Session #3: Growing what we eat

Experimenting. Students will plant seeds and observe their progress over time. Last year we planted cucumbers and pumpkins. This year we planted carrots, tomatoes and watermelon. It is wise to choose a plant that is not too fragile, matures and bears fruit rapidly. The important thing is to observe the life cycle of the plant, not to eat one’s favourite fruit.

If the class has access to a garden, the teacher can divide the class into groups of three to five students. Each group has a small plot of land for which it is responsible for the duration of the project. If the class does not have access to an outdoor garden, seeds can be planted in several pots inside of the class. Creeping plants like cucumbers need a lot of space and are better adapted to an outdoor garden. It can however be planted indoors: few seeds should be used; it should be planted in a large enough pot and given a object (broomstick, wall…) on which it may climb. Tomatoes can also be planted in a pot indoors. The best thing to do is to ask advice from the store where the seeds for sewing are bought.

In the garden, each group learns to use the work tools that it has already seen in a previous vocabulary lesson. Two vocabulary groups emerge: plants and sewing (seed, plant, leaf/leaves, flower, fruit…); tools and gardening (garden, spade, fork, hoe, wheelbarrow, to sow, to water, to weed…)

Sewing: Each group sews and waters its seeds. The students take care of the garden daily. Observations are noted at the end of the week. Older students can write findings on Bristol board in the classroom while younger students may draw their observations. See Document 4_Observation chart . Most plants will take several weeks to reach full maturity before bearing flowers or fruits. The teacher can work on other themes with the class. Students continue however to care for the garden and to note their observations.

Reaping: Students have the pleasure of reaping fruits (or vegetables) that they themselves planted. This pleasure may be continued in the kitchen where the fruits from the garden can be used to prepare a dish. Last year the children in my group were proud to show off their wheelbarrow loaded with cucumbers and an enormous pumpkin, and welcomed the appreciative ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaaahs’ of the rest of the kindergarten! They then had it all for lunch – cucumber salad and creamed pumpkin soup with cheese!

Telling a story: Students can make up a story about a strange seed that they found one day… One day I found an odd-looking seed. I planted the seed in my garden. The seed grew into________________ (complete the story). This story can be created in groups regardless of the age of the students. For younger students, the teacher can be the scribe as each group tells its story. Students who are capable may write their story in their first language and then translate it with the help of the teacher. Before doing this activity individually however, the entire class can make up a similar story as preparation: One day, I found an enormous pineapple in my garden. I cut it open with a knife. Inside the pineapple was a ______________ (complete the story).