In the northern hemisphere, July is summer, but as untrustworthy a month as there can be. It can be hot, dry and with blue skies, or it can be so cold and rainy that a fire in the grate is justified. Holiday makers -- who want sunny beach days every day -- detest this unreliability. Farmers, however, know that a rainy rather than a parched July is a boon to crops, as voiced in this German proverb:
"Happy are the fields that receive summer rain."
In these times, many of us have decided to stay at home for the holidays and this can prove helpful in teaching our children about the seasons. Constant travel can make our children confused as to the season. Staying at home allows them to experience the full cycle of their local seasons, understanding and appreciating them. If you have opted to stay at home this July, you are at an advantage in discovering July's untrustworthy ways.
Make a Bindweed or Morning Glory Calendar for July
Download July Morning glory chart
Bindweed (convolvulus) and morning glories make fun weather indicators for children, as they open with the sun and close when it is cloudy and rainy. Download the July chart above, then find some bindweed (which should not be too hard, as it is just about everywhere!) or buy a small pot of morning glories and place them where the sun can reach them. Each day around midday, go with the children to observe the flowers to see if they are open or closed. Have the children draw an open or closed flower in the square of the chart for that day. Discuss how many sunny day July had versus how many cloudy or rainy days there were. Make a similar chart for the month of August as well, if you wish.
©2009 Anne Morddel
Seasons South and North
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