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= __Geranium Nation Challenge: 2011__ = = = = = ==

Geranium Nation Challenge is a new and exciting collaboration between UW Extension, the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee Public School (MPS), coordinated by the MPS Science Department. Every year the City of Milwaukee plants thousands of annual flowers in its boulevards to beautify the city and enhance Milwaukee's quality of life. Unfortunately, these flowers cannot survive Milwaukee's harsh winters and once the frost hits, they are mulched and become compost.



This year the City of Milwaukee has agreed to extract geraniums and give them to MPS students. Third graders are being offered the opportunity to pot their own plant and take it home over the winter. Surviving plants can be entered into a Horticultural Competition at the MPS District Science Fair in May.

For the hardcore third grade scientist additional plants will be available to perform experiments based on Scientific Inquiry. The experiments can be the basis of class discussion and can also be entered at the MPS District Science Fair for prizes.

Some classes are taking the opportunity to combine the plant activity with an optional art project. Traditional containers and non traditional containers will be designed and decorated for a special art award at the District's Science Fair. Some teachers are injecting an environmental awareness component into this project by requiring that the container be a recycled article.


 * DID YOU KNOW ?**
 * //The GERANIUM was selected as the official flower of the City of Milwaukee in 1966. The previous city flower was the nasturtium, as selected in 1923. The wood violet is Wisconsin's official flower.//**