This is the one kit where most of the plants are not native. Grasses students commonly see around their schools are not native grasses. The San Francisco Bay area was very heavily impacted by the accidental introduction of non-native grasses. Grass was used to pack breakable objects when items were shipped around the Horn and the packing material was discarded when ships arrived in San Francisco. Cattle and horses were fed on eastern and European grasses and spread their seeds when they disembarked. The native grasses in this kit are purple needle grass, which is the Califormia State grass, salt grass, which grows in wetlands, blue wild rye, Junegrass, and California melica.
The time to study grasses is at the end of May or early June
when they have the distinctive seed heads.
Teachers can help students understand how important grasses
are in the human diet of nearly all civilizations as well
as in the diet of other animals -
wheat, rye, millet, oats, corn, rice, and barley are all grasses.
How many grasses should students learn?
Kindergarten - 5
First grade - 8
Second grade - 10
Third grade - 12
Fourth grade - 14