Increasing biodiversity on campus is part of Princeton Montessori School’s focus on environmental sustainability. To help pollinators, the grass between the water channel and Hunter Farm was left unmowed during the month of May to allow wildflowers and pollinator plants to grow.
During this time, Upper School Ecology classes used the meadow as a learning tool. Students discovered approximately 20 different plant species and identified a number of wildflowers, including annual fleabane, ribwort plantain, narrow-leaf blue-eyed grass, smooth cat’s ears, mouse-ear chickweed, slender yellow woodsorrel, common cinquefoil, and sweet vernal grass. The students loved the names! They also identified a number of bees and other pollinating insects feeding there.
In addition to teaching students about biodiversity and the importance of pollinators, Ecology teacher Mr. Juleff sought to develop the students’ powers of observation and their enjoyment of walking through a flower-filled meadow. Thank you to Primary teacher Teresa Hartmann for suggesting “No Mow May!”
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