Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme are much more than the refrain in a Simon and Garfunkel song or seasonings for food; herbs are learning tools for teaching world geography. Each herb is native to somewhere on earth. Parsley, sage and rosemary are native to the Mediterranean. Thyme comes from northern Africa.
The migratory path of herbs followed the pilgrimages of people who took seed along to grow and use in a new territory. By tracking an herb back to its native land, students experience history and geography from the unique perspective of useful plants.
Once students know the native territory of an herb, they can find out when and how the herb traveled to other countries. For example, basil is native to India. How did it get to be a popular seasoning in Italian cooking? Oregano, native to Mediterranean Italy, became popular in America after World War II. What segment of Americans brought oregano to our taste buds?
Herbal Research Expedition
Depending upon the curriculum goals and objectives, students can learn about the herbs of a particular country or region by asking either of these questions: “What is the native country of a particular herb, say, dill?” or “What herbs are native to a particular country like Egypt?” Pick an herb or pick a country to start the expedition.
As students research herbs they will discover that some herbs have more than one name, for example, Mediterranean oregano is not the same plant as Mexican oregano. They will find out that the native country is not necessarily the place where the herbs are grown extensively or commercially today. For example, fennel is native to southern Europe but is grown extensively for the world market in Egypt and India today. Some countries are home to more than one herb making one’s herb map a potpourri.
Herb Exploration in the Classroom
One way to obtain a supply of herbs for the maps is to grow your own for drying. Grow herbs from around the world in the classroom using a GrowLab, shop lights or Grow Bucket to provide adequate light. Seedlings may be transplanted into 2” x 2” pots, the size of transplant pots sold at garden centers.
As herbs mature students, cut off lengths of stems for drying. Stems are tied into bundles with string and hung upside down in a warm dry sunless spot with good air circulation around each bundle. A supply or storage room, closet, teacher workroom, or cubby corner would work. Observe the bundles for signs of mold and discard moldy bundles. Fast drying lessens the chances for mold.
An alternative to drying fresh herbs is to raid teacher and student dry herb pantries at home. Most kitchens have herb and spice cabinets or racks.
Making Herbal Scented Maps
The materials needed in the construction of herbal maps are listed below:
- Cardstock paper for drawing maps or premade map cutout
- Dried herbs
- Scissors
- Craft glue
- Clear contact paper or laminating machine
- Hole punch
- Yarn or raffia
- Colored markers
The procedure for making herbal maps includes the following steps:
- Each student draws a map of the native country of his herb or uses a precut pattern.
- The student prints the name of the country and native herb(s) on the map.
- After spreading glue on the front surface of the map, the student scatters dried herbs on the glued surface.
- Allow glue to dry overnight before covering the front and back of the map with clear contact paper or laminating film. Then clip the map around the edges.
- Punch a hole in the top of the map and attach a colorful yarn loop. Students like to use colors of yarn in the country’s flag.
- After students use the maps in various classroom activities and display their scented herb maps in the classroom or school library, maps travel to the student’s home to hang from the kitchen cabinets.
Herbs in Children’s Literature
There are a number of children’s books appropriate for use in the study of herbs in world geography:
- Ayers, Patricia. A Kid's Guide to How Herbs Grow. New York, N.Y.: Rosen Publishing Group, 2000.
- De la Tour, Shatoiya. The Herbalist of Yarrow: A Fairy Tale of Plant Wisdom. Sacramento: Tzedakah, 1994.
- Dowden, Anne Ophelia. A Chronicle of Herbs: The Noble Harvest. New York: William Collins Books, 1979.
- Hopman, Ellen Evert. Walking the World in Wonder: A Children’s Herbal. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 2000.
- Ichikawa, Satomi and Elizabeth Laird. Rosy’s Garden. New York: Philomel, 1990.
- Pallotta, Jerry. The Spice Alphabet Book: Herbs, Spices and Other Natural Flavors. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge Publishing, 1994.
- Tierra, Leslie. A Kid’s Herb Book: For Children of All Ages. SanFrancisco: Robert Reed Publishers, 2000.
After making scented herb maps, students will see world geography in the herb and spice rack at home and at the grocery store and taste far away places in their food.
Sources
- “A Taste of McCormick” Herb Poster by McCormick Co., 1993.
- C.F. Sauer website
- McCormick website
- Richters Herb Specialists catalog and website
- Sandy Mush Herb Farm catalog and website
- Spice Islands website
- Tucker, Arthur O. and Thomas DeBaggio. The Encyclopedia of Herbs. Portland: Timber Press, 2009.
Arlene Marturano - Arlene Marturano, an educator, consultant, master gardener, and writer advocates gardens as a context and gardening as a tool for ...
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