Soil magazine Jane Brynn Sabreen

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M A R C H 2 3 , 2 0 1 2

V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1

S A P R O T E E N O U G E

Don’t forget to vote Saprophyte for the up coming election!

The newest trend on

beauty products that you

won’t see coming!

The scoop on

the Soil Unit for

7th Graders at

Westridge!

1, 2, 3, 5, 8…

Do you know

what these num-

bers are? Look

inside to find

out!

When we got to Arlington

Garden we started of having

a science lesson about fungi

and bacteria. We went

around collecting dirt and

other samples to see what

different organism lived on

each of the specimens. Then

we walked through the sev-

enth circuit Labyrinth to relax

and find our inner peace.

Then we spent about fifteen

minutes writing about how

the labyrinth effected our

sense of consciousness .

After that we had an English

lesson. We wrote a poem

about our surroundings. We

used our sense of touch,

smell, and sight.

Afterwards, we came back to

our campus. Leigh Adams, a

landscaper and botanical

scientist, taught us how to

detect physical problems

going on with trees. We were

given shovels and we dug

“moats” around each tree’s

trunk. We collected worms

and other animals we found

in the soil.

sequence. For example, if a

flower has 5 petals, then it

would correspond to the se-

quence. And if you looked

closely, you could probably

see many spirals on the pistil

of the flower.

In our math class, Mrs.

Lukens read “Blockhead”,

which is a book about Fibo-

nacci’s life and how he loved

numbers, and we took pic-

tures of flowers, bushes,

trees, and leaves. Then we

observed each of the pictures

and looked for spirals. The

numbers 1,2,3,5,8,13… have

a great significance to the

T H E A R L I N G T O N G A R D E N & B O T A N I C A L U R G E N T C A R E

F I B O N A C C I S E Q U E N C E

P R O P A G A N D A P O S T E R

math teacher, as a model. In

our poster, we were trying to

show people that planting a

garden was cool and hip,

because it is! It took us a

couple of days to finish it, but

it looks great!

Our class learned about Vic-

tory Gardens and how they

were used during wars and

what their purposes are to-

day. 40% of food during

World War two came from

Victory Gardens. Afterwards,

we were assigned to create

our own propaganda posters

to encourage others to start

their own Victory Gardens.

Our group’s slogan was “Get

Some Dirt On Your Shirt”, and

we used Mrs. Lukens, our


During P.E. We took a hike at

the Descanso Gardens. We

had an assignment to take

pictures of the different as-

pects of the Descanso gar-

dens. We had to take five

pictures of the same color

that occurs multiple times in

nature. Or we could take two

pictures of saprophytes in

action! The hike was about

forty-five minutes, and we got

to see many different parts of

the gardens, like the rose

garden and the Boddy house.

We also counted how many

steps we took during the hike

and we marked a map of

where we took the photo-

graphs.

our lab journals. And created

a hypothesis. Then we

counted how many different

types of fungi and bacteria

were growing in each Petri

dish. We also saw which Petri

dish had the most fungi and

bacteria and where it came

from.

After we collected bacteria

and fungi samples from Ar-

lington Garden, on Friday, we

put them in Petri dishes full

of food, labeled them, taped

them closed, and let the bac-

teria and fungi grow until we

could see them. Then on

Thursday we took them out of

their box and looked at them.

Then we created a graph in

D E S C A N S O G A R D E N S

B A C T E R I A & F U N G I

W O R K S H O P

choice and form a ball. Then

you can throw it anywhere

you like. Rain will break

down the clay and mulch

releasing the seeds into the

ground. The second work-

shop was going around the

Westridge campus to find

and identify trees that need

help. We identified 3 trees

and wrote down how to help

them. The third workshop

was looking at the bacteria

and fungi (see article below).

The last workshop was look-

ing at the rain gardens made

a few years ago. We learned

about a lot of plants in the

rain garden. After everything,

our friend Madison Booth put

her hands, that were covered

in the clay mixture for the

seed balls, all over our faces.

It was a great facial mask

that made our skin very

smooth! You should try it!

On the second to last day of

our soil unit, we had four

workshops. The first one was

making newspaper pots and

seed balls. The newspaper

pots are a temporary pot that

you use to hold the plant.

Then you plant it in the

ground and eventually de-

composes, thanks to Sapro-

phytes. The seed balls are

little balls made out of clay

and mulch. You mix together

the clay, mulch, and seed of



BRYNN’S REFLECTION ON THE WEEK

Throughout this week, I have learned a lot about conserving the planet and applying more good solutions to our environment. I enjoyed most our station activities on Thursday, and my favorite was using clay and compost to make seed balls. I also enjoyed digging around the trunk of

the injured Ginka outside of Mudd. It was quite exciting to use Mrs. Lukens as a model for my

group’s propaganda poster, and it looks great. Another thing that I enjoyed working on was the

Organism of the Year Project with my group mates. I cannot wait for putting it all together into a

digital magazine.

One of the only things I wasn’t very intrigued with was going around and observing trees

to look for damage. I understand that it was meant to be an educational part of our Soil Unit,

and it seemed that almost everything else was amusing anyway (so I just dealt with it). Along

with that, I didn’t really like the Rain Garden Activity because we didn’t get to plant or prune

anything like the first group at that station did. Fortunately, I liked going to Arlington Gardens

and Descanso Gardens.

I thought the hikes were beautiful, and the activities at Arlington kept my excitement

high. My favorite activity was collecting specimens of bacteria so we could see how they

reproduced and colonized in a week. Walking through that labyrinth was interesting. After

drowsily scooching myself into the maze, my brain shut down. I tested it out by closing my eyes,

and I seemed to turn at the right time even though I had no recollection of where I was going.

If I were to rate this week-long experience from 1-10, I would give it a 9 ½ . I believe this

all wasn’t just learning about or being conscience of our planet, but it was a bonding

involvement too. We all got to see how people work together to create solutions, what they do to

educate others, and why each person is dedicated to each other and their way of life.


SABREEN’S REFLECTION OF THE WEEK

The Soil Unit was an experience that I will never forget. It was a great experience that has taught

me so much. The first day it was so cool that we got to collect samples of bacteria in the dirt, and on

other things during our science lesson. It was fun also to be able to just sit and look at our surroundings.

I was not happy to have to write a poem about it, especially how I brought it in and it had to be typed,

but it turned out to be really fun. It was fun because I got to go on about the world and what it meant. I

personally didn’t like the Labyrinth, partly because I had an anxiety attack. I am not quit sure why I had

an anxiety attack, but I think it was from walking back and forth staring at the ground. It was also fasci-

nating how we saw the baby trees and found out that they were going to die! It made me want to go hug

a tree.

The second day was also fun but it was kind of boring at first. I did enjoy learning what a victory

garden was. I like coming up with a slogan, but I found it challenging. It was also cool to learn about

how the civic center was turned into a huge community garden. It was also fun to be assigned sapro-

phytes as our Organism of the Year topic, because we were the saprophyte group.

The third day was also fun because we had the whole time to work on our projects. It was very

helpful because we could finish everything. I had the most fun with the cover page for our magazine,

Saproteenoug.It was the most fun because I got to computerize it and make it vibrant. I also had fun

with the propaganda poster, because Ms. Lukens was our model!

The third day was the best, because we got to take a hike in the morning, we got to have the ser-

vice learning picnic, and the soil unit projects. It was a lot to do in one day but it was so fun. I would

have like to have more time to be at Disconso gardens, but it was alright. I loved how we got to make

seed balls and newspaper pots because we could actually use that stuff. I also thought it was awesome

that we got to go around campus identifying trees and what was wrong with them. It was sad that a lot

of the trees were going to die, but we did get to help them. In the science room it was super cool to look

at all of the bacteria and fungi that was ate the garden. It was funny how many different types of bacte-

ria there are in the world. I also enjoyed being able to plant the rain garden, we were the last group so

there wasn’t much to do but we still got to learn about plants. Over all it was an amazing thing to experi-

ence and get to take part in.


JANE’S REFLECTION OF THE WEEK

On the first day, I had a lot of fun. Arlington Gardens was a lot of fun. I liked going around

finding different samples for science and taking notes for my poem for English. The labyrinth was

really cool, too. It was funny how Sabreen was complaining about getting lost. She kept complain-

ing about it for days. Then it was also fun digging up the dirt around the trees on campus. Emma

Kuhlman and I found a lot of worms. Then after school, my dad told me that my great great grandfa-

ther owned the land that Arlington Gardens is on. It was cool to find out that my family once owned

the place I see everyday. On the second day, Monday, I learned a lot of new things. I learned about

Victory Gardens and about the animals in the soil. I was really grossed out about the story of Saint

Phocus. It was disgusting. On Tuesday, it was fun to work with my group on our Organism of the

Year speech and our propaganda poster. I was amazed at how great of an artist Brynn was. Then we

had Mrs. Lukens model for our poster. That was so fun. In the end, my group’s poster looked really

cool. On Wednesday, it was really cool to learn about the Fibonacci sequence. It amazed me how

almost everything in nature has to do with Fibonacci numbers. Then on Thursday, I found all the ac-

tivities really fun. Descanso Gardens was really pretty. I had so much fun. I loved seeing all the na-

ture. I liked making the seed balls a lot. I also liked looking at all the bacteria and fungi growing in

my group’s petri dishes, even though it was gross. I liked all the activities a lot. Overall, the soil unit

has been very interesting. I learned a lot and had fun while doing it!


Brynn’s Poem

Techno Classica

The sun is asleep

A cotton of blue

Makes the warmth stay

Within his keep.

While I look at

Bright flowers, yellow songbirds,

And pearls sailing into

Silky milk,

Images blur into a pallet.

Jade, Lavender, Indigo,

Auburn, Rose,

Black.

As the lids

Of my eyes

Droop to stupor,

Gotye, M83, and Lana Del Rey

Chatter

As Maria Callas Otello

Sang Ave Maria.

Why is life so cruel?


Sabreen’s Poem Labyrinth

Why does the sun hide behind clouds?

Why does the wind strip the trees of their leaves?

Why does the traffic hide the sweet sound of the birds-chit chattering in the trees and bushes?

Why does the gas hide the sweet smell of the sticky dew from the cactus?

Why does the thorn hide the rose?

Now I Know.

You think I might as well tell you,

But that would be cheating.

So stop wasting your time reading my poem and find out for yourself.

Because we don’t have forever.

But would you really want forever?

You would be wasting your time thinking on these few topics, and I would take you forever.

I don’t have forever to make sure your thinking of these things so why are you still reading this?

I bet you ten bucks that you can think of a billion better ways to spend this Forever.

But that would take forever,

So don’t or I would have to sit here forever listening to you talk.

And I have many better things to do with forever.

Forever…

adverb

1. without ever ending; eternally: to last forever.

2. continually; incessantly; always: He's forever complaining.

noun

3. an endless or seemingly endless period of time: It took them forever to make up their minds.

What does forever even mean?

You could spend Forever trying to finding out what this means...

But because we don’t know who made up this forever we can’t really spend forever doing anything.

Because wasn’t everything made up?

The birds, plants, animals, bacteria, amoebas, you?

We have spent forever trying to discover what made up everything.

But have we?

We have only spent the past, which apparently doesn’t exist.

Past:

Everything but you and the words you know.

So I would learn all of them if I were you.

But I would spent Forever.

noun

7. the time gone by: He could remember events far back in the past.

8. the history of a person, nation, etc.: our country's glorious past.

9. what has existed or has happened at some earlier time: Try to forget the past, now that your troubles are over.

10. the events, phenomena, conditions, etc., that char-acterized an earlier historical period: That hat is some-thing out of the past.

11. an earlier period of a person's life, career, etc., that is thought to be of a shameful or embarrassing nature: When he left prison, he put his past behind him.

But it’s already happened.

So how have you been spending it?

This brings us back to forever.

Couldn’t you spend forever thinking of the past?

Why does the word Forever show up in so many po-ems?

I can tell you why.

But That would be cheating.

So I still don’t understand why you are still reading this “Poem”.

But who understands anything?

I don’t and I am sure you don’t.

But we do understand that we have to enjoy life.

Not computers or whatever else they make.

But we have to enjoy,

enjoy the sun when it’s there,

enjoy the trees with the leaves,

enjoy it when you can hear the birds,

enjoy the cactus,

enjoy the rose for what it is.

enjoy not being able to live forever.

Because wouldn’t that get boring?

When everything’s gone.


Jane’s Poem

It Is Everywhere

The grey sky and trees stand above me in the coolness of the day

Many more trees and birds singing happily on them within the soft fuzzy leaves

The scent of wood lingers in my nose; in the rough grooves of the wood, I get

splinters

All around me are trees, shrubs, flowers, and rocks

I see purple and white flowers cascading out of nowhere

When I get up and move around, I see more plants…then…houses

Houses, gardeners, leaf blowers, telephone poles tied together by electrical wires

I see people talking, walking, running, their feet pounding on the gravel

I smell the gasoline from cars flying by and feel the sleek, smooth surface of my

iPhone

In all this natural beauty, there is still civilization, the modern world; it is

everywhere

I cannot escape from it


Tree Pictures


Brynn’s Tree Pose

Organism of the Year Speech: Saprophytes

We are Saprophytes, also known as decomposing fungi, and we are extremely impor-tant to your ecosystem. We think that we should be the “Organism of the Year”. Soil is our home, and without soil people wouldn't be able to do a lot of things. People rely on soil more than they think. They need soil for farming, foundations for buildings, and many more things. Who had something to eat today that was grown, not processed? That got its nutrients from us! Even right here where we are standing is soil. You need good soil to have a stable building. Soil needs to be taken care of because it is such a necessity for survival.

When plants die, they need to be decomposed and turned into dirt. That’s where we come in. We secrete enzymes that break down dead organic matter. We decompose the dead organic matter into a simple substance that is taken up by living plants. Decaying organic mat-ter holds essential nutrients such as iron, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus. All of these things are necessary for forest growth. We constantly are working to get these nutrients into the soil for plants to use, and we work very efficiently if I do say so myself. Not only do we de-compose plants, we are also edible! You can eat us! Let’s go multitasking!

Now for the sad stuff. Our planet is suffering from topsoil degradation. Topsoil Degrada-tion is when soil resting on top of the Earth’s crust is blown or washed away from erosion. An-other possibility for soil loss is not receiving the necessary nutrients from organic matter. We make sure that the soil gets all the nutrients it needs. We help keep the soil you use healthy! Ya know, we’re pretty nice to you humans considering what you're doing to the soil we live in. If we didn’t decompose the debris on the forest floor, the debris would accumulate on the forest floor and the forest would turn into a pile of dead plant debris. And that is yucky.

So as you can see, we are very important in the soil ecosystem. We make sure that plants get the nutrients they need to grow and prosper. Then you eat the plants that we feed. Soil is very important to the sustenance of life. And in the words of William Bryant Logan, “wherever there are decay and repose, there begins to be soil”. So when dead organic matter begins to decay, we decompose it and release the nutrients into the soil. We take good care of the soil you need because we’re just that nice. I have a secret to share with you. It is confiden-tial, but I can trust you, right? Anyway, the secret is: technically, you are eating dead organic matter that we have digested!!! Haha. So thanks for listening and make sure you choose right, and vote Saprophyte!

Soil magazine Jane Brynn Sabreen

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