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Materials
- beans and grass seeds, to be planted on days 1 and 2; green onion bulbs, to be planted on day 3
- water spray bottles
- mural paper, markers, and tape (for creating an “Our Plants” chart, described below, which you can prepare ahead of time)
- Plant Journals
- camera
- crayons and markers
- magnifying glasses (several learning centers use magnifying glasses—include two or three in each learning center or choose a central location to store them)
Directions
Clear space where you can display the plants and seeds that the children will grow this week. Each day children can:
- Water the plants with the spray bottle. Have each child water his or her own plant. Caution them against overwatering.
- Observe and record plant growth in their Plant Journals by drawing pictures. Help children label their pictures and record the number of days that each plant has been growing.
- Take daily photos of the plants to add to the “Our Plants” chart.
How to Make the “Our Plants” Chart (Prepare Ahead of Time)
This large chart will hang on the wall to help document the growth of the plants throughout the three weeks. Using mural paper, create a grid with the days of week across the top and Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3 going downward (as shown below). Make each space in the grid large enough to fit at least three photos. Prepare the grid ahead of time.
Each day, you or the children will take photos of the plants they are growing and post them on the chart.
- Day 1 and Day 2: Model how to take plant photos. Later, print them out and tape them to the chart. Take two or three photos each day. You can also include labels and additional observations on the chart.
- Day 3 and onwards: Have one or two children take photos each day. When you’ve printed them, have them tape them to the chart. Since you can only include a few photos in each grid, talk with children about which photos would be the best to include. Include photos for all growing plants (beans, grass, and green onions).
Our Plants
If you don't have a camera or the ability to print out photos, have children make drawings to attach to the chart.
