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Compost in a Bag
Young scientists create a compost bag, predict changes, and after one month, examine the bag to observe the changes that have occurred.
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Brassica Fried Rice
Here's a delicious way to engage fourth graders into working with fractions. Kids chop brassica or cruciferous vegetables, measure the required ingredients, and add them to cooked rice to produce a delicious treat.
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Divine Dumplings
In a lesson that combines cooking, language arts, and social studies, learners create a delicious plate of dumplings for everyone to enjoy. After an initial discussion in the opening circle, pupils go to the cooking station and work...
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Chard Tabbouleh Raps
Pupils work with homophones and heterographs found in a recipe for tabbouleh wraps. They work together in groups to perform the tasks necessary to create this Middle Eastern dish, then they get to enjoy it. A fine lesson that combines...
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Creature Jeopardy!
After conducting research on a given scientific animal name, group members take a walk around their school and look for the specified animals in that classification. Then, they come back to their worksheets and create five creative clues...
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Birder - Watcher
Take the class outside with a bird watching lesson. Young ornithologists participate in an outdoor activity that guides them on how to observe and study the feathered animals. After walking around school campus, bird watchers provide a...
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Seed Saving
After a discussion of the factors that affect seed germination, class groups harvest and preserve seeds from the school garden.
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Rooftop Garden: Soils Experiment
Young scientists conduct a series of experiments to determine what type of soils produce the best results in roof-top gardens.
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Garden Detective Sensory Tour
To prepare for a sensory walk outside, the whole class engages in a discussion of the five senses, kids close their eyes, and share what they sense. Groups then follow a guide, tour an area, and share what they experience through their...
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Grow an Art Garden: Plant a Rainbow
After a reading of Lois Ehlert's Planting a Rainbow, class members plan a rainbow garden, research growing cycles of the fruits and vegetables in their section, and then plant and maintain the garden.
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Animal Homes in the Garden
First graders journey to the school garden to examine the habitats of garden animals. Using the provided graphic organizer, kids locate and sketch a critter and its habitat before returning it to its home.
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Garden Sketching Activities
How big is that carrot? Why one hand span, of course. As an exercise in measurement, individuals trace their hand in their science journal and search the school garden for one object the same size as the span between their thumb and...
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Seed Scavenger Hunt
After listening to a book about seeds, individuals locate, collect, and illustrate five seeds from the school garden and determine how the seed traveled to the plot.
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Earth as an Apple
An apple is used to demonstrate the tiny percentage of the earth's surface that can be used to grow food. Complete directions and discussion questions are included in the packet.
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Life Cycle of Compost
As part of a study of the life cycle of compost, class members examine the differences between green waste disposal and backyard composting.
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Plant, This Is Your Life!
Individuals select a plant, illustrate it in their journal, record observations, and create a life story for their plant that accounts for its features and any unique properties. Using these descriptions, a partner attempts to locate...
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Seed Sort
"One of these things is not like the other. . ." After listening to a story about seeds and discussing the role of seeds, kindergartners sort five different seeds by size, shape, and color.
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Rain Dance
The importance of rainfall to the life cycle is underscored by an activity that engages class members in a discussion of how water effects newly planted seeds and supports their growth. Class members then create a dance to celebrate the...
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Watering in the Garden
"When you are thirsty, does your mother pour water on your head?" Of course not! Nor do you pour water on the top of plants when watering them. Instruction like this are included in an activity that shows little learners how to water...
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Leaf Adaptations
Long life or a fast life cycle? Class members each gather a leaf, observe its characteristics such as texture, surface, scent, design, shading, and size and then discuss the adaptations made for survival as well as what the leaf reveals...
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Ladybug Release
As part of a study of garden friends and foes, primary graders release and observe ladybugs in the school garden.
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Fruits vs. Veggies
Fruit or vegetable? That is the question in this activity designed for first graders. After a brief explanation of the difference, kids select two plants, use two words to describe each one, label them as a fruits or vegetables, and...
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Soil Composition & Discovery
Organic or mineral? How does the matter matter? Second graders use their knowledge of the rock cycle to label the different components in garden soil.
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Alphabet Hike
Here's a simple activity with tons of potential! Take a stroll with your class and have them identify what they are feeling, smelling, seeing, or listening to using each letter of the alphabet.