welcome to Kindergarten In the Living Classroom Learning Lab!
Welcome to our Kindergarten Nature Curriculum! If you have any issues registering or would like to talk directly with someone please reach out to us at 503-770-0860 9-5 Pacific Time or by email to info@livingclassroomlearninglab.org
Kindergarten
Each unit has a Teacher Resource Menu With Information About the Lessons:
The purpose of each lesson, Materials Needed, Advanced Prep, The Standards Each Address, as well as other information.
we Suggest you Familiarize Yourself with this first, then proceed to the lesson content contained in The lesson tabs.
A link to the PDF of the original lessons are Available in the left column of the lesson windows for Reference.
Kindergarten
fALL UNITS
nature detective
Purpose of this Lesson:
Being able to sit quietly and observe everything around one’s self is an important skill in learning about life and nature. As children progress through activities in the Living Classroom Learning Lab, they will use their senses to understand the plants and animals present in the environment. In this lesson, the children will begin to deepen their observation skills, and they will begin to understand what comprises
nature. Their question is: What Is Nature?
Children are natural explorers. As they observe nature, children will learn the intricacies of the relationships between plants and animals. Connections begin to unfold as children learn about the plants and animals. In addition, a responsibility to preserve ecosystems in the face of environmental challenges of habitat loss and climate change develops. This diverse planet needs their care.
“If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder … he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.”
~ Rachel Carson 1962 Silent Spring ~
“In a world where everything is changing, we need to be very careful about how we define nature. In order not to steal it from our children, we need to do two things. First, we cannot define nature as that which is untouched. This never made any sense anyways, nature has not been untouched for thousands of years. And it excludes most of the nature that most people can visit and have a relationship with including only nature that children cannot touch. Which brings me to the second thing we have to do. We have to let
children touch nature, because that which is untouched, is unloved.”
- Emma Marris
Materials Needed:
- Hand lenses for each child
- Pencils
- Clip boards for teacher, children and any volunteers
- Copy for each child of the following:
- Nature Detective recording sheet Using Our Senses
- Free Verse poem In the Living Classroom
- Free Verse Poem If I Look Out My Window
- Copies for teacher and any volunteers: Questions teachers and parents can use
to help elicit greater responses from the children - Copies for teacher and any volunteers: Describing Words
- Nature Detective Badges
- Scissors
- Lamination
- Safety pins
- Tape or Hot Glue
- Books to help answer the question “What Is Nature?”
- Backyard - One Small Square by Donald M. Silver
- The Curious Garden by Peter Brown
- Step Gently Out by Helen Frost Rick
Advanced Teacher Preparation:
- Copies for students and any volunteers
- Nature Detective Badges
Length of Lessons:
Activity #1: Discussion What is Nature? & What are our five senses? (20 min)
Activity #2: Observation in the Living Classroom Outside (30 min)
Activity #3: Poem In the Living Classroom (30 min)
Activity #4: Poem If I Look Out the Window (20 min)
Sequence of Activities in the Nature Detective Lessons:
PreK-Kindergarten
Essential Question: What is Nature?
Objective: Children use their senses to record sensory words and compose a free verse poem.
Kindergarten or First Grade
Essential Question: What makes an object become a special treasure?
Children use their senses to observe, use sensory words in writing and develop an appreciation of nature.
First or Second Grade
Essential Question: Do all animals have a unique sound? Do all humans have a unique sound?
Children use their sense of hearing to compare the day sounds of the Living Classroom, which is all around you outside, to the night sounds of their backyards.
Second or Third Grade
Essential Question: What is a decomposer and why are they important?
Children compose a paragraph describing this importance and create a poster illustrating the significance of these organisms.
Third or Fourth Grade
Essential Question: What adaptations does this plant make to ensure its survival?
Children design their own mega plant which would be able to grow and be sustained for countless years
Fourth or Fifth Grade
Essential Question: What is Nature?
Children reflect on their first answer in kindergarten and write a poetic diamanté
Background Information:
It is stated in the Next Generation Science Standards, Appendix H, that “science is a way of explaining the natural world…students should develop an understanding of the enterprise of science as a whole - the wondering, investigating, questioning, data collecting, and analyzing.” Sitting in the Living Classroom Learning Lab children will take the first steps to becoming Nature Detectives - observers of our natural world.
Discovering and reflecting on how things work in the natural world has produced modern inventions.
From observing:
the flight of birds, came all types of flight.
the beaks of birds, came the bullet train.
the strength of spider’s silk, came strong medical tape.
how whales submerge, came the submarine.
how burrs grab hold, came velcro.
how bats fly and dolphins swim, came sonar.
how ducks swim using webbed feet, came flippers.
how termites build mounds and beavers build damns, came basics in architecture.
how nocturnal animals can see in the dark, came night vision.
how things fall, came the Law of Gravitational Force.
More discoveries are waiting to be found.
Children must become Nature Detectives!
Standards Addressed in this Lesson:
Science and Engineering Practices in the Next Generation Science Standards:
www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards
Understandings about the Nature of Science
Science is a way of knowing.
Science knowledge helps us know about the world.
Science addresses questions about the natural and material world.
Scientists study the natural and material world.
Scientists search for cause and effect relationships to explain natural events.
Scientists use drawings, sketches, and models as a way to communicate ideas.
Scientists ask Questions and Define Problems
Common Core State Standards - Writing, Speaking & Listening, Language
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.2
Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.7
Participate in shared research and writing projects.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.8
With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
Comprehension and Collaboration:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1
Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.3
Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.4
Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.5
Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.6
Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.
Conventions of Standard English:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.1
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
Lesson
Lesson
Observation
Measuring
The Essential Question:
What is Nature?
The Objective is for children to:
Identify and use their senses to observe nature & record sensory words on their graphic organizer
Use their findings to write two free verse poems titled:
~ In the Living Classroom
~ If I Look Out My Window
~ Define Nature through their senses, thus becoming Nature Detectives
vIDEO COMING SOON
“I want to ask a question. What is nature?”
Record student responses.
“How many senses do we have? Yes, five!
What senses you can use to observe nature? Eyes to see, hands to touch, ears to hear, noses to smell. We will not use our sense of taste when observing science for safety reasons.
We have a lot of ideas, so let’s go out to the Living Classroom Learning Lab, which is all around you when you are outside, and become Nature Detectives! You know detectives look for the tiniest clue.
Here are eye magnifiers for you to use to find those clues. Remember too that detectives listen for the tiniest sound and try to catch the faintest smell. Let’s explore the many things that nature could be. Good luck, Nature Detectives! Let’s find out what Nature is!”
Read Backyard – One Small Square by Donald M. Silver
Assign children to a volunteer if available. Set boundaries for exploration and encourage visiting all areas of the Living Classroom Learning Lab. If volunteers are available, children go with a volunteer to observe with their senses: the lawn, the bark of a tree or an evergreen, a flower, a grass plant, a vegetable, and the sky. Children draw pictures of their observations or volunteers record student observations on recording sheets.
Teachers and volunteers can guide the children with the sheet Questions teachers and parents can use to help elicit greater responses from the children and Describing Words to help the children record their observations.
“I would like you to come out to the grass. Spread out and get down close to a clump of grass. You can even lay down on it! You are going to be answering some questions. You will write or draw your answers so you will have them for later when we talk about our experiences in the Living Classroom Learning Lab today. Answer these questions about the grass as you look closely at it. You may use your hand lens to see it better.
What color and shape is it?
What does it feel like?
Get close to it. What does it smell like?
Put your ear right on it and listen intently. What do you hear?
Listen intently means you listen for the tiniest noises. Remember you are a nature detective. You may hear an airplane, train, car or truck. These are not nature noises. They are made by humans.
Nature noises are not made by humans. Listen even
more closely where you are and you may hear a bird or a cricket chirping. Could you possibly hear a worm wiggling in the dirt?
When you have finished investigating the grass, I will assign you another area in the Living Classroom to observe in the same manner as the grass.”
Have the children share their sensory observations.
When observations are complete, model how to use a combination of words in the Describing Words sheet and their sensory recordings on the graphic organizer to complete the free verse poem In the Living Classroom.
When the poem In the Living Classroom has been completed, call the children together and have children to share their observations with a partner. Encourage a few to present to the entire class.
“I would like you to share some of your observations. Listen carefully to one another and let us know what you have seen, heard, felt, or smelled is something that no one else has mentioned.”
Read The Curious Garden by Peter Brown.
Share out ideas about the book.
Read Step Gently Out by Helen Frost Rick to reinforce “What Is Nature?”
“So Nature Detectives, what is Nature?”
Allow time for discussion and end with a simple idea that nature is everything in our world that is not made by humans: plants, animals, mountains, oceans, stars, etc.
As additional reinforcement of the concept, have the children complete the If I Look Out My Window.
“Thank you boys and girls for being such fantastic observers and listeners who are so willing to share your discoveries. Whenever you are out in the Living Classroom Learning Lab, remember to watch and listen silently and you will surely observe the secrets that are hiding here.
Does anyone have anything they are still wondering about in what they saw or did today in the Living Classroom Learning Lab?”
These wonderings could lead to further investigations.
Cut out and laminate the Nature Detective Badges for each child. Attach safety pins with tape or hot glue to the back and hand them out at completion of the lesson.
Ecosystem Study #1: Living & Non-living Components of an Ecosystem
Purpose of this Lesson:
Kindergarten children need to understand that our world is composed of living and
non-living entities which work together to make healthy ecosystems. In this lesson,
the children will separate objects into those that are living and those that are not
living, answering the questions: What is the difference between a living object
compared to a non-living object? and Are different ecosystems made up of the same or different living and non-living parts? They will see that many objects
that are classified as non-living do not have the characteristics that are necessary
for an object to be classified as living. Some of the characteristics of living objects
are that they have the ability to grow, to breathe, to move, to need food, and to
reproduce. At the end of this lesson, the children will investigate one of the gardens
in our Living Classroom Learning Lab to observe and decide which parts of the
garden are living and which parts are non-living. With the help of their volunteers,
they will complete an ecosystem circle describing these living and non-living parts.
To answer the question Are different ecosystems made up of the
same or different living and non-living parts?, they will look at 3 posters
displaying the plants and animals of three different ecosystems. Comparing the
environments of these ecosystems, the children will begin to see that each
ecosystem is composed of a different set of plants and animals. Some ecosystems
even have different non-living components.
Materials Needed:
- chart paper
- 2 hula hoops
- samples of non-living (abiotic) things - soil, water, light, rock, sand, dead plant
- samples of living (biotic) things - a plant, grass, a sow bug, vegetables
- Printed Materials attached:
- Living, Non-living, grow, move, needs food, breathes
- Living vs Non-Living Ecosystem Circles (2 sets)
- Large sorting cards
- Cards for Sorting Living & Non-Living
- Images of three different ecosystems
- My Backyard Ecosystem
- Drawing of My Garden
- Lizard Land, National Geographic Young Explorer, September 2014
- pencils
- colored pencils
- clip boards
- Science Video - Habitats and Biomes - Ecosystems of the World - 27 minutes
without seeds, pinecone, eraser, book, pencil
Advanced Teacher Preparation: (10 min)
- Request volunteers for Activity #2
- Bring in living & non-living things
- a goldfish, a snail, or any small animal such as an ant, a worm, a cricket, a
cat, etc. Here we need to be careful to bring in an entire plant, because if
you have a leaf from a plant, some children may want to put it into the
circle that says non-living. They will say that since it is off of the plant, it
will die, and therefore it is not living. - Print materials attached
Length of Lesson:
Activity #1: Define Living & Non-Living (45 min)
Activity #2: Scavenger Hunt for Living & Non-Living Things (45 min)
Activity #3: Identify Living & Non-Living Parts of Different Ecosystems (45 min)
Activity #4: Presentation of Children’s Living & Non-Living Things & Drawing of My Garden (45 min)
Activity #5: Assessment (45 min)
Vocabulary:
biotic: living
living:things as diverse as bacteria, archaea, algae, fungi, protozoans,
animals, and plants all consist of one or more cells. Cells are made up of
components that help living things to eat, respire, excrete wastes, and perform all
of the necessary functions of life.
ecosystem: a community of plants, animals and smaller organisms that live,
feed, reproduce, and interact in the same area or environment.
environment: the natural world - everything that surrounds someone or something
abiotic: non-living
ecosystem: a community of plants, animals and smaller organisms that live,
feed, reproduce, and interact in the same area or environment.
environment:the natural world - everything that surrounds someone or
something
predict: say or estimate that (a specified thing) will happen in the future or will be a consequence of something
Background Information:
Here in the Living Classroom Learning Lab there are at least 4 distinct ecosystems:
the Butterfly Garden, the Prairie, the Pond, and the George Washington Vegetable
Garden. Within each garden, there is a special co-existence
among its biotic (living) components and abiotic (non-living)
components. Everything in an ecosystem is interconnected.
Each part of the system has a definite role to play to keep the
ecosystem healthy.
In this lesson, the children will understand that every ecosystem
is composed of biotic (living) parts and abiotic (non-living) parts.
According to many science books, if an object is living, it has
the following characteristics:
- an organized structure, being made up of a cell or cells
- requires energy to survive or sustain existence
- ability to reproduce
- ability to grow
- ability to metabolize
- ability to respond to stimuli
- ability to adapt to the environment
- ability to move
- ability to respire (breathe)
In this Kindergarten lesson, the children will identify living beings with the
characteristics of their ability to grow, move, breathe, and have a need for food in
order to live.
Examples of living things include bacteria, protozoa, plants, fungi, animals,
humans, etc.
Non-living things then are ones that lack or that do not have the capability for
growth, reproduction, respiration, metabolism, and movement. They also are not
capable of responding to stimuli or evolving and adapting to their environment.
They do not require energy to continue existing. Examples of non-living things are
rock, sand, water, sun, and then dead flowers with no more seeds clinging to them,
etc.
As the children investigate these two parts of an ecosystem, have the children
begin to wonder how both living and non-living things are important to the
environment.
Standards Addressed in this Lesson:
www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards
LS1.A: Structure and Function
All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts in
different ways to see, hear, grasp objects, protect themselves, move from place to
place, and seek, find, and take in food, water and air. Plants have different parts
(roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits) that help them survive and grow. (1-LS1-1)
LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms
All animals need food in order to live and grow. They obtain their food from plants
or from other animals. Plants need water and light to live and grow. (K-LS1-1)
K-ESS3-1ESS3.A: Natural Resources
Living things need water, air, and resources from the land, and they live in places
that have the things they need. Humans use natural resources for everything they
do. (K-ESS3-1)
Connections to the Nature of Science:
Science Is a Way of Knowing
Science knowledge helps us know about the world.
Scientists study the natural and material world.
Science investigations begin with a question.
Scientists use different ways to study the world.
Scientists use drawings, sketches, and models as a way to communicate ideas.
District 181 Science Standards
1.SC.2.1 Clarify an object as living or non-living.
1.SC.2.2 Identify the basic requirements that plants and animals need to survive.
2.SC.2.3 Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life
in different habitats.
K.SC.4.3 Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different
plants or animals (including humans) and the places they live.
Lesson
Essential Questions: What is the difference between a living object compared to a non-living object? and Are different ecosystems made up of the same or different living/non-living things?
Objective is for the children to know the characteristics of a living object as well as to know that there are many ecosystems with a multitude of different animals and plants, and to use their understanding to complete an ecosystem circle describing the living and non-living parts in one garden in our Living Classroom Learning Lab and to draw your garden that is missing one non- living basic need.
VIDEO COMING SOON
Have chart paper ready to record children’s ideas of what is living and non-living. Print out large sorting cards and have the living and non-living artifacts ready.
“Hello children! What is the difference between this desk and me?”
Record children’s responses and pantomime breathing, moving, growing and needing food. All things you can do that the desk cannot. Once you have many responses charted ask:
“With all the characteristics that are listed here, can we group these characteristics into what are the most important? Let’s try.”
The most important are: I can breathe, move, grow, and need food.
“Now that we know how to identify something that is living, how would we identify something that is not living?”
Something that is not living cannot breathe, move, grow, and it does not need food.
Read the article “Lizard Land” in the National Geographic Young Explorers, September 2014, in order to reinforce the concepts of living and non-living.
Place two hula hoops apart on the floor. Above one place the word Living
with the smaller words around the circle – breathes, grows, needs food, and moves. Above the other circle place the word Non-living.
“Look at these two hula hoops on the floor. One of the hoops has the word Living above it. The other has the word Non-Living above it. Over here, I have all these objects. We are going to predict into which hoop they will go, either the Living hula hoop or the Non-Living hula hoop.”
“I have some artifacts and pictures here for us to sort into things that are living or things that are non-living. As I bring each item over, I would like to call on one of you to come and predict into which hula hoop the object would go. You will tell us your reasons for your prediction and I will ask the class if they think you are correct. If the class agrees with you, you will place the object in its correct hula hoop.”
“Can someone tell me into which hula hoop we should put an eraser? Remember to tell everyone why you are thinking of putting this object into a particular hula hoop.”
You could use the word biotic interchangeably with living and abiotic interchangeably with non-living to introduce a scientific term. Children can choose to use the words themselves.
When the sorting is finished:
“Were objects that were hard to decide into which hoop they should be placed. Why do you think it was hard to make that decision?”
Share out ideas.
“Before we go on, is anyone still wondering about something we have done?”
Share out ideas.
“We are going to go out in groups of four to the Living Classroom Learning Lab, which is all around you outside, to go on a scavenger hunt for living and non- living things. When you go out, you will see many plants, for sure, and maybe even an animal if you are very quiet. You will find non-living parts, too. You are to tellme or the adult with your group what you find and we will write these down, or you can draw their image in the living or non-living circles. In the middle circle, write down where you were and you can each draw one of the things that you find.”
Remind the children of how we act in the Living Classroom Learning Lab, which is all around you outside.
“Remember: When we go out in the Living Classroom Learning Lab, we need to have quiet voices and walk slowly and quietly, so we may be able to see some of the animals that live there.”
Assign children in groups to an adult, if available, who has the clip board with the ecosystem and Living and Non-Living circles on it. Allow time for exploration. Children can also draw pictures on their own sheets.
Bring the class together to discuss what they found. Have the children sit with their group and as you are speaking, introduce the word ecosystem as you discuss the area the explored outside, especially if there are distinctly different ecosystems in the area.
- “Who found a rock in their garden ecosystem? If you did, please stamp your feet.”
- “If you found water in your garden ecosystem, pretend you are diving by holding your nose and taking your head down.”
- “Those who found a flower in their garden ecosystem, make flying wings like a butterfly.”
- “If there was a garden hose in your ecosystem garden, pretend swimming using only your arms.”
- “Who had tall plants much bigger than themselves in your garden ecosystem? If you did, stand up very tall and reach your hands to the sky.”
- “Did any group see an animal? If you did, give yourself bunny ears.”
- “Did any group not see dirt in your garden ecosystem? If you did not see dirt, shake your head ‘No’.”
- “If you think you did a good job thinking and listening today, give yourself a pat on the back and clap your hands.”
“I hope you noticed that I was calling each area an ecosystem. Each distinctly different area in the Living Classroom, which is all around you outside, is an ecosystem. For example, a flower garden is different from a pong. Did anyone notice a distinctly different area outside? If you have, then you have been observing ecosystems. An ecosystem is any place where living and non-living things work well together. Everything in an ecosystem depends on one another. The plants need the soil to hold their roots in the ground so they are able to stand up straight and tall. The ants need the soil so they can tunnel through it and build their homes. Bugs, like ants and grasshoppers, need plants for their food.
Everything in the ecosystem, both living and non-living need each other. I would Like you to know that there are many different types of ecosystems on Earth. I am going to show you a few pictures of some different ecosystems.”
Display the images of the 3 different ecosystems and ask them to identify the living and non-living elements in different ecosystems. Are they all the same?
“As we look at each one, think about what you see as the difference between the plants and animals in each ecosystem. Here is the Kelp Forest and over here is the Alpine Tundra. Are the plants and animals different? What are the big differences do you see? Are the non-living parts of each ecosystem the same? Describe. What can we say about all ecosystems?”
Watch: Understanding Ecosystems for Kids:
Producers, Consumers, Decomposers by Free School
Discuss these questions with the class:
- “I am wondering why we need both living and non-living things in our world. What do you think?”
- “Do we need all these ecosystems? Do we need ponds and lakes? Why? Do we need vegetable gardens? Why? Do we need beautiful flower gardens? Why?”
- “Do you think it is important for us to know about ecosystems as well as living and non-living objects? Of course. Why?”
- “Well, kindergarteners, what did we learn today?”
Distribute My Backyard Ecosystem. Have children bring in samples of Living and Non-living things to present to the class for the next lesson.
Present and discuss the items brought in from the homework assignment.
“Could there be an ecosystem that had only non-living things in it? What do you think?”
“What do you think could happen to your ecosystem if one of the non-living things was taken away? Draw your garden now.”
Have children complete the Drawing of My Garden by removing one non-living thing in the ecosystem. Share with the class.
Watch: Habitats and Biomes – Ecosystems of the World
Discuss the video.
Give each child a copy of the Living and Non-Living circles and the Cards for Sorting Living & Non-Living. Have children cut and paste in the appropriate circle. Assess for understanding.
“Thank you, children, for being such fantastic observers and listeners who are so willing to share their discoveries. Whenever you are here in our Living Classroom Learning Lab, remember to watch and listen silently and you will surely come to know some of the secrets that are hiding here.”
Fall Ecosystem Study #2 The Basic Needs of All Living Things
Purpose of this Lesson:
The main purpose of this lesson is to identify the basic survival needs of all living things and by doing so recognize that people and all animals and plants do have the same basic needs. Understanding that every living thing has the same basic needs will help the children to understand that they have a responsibility to the health of our Earth’s ecosystems. The questions for first graders are: What are the basic needs of people, animals and plants? and Are the basic needs of people, animals and plants all the same?
Materials Needed:
- 4 hula hoops
- Printed Materials
- Labels: Plants, People, Animals, Both, All
- Basic Needs Sort Cards
- Our Basic Needs
- Garden Drawing without a Basic Need
- Venn Diagram Basic Needs
- Book: Tillena Lou’s Day in the Sun by Barbara Tharp, Paula Cutler, & Nancy Moreno
- Video: Understanding Ecosystems for Kids: Producers, Consumers, Decomposers by Free School
Teacher Preparation: (5 minutes)
Print materials
Length of Lesson: Four Hours and 30 Minutes (see activity breakdown below)
Activity #1: Basic Needs of All Living Things (45 min)
Activity #2: Basic Needs (45 min)
Vocabulary:
biotic: living
abiotic: non-living
ecosystem: a community of plants, animals and smaller organisms that live, feed, reproduce and interact in the same area or environment.
environment: the natural world - everything that surrounds someone or something
animal: a living organism that feeds on organic matter, typically having specialized sense organs, nervous system and able to respond rapidly to stimuli. An animal is referred to as any living thing other than a plant.
plant: a young tree, vine, shrub or herb planted or suitable for planting
Background Information:
This lesson is the beginning of an ecosystem study that continues into the next five grades culminating in the understanding of an ecosystem’s complete food chain in fourth and fifth grades. In this first grade lesson, the children will learn that there are basic needs that all living things need to have to survive. Children need to understand that all living things, which includes people, animals and plants, share basic needs: light, air, water, food, shelter, sunlight and a space in which to live. All of these should be available in the same place or ecosystem. In order to be a healthy ecosystem, all basic needs must be present, in balance and accessible. All living things, directly or indirectly, depend upon the sun’s energy to grow.
Standards Addressed in this Lesson:
Disciplinary Core Ideas in the Next Generation Science Standards:
www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards
LS1.A: Structure and Function
All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts in different ways to see, hear, grasp objects, protect themselves, move from place to place and seek, find and take in food, water and air. Plants have different parts (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits) that help them survive and grow. (1-LS1-1)
LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms
All animals need food in order to live and grow. They obtain their food from plants or from other animals. Plants need water and light to live and grow. (K-LS1-1)
K-ESS3-1ESS3.A: Natural Resources
Living things need water, air and resources from the land and they live in places
that have the things they need. Humans use natural resources for everything they do. (K-ESS3-1)
Connections to the Nature of Science:
Science Is a Way of Knowing
Science knowledge helps us know about the world.
Scientists study the natural and material world.
Science investigations begin with a question.
Scientists use different ways to study the world.
Scientists use drawings, sketches and models as a way to communicate ideas.
District 181 Science Standards
K.SC.4.1 Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals
(including humans) need to survive.
K.SC.4.4 Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different
plants and animals (including humans) and the places they live.
Lesson
The Essential Questions are: What are the basic needs of people, animals and plants? and Are the basic needs of people, animals and plants all the same?
The Objective is for the children to know the basic needs of people, animals and plants and to display their knowledge in an oral presentation of “The Basic Needs Chant,” completing an Our Basic Needs assessment and having a teacher led discussion about our basic needs and ecosystems.
“I have been wondering about some pretty big questions that I would like to ask you today, so let’s put our brains in a thinking mode and try to answer some of them.”
“I wonder what do we need to be able to move?”
There could be a few answers that the children may have like energy and water. The answer needs to come to food.
“Wonderful! Food gives us energy so we can move!”
“The next thing that I am wondering about is what do we need to be able to grow? Do you know what the food, like fruits and vegetables, need to grow? That’s right! Food and water!”
You may have to give some hints especially for the need of living things to have sunlight. Use this example.
“There is a seed that is left in a dark package. If the package was never opened, would that seed grow?”
“We need food, water and sunlight to be able to grow.”
“What do we need to be able to breathe?”
The children will probably say air or oxygen right away.
“Super! You are correct! Air or oxygen.”
“These are some pretty big questions, that you are answering. We need to understand what the things are that we need to have all our lives in order to survive.”
“How many types of living things would you say there are?”
Answers need to come to people, animals and plants. Lay down the two hula hoops with the People, Animal and Both labels. Be prepared to hand out the large sorting cards.
“Let’s just think about people and animals right now. We are going to use two hula hoops to help us decide what we need to have always. On one hula hoop, I am going to place the word ‘People’ above it. On the other, I am going to place the word ‘Animal’ above it. These hula hoops overlap right in the middle. Here I am going to place the word ‘Both’.”
“Now, I am going to give each of you a card with a picture or a word on it. We are going to ask ourselves the same questions I asked before. You get to decide if what you have is only needed by people, only needed by animals, or both. When you have the card that has the answer to our questions, or when it is your turn, come up to our hula hoops, decide where to place your card and explain your thinking.”
Give each child a picture of something people or animals may need.
“Our first question, What do we need to breathe?”
When the children come up with the answer of air or oxygen, let the child with that card come up and decide where the card should go. As the child is placing the card, ask them to explain why it would be placed there. Ask the class if they would agree.
“What do we need to be able to grow?”
Once the questions have been answered, ask the remaining children with cards to come up one by one and place their cards in the appropriate hula hoop.
As the children are placing there cards you may want to ask every once in a while:
“Is that a necessary for us to be able to survive? That means it is a basic need. Or is it something we would like to have? That is a want.”
After the children have placed all their cards, the “Both” circle should have air, water, food, shelter, space and sunlight.
“What does this tell us about the things that people and animals need?”
Once the children have answered, tell them that everything people and animals need should be close to them in their environment.
“You are right, we all need air, water, food, shelter, sunlight and space to live. All of these things need to be near us in our environment. If there is air, water, food, shelter, sunlight and space in our ecosystem then we have the beginning of a healthy ecosystem.”
“We are not done thinking yet. I am going to add another hula hoop here. This one is going to be labeled plants. Right here in the middle, I am going to take away the label ‘Both’ and put down the label ‘All’.”
Take out all the cards except the ones that were in “Both” and put down the “All” label.
“Now, let’s look to see if any of these things that we have decided that both animals and people need are the same things that plants need.”
Go through the list: air, water, food, shelter, sunlight and space. The most difficult one to decide upon for plants is shelter. You can explain that when the environment changes and gets colder, plants will seek shelter in the ground until the seasons change and it gets warmer.
The children may say that the plants also need soil. Due to the process of hydroponics, NGSStandards has eliminated soil as a necessity for the ability of plants to grow. Our kindergarteners and first graders plant seeds in soil. The soil helps the roots take hold and it helps to keep the plant upright. It would be all right for the children to add soil as a necessity for plant growth.
In a First Grade Spring Seeds to Seedling unit, there is a classroom hydroponics experiment where three Lima bean seeds are grown in sand, soil and water respectively. Then they will see that seeds can grow in water.
“What have we found out class? Right. We knew that people and animals had the same basic needs and now we know that plants need these same things, also.”
“What fantastic thinking today, class! You know The Basic Needs of people, plants and animals! So that we will never forget them, there is a chant we can learn and say with a beat whenever we need to know these Basic Needs.”
“It is: Our basic needs must be you see for animals, plants, you and me air, water, food, shelter, sunlight and space and we need them all in one place.”
“Let’s do it again: Our basic needs must be you see for animals, plants, you and me air, water, food, shelter, sunlight and space and we need them all in one place.”
“Fantastic class. I am confident that you will always know the basic needs you need to grow and survive.”
“Tell me what you think these words mean in our chant, ‘and we need them all in one place.’”
“What does knowing Our Basic Needs have to do with us? Why are they important?“
As an assessment, have children complete the Our Basic Needs with the Basic Needs Sort #1 & #2 sheets. Pass out the pages and have children cut and paste the images of the air, water, food, shelter, sunlight and space in the boxes.
Read and discuss Tillena Lou’s Day in the Sun. As the story goes, Tillena Lou finds out that what is essential to live, to work and to play each day is air, food and water. Emphasize that this lesson adds shelter, sunlight and space and everything in the same place to the essential needs.
Watch: Understanding Ecosystems for Kids: Producers, Consumers, Decomposers by Free School. Start at the beginning and end at 2:20. Name the non-living parts of an ecosystem highlighted in our lesson which are sunlight, air and water.
The video highlights temperature, wind, soil and rocks as well. Have the children complete the Garden Drawing without a Basic Need sheet to reinforce the necessity of basic needs all being in the same place in order to sustain a healthy ecosystem.
“On ‘Garden Drawing without a Basic Need’ draw what your garden would look like after it did not have one basic need. You get to choose which basic non-living need is not included.”
Wrap up the lesson with this discussion.
“What happens if one basic need is not available to a living thing in an ecosystem? Would the living thing survive?”
“If all the members of an ecosystem have had their basic needs met, what can that tell us about that ecosystem?“
Just for fun see if children can figure out this tie to literacy. Write pea, porcupine, pelican, praying mantis and person on the board. All begin with a “p”.
“This is a trick question, so think about this before you answer. How is a pea, a porcupine, a pelican, or a praying mantis like a person?”
“What questions do you have that need to be answered? Are you still wondering about anything?”
Fall Pollination & Adaptation
Purpose of this Lesson:
The main purpose of this lesson is for the children to understand the importance of
pollination and that there are specific pollinators for specific plants. The pollinators they
will be studying are the most prolific: the bee, the butterfly, and the hummingbird. The
children will learn that each pollinator is specifically designed to be attracted to a
particular flower structure, thereby allowing that species of flower to reproduce. This is
the process of adaptation. Therefore, the question for this lesson is: Why should we care if pollination occurs?
With the knowledge of pollination, the children will annually investigate the gardens to
see if you are maintaining the plants that are necessary to attract bees, butterflies and
hummingbirds in order qualifying their gardens as pollinating gardens.
We want the children to become explorers of their natural world. As they experience this
world, they will come to know how intricate it is and how miraculous it is to see and
understand the relationship between the plants and animals in their world. They need to
ask themselves how they are connected to the plants and animals. They need to begin to
know that they have a responsibility to help preserve this world because they are the ones
who need to care for it now and in the future, especially with the environmental
challenges of habitat loss and climate change. We want them to know that this is a
beautiful planet that needs their care. A second objective for this lesson is for children to learn that the form of the pollinator and the shape, smell, and color of the plants will determine which animal will pollinate each plant.
Advanced Teacher Preparation:
- Request volunteers for activities #1 and #4
- Bring in an apple, a cucumber with seeds, and zinnia flower
Materials Needed:
- Printable Materials (attached)
- What Do We Know About Plants & Animals?
- Survey of Plants & Animals in the Garden
- Cross Pollination Illustration
- Seed Germination Time Lapse
- Plant Stigma Diagram
- Images: butterfly, bee, hummingbird, Big Blue Stem, bean, strawberry, tomato,
- apple blossom
- Identifying Plants in the Garden
- The Plants Our Pollinators Like chart & pictures
- Kindergarten Grant for Our Garden
- Pollination Book
- Garden Invitation
- Videos:
- Seed Germination to Growth Time Lapses by Neil Bromhall
- Wings of Life by Disney, selected sections
- Books imbedded in this unit:
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
- The Reason for a Flower: A Book About Flowers, Pollen and Seeds by Ruth
Heller - What if There Were No Bees? A Book About the Grassland Ecosystem by
Suzanne Slade - Butterflies in the Garden by Carol Lerner
- About Hummingbirds: A Guide for Children by Cathryn Sill
- The Magic School Bus: Plants Seeds by Joanna Cole
- Clipboards
- Pencils
- Hand lenses
- Artifacts: apple, cucumber with seeds, zinnia flower
- Puppets: bee, butterfly, hummingbird
- Monarch life cycle reversible hand puppet plush
- Artificial flowers: snapdragon, zinnia, lily
- Additional Books:
- Butterfly Books:
- Waiting for Wings by Lois Elkhart
- Monarch Butterflies by Gail Gibbons
- Amazing World of Butterflies and Moths by Louis Sabin
- Monarch and Milkweed by Helen Frost
- Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow by Joyce Sidman
- A Butterfly Is Patient by Dianna Aston
- Bee Books:
- The Life and Times of the Honeybee by Charles Micucci
- Are You a Bee? by Judy Allen
- UnBeelievables, Honeybee poems and paintings by Douglas Florian
- Hummingbird Books:
- The Secret Lives of Hummingbirds by the Arizona Sonora Desert
- Museum Press
- Pollination Books:
- From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons
- Poetry:
- Seeds, Bees, Butterflies and More Poems for Two Voices by Carol Gerber
- Additional Videos:
- Encyclopedia Britannica article on pollination with video https://
www.britannica.com/science/pollination - Encyclopedia Britannica video that showing the complete metamorphosis of the
butterfly.
https://www.britannica.com/science/metamorphosis/images-videos
Length of Lesson:
Activity #1: Feelings About Pollinators & Survey (45 min)
Activity #2: Seeds & The Importance of Pollinators (45 min)
Activity #3: Pollinators & Their Plants (60 min)
Activity #4: Identifying Plants in the Garden (45 min)
Activity #5: Complete a Grant (45 min)
Activity #6: What Do We Know About Plants and Animals & Pollinator Book
Assessment (45 min)
Activity #7: Garden Invitation (30 min)
Vocabulary:
pollen: a mass of tiny particles in the anthers of a flower that fertilize the seeds
and usually appear as fine yellow dust is the substance that causes plants to form seeds.
New plants then can grow from the seeds. Both flowering plants and conifers (plants that
grow seeds inside cones) make pollen. A grain of pollen is so tiny that it is best viewed
through a microscope.
nectar: a sweet liquid produced by plants and used by bees in making honey
pollinate: to transfer or carry pollen from the male stamen of a flower to the
female pistil of the same or another flower or from a male cone to a female cone - to
mark or smudge with pollen
pollination: the transfer of pollen from a stamen to a pistil of a flower or from a
male cone to a female cone
Encyclopedia Britannica has an excellent article on pollination with short videos that
show the pollination by bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, bats, hummingbird wasps,
beetles, and wind. https://www.britannica.com/science/pollination
https://www.britannica.com/science/pollination
metamorphosis: a typically marked and more or less abrupt developmental
change in the form or structure of an animal (as a butterfly or a frog)
occurring subsequent to birth or hatching - the metamorphosis of caterpillars into
butterflies
Background Information:
Pollinate means to transfer or carry pollen from the male stamen of a flower to the
female pistil of the same or from a male cone to a female cone. Pollination is the transfer
of pollen grains to fertilize the seed-producing cells of flowers and vegetables. Pollen is
the fine yellow dust that triggers plants to form seeds. New plants then can grow from the
seeds. Since a plant can’t move from where its roots grow, it needs something or someone
to transfer this pollen for them. Wind and water can spread pollen. The grasses in
grassland ecosystems use wind as its primary mode of pollination.
There are nine main animal pollinators that will travel with the pollen from flower to flower. The bee is the
most prolific of these pollinators, and the eight other main pollinators are: butterflies,
hummingbirds, moths, bats, flies, beetles, ants and wasps. Any time someone or
something brushes against a flower and picks up its pollen, then brushes up against
another flower of the same type, it is pollinating that flower and has become a pollinator!
Pollinators search for flowers to find food, a mate, shelter, and nest-building materials.
The plant or the pollinator cannot exist on their own. If one species should disappear, the
other species may well be on its way to also disappearing. This interdependence between
pollinators and plants is one of the mysteries of nature. How did this unique solution ever
come to be?
There is an answer. It began as early as 140 million years ago during the Cretaceous
period. Flowers produced nectar, a sugary substance, which became a food source for
pollinators. The flowers of vegetables and flowering plants developed special colors,
scents, sizes, and shapes that would attract certain pollinators which would help the plant
produce seeds. The seeds then produced the next generation flower or vegetable which
was to be food for their pollinator, for other animals and for humans. Is it not a
wonderment?!
So why should we care about pollination?
- One out of every three bites of food we take exists due to pollination, for example;
apples, alfalfa, almonds, blueberries, bananas, cranberries, kiwis, melons, nuts, pears,
squash or any vegetable or tree that has a flower. - Pollination is as important as sun and water to plants.
- Pollination helps 90% of plants reproduce.
- Flowers add beauty to our world.
- 90% of the butterfly population have been lost, and we are losing populations of other
pollinators through: - imbalance in the natural ecosystem & biodiversity
- habitat loss caused by human activity
- invasive plant species
- broad pesticide use
- disease
- climate change
Standards Addressed in this Lesson:
Disciplinary Core Ideas in the Next Generation Science Standards:
www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards
LS1.A: Structure and Function
All organisms have external parts that they use to perform daily functions.
Plants have different parts (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits) that help them survive and grow.
(1-LS1-1)
LS1.B Growth and Development of Organisms
Parents and offspring often engage in behaviors that help the offspring survive.
LS1.C Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms
Animals obtain food they need from plants or other animals. Plants need water and light.
LS1.D Information Processing
Animals sense and communicate information and respond to inputs with behaviors that help
them grow and survive.
LS2.A Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Plants depend on water and light to grow, and also depend on animals for pollination or to
move the seeds around.
Understandings about the Nature of Science in the Next Generation Science
Standards for K-2:
Science Is a Way of Knowing
Scientists study the natural and material world.
Science knowledge helps us know about the world.
Science investigations begin with a question.
Science uses cause-and-effect relationships to explain natural events.
Science Addresses Questions About the Natural and Material World Science
Knowledge Assumes an Order and Consistency in Natural Systems
Science uses drawings, sketches, and models as a way to communicate ideas.
Scientists look for patterns and order when making observations about the world.
Lesson
The Essential Question:
Introduce the children to the two partners that they will be observing in this process of pollination which are plants and animals. Please note that if you do not have a garden established, you may require all plants that pollinators need. If you have a garden established, you may require additional plants for pollinators. If volunteers are available, split children into groups in order to survey the land and for their voices and ideas to be heard and recorded.
On the Pollinator Plant & Animal Before & After chart, write down the children’s comments as you question them about their understanding of plants and animals. What Do We Know About Plants & Animals? The chart is divided into two columns. Record in the Before column.
This is the pre-assessment.
- What do flowers need to grow?
- Are there different types of plants? (flowers, vegetables, trees, grasses, fruit trees, bushes)
- What are some of the things that grow on plants? (vegetables, flowers, seeds, fruit)
- Flowers have what different shapes? Do they smell the same? How do they add beauty to our world?
- How do you feel when you see a bee?
- Have you ever been stung by a bee?
- Where were you when you were stung? Was it in a school yard, at a refreshment stand at the park, at a football field, at the zoo?
- What good do bees do?
- How do you feel when you see a butterfly?
- Where have you seen butterflies?
- What good do butterflies do?
- How many of you have seen a hummingbird in real life?
- How do you feel when you see a hummingbird?
- Where did you see a hummingbird?
- Do hummingbirds fly like bees and butterflies?
- What good do hummingbirds do?
After the children’s responses, tell them that today they are going to go out to the Living Classroom Learning Lab, which is all around you outside, to learn as much as they can about the plants and animals that are living right outside their classrooms.
Each adult should carry a clipboard, pencil and Survey of Plants & Animals in the Garden sheet and write down the children’s responses. Read the questions on the Survey of Plants & Animals in the Garden to the children before their observation.
There are two approaches to the activity, both can be done with or without an existing garden. You can either search in your existing garden, or you can search in an area which can be created into a garden. Children who are waiting their turn to be Nature Detectives can be immersed in books about butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
- If you have volunteers, while one group explores with an adult, the other adult can read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle to the children in order to illustrate the metamorphosis of the butterfly. Use the Monarch life cycle reversible plush hand puppet to demonstrate the life cycle.
- If you do not have volunteers and have a big group, you can have some of the children read books while you search with the other. Bring books about butterflies, bees and hummingbirds for them to read. See materials list for book titles.
“Children, we are all going to go out to our Living Classroom Learning Lab, which is all around you outside, to be true Nature Detectives. There is something so very special that is happening out there that some grown-ups don’t even know what it is. I would even say that it is a mystery about how plants continue to grow. When you go outside to the Living Classroom, you must step so softly and have silent voices, keeping your eyes and ears wide open. Do you think you will hear or see any animals if you disturb the ecosystem with loud voices? No? You are correct. When you want to tell the adult who is with your group something, tap their arm gently and whisper what you have seen or heard. Your leader will be whispering to you, reminding you of some things you need to see or hear. You have to be extremely careful not to step on any plant.
You will be answering these questions:
- Do you see any animals? Describe the animals that you see.
- Where did you see them?
- What were they doing when you saw them?
- As you look around this garden, what do you notice about these plants?
- How are they alike?
- How are they different?
- Why do butterflies and bees come to this garden?
- What would they eat?
- I am going to show you pictures of three flower shapes. Look to see if you can see any of these shapes here in our Butterfly Garden.”
After your observations, gather everyone around to discuss what they observed as Nature Detectives. Using the adults’ notes and the children’s comments, add new-found knowledge to the After side of the What Do We Know About Plants & Animals chart.
“I have a question for you. Where do the flowers come from?”
Children will probably answer, “From seeds.”
“Where do the seeds come from?”
Children may guess that they come from the store. If so, then ask:
“And where did the store get them?”
The children may have an answer such as “a farmer.” The children may get stuck here, so begin to unravel the mystery of pollination.
“Children, you were right when you answered that a seed makes the flower. You were also right when you said the seeds came from a store. At some stores you have probably seen the packages with a picture of a flower or vegetable on the front package and you knew there were seeds of that flower or vegetable in there. That’s where the mystery begins. Where did the seeds come from? The real answer is that they came from the flower or the vegetable or fruit.
Cut apart the apple, cucumber, and zinnia and show to the children.
“How many of you have cut an apple in half? What do you see in the middle of the apple? That’s right, Seeds. Let’s look at this cucumber. What do you see right down the middle?Right again. Seeds. I am going to start pulling apart part of this zinnia flower.
Look at what I am finding. That’s right again. Seeds. So where do seeds come from children? You’ve got it. Inside a fruit or a flower! You know that the seeds are needed to start a plant growing.”
Watch the video Seed Germination to Growth Time Lapses by Neil Bromhall and show the diagram of a seed opening to become a plant.
“We are seeing that the plant makes more seeds and holds them inside until it is time to let them go so they may begin to make new plants. These are the seeds that are in the packages you see at the store. How they came to be inside of the plant is the fascinating story of pollination.”
Show the diagram of cross pollination. Use a hand puppet of a bee and two real or artificial flowers of the same kind. Move your puppet between both flowers as you tell the story of how pollination happens. Show the diagram of the flower and stigma.
“All animals need food. Many animals, especially ones that fly, get their food from flowers, but not by eating them. The food the animals are looking for is called nectar which is a gooey, sugary substance located in the middle of the flower. Looking at this poster, there are two flowers that are the same. A beautiful, hungry, little bee comes along to get some nectar from the flower. She goes in to get the nectar and as she does, she rubs against the anthers which are loaded with pollen. Our little bee’s legs and belly are fuzzy magnets for the pollen and some of that flower’s pollen sticks to her. When our little bee has drunk all the nectar she can from this flower,
she realizes that she is still hungry, and she flies over to the next flower. There she is, so happy to sip up more nectar and now as she is eating, she is depositing pollen grains from the same kind of plant that stick to the stigma of this plant. These pollen grains will help the flower to make seeds. Once these plants are grown in our garden, we can collect the seeds to make seed tapes to plant in our garden in the future.”
Read & Discuss The Reason for a Flower: A Book about Flowers, Pollen and Seeds by Ruth Heller.
Read and Discuss What if There Were No Bees? A Book About the Grassland Ecosystem by Suzanne Slade.
Watch selected segments from Wings of Life by Disney located in materials.
After the children have watched the segments from Wings of Life, bring out the three flower samples of a snapdragon, lily, and zinnia and the three animal puppets of a bee, butterfly and hummingbird.
“You have seen how the three pollinators we are studying gather pollen and carry the pollen to another plant. Now, I am going to show you three flowers. I also have three puppets, one for each of our three animal pollinators, the bee, butterfly and hummingbird. Looking at the flowers and the puppets, I would like you to go into your Nature Detective mind and decide which animal pollinator pollinates which flower. Once you have a good idea, I would like you to tell the class what are the clues that led you to your decision. Think about the form of the pollinator and the form of the plant.”
Allow time for the children to voice their ideas. Give children time to hold the flowers and the puppets while choosing the correct match. Show the images of the hummingbird, bee and butterfly.
“The hummingbird is the easiest to discover. The shape of the hummingbird’s beak, a V shape, fits nicely into the V shape of the lily.
The bee is next. The flowers on the snapdragon curl into a little ball shape. Because the bee is so tiny, it can wedge its way inside of each flower to get its nectar. The bee comes out loaded with pollen.
The butterfly is the biggest of the three. It has four long slender legs that need a good place to land. So our butterflies need a platform to land on. Think of it as an airplane landing on a runway. The butterfly needs the broad flower of the zinnia as a landing pad.
We can now see that the shape of the animal and the shape of the flower are very important in knowing which pollinating animal goes to which flower. Scientists, who have been studying pollination for a long time, have discovered some amazing things that plants do to attract their pollinators.
Many people use make-up to make certain features on their face stand out. Flowers do something similar with their colors. Most of a flower’s colors are very bright. These bright colors will help the flowers stand out, so pollinators can see them easily as they fly overhead. The colors of the flowers become magnets for their pollinators. In fact, ‘flowers such as daises and coneflowers are colored with eye-catching ultraviolet patterns that surround their pollen-filled centers. We can’t see these patterns, but butterflies can: they have one of the widest ranges of color vision in the animal world. For them, ultraviolet colors – which also show up on their wings and help them identify each other – are like a secret language.’ *
*quoted from Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow, written by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Beth Krommes
Some people may also spray perfume on themselves or use an air freshener around the house so things smell better. Well, guess what?! Flowers do, too! It is amazing! These flowers are wedged in the ground, so they primp with color, send out distinct scents and have specific shapes. Why do you think they do that? That’s right! So they can attract an animal pollinator who will help them make seeds for the survival of their species. There will be no new seeds if the plant is not pollinated! How this partnership ever happened is one of nature’s unique solutions that is still a mystery to many. I hope that you can now see that when we go into the gardens we need to be ever so
quiet, so we can let this process of pollination occur.
Show the images of the Big Blue Stem, tomato blossom, strawberry blossom, bean blossom and apple blossom.
Pollination is not only occurring in a garden. It is happening in the grasslands. Bees, ants, wasps, flies, beetles, moths, butterflies, and hummingbirds all pollinate the flowers in the grassland ecosystem. But the main pollinator of the grasses is the wind. For example, the top of each stem of the Big Blue Stem divides into three fronds. Contained in each frond are the seeds that will continue
the Big Blue Stem species. When the fronds open, birds love to capture its seeds, but they have to grab them before the wind comes up. The wind will carry these seeds to many new places.
When you go to the grocery store with your family and see all the vegetables and fruits, know that almost all were pollinated by one of our pollinators. Some of the fruits, vegetables and nuts that have been pollinated are: apples, almonds, avocados, bananas, blueberries and blackberries, grapes, strawberries, tomatoes, green beans, broccoli, and many, many more.
If a vegetable plant or a fruit tree has a flower, you will know that it needed a pollinator to make its vegetable or fruit.”
“The shape of the animal and the shape of the flower are very important in knowing which pollinating animal goes to which flower. Use your Nature Detective mind and paste the flowers next to the pollinator that likes them best.”
Read & Discuss Butterflies in the Garden by Carol
Lerner.
Children will count the existing plants and determine what plants are needed in order to enhance an existing or establish a new pollinator garden. This last survey of the garden needs to be done carefully. If available, use volunteers to guide children.
“Now we can see that our pollinators help us a lot. Over half of the food we eat every day is there because a pollinator was able to find one of its favorite plants and pollinate it so its seeds could grow a vegetable, fruit, nut, or flower.
But there is a problem. There are fewer pollinators now. They are not surviving well. There are many people, including a former president and his wife who think that if there were more nectar and pollen sources, then the number of pollinators will increase. If there were more gardens that were planted with the flowers that the bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds like to pollinate, then the numbers of these wonderful little pollinators will increase. So people have put together a challenge for all of us. It is called The Million Pollinator Garden Challenge. The challenge is to establish a new garden or improve an existing garden. We need to attract pollinators by planting flowering plants and trees.
The pictures from the work you did on The Flowers Our Pollinators Like worksheet represent the types of flowers you are going to try to find.
Put on your Nature Detective hats. Do you think we have the plants that are needed in order that all the pollinators – bees, butterflies and hummingbirds – would come here? We might have some plants in our garden that will bring butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, but do we have enough? Do you think we could have more pollinators come to our gardens now that we know what each pollinator likes?
To answer these questions, we are going to go out to count the types of plants that we have growing in the existing garden or the area we would like to turn into a garden. We want the best pollinating garden we could possibly have in our Living Classroom Learning Lab.
Here is the challenge:
Look to see if you can find any of the flowers you have pictures of on your Identifying Plants in the Garden paper. Notice the shapes of these flowers. There is a landing pad, like butterflies like, a V shaped flower like hummingbirds like and a closed up flower that only bees can crawl into. Make a tally mark for each plant you count in each of the three categories. When you find one, see if you can find any more. When you write the fifth tally mark, draw a line diagonally across the previous four. This stands for the number five.”
Distribute the Summary of Plants in the Garden recording sheet, clipboards and pencils to each child or group. Then go outside to your existing garden or area to establish a new garden.
Read and Discuss About Hummingbirds: A Guide for Children by Cathryn Sill.
After counting the existing plants, the teacher will need to research the plants needed for your region using Pollinator Partnership resources:
- Pollinator Partnership Garden Cards:
- https://www.pollinator.org/gardencards
- Pollinator Partnership Growing Guides:
- https://www.pollinator.org/guides
“Now that we have finished counting, we will decide what we need in order to become a true pollinating garden. I have started to complete a grant request and we will submit this to multiple organizations who fund garden projects for children. If we receive the grant money, we will order the plants and then plant them in the Spring.
Check out the other requirements that would make us one of the Million Pollinating Gardens. They are:
- do not use pesticides
- have many plants blooming throughout the growing season
- plant in a sunny area with wind breaks
- provide a water source
Let’s go through those one by one to see if there is anything we are not doing but need to do.
- Do we use pesticides in our gardens? Of course not. They will kill our pollinators!
- Do we have plants blooming throughout the growing season?
- Can we plant in a sunny area with windbreaks?
- Can we provide a water source for the pollinators? _ (If there is no water source, incorporate a water stone for butterflies into the grant.)
If we do all these things then we will truly become a pollinating garden.”
The grant can be submitted to multiple sources of funding along with any other required documentation. Read the list of requirements for each source in order to submit required documents. Some possible sources are:
- Kids Gardening
- Kids Gardening External Resources
- Whole Foods: Whole Kids Foundation
- Growing Spaces
Go back to the initial What Do We Know About Plants and Animals chart that began this unit.
Discuss with the children about their new knowledge and how they were able to obtain that knowledge. Record in the After column. Look for cause and effect relationships using how and why questions. This is a post-assessment.
When revisiting the questions about How Do You Feel About Bees, Butterflies and Hummingbirds. Have a discussion about the children’s thoughts about bees.
- “Why has there been a change in their feelings toward bees?
- What is your feeling about running, yelling, cutting down or uprooting plants in any of the gardens in the Living Classroom Learning Lab?
- How can we spread what we now know to other children and teachers in the school?
- How can we tell our parents what we know?”
Have children fill in the blanks in the Pollination Book and color it. Use this as an assessment of learning.
Children will complete a Garden Invitation to invite their family to see the existing garden or the area intended to establish a new garden. The teacher can set a time during school hours to invite parents or the children can give a tour on their own time.
“There is one last thing we have to do to be part of The Million Pollinator Garden Challenge. We are asked to keep the challenge growing by inviting our family and community members to our garden. We will talk to them about the importance of pollinators and how they help us. Remember to bring your family and give them a tour of the Living Classroom. What a fantastic place to take a walk! Take this invitation home and present it to your family.”
Teacher models how to complete a letter.
Read and Discuss The Magic School Bus: Plants Seeds by Joanna Cole.
“Class, can you now tell me:
- Where do seeds come from?
- Why should we care if pollination occurs?
Thank you, children, for being such fantastic observers and listeners who are so willing to share your discoveries. Whenever you are here in our Living Classroom Learning Lab, which is all around you outside, remember to watch and listen silently and you will surely come to know some of the secrets that are hiding here.”
wINTER uNITS
Private Eye Observation
Purpose of this Lesson:
The purpose of the Living Classroom is for children to learn, through hands-on
experiences, the intricacies, interdependencies, and mysteries that exist in
nature. The lessons guide the children to understand the importance of being
caretakers of the Earth in order to preserve present and future ecosystems.
With the use of the Private Eye piece throughout this curriculum, children will
begin to: sharpen their observation skills, learn to express their thoughts, look
closely and differently at objects, think by analogy, and theorize.
Advanced Teacher Preparation: (40 minutes)
Reserve a time for the lesson on the Google Calendar.
The classroom teacher may wish to obtain the volunteer parents for this lesson, or
the classroom teacher may ask our parent liaison to the Living Classroom to
obtain parents for the lesson.
Ask parents to bring in samples of leaves, flowers, moss — anything living
Materials Needed:
Samples to observe and examples to be used: leaves, flowers, rocks, moss,
vegetables,(to be brought in by teacher and parent volunteers) a finger, a
hand, paper (There are samples in the Private Eye Kit)
Private Eye loupes - 30 are located on the Living Classroom Learning Lab shelves
located next to the elevator on the third grade wing
Private Eye recording sheet
Photocopies for each child in kindergarten of the Private Eye recording sheet
Hand out of describing words for parents
Handout of questions for parent recorders to ask the children they are with to elicit
more responses form the children.
4 to 5 parent handouts that have been xeroxed, mounted back to back, laminated,
and placed on a ring
Presentation system to model the lesson
A soft cloth or lens papers to clean the loupes when the lesson is complete.
Length of Lesson: approximately 30 to 35 minutes
10 minutes for modeling the lesson
10 to 15 minutes for the children's observations to be recorded
5 to 10 minutes for sharing observations
Leadership:
The classroom teacher will teach this
lesson with the addition of 3 parent volunteers.
Vocabulary:
loupe lo͞op — a small magnifying glass used by jewelers and watchmakers.
“in focus” — clear
“out of focus” — blurry
Background Information:
The Private Eye piece, which is similar to a “jeweler’s loupe,” magnifies an object
5 times. Putting two of the eye pieces together will give a magnification of 10
times. As the children look through their “loupe," they will be asked to respond
to two questions: “What does it look like?”, and “What does it remind you of?”
Teacher note: If a child in the class is sick or has any eye infection, they cannot
partake of this activity.
Standards Addressed in this Lesson:
Science and Engineering Practices in the Next Generation Science Standards:
www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards
Asking Questions and Defining Problems and Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Lesson
To begin the lesson, you will need to model what they will be doing.
Place an object on the presentation system and ask:
“What does it look like?” or “What do you see?”
1. “What does it look like?” or “What do you see?” Elicit as many responses as possible. List of possible sight words: glassy, fluffy, furry, greasy, hairy,
bumpy, bubbly, dull, feathery, foamy, fuzzy, lacy, leathery, metallic, mushy, moist, oily, sandy, shaggy, shiny, silky, slimy, smooth, soft, spongy, tangled, velvety, tiny, large, gigantic, microscopic
2. “What does it remind you of?”
You may have to begin by giving one or two of your own creative responses. After a few minutes, bring out the Private Eye loupes. The children need to be the best observers that they can possibly be. Sometimes they can find something marvelous that no one else has seen just by opening up their eyes and thinking. Remind them to always use their imagination.
“You are going to use the Private Eye piece today. It makes objects look bigger. When that happens, you will be able to see different things. You will each get an object to look at with your Private Eye piece. Do you know there is an occupation known as a Private Eye? Does any one know what a Private Eye person does? A Private Eye looks and watches to find out unusual and interesting things about other people. Now, you can be a Private Eye to find new and interesting things about different objects. As you look through your loupe, describe your object in the first circle that says, “What does it look like?”. Think of as many words as you can that would describe your object to someone who could not see it.
Think about,“What does it remind you of?” Use your imagination on this question. You can whisper your ideas to a grown-up who will be able to write them down for you.
Now that we know what we are going to do, I am going to put you with a partner, and then I will give you a place to sit together. On the table, you will find a loupe and a recording sheet and I will give you an object to look at with your loupe. Remember to use your imagination and use whispering voices.”
Ask a parent to go with each group and write down all the children’s ideas. Ask them to write down the name of the child and the objects observed. Try to have the groups spread out as much as space allows. Have different objects for each child in the group.
Hand out to the parents a copy of the questions that they can use to help the children focus.
Hand out to the parents a copy of the questions that they can use to help the children focus.
On the back side of the questions, there is a list of sight describing words.
After 10 to 15 minutes, ask the children to share with the class their object and some of the ideas they had about their object.
Collect the children’s recording sheets. They can go home with the Becoming a Nature Detective recording sheets when both lessons are completed.
When the lesson is complete, use a soft cloth or lens paper to clean the Private Eye loupes. Replace the Private Eye Kit to the Living Classroom Learning Lab shelves.
SPRING UNITS
Seed to Seedling
Purpose of this Lesson:
In order for the children to be able to understand the complete life cycle of a plant, they will need to understand:
Where do we get seeds?
This usually leads to an interesting discussion. Once they know where we get seeds, they will then need to know that in order for a plant to grow it needs water and light. So the second question that the children will need to answer in this lesson is:
What does a seed need to grow?
In the beginning of the lesson, the children will plant a seed in the dirt of a peat pot that will need water to keep its soil moist. Once their seed has sprouted, their plant will need a sunny window to help it grow. During this time, two mini experiments will be set up. One plant in a peat pot will get very little water and a second seed in a peat pot will be deprived of direct sunlight. The children’s seeds that have been planted will be the control part of our experiment insuring these plants will be given the right amount of water and light.
A secondary purpose in this lesson is the ability to see first hand the beginning of the plant life cycle. Beginning to grow some plants indoors will serve this purpose. Starting some fruits and vegetables inside is helpful because some vegetables need a longer growing season than others. Starting these vegetables indoors will ensure that we will have the plants ready to go outside when the weather is warm enough to plant them in the Vegetable Garden.
"It is a magical moment when the children first see the green tips of a seemingly lifeless seed bursting through the black soil on its way to becoming a living plant. Their eyes light up, and they want everyone to come and look at what is happening, beaming that they are partly responsible for those green shoots."
Danette "Danny" Riehle
Teacher Preparation: (30 minutes)
- Bring in seeds from: an avocado, sunflower, and peach
- Bring in a sweet pepper, pea pod, and bean pod
- Schedule a planting time in the next two to three weeks to plant in the Vegetable Garden.
Materials Needed:
- From Seed to Plant - a book by Gail Gibbons
- one package of dried Lima beans – These seeds need to be bought. They need to be marked Non-GMO, Non-hybridized, organic or heirloom. Some companies have fiddled with seeds and now some seeds will not grow at all or will revert back to an early variety.
- an avocado seed
- sunflower seed
- peach seed
- whole sweet pepper
- bean or pea seed with pea pod
- containers - 1 for each child and 4 for experimental plants - make sure any container has holes in the bottom for good drainage
- soil
- bean or pepper seeds - 2 for each child
- resealable plastic bags - 1 for each child
- permanent markers
- diagram of a seed - physical diagram or image
- roll of paper towels
- popsicle sticks for the child’s name
- plant label - the empty seed package on a craft or popsicle stick
- plate for the seeds
- kindergarten journals for each child: Kindergarten Is Growing
- Unifix cubes to measure the growth of seedlings
- 2 medicine droppers to be used for dispersing droplets of water
- box which will cover the experimental plants that are receiving very little light
- a grow light or classroom window space
Length of Lesson: 150 minutes
Activity #1: Show Children What is Inside a Fruit (15 min)
Activity #2: Observe & Prepare Lima Bean Seeds (10 min)
Activity #3: Identify Bean Parts & Plant Seeds (15 min)
Activity #4: Water & Light Experiment (15 min)
Activity #5: First Kindergarten is Growing Journal Entry (45 min)
Activity #6: Second Kindergarten is Growing Journal Entry (20 min)
Activity #7: Final Kindergarten is Growing Journal Entry (30 min)
Sequence of Lessons Showing the Life Cycle of a Seed:
Kindergarten
Seed to Seedling in the Kindergarten Classroom:
This lesson is the beginning of a series of three kindergarten lessons and one first grade lesson that will show how a seed grows and produces a vegetable or fruit that can come to the child’s dinner table. Essential Questions: Where do we get seeds? and What does a seed need to grow? Children watch vegetable seeds grow in the classroom if they are given water and light.
Making a Seed Tape:
Essential Question: What is the best way to plant our seeds? Children learn that vegetables need the right amount of space to grow.
Planting in the George Washington Vegetable Garden:
Essential Question: Now that our plants are growing in the garden, how will our plants receive the basic needs that they must have to grow? Children plant vegetable seedlings and seed tapes in the George Washington Vegetable Garden.
First Grade
Harvesting in the George Washington Vegetable Garden: (Two months later, as first-graders…)
Essential Questions: How do vegetables get to my dinner table? and Can the seeds from the vegetables I am harvesting be used for more plants? Children pick the vegetables and fruits that they have grown from seed. As they observe the many seeds that are present inside the fruits they have picked, they will have seen the life cycle of a seed. The new seeds will be stored to plant the vegetable garden again next Spring.
Vocabulary:
germinate: biology definition as it concerns seeds: to begin to grow
biodegradable: capable of being decomposed by biological agents, especially bacteria
transplant: move or transfer embryo: the rudimentary plant usually contained in the seed seed coat: the outside layer of a seed
hypothesis: an idea or explanation for something that is based on known facts but has not yet been proved — a best guess
experiment: an operation or procedure carried out under controlled conditions in order to discover an unknown effect or law, to test or establish a hypothesis, or to illustrate a known law
predict: a statement about what will or might happen in the future
Background Information:
A seed is the plant’s embryo that stores its initial food supply inside a protective coat until a combination of water, warmth, air, and sunlight come together and germination begins. Kindergarteners are expected to know that for germination to occur, seeds must have light and
water. Other needs will be discussed in future lessons.
Standards Addressed in this Lesson:
Disciplinary Core Ideas in the Next Generation Science Standards:
www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards
Structure and Function
All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts in different ways to see, hear, grasp objects, protect themselves, move from place to place, and seek, find, and take in food, water and air. Plants have different parts (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits) that help them survive and grow. (1-LS1-1)
Growth and Development of Organisms
Adult plants and animals can have young. In many kinds of animals, parents and the offspring themselves engage in behaviors that help the offspring to survive. (1-LS1-2)
Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms
All animals need food in order to live and grow. They obtain their food from plants or from other animals. Plants need water and light to live and grow.(K-LS1-1)
Inheritance of Traits
Young animals are very much, but not exactly, like their parents. Plants also are very much, but not, exactly, like their parents.(1-LS3-1)
Connections to the Nature of Science:
Science Is a Way of Knowing Science knowledge helps us know about the world.
Scientists study the natural and material world.
Science investigations begin with a question.
Scientists use different ways to study the world.
Scientists use drawings, sketches, and models as a way to communicate ideas.
Common Core State Standards Initiative: Mathematics Kindergarten>> Measurement & Data
Describe and compare measurable attributes.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.MD.A.1
Describe measurable attributes of objects, such as length or weight. Describe several measurable attributes of a single object.
Lesson
The Essential Questions are: “Where do we get seeds?” and “What does a seed need to grow?”
The objective is for the children to know that from the seed they plant in the soil in their classroom a plant will grow and continue to grow once they plant it outside, if they give it water and light. In order to show their knowledge, children record the growth of their plant in their “Kindergarten Is Growing” journal. The first journal entry occurs when the first leaf grows.
Bring in a package of pepper seeds from the kit and open it. Show the children the seeds and ask: “Where did these seeds come from?” Write answers on chart paper.
Allow time for the children’s responses and offer other questions to continue their thinking. Example: If a response is “they come from the hardware store,” ask: “Where did the hardware store owner get the seeds to put into the package?”
Show the children some different seeds:
- avocado seed
- sunflower seed
- peach seed
- bean or pea seed
“Do any of these seeds look familiar? Think about where you have seen them.”
The children will probably know that the avocado and peach seeds are from the inside of the avocado and peach. The bean or pea seed is also from the inside of a bean or pea pod. They may not know the sunflower seed. (FYI: The sunflower plant is a flower. Its seeds are considered fruits.)
“Now, where do these seeds come from? What would be your best guess?”
The children may make the connection and say that the seeds came from inside the plant. Whether that happens or not, have a sweet pepper there and cut it in half.
Open it so the children can see all the seeds. Also open the bean and pea pods to see all the seeds.
“Yes, the plant has a way to make more seeds and the seeds can from more pepper plants! I am going to save these seeds, so that next Spring when the new Kindergarten children are ready to plant peppers, we may be able to use these seeds.”
“Over in the Living Classroom Learning Lab, which is all around you outside, you may have seen a Vegetable Garden. All kindergarteners get to plant the vegetables and fruits that need to grow there. Some of the plants take a longer time to grow, so we are going to start some inside and when the time is right, we will transplant them into the garden. Here on this seed package is the picture of what your seed will grow to be and here are the containers and soil that we are going to use to grow our plants. Do you know what else the seed needs to grow?”
“Why does a pepper have so many seeds?”
“What do you think would happen if you swallowed a seed?”
If they do not have any questions, move on.
Give each child 1 Lima bean, a wet paper towel and a resealable plastic bag.
“Everyone point to your eyes. What can they do? Point to your nose. What can it do? Point to your hands. What can they do? Point to your ears. What can they do? Point to your tongue. What can it do? These are your senses. In science, we NEVER taste anything or put anything in our mouths for safety reasons. Does anyone know what you have in front of you? That’s right! It is a bean! It is the seed from a Lima bean plant. Look very closely! What do you notice about your seed?
What does it look like? What does it smell like? What does it feel like? Put your ear to it. Can you hear anything? All these observations are describing words, adjectives, or sensory words because you are using your senses to identify them.”
Encourage sensory observations.
Have the children wrap their lima bean seed in the wet paper towel and place it in their resealable plastic bag labeled with their name. Place in a warm spot overnight. Continue with Activity #3 after 24 hours in order to allow seeds to germinate.
Pass out bags and have children carefully unwrap their seed. Help the children cut open their Lima bean seed.
“What do you think is happening in this seed?”
“It does look like the seed is beginning to grow leaves.”
Point to each part and describe.
“The seed coat is a protection for the seed. The food store is exactly what its name suggests – food for the new plant. The embryo is the new plant beginning to form. It will soon send out a stem and that stem will have leaves. It is the beginning of a new plant. This is called germination”
“Do you think that is what is going to happen in your seed?”
“Let’s look at where you will be planting your seed. Besides planting your seed in this soil in the containers, is there anything else that your seed will need so the embryo in your seed can grow?”
“Do you know what your plant needs to grow?”
If they do not come up with water, point out the wet paper towels for their Lima beans.
“Once your seed is planted in the soil and receives the water that it needs, your seed can begin to germinate or begin to grow. It will need food which is another necessary thing a plant needs to live. As you saw in the Lima bean, the seed can find food right inside of itself.”
Demonstrate how the green bean or pepper seeds should be planted. Then pass out two seeds to each child.
“You can see that on the table we have soil in a container. Each one of you will plant a seed and place your popsicle stick with your name in the container. You have now given your seed another thing that it needs to grow – its own space.”
“Isn’t there something else that your plants need?“
If the children do not respond with sunlight or warmth, ask them:
“Where in your house would you put a plant, near a window or in a dark corner?”
A window would be a good choice in order for your plants to get enough light. If you have a set of grow lights in your classroom, these are the best to use.
“Now, we need to put our plants under this set of lights [or at this window] so that our plants will receive both warmth and light. When we begin to see little green leaves poke up from the soil, this is the beginning of germination when the plant begins to grow. These plants will be our control group as we control the right amount of warmth and light that they receive.”
The children will be watching their plant daily and when the first leaves grow, the first journal entry is made in Kindergarten is Growing journal.
“About every five days, you will measure your seedling and record how much they have grown in your new journal Kindergarten Is Growing. When it is time, you will transplant your plants into the Vegetable Garden. You can come to visit the garden all through the summer and watch your plants grow. When you come back to school in the Fall, you will be in first grade. It will also be time to harvest the vegetables that you have grown. We take all the vegetables to the Food Pantry so that someone who cannot get fresh vegetables is able to do so.”
“Look at what we have done today! You have planted seeds and have found that they need water, light, food, and we even gave each of them their own space. Are you wondering about anything so far?”
If they do not have any questions, move on.
Use the same type of seed in the next experiments that were planted in the control group, either green bean or pepper.
“I am wondering about two things. First, what would happen if we gave a plant very little water? Would it grow? If it grew, would it look a lot different from the other plants we have growing? How could we find out?”
Take suggestions and with the children decide on how to set up the very little water experiment. Then ask the children to predict or have a best guess as to what will happen. Write their best guesses on chart paper to be saved for the outcome of the experiment.
“We have decided to plant one seed in another container and label it with a picture of a water drop that we will draw a line through. This sign will tell us that these plants will receive very little water.”
Pass out 1 container, markers, two green bean or pepper seeds and soil to each child.
“This is exciting. Here is our first experiment. Let’s call it Experiment A. We have:
- all the seeds that we planted correctly and are giving the right amount of water, light, warmth and space in our control group
- the seeds that we will plant which we will give only five drops of water once a week. They will continue to receive as much light as the control group.”
“What are your best guesses on what you think will happen?”
Record their ideas on the chart paper.
“Do you have anything else you are wondering about, because I still have another one?”
“Great! That is what I was thinking also.”
“My second wondering is what would happen if we gave a plant very little light? Would it grow? If it grew, would it look a lot different from the other plants we have growing? And again, how could we find out?”
Take suggestions and with the children decide on how to set up the very little light experiment. Then ask the children to predict or have a best guess as to what will happen. Write their best guesses on chart paper to be saved for the outcome of the experiment.
“We have decided to plant another seed and label it with a picture of a sun that we will draw two lines through. This sign will tell us that this plant will receive very little light, but as much water as the control group.”
Pass out 1 container, two green bean or pepper seeds and soil to each child.
“We have another experiment – Experiment B. Now, we have:
- all the seeds that we planted correctly and are giving the right amount of water and light – the control group.
- the seed that we are going to put in a closed box. They will continue to receive as much water as the control group.”
“Again, what are your best guesses about what you think will happen with these plants?”
Record their ideas on the chart paper.
“We can now watch all our plants grow.”
The first journal entry on page 2 in their Kindergarten Is Growing Journal occurs once the first leaf grows on the control plants.
Children measure their control plants with unifix cubes and record their measurement in their Kindergarten Is Growing Journal on page 2.
Check on the experimental plants at this same time.
“Now children, it is time to look at our experimental plants. How are they different from the control plants? What do we know now?”
Continue writing observations and further refinement of predictions on the chart paper during this two to three weeks before the culmination of the lesson: Planting in the Vegetable Garden.
Watch video: Lima Bean Time Lapse showing in 1:58 minutes, This is an excellent video showing the development of the Lima bean seed from seed to plant.
Read From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons. It is an excellent book that is beautifully illustrated depicting the planting cycle of a seed. The text and pictures show how a seed is planted and what it needs to grow.
The second measurement is taken 5 days after this entry. 5 Days Later
The second measurement is taken 5 days after the first on page 3.
Children measure their control plants with unifix cubes and record their measurement in their Kindergarten Is Growing Journal on page 3.
Check on the experimental plants at this same time.
“Now children, it is time to look at our experimental plants. How are they different from the control plants? What do we know now?”
Continue writing observations and further refinement of predictions on the chart paper during this two to three weeks before the culmination of the lesson: Planting in the Vegetable Garden.
The third measurement is taken 5 days after this entry.
5 Days Later
The third and final measurement is taken 5 days after the second on page 4.
Children measure their control plants with unifix cubes and record their measurement in their Kindergarten Is Growing Journal on page 4.
Check on the experimental plants at this same time.
“Now children, it is time to look at our experimental plants. How are they different from the control plants? What do we know now?”
At the last journal entry for the children’s plants, look at the two experimental plants – the one with no light and the one with less water. Measure the plants, draw their pictures, and record the children’s observations on pages 5 and 6 of their Kindergarten Is Growing Journal.
Continue writing observations and further refinement of predictions on the chart paper during this two to three weeks before the culmination of the lesson: Planting in the Vegetable Garden.
“I hope that in about two weeks our plants will be ready to be transplanted to the garden. I hope they will receive the right amount of watering and light once they are there.”
When the pages are completed, save the journals, so that next Fall, the journals can be moved to the First Grade Harvesting in the Vegetable Garden Kit. The children’s journals will be completed when the children harvest the vegetables they have planted and finish the last page of the Kindergarten Is Growing Journal.
Making a Seed Tape
Purpose of this Lesson
The main purpose of this lesson is for the children to learn the best way to plant carrot seeds which happen to be very small. Before we used the seed tape method to plant the carrots, we would make furrows and the children would drop the seeds in the furrow by hand. The process of sowing seeds by hand requires thinning. (Thinning is the process of reducing the number of seedlings in a row by physically taking out or cutting seedlings down so that the seedlings that are left are spaced correctly and produce a good yield of plants.) Thinning usually did not happen in our garden. As a result, the children’s carrots would be extremely small. One of the basic needs of all living things is space. Everything needs its own space to live. To understand why this element of space is so important, the children will be conducting an experiment to see if having enough space helps a plant grow best. In order to understand that making seed tapes is a good way to plant seeds, an experiment will be set up that the children will not know the results of until the Fall when they come back to school as second graders.
The question for this lesson will become What is the best way to plant our carrot seeds?
The experiment will consist of three ways to plant our carrot seeds:
- Planting the seeds correctly spaced on a seed tape
- planting the seeds in a furrow by hand
- Making 5 holes spaced evenly apart and planting 3 seeds in each hole.
"A secondary purpose of this lesson: Planting a small seed and watching it grow is a magical time for Kindergarten children — for all children. Making the seed tape is easy, fun, and anticipates a trip out to the Living Classroom Learning Lab to begin planting a new crop of vegetables to grow throughout the spring and summer."
Danette "Danny" Riehle
Teacher Preparation: (15 minutes)
- Bring in one large carrot for each kindergarten
- Lay out the large sheets of bulletin board paper and the seed tape materials
- If the toilet paper is not one ply, then separate the toilet paper into one ply strips, cut into 3 foot sections
Materials Needed
- chart paper
- packaged carrot seeds The seeds need to be bought. They need to be marked Non-GMO, Non-hybridized, organic or heirloom. Some companies have fiddled with seeds and now some seeds will not grow at all or will revert back to an early variety.
- large carrot for each kindergarten
- one ply toilet paper used to make the seed tapes, cut into 3 foot strips
- 1 1/2 cups flour (for paste)
- 1 cup water (for paste)
- a mixing bowl and spoon to stir the paste
- containers to hold the paste
- containers to hold the seeds
- rulers
- unifix cubes
- craft sticks or paint brushes to apply paste
- craft sticks to identify the place where the seed tapes, seeds in a furrow and seeds in hole are planted
- markers
- large sheets of bulletin board paper
- picture of the beds in the vegetable garden
- if no outdoor garden is available to plant in: large containers for planting - cardboard produce containers from Costco provide the surface and depth for planting all three experiments
- soil
- From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons
- Vegetables in the Garden: A First Discovery Book
Directions on How to Make a Seed Tape
Lay the one ply toilet paper on each side of the table to
make 2 seed tapes. Each tape should be as long as the
table. Place a few seeds in one plate and some paste in
another plate and place them both near the appropriate
seed tapes. Read the seed packet to see how far apart the
seeds should be. Show the children this measurement and
connect the same number of Unifix cubes as the
measurement. These cubes then become the measurement
stick the children will use to measure the distance between
each seed. Using the Unifix cubes and a marker, the
children can measure and place a dot where each seed will
go. Keep the dots on the side of the toilet paper closest to
the child. Have the children take a paint brush or craft stick and place a smudge of paste on the colored dot (One paint brush tip or one craft stick end of paste should do about three to four dots - too much paste may get the seeds to sprout before the seed tape is planted.) Next, have the children put one seed on each spot of paste. While the paste is still wet, fold the toilet paper in half lengthwise over the seeds to make a cover for the seeds. The seed tape is now complete. The seed tape needs to dry before it can be rolled up. The children can make plant markers for the garden. Once the seed tape is dry, you may roll it up until it is time to plant it.
There should be only 2 children working on each seed tape.
Length of Lesson
Activity #1: Making a Seed Tape (30 min)
Activity #2: Planting Seed Tapes, Seeds in a Furrow & Planting 3 Seeds in a Hole (30 min)
Activity #4: My Seed Tape Journal (30 min)
Vocabulary
biodegradable: capable of being slowly destroyed and broken down into very small parts by natural processes, bacteria, etc.
germinate: biology definition as it concerns seeds: to begin to grow
hypothesis: best guess
furrow: row
Sequence of Lessons Showing the Life Cycle of a Seed
Kindergarten
Seed to Seedling in the Kindergarten Classroom:
This lesson is the beginning of a series of three kindergarten lessons and one first grade lesson that will show how a seed grows and produces a vegetable or fruit that can come to the child’s dinner table. Essential Questions: Where do we get seeds? and What does a seed need to grow? Children watch vegetable seeds grow in the classroom if they are given water and light.
Making a Seed Tape:
Essential Question: What is the best way to plant our seeds? Children learn that vegetables need the right amount of space to grow.
Planting in the George Washington Vegetable Garden:
Essential Question: Now that our plants are growing in the garden, how will our plants receive the basic needs that they must have to grow? Children plant vegetable seedlings and seed tapes in the George Washington Vegetable Garden.
First Grade
Harvesting in the George Washington Vegetable Garden: (Two months later, as first-graders…)
Essential Questions: How do vegetables get to my dinner table? and Can the seeds from the vegetables I am harvesting be used for more plants? Children pick the vegetables and fruits that they have grown from seed. As they observe the many seeds that are present inside the fruits they have picked, they will have seen the life cycle of a seed. The new seeds will be stored to plant the vegetable garden again next Spring.
Background Information
Making a seed tape ensures the success of growing healthy vegetables and plants from very small seeds. If seeds are sown in a furrow, thinning the growing plants is necessary to produce healthy mature vegetables. Thinning is the process whereby some plants that are competing against one another for their existence are pulled so others will have plenty of room to develop. In past years in the Vegetable Garden, thinning has not happened, so the vegetables do not have room to grow and expand. Carrots become thin strings and beets cannot grow at all. With the seed tapes, thinning will not be necessary. The children look at the directions on the seed packet to know how far apart each seed should be placed. They lay down the first seed on the tape and measure the distance between each seed. It is important during this measuring that the teacher verbalizes to the children that, “We are giving the plants space to grow.” When the appropriate time of the Spring arrives, they will be able to plant their seed tapes easily in the Vegetable Garden.
With the beginning of this lesson, it is hoped that the children and their parents will experience the complete life cycle of their plants. In April, the children will be making seed tapes for certain vegetables. At the right time, these seed tapes will be planted in the Vegetable Garden. The children will also sow other seeds and vegetable plants directly in the vegetable garden when the time is right. Through out the summer, kindergarten children and their parents are encouraged to come back to the garden to witness the growth of their plant. When fall arrives, their vegetables will be ready to harvest. With the culmination of the harvesting, the children and their parents will have experienced the life cycle of their plants.
- It is interesting to note the difference between fruits and vegetables.
- The definition of a fruit is: the usually edible reproductive body of a seed plant especially: one having a sweet pulp associated with the seed, such as a peach or avocado.
- The definition of a vegetable is: a plant or part of a plant used as food, such as a cabbage, potato, carrot, turnip, or bean.
Chefs consider foods that are savory instead of sweet as vegetables.
That is how we now know that all sweet foods are fruits.
Standards Addressed in this Lesson
Disciplinary Core Ideas in the Next Generation Science Standards:
www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards
Structure and Function
All organisms have external parts that they use to perform daily functions.
All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts in different ways to see, hear, grasp objects, protect themselves, move from place to place, and seek, find, and take in food, water and air. Plants have different parts (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits) that help them survive and grow. (1-LS1-1)
Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms
Food provides animals with the materials and energy they need for body repair, growth, warmth, and motion. Plants acquire material for growth chiefly from air, water, and process matter and obtain energy from sunlight, which is used to maintain conditions necessary for survival. (K-LS1-1)
LS2.A Independent Relationships in Ecosystems
Plants acquire material for growth chiefly from air, water, and process matter and obtain energy from sunlight, which is used to maintain conditions necessary for survival.
The Needs of Living Things
Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive. (K-LS1-1)
Natural Resources
Living things need water, air, and resources from the land, and they live in places that have the things they need. Humans use natural resources for everything they do. (K-ESS3-1)
Understandings about the Nature of Science in the Next Generation Science Standards for K-2:
Connections to the Nature of Science: > Science Addresses Questions About the Natural and Material World.
> Science Is a Way of Knowing.
> Scientists study the natural and material world.
> Science knowledge helps us know about the world.
> Science investigations begin with a question.
> Scientists use different ways to study the world.
> Scientists use drawings, sketches, and models as a way to communicate ideas.
Common Core State Standards Initiative: Mathematics Kindergarten>> Measurement & Data
Describe and compare measurable attributes.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K. Measurement & Data.A.1
Describe measurable attributes of objects, such as length or weight.
Lesson
The Essential Question: What is the best way to plant our carrot seeds and why?
The objective of the lesson is for the children to know that a plant needs the right amount of space to grow by observing and recording the results of three planting experiments which will test the best way to plant vegetable seeds.
It is important during the measuring that the teacher verbalizes to the children that, “We are giving the plants space to grow.”
Open a packet of carrot seeds to show the children how tiny they are. Show them a mature carrot, and ask,“How are we to plant one of these seeds so that they grow into this big carrot?”
List responses on chart paper.
“What would you think if we set up an experiment to see if we could find out what is the best way to plant our seeds?”
“Here is a picture of the raised beds where we will be planting our vegetables. We could take one of those beds and plant our carrot seeds in three different ways. We could also plant in large containers to do this experiment. Then when you come back next Fall as first graders, you will be able to see at once which was the best way to plant your carrots.”
“When you look at the back of this packet of carrot seeds, it tells us how deep in the soil to plant our seed and how far apart they should be planted. In order to carry out these instructions we are going to learn how to make seed tapes today. The seed tapes will help us plant all these small seeds.”
“Please listen to each instruction, and we will make the seed tapes together step by step.”
- “There are strips of toilet paper on your tables that will be the bottom and the top of your seed tape. We need to find out from the directions on the seed packet how far apart the seeds should be.”
- “From the back of the packet it says that we need to plant the seeds inches apart. Each unifix cube is one inch. How many unify cubes do we need to put together to make that length? Put your unifix cubes together. This will be your measuring stick.”
- “You are going to use the side of the toilet paper that is closest to you. When we finish pasting our seeds, you will fold the other side of the paper on top of the side where you have placed your seeds. This will make a pocket for your seeds.”
- “You are going to be measuring the distance between 2 points. Place your measuring stick on the paper and mark both ends of your stick with a dot. Pick up your stick and place it on the last dot that you made. Mark a dot at the end of your stick. You have just measured the distance between 2 dots. Do this all the way down your side of the strip. Make your dots in a straight row close to your side of the strip.”
- “Using a craft stick or paintbrush, put a tiny (stress tiny) dab of paste on each dot, and place the seed on top of the paste.”
- “When you have planted all your seeds onto the seed tape, we will fold the toilet paper in half which will paste one side to the other. (Add more paste if needed to secure the seed tape.)”
- “In a few days, we will be transplanting our seedlings at the same time as we are planting our seed tapes in the Vegetable Garden,” or “In a few days we can plant our seed tapes in our containers.”
Read the book From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons, an excellent book that is beautifully illustrated depicting the planting cycle of a seed. Be sure to read pages 18 to 25. The text and pictures show how a seed is planted and what it needs to grow.
* This lesson has been adapted from an article in “Chicago Land Gardening”. March/April 2014 entitled “Making Seed Tapes” in the Kids Gardening Section.
This activity can be done two ways:
- Plant seed tape outside in a garden along with seeds in a furrow and seeds in a hole experiment
- Plant seed tape inside in a container along with seeds in a furrow and seeds in a hole experiment if no outdoor garden is available
“Remember when we started we said that we would like to know the best way to plant our carrots. Our seed tapes are one way we are planting our carrots. Is there anyone who has planted seeds another way?”
(Hopefully, someone will say they planted them in a row in a garden.)
“That can be the second experiment. In our containers, we will make a deep line in the dirt with our hand and spread the seeds in that row. Does anyone have another idea of how to plant these seeds?”
“I think we should try this idea: Make 5 holes and plant about 3 seeds in each one.”
“These are our three experiments:
- plant the seeds in the seed tape
- plant the seeds by hand in a row
- make 5 holes spaced evenly apart and plant 3 seeds in each hole.”
“Plant markers can now be made so we can mark the place where we planted our seed tapes, the seeds in a furrow, and 3 in a hole.”
“Can we make a best guess, a hypothesis, right now which way we think will be the best way to plant our carrots so that we will have phenomenal carrots? Remember you can only vote once.”
“Hands up for planting our carrots in the seed tape. I count hands.”
“Hands up for planting our carrots by hand in a row. I count hands.”
“Hands up for planting 3 carrot seeds in 5 holes that are spaced apart. I count hands.”
“The vote tells us that you think the seed tape might be the best way to plant carrot seeds. In a few days we will be planting your carrot seeds in these three ways. At the same time, we will plant all the seedlings.”
“Next Fall, when you come back to school as first graders, you will be coming back to the Vegetable Garden to harvest your vegetables. Before you pick any carrots that are part of the experiment, be sure to look and see which was the best way to plant them. You will be able to tell by how big the top of the carrots are. When you come back inside, be sure to write in your new My Seed Tape Journal, which I am going to give you now, if the
best guess you made now was correct.”
After planting the seed tapes, if there are any parts of the seed tapes that are not planted, the children should take them home.
Distribute the journals.
“Here is the special journal for our seed tape experiment. It is called appropriately, My Seed Tape Journal.”
“Please write your name on the cover and open to the second page. Where it says,’Date I made my seed tape’ write.”
“When you plant your seed tape, we will enter that date on the second line. You may enter what seeds you planted on the third line.”
“What did you plant? Of course! You planted carrots!”
“Now, why do you think you measured between each seed that you planted in the seed tape? Put your answer next.”
“Lastly on this page, circle all the things that are listed which your plant will need to grow.”
“Let’s turn to the next page, page 3, where we will see our planting experiment. It starts by asking the question we are trying to answer and shows the three ways we are going to plant our seeds:
- In a seed tape
- By hand in a furrow
- 3 in a hole.
Circle the one you think is the best way to plant seeds which will result in growing the biggest plant.”
“You will finish the rest of your My Seed Tape Journal when you come back to school in the Fall and start harvesting your carrots. Be sure to observe which carrots grew the best and look to see which way they were planted. They will have the answer to our planting experiment! You will also finish your journal at that time.”
Planting in the Vegetable Garden
Purpose of this Lesson:
This lesson is the fourth in a series of lessons that will develop the children’s understanding of how a seed grows into a plant that produces a vegetable that can be given or brought to a family’s dinner table. When the children come out to harvest their vegetables, they will see how
the small plants and seeds they planted in the Vegetable Garden during the spring of Kindergarten have grown. Their eyes open wide as they are surprised to see how some of their vegetables have grown down in the ground. They love to dig to find the potatoes!
The children help collect the harvest and then wash and pack it to be delivered to the Local Food Pantry. The children learn that they will be helping people who do not have enough food receive fresh organic food to take home for their family’s meals. They will also realize how the
vegetables they have at dinner came to their table.
While the children are collecting their vegetables, the teachers will cut open one of the harvested peppers. There they will find all the seeds the plant has produced to continue its own propagation. The life cycle of a seed is complete: Seed to plant to flower to seed.
The essential question these first graders will be able to answer is How do vegetables get to my dinner table?
Advanced Teacher Preparation: (10 minutes)
- Request parent volunteers for activities #1 and #2.
- Contact the Local Food Pantry to make sure they can accept the harvest and schedule a field trip for after the day of harvesting to deliver the children’s harvest.
Materials Needed:
- grocery bags to collect vegetables
- small hand trowels
- scissors
- sharp knife to be used by an adult to cut the cabbage
- Books:
- How Groundhog’s Garden Grew by Lynne Cherry
- Jack’s Garden by Henry Cole
- The Greatest Power by Demi
- Books:
- Printable Materials attached:
- Page #3 - Seed Tape Journal: Our Planting Experiment
- Page #4 - Seed Tape Journal
- Page #5 - Seed Tape Journal
- Last Page of “Seed to Seedling” Journal
- Journey of a Seed: Overall Sequence for Teacher
- Cut Outs for Journey of a Seed to Table #1, 2, 3
- Image of the Kitchen Garden at George Washington’s Mount Vernon
- Printable Materials attached:
- Videos:
- How Groundhog’s Garden Grew by Lynne Cherry
- Videos:
Sequence of Lessons Showing the Life Cycle of a Seed:
Kindergarten:
Seed to Seedling in the Kindergarten Classroom:
This lesson is the beginning of a series of three Kindergarten lessons and one first grade lesson that will show how a seed grows and produces a vegetable or fruit that comes to the child’s dinner table.
Essential Questions: Where do we get seeds? and What does a seed need to grow?
Children watch vegetable seeds grow in the classroom if they are given water and light.
Making a Seed Tape:
Essential Question: What is the best way to plant our seeds?
Children learn that vegetables also need the right amount of space to grow.
Planting in the Vegetable Garden:
Essential Question: Now that our plants are growing in the garden, how will our plants receive the basic needs that they must have to grow?
Children plant vegetable seedlings and seed tapes in the Vegetable Garden.
First Grade:
Harvesting in the Vegetable Garden:
Essential Questions: How do vegetables get to my dinner table? Are the seeds I find in these vegetables I am harvesting the ones that could be planted next Spring?
Children pick the vegetables that they have grown from seed. As the vegetables go on to the food pantry, the children will observe how food gets to a dinner table.
Length of Lesson:
Activity #1: Journals & Carrot Harvesting (45 min)
Activity #2: Full Harvesting (45 min)
Activity #3: Field Trip to Local Food Pantry (60 min)
Activity #4: Sequencing the Journey of a Seed to a Table (40 min)
Vocabulary:
All of these words are in the book How Groundhog’s Garden Grew by Lynne Cherry.
compost: a mixture that consists largely of decayed organic matter and is used for fertilizing and conditioning land. Compost is usually made by gathering plant material, such as leaves, grass clippings and vegetable peels into a pile or bin and letting it decompose as a result of the action of
aerobic bacteria, fungi, other organisms.
fertilize: to make (soil, land, etc.) richer and better able to support plant growth by adding chemicals or a natural substance (such as compost)
perennial: living for several years or for many years; having a life cycle that is more than two years long; existing or continuing in the same way for a long time.
transplant: to remove from one place and introduce elsewhere; relocate
pollination: the transfer of pollen from one flower to another
Background Information:
In the Spring of their Kindergarten year, the children planted vegetables in the Vegetable Garden. Throughout the summer, the vegetables grow and by the time the children return to school as first graders, it is time to harvest all their vegetables. Throughout this process, the children understand how vegetables grow. By delivering their harvest themselves to the food pantry, they see and understand the entire process of how
vegetables come to us from seed, to plant, to fruit, to store, and finally to their dinner table.
Before Harvesting Day, all first graders need to be able to observe the carrot experiment they created and planted last Spring. The purpose of the experiment is to see what is the best way to plant carrots:
- in a seed tape
- by hand in a furrow
- 3 seeds in a hole
They will observe the results. If all went well over the summer and nothing befell the carrots like being eaten by bunnies or the carrots already have been picked, the experiment should show that the carrots need space to grow best. The seed tape should have the best result.
Standards Addressed in this Lesson:
Disciplinary Core Ideas in the Next Generation Science Standards:
www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards
1-LS1-1 Structure and Function
Plants have different parts (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits that help them survive and
grow.
LS2.A Independent Relationships in Ecosystems
Plants acquire material for growth chiefly from air, water, and process matter and
obtain energy from sunlight, which is used to maintain conditions necessary for survival.
K-LS1-1The Needs of Living Things
Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to
survive.
Plants depend on water and light to grow.
1-LS3-1 Inheritance of Traits
Plants are very much, but not exactly, like their parents.
Understandings about the Nature of Science in the Next Generation Science Standards for K-2:
Science Addresses Questions About the Natural and Material World Science Is a Way of Knowing
Scientists study the natural and material world.
Science knowledge helps us know about the world.
Science investigations begin with a question.
Scientists use different ways to study the world.
Scientists use drawings, sketches, and models as a way to communicate ideas.
Lesson
The Essential Question:
Now that our plants are outside in the garden, how will our plants receive the basic needs that they must
have to grow?
The objective of this lesson is to have the children plant their seed tapes and transplant their seedlings to the Garden realizing that their vegetables will receive the water and light that is needed for their vegetables to grow.
Concepts
Legend:
~ Ecosystems ~
&
~ Life Cycles ~
~ Adaptation ~
&
~ Pollination ~
~ Biodiversity ~
&
~ Food Chains ~
~ Patterns ~
&
~ Shapes ~
~ Balance of Nature ~
&
~ Sustainability ~
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