Our Learning Garden - Kindergarten Lesson 1-6 “Using Paper in our Garden ” Lesson Summary- Kindergarten students learn about diversity in the plant / tree world with interactive exercises and activities (Cluster1) The concept of colors and classification is practiced in activities of observing and sorting seeds. Students can classify seeds by color, shape, edibles and size. (Cluster 2) Cluster 3-Students use the Potmaker (included in the kits) to design paper seedling pots. Critical thinking and observation skills are developed when experimenting with the various materials to determine what is the best paper material to use for making potmakers This reinforced by planting sunflower seeds and observing what materials work best Students water and care for sunflower greens and they can harvest them to eat The lesson can continue in late May by planting sunflower outside or in a greenhouse using the potmakers. Students can count the number of potmakers they make and sort them by color and softness / strength of material CLASS FUNDRAISER- You can sell the paper pots as a fundraiser during the spring season All lesson plans and related files for download - ourlearninggarden.ca FILES ARE OPEN PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CHANGE THEM AS YOU WISH ourlearninggarden.ca

Lesson 1-Specific Learning Outcomes. In Kindergarten, an investigation of trees capitalizes on students' curiosity about the world around them. Our lesson engages the students with activities that allow them to examine the tallest tree and smallest flowering plant as well as the oldest trees. These activities help students understand the trees (plant kingdom) as living entities with great diversity.

ourlearninggarden.ca Learning Outcomes GLO: C2, D1 Kindergarten, Cluster 2: Color Sort and classify objects by color The lessons and activities in lesson plans 2 and 3 are designed to teach kindergarten students to sort and classify seeds by color. Students also learn about the diversity of seeds and that the brightly colored edible seeds / foods are usually the healthiest. Utilizing critical thinking students can develop the foundations for understanding the relationship between color in nature and healthy natural food.

ourlearninggarden.ca Cluster 3 Paper -Specific Learning Outcomes Lesson plan 4 is cross curricular as the students make environmentally friendly paper pots with the PotMaker. The students use recycled newspaper to make pots that are used to grow sunflower greens. This activity meets the overview for Cluster 3 Paper- By identifying, describing, and manipulating different kinds of paper and paper products found in the classroom, students are introduced to the concept of characteristics of materials. Hands-on investigations allow students to determine how well different kinds of paper can be cut, torn, and folded, and how these characteristics help to determine their uses. This study of paper culminates in students developing their design process skills by constructing a paper product for a particular use. K-3-06 Explore to determine an appropriate kind of paper for a particular task. Examples: paper towels are useful for soaking up spills... GLO: B1, C3 K-3-07 Use the design process to construct a paper product for a particular use. Examples: paper cup, envelope, paper mat, box... GLO: C Students can count the number of potmakers they make. Sort them by color and softness / strength of material Critical thinking and observation skills are developed when experimenting with the various materials to determine what is the best paper material to use for making potmakers This reinforced by planting sunflower seeds and observing what materials work best The lesson can continue in late May by planting sunflower outside or in a greenhouse using the potmakers. Newspapers potmakers degrade easily into the soil.

ourlearninggarden.ca Lesson Plan 5 involves many of the skill sets and learning outcomes that students need to develop in Cluster 1, 2 and 3. It culminates with growing indoors sunflower greens that the students harvest and eat. The paper pot holders that the students make are an important part of the activity. This activity seamlessly integrates into other gardening activities

ourlearninggarden.ca Kindergarten Kit Contents Lesson Plan 1- None required Lesson Plan 2 – A wide assortment of seeds that students can sort based on many criteria, size, shape, edible, and or for planting Lesson Plan 3 - None required Lesson Plan 4 Requires Potmaker available from Lee Valley and Richters.com Google-“Potmaker” Various type of paper, soft Kleenex, toilet paper, newspaper, bond paper, these should all be readily available in the classroom. Lesson Plan 5 – Sunflower seeds, soil, bowl to soak seeds, pots to grow seeds in, light to place planted sunflower seeds in pots under

ourlearninggarden.ca Lesson 1- Kindergarten, Cluster 1: Trees Lesson has activities and images that illustrate the diversity of trees and the plant world. One of the activities in the playground or gymnasium gives students an indication of the height of tall trees. The exercise of drawing a tree and plant together is to help students understand the concept of scale

ourlearninggarden.ca Plants come in many shapes and sizes. Tall tree just as tall as the building

ourlearninggarden.ca Small Plant Photograph by Christian Fischer. Sprinkles

ourlearninggarden.ca Go outside into the field and have the class form a line that is 100 meters long Have each student then run the 100 meters to get an idea of the distance and height in relation to the tree How tall is that tree?

ourlearninggarden.ca Oldest Tree-4000 Years Old

ourlearninggarden.ca 4000 Years is a long time A long bridge

ourlearninggarden.ca Trees live for more than 2 years. Plants live a short time

ourlearninggarden.ca Draw a vegetable plant and tree together. Remember to draw the roots

ourlearninggarden.ca Lesson 2 Kindergarten, Cluster 2: Colours Students learn to classify seeds by color and shape. The students learn to further classify seeds by “seeds you can eat” and “seeds you can plant”. Students learn that we can eat and plant most seeds. One of the objectives is for students to learn that seeds come from gardens and they are very healthy to eat.

ourlearninggarden.ca SEEDS

ourlearninggarden.ca SEEDS

ourlearninggarden.ca Sort the seeds by color

ourlearninggarden.ca Sort the seeds by shape

ourlearninggarden.ca Sort the seeds we eat Sort the seeds we plant Sort the seeds we can eat and plant

Find the Black Sunflower Seeds ourlearninggarden.ca Save them as we will be planting these seeds soon

ourlearninggarden.ca MANY SEEDS WE CAN EAT AND PLANT

ourlearninggarden.ca Do you eat seeds? Can you draw your favorite seed?

ourlearninggarden.ca Lots of food are seeds from the garden. They are good for you to eat Healthy food From the garden. They are plain and simple

ourlearninggarden.ca Can you draw some seeds you eat?

ourlearninggarden.ca Lesson Plan 3 In Lesson 3 we continue the theme of healthy food comes from plants in the garden. In cluster 1 students would have learned about the role of leaves in trees. The concept is expanded as we explore the leaves that students eat from the plant world Students also explore flowers that we can eat

ourlearninggarden.ca Food from the garden is healthy

ourlearninggarden.ca Do You like eating leaves?

ourlearninggarden.ca Lettuce is a leaf Can you draw a leaf?

Can you eat the flower of the plant? ourlearninggarden.ca Broccoli and cauliflowers are flowers

ourlearninggarden.ca Lesson 4 Cluster 3: Paper This activity meets many of the required Cluster 3 Paper – Specific Learning Outcomes The PotMaker is an very simple device that all students can make biodegradable plant pots from newspaper. Using strips from newspaper and other paper materials students can experiment and observe what paper products work and why Students can classify and sort the paper pots by color and material. You can expand the lesson by explaining why the paper pot holders are good for mother earth compared to plastic.

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It is easy

ourlearninggarden.ca Very easy

ourlearninggarden.ca Can you make a pot for a plant with

ourlearninggarden.ca Can you make a pot for a plant with

ourlearninggarden.ca Can you make a pot for a plant with

ourlearninggarden.ca Can you make a pot for a plant with

ourlearninggarden.ca What paper works best for paper pots?

ourlearninggarden.ca Plastic Litter Stays Newspaper becomes part of the soil

ourlearninggarden.ca Lesson 5 Students get the opportunity to use the pot makers to grow sunflower greens, harvest and eat them. We reinforce many of the outcomes in the previous lessons. The sunflower green is a leaf, so they learn about another healthy leaf to eat. Students can record and observe the results of how different types of paper work as pot holders. Student observe phases of plant growth and care. Student can start a variety of plant indoors in the pot holder for planting in school or home garden.

ourlearninggarden.ca Teachers Notes Try grow some sunflower greens in the paper pots the class made. Show the class the video “my Sunflower Time Lapse” –download video from ourlearninggarden.ca Instructions for Growing Sunflower Greens CLASSROOM ACTIVITY 1)Soak the seeds in cool water for hours. Use the solid black seeds 2)Rinse the seeds before planting 3)Put the soil into the paper pot planter that the students make 4)Put 2 seeds in the planter 5)Cover the seeds with 2 centimeters of soil 6)Water well (mix a fertilizer in the water) 7)Put under a light (preferably a grow light) 8)Keep the soil moist 9)In about 7-10 days you should have sunflower greens 10)Cut when 2 leaves are on plant 11)Rinse and eat

Why is it named a sunflower? With their big, bright, yellow petals, sunflowers look like the sun! Photograph by Fir0002Photograph by Fir0002, flagstaffotos.com.auflagstaffotos.com.au ourlearninggarden.ca

Click to advance to nextLink to video Go to File Folder Videos- “My Sunflower time lapse”

ourlearninggarden.ca Teachers Notes The following slides are to let the students compare and observe classroom planted sunflowers to the PowerPoint slides

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Lettuce is a leaf Sunflower Greens LEAF

ourlearninggarden.ca Try eating some plain, in soup or on a sandwich. REMEMBER TO GET YOUR TEACHER TO RINSE THEM! Sunflower Greens taste great and are very healthy!

ourlearninggarden.ca Enhanced Learning Section-Lesson 6

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