Fun with Lewis & Clark

Follow the links below for some exploring fun with Lewis & Clark.

On The Scholastic Website:

Mapman Game - Answer questions about the Lewis & Clark expedition

What to Pack? - Have you ever packed for a long trip away from home? If so, you probably spent time thinking about what kind of clothes to bring, what kind of books or toys to carry, what sort of medicine you might need, and trying to remember all the little things that you've forgotten.

Make a Specimen Box - As Lewis and Clark went on their expedition west, they found lots of new plants, animals and minerals that they had never seen before. President Thomas Jefferson had told Lewis and Clark that they should send examples of these new finds back to him.

More information on the Smithsonian Education Website:

Lewis & Clark Timeline

Great for homeschoolers - Animal Encounters lesson plan (grades 3-5)

Check out the PBS website section on Lewis & Clark!

Visit the Interactive Trail Map - click on the different states to see information about the Expedition in that state.

Have fun exploring the Lewis & Clark expedition...we'll explore more on February 12th!

Membership Benefits

Just a quick note to talk about the benefits of the Junior Gardener's Club membership at The Oregon Garden...

Benefits include free admission for the member (your child) and one adult guest (does not have to be the same adult each time) for a full year from the month you join.

Also included is an official membership card with your child's name and a 10% discount at the Gift Shop and Cafe.

You also receive free admission to the monthly activities (see list below!). Club T-shirts are also available for only $10.

2011 Programs

February 12, 2011

Program: Explore Like Lewis & Clark

About the Program: Experience the famous expedition of Lewis & Clark…a dress uniform with hat, a beaver skin, a grizzly bear footprint, a journal with quills and powdered ink, a prickly pear and many other items. Take an explorer’s walk around the Garden.

March 12, 2011

Program: Grow Your Own Greenhouse

About the Program: Join Oregon Garden Horticulture staff as they help kids create a greenhouse of their very own. Kids will plant seeds and create small greenhouses to take home.

April 9, 2011

Program: Penny’s Puppet Productions presents “Where is Lilly the Catapilly?”

About the Program: Everyone loves little Lilly the caterpillar! She is friends with everyone but one spring day when she was supposed to go to a tea party, the loveable Lilly doesn’t show up. That’s when her friends go to look for her. Enjoy this musical Mystery and find out just what has happened to Lilly.

May 14, 2011

Program: Four Legged Friends: How to Meet a Dog & Guide Dogs for the Blind

About the Program: Children encounter dogs at the homes of their friends, on the street, or at a park. Dogs share our lives and accompany people on many outings. The Willamette Humane Society’s Kind Kids program will show how to safely meet a dog – an important lesson for every child to know. What dogs need is an important lesson in responsible pet ownership.

June 11, 2011

Program: Forest Science Wonders

About the Program: What does a tree ring tell us? Do all trees grow the same? Come discover with the Oregon Forest Resources Institute all the wonders of trees. Learn how to distinguish our common trees of Oregon. Use scientific tools to take a look inside a trees lifecycle and discover how people can influence the diversity and habitat of a forest.

July 9, 2011

Program: Geocaching Adventure: Searching for Hidden Treasure

Location: Children’s Garden

About the Program: Explore the garden with a GPS unit…Family friendly geocaching will be the activity of the day. Groups will learn how to use the gps then search the grounds of The Oregon Garden to find great surprises!

August 13, 2011

Program: Let’s Make Music! Junk Jam

About the Program: Mark Powers will show that any ordinary object can indeed be a musical instrument – five gallon pails, garbage cans, automotive brake drums and soda can shakers. In merely seconds, kids will transform these “found sounds” into intense rhythms- at the same time developing creativity, listening and communication skills.

September 10, 2011

Program: Chef Kids Make Salsa!

About the Program: Join the Merry Kitchen, a home-based cooking school that focuses on teaching kids to cook, at the Oregon Garden as we create dishes picked right from the garden. We will be walking around the garden collecting food we need. Next we will be creating homemade salsa and lettuce wraps grown right at Oregon Garden! Julie from the Merry Kitchen will be teaching the kids about creating their own salsa. We'll also use beets and apples from the garden, mix them with select seasoning and herbs and roll them up in a lettuce leaf harvested from the garden. Finally, we'll get to eat our own creations!

October 8, 2011

Program: Be Safe – Fire Safety

About the Program: Visit with Oregon Department of Forestry firefighters and local firefighters – and their trucks! Learn to Stop, Drop & Roll and how to be safe in case of fire.

November 12, 2011

Program: Art Making in the Garden

About the Program: Artists from the Silverton Art Association will facilitate a variety of art media, using the gardens as inspiration. Leaf rubbings, watercolors and more.

December 10, 2011

Program: The Reptile Man

About the Program: Richard Ritchey, The Reptile Man, has an extraordinary array of snakes, lizards, turtles and tortoises, and will feature 15-20 reptiles from diverse habitats. Come learn about the habits and fun facts of these amazing animals.

Explore Lewis and Clark's Journey

The adventure and explorations of William Lewis and Meriwether Clark are an important part of Oregon's history. The Lewis and Clark Expedition was the first expedition of an overland nature that was taken in the United States to the Pacific Coast and then back.

The team of explorers was headed by William Clark and Meriwether Lewis, and it was assisted by Toussaint Charbonneau and his wife, Sacajawea. The goal of the mission was to get a better understanding of the resources that would be exchanged in the Louisiana Purchase. This expedition laid a part of the groundwork for the westward expansion of the United States of America.

For more information about Lewis & Clark, check out the Discovering Lewis & Clark website.

The Junior Gardener's Club will be exploring the life of Lewis & Clark on February 12th at 10 a.m. The Historical Outreach Program will be bringing its Discovery Box full of materials, tools, and other items that Lewis & Clark would have used on their journey. Stories of the adventure will be told and we will take a walk to the Lewis & Clark Garden, located in The Oregon Garden near the Silverton Market Garden.

Don't miss the fun...sign up today! Call 503-874-2533 for more information or to reserve a spot.

To join the Junior Gardener's Club and receive a full year of programs, visit www.oregongarden.org

Keep Warm in Winter with Finger Knit Scarfs

Making a scarf is easy-peasy with finger knitting...kids and adults alike will enjoy this simple knitting method. The January 8th meeting of the Junior Gardener's Club will focus on knitting for kids.

The Cool Kids Knit program will include a demonstration on how to dye yarn with Kool-Aid...something every household is familiar with. Celia Stapleton, proprietor and knitting expert of The Purl District (http://www.thepurldistrict.com/) in Silverton, will be teaching the class.

While the yarn dries, we will take up a new skein and learn finger knitting...no needles needed!

If you haven't heard of finger knitting before, you can watch a demonstration on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3LKAlDz9ig

It is a great activity for kids - especially when traveling!

If you would like to join us for the program, please contact the Membership Department at 503-874-2533 to pre-register.

Thank you!

Polar Express event in two days!

Hot Chocolate, Popcorn and a great holiday movie...what more can a family looking for a fun time ask for?

Don't miss out! Join us Saturday December 11th at The Oregon Garden's Education Center for the Junior Gardener's Club program. This will include a dramatic reading of the book "The Polar Express" performed by Steve of the Silverton Poetry Association, followed by a screening of the movie. Hot chocolate (complete with mini marshmallows) and popcorn will be available for everyone...kids attending the event will receive a small surprise at the end - a little gift to help them continue to believe.

Kids (ages 1 and up) $5

Parents - free!

Garden Members - free!

December Club Meeting - The Polar Express

Don't miss the December 11th Polar Express event from the Junior Gardener's Club.

10 a.m. at the Education Center - The Oregon Garden

We have a dramatic reading of the book (The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg) to begin the program, then will enjoy watching the film version. Hot chocolate and popcorn will make a warm and fun family environment for this holiday event.

Kids attending the event will also be given a special gift at the end of the program...a little something to help them "believe."

Free for Garden members and Junior Gardener's Club members

Non-members: $5 per child, plus Garden admission

Questions? Call 503-874-2533 for more information or to sign up

Welcome to the Junior Gardener's Club

Have you been looking for something fun but educational for your children and family to do each month? Look no further! The Junior Gardener's Club at The Oregon Garden is the perfect family activity.

On the second Saturday of each month, the JG Club meets for a themed activity. You and your children will be moving, planting, learning and having so much fun you won't want to leave!

See below the 2011 Junior Gardener's Club schedule - more information about each month's program will follow. Admission to all regular Junior Gardener's Club activities is included in Club membership (only $50 for 12 months) and includes your child and one adult. Individual monthly drop in rates are $5 per child, plus regular Garden admission. Club t-shirts are available for only $10.

2011 Junior Gardener's Club

January 8th - Kool Kids Knit

10 a.m., Education Center

February 12th - Explore Like Lewis & Clark

10 a.m., Education Center

March 12th - Grow Your Own Greenhouse

10 a.m., J. Frank Schmidt Jr. Pavilion

April 9th - Penny Productions presents "Where is Lilly the Catapilly?"

10 a.m., OSU Room, Pavilion

May 14th - Our Four Legged Friends: How To Meet A Dog & Guide Dogs For The Blind

10 a.m., Children's Garden

June 11th - Forest Science Wonders

10 a.m., Children's Garden

July 9th - Geocaching Adventure: Searching for Hidden Treasure

10 a.m., Children's Garden

August 13th - Let's Make Music: Junk Jam!

10 a.m., Children's Garden

September 10th - Chef Kids Make Salsa

10 a.m., Children's Garden

October 8th - Fire Safety for Kids

10 a.m., Fire Resistant House

November 12th - Art Making In The Garden

10 a.m., Education Center

December 10th - The Reptile Man

10 a.m., OSU Room, Pavilion