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I'm Colleen, and I teach preschool
in a Head Start classroom.
My assistant Kelly and I have 18 preschoolers,
ages three to five years old.
Well, in here we have some beans.
I want to see how they grow.
I really work hard to create
an inviting learning environment for the children.
I plan out the learning centers, the materials
and the kinds of things I want the children to explore.
- I hope they grow.
- Me too.
- Because to learn science they need to get their hands dirty.
They need to be messing around and trying things out.
For our investigation into seeds and plants,
we set up a "Watch Them Grow" center...
Okay, water this one first.
An indoor garden...
a sensory table with soil...
an art center where they used beans and seeds
to make different pictures and designs,
and we added books on seeds and planting to our book center.
At our indoor garden center, we include a nice mix
of plants with different leaves, flowers and colors.
This variety helps spark great conversations.
- This one is darker than this one.
Trying to find the same picture as this one.
- The same picture as that one.
See?
They match.
- At our "Watch Them Grow" table, the children are able
to care for their planted beans and seeds.
They love having a chance to water and spray their soil.
- This looks like rain.
See?
Rain puddles.
- It is fabulous to have these fast-growing plants
in our environment because children can see them growing
and changing right away.
What part of the tree is this?
I always like to bring our science exploration
into our outdoor space as well.
I'm going to pick you up so you can touch it.
During our planting week we spend lots of time outdoors
examining what's growing in our yard and making observations
in different areas.
What are these called?
- Buds. - Buds.
You might not think of a tree as a learning center,
but trees are an important part of our children's environment.
- They feel like spikes.
- Spider?
- Having these different learning centers means that
children can explore plants and seeds in many different ways.
During our free play time, whether they want to have
a quiet moment reading with a friend
or do something a little more active,
I love seeing them digging into science,
following their own interests
and making their own new discoveries.