Our Gardening Unit This Summer

[Thriftylady]

So the kids are helping with the garden for daycare. We have planted radishes, tomatoes, bell peppers, lettuce, spinach, cucumbers and zucchini so far. DCB planted pumpkin seeds last time I took him to the museum, so I am hoping to find a place to plant those when they start, because if he takes them home, I know they will be left to die. I also as an afterthought ordered a cheap rain gauge yesterday and have an old shovel handle I can put in the ground to hang it on in the garden. We have a thermometer already under the roof of the small back patio.

Now for the question. I am trying to find a way to make this a whole science lesson. So does anyone have any great ideas how we can do some things? Of the top of my head I am thinking graphing. But I am not even sure how to really set up the graphs! I know some of you have done these kids of things before, so I am open to your ideas!

[Leigh]

USDA has a free gardening curriculum: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/dig-stand...ucation-ground

[Thriftylady]

USDA has a free gardening curriculum: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/dig-stand...ucation-ground

I have some of that stuff from last year I didn't end up using. I was thinking I would dig into it tonight. Hopefully some of it will be helpful!

[Controlled Chaos]

You don't have to make it science - it IS science In saying that, I mean, just talk about what you are doing. "How do we prepare soil? Plants need rich yummy soil, this soil has ABC in it, lets mix it in together. "

I did buy extra seeds and put them in pie tins with tweezers and magnifying glasses. The kids pay with that as a science/sensory area. Outside, they help me weed, plant, water, pick the veggie etc. and we just talk about it as we go. We talk about the water cycle and photosynthesis by describing what we are seeing and experiencing outside

[Thriftylady]

You don't have to make it science - it IS science In saying that, I mean, just talk about what you are doing. "How do we prepare soil? Plants need rich yummy soil, this soil has ABC in it, lets mix it in together. "

I did buy extra seeds and put them in pie tins with tweezers and magnifying glasses. The kids pay with that as a science/sensory area. Outside, they help me weed, plant, water, pick the veggie etc. and we just talk about it as we go. We talk about the water cycle and photosynthesis by describing what we are seeing and experiencing outside

I love the seeds in pie tins. I will have to get some tins or something to put them in. I have magnifying glasses and tweezers. We haven't use them yet, because I am still trying to build my science stuff. But I do have that!

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Perhaps you could put seeds and small parts of the plants as they begin growing into a capped test tube in your science center?

http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Plastic-Test-Tube/dp/B000F8XF6S

[Thriftylady]

Perhaps you could put seeds and small parts of the plants as they begin growing into a capped test tube in your science center?
http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Resou.../dp/B000F8XF6S

Test tubes are on my list of things I want for science stuff. We did just start flower seeds in Ziplock bags and then transplant them to small pots for Mother's day. Through the paper towel you could see the roots, and you could see the stems and leaves that started. You know what kills me though? We do these things and I am never sure if anything actually "clicked" in those little heads of theirs.

[CalCare]

if you want to make a display/ a graph, I would say get a big paper (by the way "thrifty" haha have I ever mentioned my free paper resource to you? I get huge rolls of newsprint from the newspaper for free. it's their leftover when they change out the rolls and there is a years worth easy, on one left over roll) so anyway, on the paper, I would make it very very basic.
[Date] [Name] [Plant] [Observation]
5/2 Miss Thrifty Radishes green, tiny closed leaf
5/2 Jane Carrot no growth
5/5 John Radishes Leaf opened

etc... You could write very big in markers and have big columns and tape it up near the garden or near a table where you would write it. The important thing to remember here is that the purpose isn't to teach the actual facts about plants. That's not necessary at this time! They will absolutely learn that plants grow and how etc at many points in their schooling careers. What the purpose is at this stage is to support the children in exploring, observing, forming predictions, comparing what really happened to their predictions and getting experience with these processes, tools and vocabulary. And for science projects, keep in mind the scientific method: Ask a question, make a guess (hypothesis), do the experiment, observe, record, and conclude... Most any thing can be seen as science related when you frame it right. And I think it is a very valuable thing to try to instill an interest in science. So for example, bubbles, you can ask "What do you think will happen if we blow hard? What will happen if we use this square wand?" etc... And after they guess, you say let's see, then do it, then ask, "Was it what you thought would happen? What happened?" etc, then say what was the conclusion: "So, the square wand still made a bubble that was round. That's so interesting!" etc..
my 2cents, but fyi, I hate science but I do what I gotta do "for the children" haha


(I can't put a chart on here, but I think you get the idea? Draw rows and columns for the names, dates, etc)

[CalCare]

Also, a very nice way to display things about any activity, including science, is to get a direct quote from a few of the children and write it out and hang it up with a photo of the activity or a drawing from the child, about the activity. for example:
Photo of john planting a seed, subtitled, "Carrots grow the tallest because they are orange!"~ John

[Thriftylady]

if you want to make a display/ a graph, I would say get a big paper (by the way "thrifty" haha have I ever mentioned my free paper resource to you? I get huge rolls of newsprint from the newspaper for free. it's their leftover when they change out the rolls and there is a years worth easy, on one left over roll) so anyway, on the paper, I would make it very very basic.
[Date] [Name] [Plant] [Observation]
5/2 Miss Thrifty Radishes green, tiny closed leaf
5/2 Jane Carrot no growth
5/5 John Radishes Leaf opened

etc... You could write very big in markers and have big columns and tape it up near the garden or near a table where you would write it. The important thing to remember here is that the purpose isn't to teach the actual facts about plants. That's not necessary at this time! They will absolutely learn that plants grow and how etc at many points in their schooling careers. What the purpose is at this stage is to support the children in exploring, observing, forming predictions, comparing what really happened to their predictions and getting experience with these processes, tools and vocabulary. And for science projects, keep in mind the scientific method: Ask a question, make a guess (hypothesis), do the experiment, observe, record, and conclude... Most any thing can be seen as science related when you frame it right. And I think it is a very valuable thing to try to instill an interest in science. So for example, bubbles, you can ask "What do you think will happen if we blow hard? What will happen if we use this square wand?" etc... And after they guess, you say let's see, then do it, then ask, "Was it what you thought would happen? What happened?" etc, then say what was the conclusion: "So, the square wand still made a bubble that was round. That's so interesting!" etc..
my 2cents, but fyi, I hate science but I do what I gotta do "for the children" haha


(I can't put a chart on here, but I think you get the idea? Draw rows and columns for the names, dates, etc)

I was hoping you would respond you always have so many ideas. I have read about your newspaper rolls, but haven't called yet.

[KiddieCahoots]

I 1st use this https://www.safariltd.com/products/v...gurines-662416 for the kids to get an idea.
Then I get out the magnifying glasses and journals, where we will color into the journal what we see.
We like to plant sunflower seeds.....instant gratification!
And color what we witness in our journals.
At the end of the season, I will cut off the tops for the kids to get a closer look, then we eat the sunflower seeds. That way, we cover a lot of sensory points.
Pumpkins are an easy thing to grow as well. If you use a lot of peat moss in the soil, it's almost a sure thing. I like to have the children claim a pumpkin to tend to....very cute, and extends into another season with pumpkin carving, etc.

[CalCare]

Oh thanks! Well, I would also say (for the parents to see value in the activities and for them to see the vocabulary you are using with the kids and the scientific thinking you are exploring with them), I would make signs that have keywords:

MAKING PREDICTIONS:
"Carrots will grow tallest because they're orange!"- John
"The smallest one will be the radishes" -Jane
"I like hippos" -Nick
()

RECORDING RESULTS:
"Whatever child says"- John

and so forth

[Sunshine74]

I think it would be fun to plant sunflowers and let them measure how tall they grow. Maybe predict first?

[MunchkinWrangler]

I love this idea. I don't have any advice but I wish my backyard was suitable for something like this. happyface

[Josiegirl]

Sunflowers are such cool things to grow!! We took pictures throughout the summer, measuring the kids against how fast our plants grew. Then studied bees when the bees came, took the seeds out(Or just left the entire heads) for the birds. Plus they grew into a cool little hideaway for the dcks.
Last year we did a green bean teepee, learned about those pesky bugs that chewed up all the leaves(potato or rose bugs? But didn't get into the scientific reason why they were all riding piggyback LOL)), talked about how the beans felt, smelled and tasted, opened them to find seeds inside, founds lots of spiders, lots of measuring beans when growing and picking. Another cool hideaway spot.
Check pinterest for more ideas!! Think about each of the 5 senses and how that can be used to learn.