and
communication in a real world setting rather
than a classroom, makes learning teamwork
possible, as does the class goal of a
successful garden become more significant
than individual achievement.
from "The Whys of Outdoor Classrooms" by
Priscilla Logan
read full article here
►Eight new trees were planted on the campuses this fall. And we were able to
donate 2 shopping carts full of pumpkins to the Grafton Township Food Pantry.
Everything is going very well with the vegetable garden. The donations have been
very appreciated.
►The Chesak/Martin PTA and Beautification committee take pride in improving
the look of our campuses. Please visit the garden often to see how it transforms
throughout the year. The garden belongs for all to enjoy, learn from and share.
►Our goals: The committee would like to build a 1-2 acre natural prairie on the
campus with district approval to serve as a larger “outdoor classroom”. Such a
living environment would provide numerous educational opportunities for
students on campus and in the entire district (Pre-K - high school). Natural areas
cost hundreds of dollars less per year less to maintain then “turf grass” over the
long term after installation and plants are established. Currently, the committee
has $1000 donated to such a project. Anyone interested in working on this project
to make it a reality can contact us.
►Tree Leaf Recognition iPhone App: The free iPhone app, Leafsnap, is a tree
identification application. Just take a photo of the leaf when you are out in the
parks this summer, and a shape-recognition algorithm takes over. Developers of
this tool were Columbia University, the University of Maryland and the Smithsonian
Institution. from Illinois PTA Bulletin Volume 94 Issue 9 June 2011
donate 2 shopping carts full of pumpkins to the Grafton Township Food Pantry.
Everything is going very well with the vegetable garden. The donations have been
very appreciated.
►The Chesak/Martin PTA and Beautification committee take pride in improving
the look of our campuses. Please visit the garden often to see how it transforms
throughout the year. The garden belongs for all to enjoy, learn from and share.
►Our goals: The committee would like to build a 1-2 acre natural prairie on the
campus with district approval to serve as a larger “outdoor classroom”. Such a
living environment would provide numerous educational opportunities for
students on campus and in the entire district (Pre-K - high school). Natural areas
cost hundreds of dollars less per year less to maintain then “turf grass” over the
long term after installation and plants are established. Currently, the committee
has $1000 donated to such a project. Anyone interested in working on this project
to make it a reality can contact us.
►Tree Leaf Recognition iPhone App: The free iPhone app, Leafsnap, is a tree
identification application. Just take a photo of the leaf when you are out in the
parks this summer, and a shape-recognition algorithm takes over. Developers of
this tool were Columbia University, the University of Maryland and the Smithsonian
Institution. from Illinois PTA Bulletin Volume 94 Issue 9 June 2011
| News & Updates: |
| Vegetable Garden: |
| Butterfly Garden: |
| Using Gardens to Teach: |
