Amazing Plants Teachers Manual

8/22/2019 Amazing Plants Teachers Manual

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AmazingPlants!

Red Brick Preschool Amazing Plants Teachers Manua

Teachers Manual


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UNIT OVERVIEWPlants are alive.

There are many different kinds of plants:

vegetables, fruits, trees, flowers, trees, grass etc.

Plants grow from seeds. Plants need light, water,

and food to grow.

Plants have different parts.

Plants grow in different shapes, colors, and

sizes.

People use plants in many different ways.

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Red Brick Preschool

MATERIALS NEEDEDCrayons, pencils, markers, dot paint, glue, scissors,

large, medium, and small seeds


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LESSON #1INFORMATION

Plants are an important part of life on earth. Human life andanimal life could not exist without plants. Plants are alive!

Plants are living organisms belonging to the vegetal kingdom.

They can live on land or in the water.

There are over 300,000 species of plants.

Unlike animals that need to eat already processed food, plants are able toproduce their own food through a chemical process called photosynthesis

Plants are responsible for the presence of oxygen, a gas needed for mostorganisms that inhabit our planet and need it to breathe.

What makes a plant? Photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis is the process that allows plants to take energy from the

sun, water, minerals and carbon dioxide to create sugar which becomesfood for the plant.

Amazing Plants Teachers Manual - LessRed Brick Preschool

DISCUSSION QUESTIONSWhy are plants alive?

Can you name some other things that are alive?

What are some things that are not alive?What makes a plant?

How are plants different from animals or people?

Reread the big book Amazing Plants and ask these leading questions.


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LESSON #1ACTIVITIES

Take a picture walk through big book Amazing Plants.

Show pictures or use the big book and discuss what makes something alive. (Needs

food and water, grows and changes).

Write Alive and Not Alive on cards or the white board. Have the children put pictures

or name some things that would go under each category.

Plant the tops of a root vegetable. Cut off the root vegetable at its fattest end. Leaveabout inch of the vegetable. Place it on a water-filled saucer until it begins to sprout.

When it sprouts, place it in soil. The best vegetables to sprout are those that have a

part of the stalk at the top like a carrot. It is best to try more than one top at a time as

not all of them will sprout. Have the children watch to see if they grow.

Have the children draw a picture of a plant. Ask If you could be any kind of a plant,

what would you be? Write the childrens responses on their paper underneath their

plant.

Use eggshell halves as containers for planting seeds. Poke a small hole in the bottom

of each eggshell half and place the eggshells in an egg carton. Put a small amount of

dirt in each shell and plant a flower or vegetable seed. Let the children mist the seeds

with water every day. Watch them grow!

Make an Easter basket with real grass. Line a basket with plastic. Fill the basket with

vermiculite (can be purchased at most plant nurseries). Then sprinkle wheat or grass

seed over the vermiculite and water until moist. Dont water for at least a week. Set the

basket in a sunny window and cover it with plastic wrap for about 2 days. The

grass/wheat seed will begin to sprout soon and you will have a wonderful nesting

meadow for your plastic Easter eggs!



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LESSON #1


READ ALOUD BOOKHave You Seen Trees by Joanne Oppenheim

STUDENT WORKSHEETStudent Worksheet #1 Color the large flowers red. Color the medium flowers

blue. Color the small flowers yellow.


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There are many different kinds of plants: vegetables, fruits,trees, flowers, grass etc. Plants grow in different shapes,colors, and sizes.

Plants have qualities that make them different from other plants.

Some have fragrant leaves or flowers.

Some plants have gorgeous blooms.

Some plants produce fruit, berries or seeds that are used in a variety of ways.

Some plants provide fiber for textile industries.

Some plants are essential ingredients for medicines and drugs.

Our homes could not be built without plants.

The tiniest one cell plant is algae, which can only be seen with a microscope.

The largest plants are over 300 feet high, the redwood trees of California.




What are some things that are not alive?

What makes a plant?

How are they different from animals or people?

Can you name a small plant? Medium size plant? Big plant?

What is your favorite color of plant?



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LESSON #2ACTIVITIES

Feely bag with magnifying glass. Put a magnifying glass in a bag and several different

kinds of plants (carrot, orange, flower, grass, tree leaf etc.). Allow each child to reach

into the bag and feel the objects. Ask the children to wait to guess what the object

might be until everyone has had a turn to feel it. Take turns looking at the different

plants with the magnifying glass.

Take a walk around the neighborhood and look at the different plants they can see.

Talk about the size, color, and shape of the plants.

Graph the childrens favorite color of flower.

Give each child a handful of pattern blocks. Have them create a flower and then count

the number of blocks they used.

Provide a large piece of butcher paper and let the children draw a classroom mural of

plants. Remind them that some plants are big, medium, or small. They also are differ-

ent colors and shapes.


READ ALOUD BOOKPlanting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

The Tree by Gallimard Jeunesse and Pascale de Bourgoing

STUDENT WORKSHEETStudent Worksheet #2 Color the trunk of the tree brown and the cherries red.

Dot or sponge paint the top of the tree green.


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Plants grow from seeds!

Most plants make seeds.

A seed contains the beginning of a new plant.

he beginning of a plant is curled up inside each seed.

Food is stored inside the seed.

The seed has a seed coat on the outside to protect it.

A seed will not sprout until certain things happen.

Seeds need to be on or in the soil to sprout. Then it needs rain to soak the seed

and soften its seed coat. When the sun shines and warms the ground, the seed

coat breaks open and the seed begins to grow. This is called germination.

Seeds are different shapes, sizes and colors.

All seeds grow into the same kind of plant that made them.

Flowers are where most seeds begin.

Seeds grow inside the flower.

As the seeds become bigger, a fruit or pod grows around them.

When the fruit or pod ripens, it breaks open. The seeds are ready to becomenew plants.

We eat many seeds as snacks such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

One of the largest seeds in the world is a double coconut.

Birds and the wind help seeds spread when they carry them to different areas.



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LESSON #3

ACTIVITIESShow the children a baby plant. A baby plant is found inside each seed. Ahead o

time, soak several dozen lima beans in water overnight. Give each child a bean

reminding them that a bean is really the seed of a bean plant. Tell the children to

rub the beans between their fingers until the thin seed coat comes off. Then help

the children split their beans into two sections. Pass around a magnifying glassso that they can see the baby bean plants inside, with their tiny leaves and roots

Have a tasting party of various seeds.

Create a picture using various seeds.

Add seeds to finger paint to provide texture.





What makes a plant?


Can you name a big, small, medium size plant?What color is your favorite flower?

What is one of the largest seeds?

What are some ways that seeds spread?

What kinds of seeds do we eat?

What helps a seed sprout?

What is it called when a seed begins to grow?



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READ ALOUD BOOKThe Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss

STUDENT WORKSHEETStudent Worksheet #3 Glue the seeds in the lower half of the correct column.

Have the children add roots, stems, leaves, and flowers to make different kinds

and sizes of plants.

LESSON #3ACTIVITIES

Glue or tape seed packets to craft sticks. Have several students come to the

front and hold a seed pack. Have the children verbally identify the type of seed

pack they are holding. Then see if the children can identify the seed pack by

giving the initial sound of the different seeds represented. (Who is holding the

seed pack that begins with the /t/ sound?)



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Plants need light, water, the right temperature, air, time,room, and food to grow.

Plants need 7 things to grow: room to grow, the right temperature, light,water, air, nutrients, and time.

A seed must be on or in the soil. Then it needs rain/water to soak the seedand soften its seed coat.

When the sun shines and warms the ground, the seed coat breaks openand the seed begins to grow. This is called germination.

All plants like to have room to grow. The above ground portions of theplant need space so leaves can expand and carry out the job of makingfood. Roots also need room to grow. Plants growing in small spaces willhave their roots crowded, and that results in smaller amounts of growth.

Most plants like temperatures that humans like. Some may like warmertemperatures while others may prefer cooler temperatures for best growth

Plants need bright light. A plant will tell you when it isnt getting enoughlight, because its stems will be thin and it will lean toward the light.

A plant needs light so it can produce its own food. Plants take in sunlightand carbon dioxide and use them to create carbohydrates (sugar) that actas plant food. This is called Photosynthesis. Plants use carbon dioxide inthe air and return oxygen.

Water is important in the plants ability to make and move nutrients. Mostof the nutrients that a plant needs are dissolved in water and then takenup by the plant through its roots.

It takes time for plants to grow just like it takes time for people to grow.



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LESSON #4

ACTIVITIES

Have the children cut and paste flower and plant pictures from magazines to form a

collage.

Do a thirsty plant experiment. Put different plants in colored water. Watch the plants

over several days to see if the plant and plant stems turn colors.

Plant some lettuce or bean seeds. Fill a zip lock bag of the way with good moist

potting soil (a pot may also be used). Take a little pinch of lettuce seeds or 2 or 3 bean

seeds and sprinkle them on the soil surface. Cover the seeds lightly with soil. Water

the seeds with a light spray. Close the top of the bag, but leave one inch open. Set in a

sunny window and get ready to see your plant grow. When you see little green shoots,

open the bag so that the plants have room to grow and can breathe. Remind the

children that their plants need attention and care. That means they must water them

properly and make sure they get enough light. Bean seeds may also be sprouted in a

damp paper towel put inside a zip lock baggie.





What makes a plant?






13/27Amazing Plants Teachers Manual - LessRed Brick Preschool

READ ALOUD BOOKThe Vegetable Garden by Melvin Berger

STUDENT WORKSHEETStudent Worksheet #4 Cut out the circles and glue them on the worksheet.

Have the children draw the rest of the flowers. Have them add a sun, clouds,

and raindrops. Color the dirt at the bottom of the page.

LESSON #4ACTIVITIES

Divide the class into 4 or 5 small groups and provide each group with a small shovel

or spoon and a plastic cup. Tell the children to dig up some soil to bring back to the

classroom. Cover the tables with butcher paper and let the children pour their soil on

the paper. Have them examine their soil with magnifying glasses. What can they see

in the soil? Do they see rocks? Leaves? Small twigs? Insects? Worms? Make a list of

what the children find on the whiteboard. Encourage the children to touch and smell

the soil as well as look at it.


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Plants have different parts!Plants have many different parts.

Plant roots grow underground and are not seen. Roots help to hold the plant up andbring in food and water from the soil.

Food travels up the roots through the stem of the plant. The stem holds up the leavesand flowers on the plant.

The leaf is the food-making factory of the plant. Leaves are usually green and contain substance called chlorophyll.

The leaves make food for the plant from the water and minerals in the soil, the sunlightand the air all around the plant.

Flowers may be produced by some, but not all, plants.

Flowers are important in making seeds.


DISCUSSION QUESTIONSWhy are plants alive?Can you name some other things that are alive?


What makes a plant?




What helps a seed sprout?

What is it called when a seed begins to grow?

Plants make their own food. What is this process called? (photosynthesis)

Can you name a part of a plant?

What does the root of the plant do? Stem? Leaves? Flower?



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LESSON #5ACTIVITIES

Put up a flannel board plant and name the different parts.

Examine a real flower. Take turns looking closely and carefully at a real flower. Feel it

and smell it. Have the children name and touch the parts of the flower. Take the flower

apart and view parts of the flower with your magnifying glass.

Using flower sequence cards have the children take turns describing each sequence

picture card. Work together to find the picture card of what event happens first. Work

together to find the picture card of what event happens second, third, etc. until all the

cards are in sequential order.

Have a tasting party. Sample raw or cooked vegetables and decide which part of the

plant they are eating.

Ask each student to bring in one or two vegetables from home. Instruct your students

in peeling and cutting up the vegetables. Discuss which vegetables are plant roots

and which are leaves and flowers. Place all the cut up vegetables in a large pot of

water and add bouillon and salt for flavor. Cook over a low heat for most of the day.

The children will love sampling a vegetable soup they made themselves.

Give each child a flower and ask these questions.

How many petals does your flower have? Does your flower smell good? Carefully

take your flower apart. Is there pollen inside your flower? What color is your flower?

(Daffodils or tulips are good flowers to use for this activity)

Have the children stand and pretend to be plants. Ask them to point to their roots

(feet), their stems (legs and body), their leaves (arms and hands), their flower (head).

Have the children move their different flower parts. Ask them if they could move to

another part of the room. No because plants cant move. Ask what kind of plant they

would like to grow into.



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LESSON #5


READ ALOUD BOOK

The Surprise Garden by Zoe Hall

STUDENT WORKSHEETStudent Worksheet #5 Have the children paint or color the flower.


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People use plants in many different ways!

One of the most vital functions of plants is to provide a source of food for

birds, fish, insects, animals, and humans.

Many plants produce fruit, berries or seeds that are used in a variety of

ways.

Plants provide us with fruit, vegetables, grains, nuts, and oil.

Plants also have many industrial uses: wood for furniture, paper, cotton

and linen for clothing, soaps, perfume, shampoo, rubber, chewing gum,

and plastic.

Plants are also used in medicine.

We eat and use different parts of plants.

Roots carrots, beets, turnips.

Fruits tomato, apple, cucumber, strawberries, blueberries.

Leaves kale, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, collards.

Seeds corn, peas, green beans, sunflower seeds, pinto beans.

Flowers broccoli, cauliflower.

Stems celery, rhubarb, onions, potatoes, radishes.



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LESSON #6

ACTIVITIES

Make Stop and Grow picture squares. Write Stop on one side of a squareand Grow on the other side. Tape the square to a wooden craft stick. Choose

one child to be the leader. Other players crouch low on the floor with their hands

over their head pretending to be a flower seed. When the leader shows the grow

side of the sign, the seeds begin to very slowly grow. When the leader shows

the stop side of the sign, the seeds must stop growing and hold as still as pos-

sible. Continue until all the seeds have grown tall into blooming flowers.

Make a list of things that are around us that are made of plants. Sort them into

categories: Food, Clothing, Home

Take a walk around the neighborhood. Collect samples of many different types

leaves. Have the children make a sectional collage using big, medium, and little

leaves. Glue the leaves into the right section.


DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Why are plants alive?



What makes a plant?


Can you name some parts of a plant?What are some plants that we eat?

What part of the plant are we eating when we eat celery? Carrots? Cauliflower?

What are some other ways that we use plants?



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READ ALOUD BOOKFlower Garden by Eve Bunting

The Enormous Carrot by Vladimir Vagin

STUDENT WORKSHEETStudent Worksheet #6 Cut out the object squares and glue them in correct

column.

LESSON #6ACTIVITIES

As a culminating activity, make Jell-o pudding dirt cups. Put some chocolatepudding into clear cups. Have the children add a jelly bean for the seed. Add

crushed up chocolate cookies on the top of the chocolate pudding dirt. Add a

flower made out of a flower shaped cookie.

Graph the childrens favorite fruit.



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Worksheet #1


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Worksheet #2


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Worksheet #3


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Worksheet #4


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Worksheet #4-1


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Worksheet #5


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Worksheet #6


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Worksheet #6-1

Amazing Plants Teachers Manual

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