We+Can+Grow+Our+Own+Plants!

**__//Lesson #6//__ __Grade Level:__** Kindergarten

__**Unit:**__ Plants and Animals

__**Assignment type:**__ Real World Simulation

__**Lesson objectives: **__


 * Student will learn the process of how to grow and indoor plant. This includes a step by step process on how the growth of a plant works and will recognize the tools needed in order to grow a plant.
 * Students will learn the importance of organizing their work and why it is important when completing a step by step process.
 * Student will understand the steps everyday that they need to do in order to keep the plant alive and healthy.
 * Students will record observations of the day to day growth of their plants into their journal and be able to reflect on their observations.

**__Time required to complete this lesson: __    ** __Title of lesson :__  __//Pretty as can be! This plant grew because of me! //__ **  __**<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Resources/materials needed: **__ <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;"> __**<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Description of lesson: **__ <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Lesson should begin by having students re-visit all of the things that they have learned about plants in the unit. Make a list of the things that students know are necessary to keep a plant survive and what is needed to start growing a plant. Once a list has been gathered, the students and instructor should discuss the process in how to plant the flower and what needs to be done to keep it alive. This needs to be factual and not from what the students had provided. After discussion, students will create their own organizational web on how they are going to plant their flower and keep it healthy. This web should include the type of flower they want to grow and allow students to be imaginative in how they want their flower to look before it is planted, while it is growing, and after it is full grown and healthy. Students will then paint their own flower pots however they would like so that they can be separated while they are all lined up in the classroom. Instructor should then guide students through how to plant their flower and allow students to complete the hands-on experience. Every student will plant their own flower. Students will then water their plant and place it in the classroom where it can receive the proper sunlight. Teacher should discuss how to determine how much sun that a flower needs and what types of flowers they are planting. This can be interactive while the students are planting their flowers. (Have the students look on the package and determine what type of sun based on the pictures on the back). After students have planted their flowers, they will begin their journals by writing down anything that they learned or observed through the process of planting their flower. The journal entries should continue throughout the growing process. Although it does not need to occur every day, entries should be made at least twice a week. After flowers are full grown, students should make a final entry in their journal and a group discussion should occur of what the students learned from the process and re-iterate what is important for growing a plant. This is where the checking for understanding should occur.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">1 day for students to research and explore how a plant is grown. This could include exploring different websites or re-visiting the books that were discussed earlier in the class.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">2 hours (approximately) for students to create a organizational web on the steps that they are going to take in order to grow their plant. Students can use either words or pictures, which every they prefer.\
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">1 class period for students to decorate their pot so each one is known who it belong to.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">1 class period for students to collect and organize the necessary tools and items that the need to grow their plant.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">2-3 hours for students to plant their flower or plant and place them in the proper place.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Multiple class periods for students to make journal entries on how their plants are growing.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Follow up on this lesson should be at least 2 weeks for time to watch the plant grow and to follow up on the process.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Internet access for students to research the steps to grow a plant.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Informational books available for an additional resource such as:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Paper and colored pencils or markers for students to create their organizational chart
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Notebooks for students to use as journals
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Paints and paintbrushes for students to create a design on their flower pot.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">All supplies and items needed to grow a plant. Need items for every student in the class.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Small pot
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Variety of different seeds, preferably flowers as they are easy to grow.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Soil for each plant
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Small gardening tools (these can be shared amongst the class)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Water
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Locate a place for plants to be stored while growing

__**<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Assignment: **__<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Students will be constantly writing in their journals to make reflections about their flowers. Students should watch the following video in the classroom or at home before completing the planting process so that they can receive visualization on the process of planting their own flower:

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;"> media type="custom" key="4948943" <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Have students discuss what they saw in the video and how it will relate to what they are going to be doing in the classroom. Students can also draw pictures, such as the ones in the video, to represent the information that they know and learned while completing their journal process. Discuss the similarities and differences between the video and the real life simulation after the flower has reached full maturity. Students and teacher can also take pictures of this process and then create their own video of the flowers that they grew in the classroom. This provides additional hand-on interaction that the students will enjoy doing.

__**<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Technology used: **__ <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 13.2pt;"> <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Slideroll is a great tool that can be used by anyone. Pictures can be uploaded from off the internet or ones that have been taken by the director. This tool just provided an additional interaction that the students could make in the classroom before completing their planting. It gives students a visual picture in understanding the process that will be occurring inside the classroom. This tool is not necessary for this particular lesson but is a great addition to the real world experience for the children. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">**<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 121%;">__The technology used in this lesson changes the teaching / learning in this way:__ ** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 110%;">Having the students view the Slideroll video before conducting the activity is a great interaction for them to have. Then they are not looking at boring pictures in books but can stay focused on the point that needs to be made. Having the teacher take pictures throughout the weeks that the plants are growing is a wonderful idea. This way, after the flowers are grown the students can come together and create a video of their own and have and additional reference and frame of mind from the video that they watched before the experimenting occurs. Students will be excited to know that not only will they be able to create their own video slideshow but they will be able to see themselves in it!