Gardening Project Highlights

The first project theme we worked on was planting a garden. We introduced the project by reading aloud The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle. We then recorded everything we know about seeds through the essential question What is a Seed?

 

After recording some initial thoughts on seeds, we dissected lima beans. The kids used magnifying glasses to get "up close and personal" with the bean and see what parts of the seed they could identify based on the key words we previewed together (seed coat, root, leaves, food). After they observed the lima beans for a bit, the children completed a diagram of a lima bean and labeled the picture with the key words.  

 

We continued our seed investigation by "planting" kidney beans in small jars (we used damp paper towels). The kids made predictions in their seed journals about what they thought would happen to their beans over the next few days.

 

Over the next couple of days, students watched their beans and recorded their observations of any sprouting or roots! 

 To finish our investigation of plants and gardening, we did some brainstorming of adjectives to describe pumpkins, along with some things we already know about pumpkins.

After that, we watched a video about the life cycle of a pumpkin:

Since we were now experts on the life cycle of a pumpkin, we then practiced sequencing the events and making Pumpkin Life Cycle Mini Books!

 

Then came the fun part! Actually dissecting and examining our pumpkin!

We talked about some of the parts of the pumpkin we saw and identified their "scientific" names. Then, the kids filled out diagrams of the inside of a pumpkin.

 

 

 Unfortunately, I forgot to get a photo-- but we ended up toasting the seeds from the pumpkin for a special end of the day snack!