Pop open our curiosity!

Jewelweed capsules explode open, propelling seeds here and there.

Pop!

Do it again!

Pop, hop!

Pop, hop, drop!

Pods pop!

We wonder:

• Why don't the thin seedpods burst open like the thick ones do?

• How does the capsule turn into a green coil?

• How can we catch the jewelweed seeds?

• How many seeds are there in a pod?

• What happens to the bees when they’re “swallowed” inside the flowers?

• Why does the largest patch of jewelweed grow near Bussey Brook?

• Can I plant a seed at home? What does it need to grow?

• Where are the “jewels” in jewelweed?

Jewelweed sparks our interest in many areas, including:

• Science:

seed dispersal mechanisms

camouflage

hummingbird and bee pollinators

hydrophobic leaves

life cycle

• Language:

rhyming (pop, hop, drop)

“talking local” (nouns of flora and fauna, verbs of movement, adjectives of description)

• Social skills:

“It popped!” [look at each other and giggle] “Here, I found a big one for you to pop.”

• Refining vision:

Finding camouflaged capsules

• Fine motor:

Popping the capsules with pincer grip

• Math:

Same number of seeds in each pod?

Get outside and find a jewelweed patch!

Look for jewelweed in moist semi-shaded areas, around the edges of streams and marshes, and in disturbed habitats such as ditches.