Pistils and Stamens

Recently, Koko found a stash of hidden books that I have saved for when she's older. Good thing too because she was totally ready for How Do Apples Grow? And so this whole summer, she's been stopping to check every flower for pistils and stamens. She loves to talk about how the pistil is the female part of the flower that is very sticky while the stamens are the male parts that have pollen. And how bees and butterflies are very important because they help bring the pollen to the pistil and make the flower fertilized.

Uh, I couldn't keep the flower terms straight so I was very relieved to remember that Montesecrets had posted an entry on the parts of the flower. I don't know if I'll ever get to making the actual felt flower parts, but the info was helpful! I also spent a long time in dictionary.com so I can learn to pronounce the terms properly. My friends know how I am so great at butchering the English language.

I still have a lot to learn about flowers, not to mention all the names of the flowers in my garden! I hope to make some flower cards like Montessori Spanish did here. Koko asked how come she couldn't always see that every flower had pistils and stamens and a quick google search revealed that there are complete flowers that have both parts, but also many varieties that are incomplete, that is, they have either pistils or stamens. She's also a little confused and thinks that all flowers become fruits later on.

I am also very excited because I am waiting for the library to call me to tell me that my interlibrary loan for One Hundred Flowers has arrived.

Do you have any flower book recommendations for kids?