Going GreenIn Kindergarten! How to be green in Kindergarten

Presented by: Kristen PoindexterKindergarten Teacher

Spring Mill Elementary Indianapolis, INdiana

Going Green...• It’s easy to go green!• Teaches children about the world

around them• Where their food comes from• Empathy and concern for the planet• How to care for the planet• How to be good stewards of the

Earth

Today we will...• Learn about Monarch Butterflies and

their migration every year to Mexico• Learn how to include some favorite

literature into a green curriculum• Learn about composting and how it

can work in your school or classroom• Make & Takes

Monarch Butterflies• Here are some great books that

along with Monarch Butterflies:

Squishy Bags• Squishy bags are a fun way to

incorporate science and sensory!

egg

caterpillar chrysalisbutterfly

You will need…• One snack size baggie• One clear bead• One pipe cleaner part• One leaf• One butterfly bead• About 2 tablespoons of hair gel

• READY, SET, GO!

Why do we want to learn about Monarch Butterflies?

• There are fewer and fewer of them migrating

• Scientists cannot figure out how they know to migrate to Mexico every year

• Tie in cultural celebrations • You can send symbolic butterflies to

Mexico each year through JourneyNorth.org

Monarch Bracelets• You will need:• One clear bead (egg)• One black bead (head) • Three yellow beads (body of

caterpillar)• Three green beads (chrysalis)• One butterfly bead (butterfly—can

use orange beads)

Monarch Lifecycle Bracelets

Monarch Butterfly Song• To the tune of “Up on the Housetop”

• First comes a butterfly and lays an egg,• Out comes a caterpillar with many legs,• Oh see the caterpillar spin and spin • A little chrysalis to sleep in• Oh, oh, oh wait and see, • Oh, oh, oh wait and see• Out of the chrysalis my oh my!• Out comes a Monarch Butterfly!

Jack and the Beanstalk

Seeds

Seeds

Seeds

Seeds

Seeds

Seeds

Seeds

Seeds

Books about Seeds• Seeds by Ken Robbins • The Tiny Seed (World of Eric Carle) by Eric Carle • Seeds! Seeds! Seeds! by Nancy Elizabeth

Wallace• From Seed to Plant (Rookie Read-About Science)

by Allan Fowler • From Seed to Plant (Rookie Read-About Science)

by Allan Fowler • What Kinds of Seeds Are These? by Heidi

Roemer

Sponge Gardens• You can also use kitchen sponges

and grass seed to make sponge gardens.

• The kids can “mow” them and watch how grass grows!

• Each child can have their own yard, or you can put them together to have a bigger yard.

Seeds• Other ideas about seeds:• Explore the differences between

seeds and bulbs• Ask children to match seeds with

seed packets• Challenge children to make a “Seed

Book” where they glue on the seeds and then write the names in

Planting Magic Beans!• You will need one cd case for each student or one case for each pair of

students.• The hinges of the CD case should be at the top. That way you can stand

them up and dirt won’t fall out. Also this leaves a nice hole at the top for watering the plants with droppers.

• Plant your bean high in the soil. If you plant it toward the bottom the roots will grow out the bottom! You can also use a paper towel!!

• Tape the bottom shut. This will keep roots from growing out the bottom, and curious fingers from opening the case.

• Use masking tape and permanent markers to label whose plant is whose.• Around day 5 or so I un-taped the cases overnight so that they could have a

little bit of space to grow. I taped them back in the morning. By day 7 or so, you will be ready to label your plants. We used paint pens.

• Plant your bean with the concave side down. It should resemble the letter “n,” not the letter “u.” I didn’t tell my kids this. I just let them discover it… which was a nice learning experience. Just depends on which way you’d rather teach it.

Planting Magic Beans

Planting Magic Beans

Planting Magic Beans

Planting Magic Beans

cotyledon

Planting Magic Beans• You will need:• One CD case• 2-3 magic beans• One paper towel• Marker (to write your name on the outside)

• Fold your paper towel in ½. Dampen the paper towel. Place in the bottom of your CD case. Place beans on paper towel, close, label with your name.

Compost

Compost

Compost

Compost

Compost

Compost

Compost• Other ideas about compost:• Children supply the food and record

when and what they added• Children measure the worms once a

month to chart growth• Write our own Diary of a Worm stories• We use the compost to plant milkweed

in our nature center and to help our mother’s day plants grow

Questions??• E-mail:

kpoindexter@msdwt.k12.in.us

• Blog: www.kpoindexter.wordpress.com

• Thanks for coming!