California Native Americans

Lesson 12: California Native Americans California Education Standards : Kindergarten, Earth Sciences 2. Different types of plants and animals inhabit the earth. As a basis for understanding this concept: b. Students know stories sometimes give plants and animals attributes they do not really have. Grade 1, Earth Sciences 2. Plants and animals meet their needs in different ways. As a basis for understanding this concept: e. Students know roots are associated with the intake of water and soil nutrients and green leaves are associated with making food from sunlight (related). Grade 3, Earth Sciences 3. Adaptations in physical structure of behavior may improve an organism’s chance for survival. As a basis for understanding this concept: d. Students know when the environment changes, some plants and animals survive and reproduce; others die or move to new locations. Grade 4, Earth Sciences 3. Living organisms depend on one another and on their environment for survival. As a basis for understanding this concept: b. Students know that in any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all. Grade 5, Earth Sciences Lesson 12: California Native Americans 1 1. Elements and their combinations account for all the varied types of matter in the world. As a basis for understanding this concept: e. Students know scientists have developed instruments that can create discrete images of atoms and molecules that show that the atoms and molecules often occur in well-ordered arrays (related). Grade 6, Earth Sciences 5. Organisms in ecosystems exchange energy and nutrients among themselves and with the environment. As a basis for understanding this concept: b. Students know matter is transferred over time from one organism to others in the food web and between organisms and the physical environment. Grade 7, Earth Sciences 3. Biological evolution accounts for the diversity of species developed through gradual processes over many generations. As a basis for understanding this concept: a. Students know both genetic variation and environmental factors are causes of evolution and diversity of organisms. Objective : Students must understand the main concepts of organic gardening. They should also have a basic understanding of how this knowledge came to be. Vocabulary : Organic gardening – the science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants by following the essential principles of organic agriculture in soil building and conservation, and pest management. Mulch – a protective covering, usually of organic matter such as leaves, straw, or peat, placed around plants to prevent the evaporation of moisture, the freezing of roots and the growth of weeds Compost – a mixture that consists largely of decayed organic matter and is used for fertilizing and conditioning land “no-dig” gardening method – non-cultivation method Organic pest control – preventing and controlling the pest problem instead of chemically eradicating Integrated Pest Management – an approach which first assesses the pest situation, evaluates the merits of pest management options, and then implements a system of complementary management actions within a defined area Lesson : Organic horticulture or organic gardening, as it’s more commonly known as, is the science of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants by following certain principles of soil Lesson 12: California Native Americans 2 building and conservation, and pest management. Organic gardening uses unique and healthier ways than conventional gardening to produce food. What are the main things that distinguish organic gardening from conventional or chemical gardening? Generally, organic horticulture involves natural processes, often taking place over a long amount of time, and a sustainable, natural approach. Chemical-based horticulture focuses on immediately taking care of the situation through isolated effects and reductionist strategies. One of the primary factors that distinguishes organic gardening from chemical gardening is the importance that soil is given. Mulches, compost, manures, and mineral supplements are soil- building staples that distinguish this type of farming from its commercial counterpart. Through attention to good healthy soil conditions, insect, fungal, or other problems that can hurt plants are minimized. One well known technique is the “no-dig” gardening method. Reasons for tilling the soil are to remove weeds, loosen and aerate the soil, and incorporate organic matter such as compost or manure into lower soil layers. However, there are arguments against it especially in areas with thin soil and high erosion. Critics argue that, over time, tilling can be detrimental to the food web in the fragile topsoil. Digging tends to displace nutrients, shifting surface organic material deeper, where there is less oxygen to support the decomposition to plant-available nutrients, which then need to be otherwise replenished. So instead of digging the soil, organic gardeners believe that organic matter, such as well rotted manure, compost, leaf mold, spent mushroom compost, and so on, is added directly to the soil surface as a mulch at least 2 to 6 inches deep, which is then incorporated by the actions of worms, insects and microbes. Worms and other soil life also assist in building up the soil's structure, because their tunnels provide aeration and drainage, and their excretions bind together soil crumbs. This natural biosphere maintains healthy conditions in the upper soil horizons where annual plant roots thrive. The treatment of pests in the two types of gardening also differs. In chemical horticulture, a specific insecticide may be applied to quickly kill off a particular insect pest. Chemical controls can dramatically reduce pest populations in the short term, but by killing beneficial insects and animals, they cause an increase in the pest population in the long term. Repeated use of insecticides and herbicides also encourages the pest population to become tolerant and adapt to the chemicals, leading to gardeners using stronger chemicals, and so negatively influencing the chemical balance of the environment. In contrast, organic horticulture tends to tolerate some pest populations while taking the long view. Organic pest control requires a thorough understanding of pest life cycles and interactions, and involves the cumulative effect of many techniques, including: • Allowing for an acceptable level of pest damage Lesson 12: California Native Americans 3 • Encouraging predatory beneficial insects to flourish and eat pests • Encouraging beneficial microorganisms • Choosing disease-resistant plant varieties • Planting companion crops that discourage or divert pests • Using row covers to protect crop plants during pest migration periods • Rotating crops to different locations from year to year to interrupt pest reproduction cycles • Using insect traps to monitor and control insect populations There is a system that is specifically designed to help control the “pest problem” in gardens without the use of chemicals. It is called the Integrated Pest Management, or IPM. An American IPM system is designed around six basic components: 1. Acceptable pest levels: The emphasis is on control, not eradication. IPM programs first work to establish acceptable pest levels, called action thresholds, and apply controls if those thresholds are crossed. 2. Preventive cultural practices: Selecting varieties best for local growing conditions, and maintaining healthy crops, is the first line of defense, together with plant quarantine and “cultural techniques” such as crop sanitation (e.g., removal of diseased plants to prevent spread of infection). 3. Monitoring: Regular observation is the cornerstone of IPM. Observation is broken into two steps: first, inspection and second, identification. 4. Mechanical controls: When a pest reaches an unacceptable level, mechanical methods are the first options to consider. They include simple hand-picking, erecting insect barriers, using traps, vacuuming, and tillage to disrupt breeding. 5. Biological controls: Natural biological processes and materials can provide control, with minimal environmental impact, and often at low cost. The main focus is on promoting beneficial insects that eat target pests. 6. Responsible Pesticide Use: Synthetic pesticides are generally only used as required and often only at specific times in a pest’s life cycle. Compost is a key ingredient in organic farming. Compost is organic matter that has been decomposed and recycled as fertilizer and soil amendment. At the simplest level, the process of composting simply requires making a heap of wetted organic matter (leaves, "green" food waste) and waiting for the materials to break down after a period of weeks or months. By shredding the matter, adding water and aerating by turning the mixture, the process of decomposition speeds up. Compost is generally recommended as an additive to soil. It provides a rich growing medium, or a porous, absorbent material that holds moisture and soluble minerals, providing the support and Lesson 12: California Native Americans 4 nutrients in which plants can use to flourish. Compost can be tilled directly into the soil or growing medium to boost the level of organic matter and the overall fertility of the soil. Now that we have a basic understanding of what organic gardening entails and what some of its practices are, we should focus on the earlier history of it. Organic gardening

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