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).