Botany for beginners Plants are a great way to get children excited about the world around them. This activity page will get you started with some fun to spark an interest in growing things all year long! Grow vocabulary Use correct terminology and names as you teach children about the world around them. Some new words to introduce: • Stamen • Botany • Pollination • Petal • Sepal • Photosynthesis • Soil (not dirt!) Spring: This is a natural time to point out new growth in the environment. Daffodils are among the first flowers to bloom and are great to dissect and explore. Add them to the art area for children to draw, paint and color. Take them apart to learn the parts of a plant. Using magnifying glasses, look for pollen on the stamen. Summer: Children will quickly learn that plants need both sun and water to survive when you plant a garden, big or small. Sunflowers come in many sizes and colors but all are easy to grow in the ground or in a container outdoors. Children enjoy planting the seeds and watching these plants bend to face the sun, often growing much taller than the children are with very little effort. In the fall the seed heads can be harvested to share with the birds or to be eaten as a toasted classroom snack. Fall: This is a time of harvest and great change in the garden. Changing and falling leaves signal a visible change in seasons. Pumpkins are an easy to grow crop for a school yard garden if space allows. Whether children harvest their own or get them from a local farmer, pumpkins can be made into pies and jack-o-lanterns. Opening up the pumpkin reveals not only the flesh used in cooking but also lots of seeds for roasting, for eating, and for planting in the spring. Planting bulbs in the fall will provide the class with flowers to enjoy and examine in the spring. Winter: Plants in the classroom provide opportunities to touch, care for and explore plants. Children can watch water travel up a stalk of celery, discovering how plants take in water and nutrients that help them grow. Cut a fresh end from the bottom of a celery stalk with leaves. Add some food coloring to water in a clear container. Within a few hours the coloring is visible in the stem, and in a day or two the coloring will have tinted the leaves. Put bean seeds in a plastic sandwich bag between the bag and a moist paper towel and seal shut. Within days the beans will sprout. This is a great introduction to spring planting. extension.psu.edu/youth/betterkidcare
Transcript
Botany for beginnersPlants are a great way to get children excited about the world around them. This activity page will get you started with some fun to spark an interest in growing things all year long!
Grow vocabulary Use correct terminology and names as you teach children about the world around them. Some new words to introduce:
• Stamen
• Botany
• Pollination
• Petal
• Sepal
• Photosynthesis
• Soil (not dirt!)
Spring: This is a natural time to point out new growth in the environment.
Daffodils are among the first flowers to bloom and are great to dissect and explore. Add them to the art area for children to draw, paint and color. Take them apart to learn the parts of a plant. Using magnifying glasses, look for pollen on the stamen.
Summer: Children will quickly learn that plants need both sun and water to survive when you plant a garden, big or small.
Sunflowers come in many sizes and colors but all are easy to grow in the ground or in a container outdoors. Children enjoy planting the seeds and watching these plants bend to face the sun, often growing much taller than the children are with very little effort. In the fall the seed heads can be harvested to share with the birds or to be eaten as a toasted classroom snack.
Fall: This is a time of harvest and great change in the garden. Changing and falling leaves signal a visible change in seasons.
Pumpkins are an easy to grow crop for a school yard garden if space allows. Whether children harvest their own or get them from a local farmer, pumpkins can be made into pies and jack-o-lanterns. Opening up the pumpkin reveals not only the flesh used in cooking but also lots of seeds for roasting, for eating, and for planting in the spring.
Planting bulbs in the fall will provide the class with flowers to enjoy and examine in the spring.
Winter: Plants in the classroom provide opportunities to touch, care for and explore plants.
Children can watch water travel up a stalk of celery, discovering how plants take in water and nutrients that help them grow. Cut a fresh end from the bottom of a celery stalk with leaves. Add some food coloring to water in a clear container. Within a few hours the coloring is visible in the stem, and in a day or two the coloring will have tinted the leaves.
Put bean seeds in a plastic sandwich bag between the bag and a moist paper towel and seal shut. Within days the beans will sprout. This is a great introduction to spring planting.
extension.psu.edu/youth/betterkidcare
Worms, worms, worms!Earthworms help to create great soil by aerating it and providing nutrients in their castings. Children love to watch worms wiggle and move. Bring
these crawling creatures into the classroom for children to watch. Use a clear plastic container with a lid (poke holes in the lid). Fill it with soil and sand in alternating layers. Put some worms on top. Once they have crawled down into the soil add some food such as coffee grounds, vegetable or fruit pieces. Put the lid on. Cover the outside of the container with a piece of construction paper as a “sleeve” that can be slipped on and off to look at the worms daily to see their tunnels. Spray water a few times a week to keep the soil damp but not too wet.
Keep a botany journal!Children can draw pictures or write what they see.
Keeping a journal over time helps children to understand the growing cycle.
CautionBe sure that any plants or seeds used with children are not poisonous or coated with a pesticide. Contact the National Capital Poison Center for a list of poisonous plants and seeds.
http://www.poison.org/prevent/plants.asp
Some great books:• Jump into Science: Dirt by Steve Tomecek (National Geographic
Children’s Books, 2007)
• Jack’s Garden by Henry Cole (Greenwillow Books, 1997)
• Planting a Rainbow by Lois Elhert (HMH Books for Young Readers, 1992)
• The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle (Scholastic Books, 2001)
• Eating the Alphabet by Lois Elhert (HMH Books for Young Readers, 1996)
CompostingCollecting leftovers from snacks and lunches to add to an outdoor compost bin is a great way for children to understand how food can be “recycled” into soil where new food can be grown. There are many internet resources on composting.
Seed matching game• Collect a variety of seeds,
two of each kind.
• Tape each seed to a piece of cardboard.
• Children find the seeds that match.
• Enhance the learning by adding seed packets for each seed type. Children can match which seed will become which plant.
Sources for more information:Your county extension office and Master Gardener program are available to answer questions and share information related to plants and gardening. Online fact sheets are also available.
Supported by funds from the Office of Child Development and Early Learning, jointly overseen by the Departments of Human Services and Education.
This publication is available in alternative media on request.Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to minorities, women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and other protected groups. Nondiscrimination: http://guru.psu.edu/policies/AD85.html
Claudia C. Mincemoyer, Ph.D., Better Kid Care Program Director 2182 Sandy Drive – Suite 204 State College, PA 16803
extension.psu.edu/youth/betterkidcareChoking cautionsYoung children can choke on small objects and toy parts. All items used for children under three years of age and any children who put toys in their mouths should be at least 1¼ inch in diameter and between 1 inch and 2¼ inches in length. Oval balls and toys should be at least 1¾ inch in diameter. Toys should meet federal small parts standards.
Any toys or games labeled as unsuitable for children under three should not be used.
Other items that pose a safety risk and should not be accessible to children under three include, but are not limited to: button batteries, magnets, plastic bags, styrofoam objects, coins, balloons, latex gloves, and glitter.
Be aware of choking risks and food allergies when preparing and serving meals and snacks. Think about the size, shape, and consistency when choosing foods due to the potential choking risks in children. Food cut in large chunks, small hard foods, and soft and sticky foods should be avoided. The top choking hazards for children include:
hotdogs, meats, sausages, fish with bones, spoonfuls of peanut butter, popcorn, chips, pretzel nuggets, raisins, whole grapes, raw carrots, fruits and vegetables with skins, and marshmallows. Be sure that food is cut in small pieces (no larger than ½ inch), grated, or finely chopped. Be sure that children are closely supervised when they are eating.
