What’s Springing Up in Your Classroom?

Spring has sprung – which means it’s time for your students to get their hands dirty! Growing plants in the classroom is an effective, inexpensive way to bring experiential learning to the life sciences, and help your students relate to the living organisms around them.

For grades K-2, your plant-growing lessons can focus on:

• Basic plant structure
• Plant variety
• Plants as a food source
• The scientific process of observation and hypothesis

In grades 3-6, your students can explore:

• Germination and plant life cycles
• Plant classifications
• Seed production
• Plant diversity around the world
• Adaptations to the environment

Celebrate Spring in your classroom with this collection of activities and lesson plans. Each has a plant-growing theme and a variety of interesting enhancements:

Cool Beans from PBS

Grades K-4

This media-rich lesson from the PBS Learning Media organization includes step-by-step instructions for a four-part activity plan, supported by a variety of videos and PDFs. The lesson introduces your students to the study of plants over four 45-minute class periods. It is designed for grades K-2, partly because it incorporates the story of Jack and the Beanstalk; however, if you take Jack out of the equation and elevate the level of class discussion, and you’ll create an activity suitable for students up through 4^th grade.

Objectives of this lesson include:

• Identifying the conditions required for seeds to germinate
• Evaluating the role that fruits play in seed dispersal
• Describing stages of plant growth
• Measuring and drawing plants at various stages of their growth

Plant Anatomy, Growth and Care, from Scholastic.com

Grades 1-2

Scholastic’s lesson plan called “Let's Grow Plants!” goes beyond dirt and seeds, to include reading, story dramatizations and creation of related art work. The students are divided into five small groups, with rotating tasks.  The provided lesson plan includes everything you need: an activity overview, objectives, materials, set-up instructions, lesson extensions and assignments.

Note: This lesson incorporates engaging reading material, which is available for purchase through Scholastic.com. You may easily be able to substitute books from your own school library. If you choose to go with Scholastic’s choices, take advantage of their current Spring Specials, which give you up to 50% off list price.

The Seed: An Amazing Little Package, from ScienceNetLinks.com

Grades 2-4

In this lesson, students take a closer look at the seed – the epitome of the adage: “good things come in small packages.” Within a tiny seed exists everything a plant needs to grow and reproduce, and students will see it firsthand as they dissect lima bean seeds. Students begin the lesson by learning:

• Types of seeds
• Parts of seeds
• Requirements for seeds to sprout and plants to grow

The “Motivation” part of the lesson includes a classroom discussion on what living things in general – including humans – need to live and thrive.

In the “Development” part of the lesson, students really get hands-on, planting seeds and watching them grow, using the downloadable Observation Journal form to record plant development at each stage of growth.

A Variety of Hands-on Lessons and Activities from Beyond Penguins – an Online Magazine for Elementary Teachers

Grades K-5

There are many choices for you here, including some lessons that incorporate literacy skills. Each includes a listing of related national standards. We’re listing such a short selection; see the full list here.

• Draw a Story: Stepping From Pictures to Writing (Grades K-2)
  Students create an accordion book of illustrated and written stories about plant germination and growth
• Introducing the Venn Diagram (Grades K-2)
  Hula hoops and other objects – both tangible and online – introduce the concept of the Venn diagram
• Growth, Development and Reproduction (Grades K-5)
  Students work with Fast Plants, which are bred for a short life cycle, producing harvestable seeds approximately 40 days after planting
• Rooting out Meaning: Morpheme Match-Ups (Grades 3-5)
  Students learn about plant parts and study root words at the same time
• Living Life as a Plant (Grades 3-5)
  Students explore how plants are well adapted to their surroundings

A Whole Orchard of Classroom Lessons from Education World

Grades K-12

The rich list of lesson options available at this link includes some suitable for elementary, middle and high school students. Here are a few that caught our eye:

• Out! Out! Damp Sprout! (Grades 2-5)
• Eggshell People (Grades K-5)
• What's Wrong With the Plants? (Grades 9-12)
• The Great Plant Escape (Grades 3-6)
• Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination (Grades 4-9)
  
  

Also available at this link, plant-related resources for teachers, such as:

• Garden Grants for Schools (All grades)
• KidsGardening: Garden Resources (All grades)
• Ag Lesson Plans in PowerPoint Format (Grades 6-12)
• American Field Guide & Video Clips (PBS) (All grades)
• Our Own Environmental Center (All grades)

As students connect to science by observing, touching, nurturing and even smelling growing plant life, your lessons become more relevant and more intriguing. Post your own ideas for hands-on science activities in our Comments section.