Activity #3: My Seed Tape Journal (30 min)

First, distribute the journals. (link to journal)

“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.”

Read the book Vegetables in the Garden: A First Discovery Book to show how vegetables are planted and where many of their seeds are.

“Is anyone wondering about anything we did today?”

“You have done an excellent job today, children. I hope all your vegetables grow well, so you have many vegetables to pick next Fall. Be sure to come back to visit the garden and your vegetables all summer. It is fun to watch everything grow.”

Keep “My Kindergarten Seed Tape Journals” so they can be used for the Harvesting in the Vegetable Garden lesson in the fall.