Plants: More Than Meets the Eye! Plus, a Plant Freebie!

Hi, Teaching Friends!

It's the wonderful season for growing plants again! Chances are, you'll be doing some planting in your classroom this spring, so I'd like to share some helpful resources I've come across, plus a freebie, too!

Many of our students may have little or no experience with growing plants, so they think it's kind of magic. You put a seed in soil, water it, and - poof! - a plant appears on the surface of the soil! We tell them about roots, and show them pictures, but seeing is believing. That's why I love planting projects that have visible root activity, like these ideas from Pinterest. They really give students the big picture of plants!

The first planting project has a bean seed in a plastic CD case. {You can click on any of these images to see them at Pinterest.}

One of the best visuals I've come across for watching root growth (short of the real thing, of course!) is this amazing video of the growth of radish seeds - time lapse photography over a nine day period. I love how the kids can see that action is happening beneath the ground before anything is visible on the surface. Sorry I can't get the video to embed, but if you click on the pic, it will take you directly to the pin on my First Grade Science board.

If you're planting with your class, stop by my Tpt store to download this newly listed freebie! It includes a class graph to compare germination times, a survey, and a template for persuasive writing.
Just in time to complement your own spring planting projects!

These plant activities are part of 1st and 2nd Grade Science ~ Data Collection and Writing Activities for Eight Science Themes . Click on the picture to see it at my TpT store!

Happy Teaching!