Earthkeepers® Education Programs  : GARDENING FOR CHILDREN

Concepts:

  1. Gardens are created by people for a variety of reasons: food production, visual appeal, plant propagation, attracting animals (butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, etc.)
  2. Successful gardens have certain requirements that must be met: soil, water, and sunlight (or a light source) and temperature.
  3. Seeds contain an embryo plant and stored food. Seeds are alive.
  4. Planting seeds in a properly prepared garden and providing water and light will stimulate growth of the embryo plant into a mature plant. Growth follows a sequence.

Program Objectives:

At the conclusion of the program, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify the components of a successful garden.
  2. Identify the plant parts and food parts of a seed.
  3. Recognize why people plant different gardens.
  4. Use information on gardens and seeds to prepare a mini-garden in a cup.

Program 'Pack' Contents:

  1. Vocabulary List
  2. List of suggested pre-visit activities
  3. List of post-visit curriculum integration activities

TEKS Correlation:  

Please read below for detailed information on how our Gardening for Children program has been designed to meet PreK and 1st Grade  Science and Math objectives.

 

112.2. Science, Kindergarten.

(K.1) Scientific processes. The student participates in classroom and field investigations following home and school safety procedures. The student is expected to:

                (A) Practice safety while using gardening tools.

(K.2) Scientific processes. The student develops abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry in the field and the classroom. The student is expected to:

                (A) Ask questions about organisms, objects, and events that live or take place in a garden habitat.

(K.3) Scientific processes. The student knows that information and critical thinking are used in making decisions. The student is expected to:

                (C) Explain in his/her own words how to plant a seed in a small container and what to do if the plant outgrows the container.

(K.5) Science concepts. The student knows that organisms, objects, and events have properties and patterns. The student is expected to:

(A)   Describe the components that make up a healthy garden.

(B)     Predict gardens growth patterns during the seasons.

 (K.6) Science concepts. The student knows that systems have parts and are composed of organisms and objects. The student is expected to:

(C)    Observe and describe the parts of plants.

(D)    Identify parts of a seed, when put together, can do things they cannot do by themselves.

(K.9) Science concepts.  The student knows that living organisms have basic needs. The student is expected to:

(A)   Identify characteristics of living plants that allow their basic needs to be met.

(B)    Compare and give examples of the ways humans use plants and how plants help us.

(C)    Identify ways that the earth can provide soil and water naturally for plants and animals to live.

(K.10) Science concepts. The student knows that the natural world includes rocks, soil, and water. The student is expected to:

(B)    Describe and compare textures, smell, and appearance of different soil samples.

(C)    Identify that soil and water is used to keep plants alive.

 

111.12. Mathematics, Kindergarten.

 (K.8) Geometry and spatial reasoning. The student uses attributes to determine how objects are alike and different. The student is expected to:

(A)   Using informal language, describe, identify attributes that include similarities/differences of plants.

(B)    Compare plants and trees based on their physical attributes.

(C)    Sort attributes of different plants according to their attributes.

(K.11) Measurement. The students uses time and temperature to compare and order events, situations, and/or objects. The student is expected to:

(A)   Recognize temperatures and when a garden is most likely to need water.

 

112.1. Science, Grade 1.

(1.1) Scientific processes. The student conducts field and laboratory investigations following home and school safety procedures. The student is expected to:

                (A) Practice safety while using gardening tools.

(1.5) Scientific concepts. The student knows that organisms, objects, and events have properties and patterns. The student is expected to:

(A)   Begin to understand that plants come from seeds and that first pollination must happen.

(B)    Identify the components that make up a healthy garden and predict outcome. 

(1.6) Science concepts. The student knows that systems have parts and are composed of organisms and objects. The student is expected to:

(C)    Observe and describe the parts of plants.

(D)    Identify parts of a seed, when put together, can do things they cannot do by themselves.

(1.9) Science concepts.  The student knows that living organisms have basic needs. The student is expected to:

(A)   Identify characteristics of living plants that allow their basic needs to be met.

(B)    Compare and give examples of the ways humans use plants and how plants help us.

(1.10) Science concepts. The student knows that the natural world includes rocks, soil, and water. The student is expected to:

(B)    Describe and compare textures, smell, and appearance of different soil samples.

(C)    Identify that water is used to keep plants alive.

 

111.13. Mathematics, Grade 1.

 (1.6) Geometry and spatial reasoning. The student uses attributes to identify, compare, and contrast shapes and solids. The student is expected to:

(A)   Using informal language, describe, identify and sort attributes that include similarities/differences of plants.

(1.8) Measurement. The students understands that time and temperature can be measured. The student is expected to:

(A)   Recognize temperatures and when a garden is most likely to need water. Ex. hot day/cold day

 

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