Heredity in the Garden!

I have been working on ways to incorporate NGSS science standards in the garden. School gardens are a great way to get students engaged in a whole new way. Whether it is container gardens or a raised bed, you can find great ways to get kids learning FOSS concepts....NGSS standards and more!

Here is what we did this week...we asked the questin "How are young plants and animals like, but not exactly like their parents? I told them to look at a partner as I  turned over cards that read...
1. What is your length of eyelashes? long or short
2. What kind of eyebrows do you have? bushy or thin
3. What are the shape of your lips? large, medium, or thin
4. Are your earlobes attached at the end or does it hang down?
5. Do you have freckles?
6. Do you have dimples?
7. Do you have a widow's peak?
8. What color are your eyes?
9. What color is your hair?
10. When you do I love you in sign language...is your pinkie the same size as your pointer?

They have so much fun sharing. Then, we talk about how you get those traits. That those attributes get passed down to us by our parents and grandparents and beyond? I then show them a picture of my sister and I. We have different dads, but have very similar features. I let them tell me how we are alike... then let them know we have the same mom, but not dad. I also share the following picture to let them figure out how animals are also similar, but not the same. We share our ideas.

 Then...I let them know that we are going to go out in the garden and see how one type of plant is similar to the same seed that was planted. We look at our pea plants...our pumpkin plants...then we look at the zucchini. They look very similar? Why? They are both part of the squash family. They are related. We try to figure out their differences to tell them apart. I love that the kids are figuring out how to look at leaf structures and tell the plants apart!

Our Pumpkin plants...

Our cucumber plants...

The sheet that we did together! They can understand heredity and traits!
Here is the freebie to go along with what we did this week!
Download Heredity Freebie Here

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Peas In the Garden and a Freebie

It is pea picking time in the school garden! We first planted our peas the first week of May here in Wisconsin! We love to make our connections in science with reading and social studies! Here at Thomas Jefferson each year, we use the book First Peas to the Table that connects the real life of Thomas Jefferson and his pea competition he had with his neighbors. He usually lost, but what a great way for our kiddos to make connections with history! Although the peas are picked in summer...and our planters don't reap the benefits...our summer learners get to and they are very willing to help honor the winners of our competition!


Here is are the winning classes plants...and a picture of a taste tester! Peas in a garden are just like sugar! Pods and all! I also included the sheet we use to share our observations with the planters of the peas so they have record of our observations! We do a tally of the peas we count before we pick! The winners this year had over 28 peas growing on the plant in one week's time!

28 peas that grew in one week...last week they were babies and flowers!

So what do you think of the peas?  Sugar? Yes...sugar!

First Peas To The Table Freebie!

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Wiggling Worms

Worms are slimy! Worms are creepy! Worms are scary! All comments coming from my kinders as they see our opened worm bin for the first time. I usually let them look at the bin, then I grab a huge handful of castings and worms and then watch the kids and worms squirm! I find an egg to show them where the worm comes from, I share facts as we go, and then I find a baby worm for them to see that worms aren't insects going through a metamorphosis... they look the same as an adult...just smaller.

We always find a baby or two...I love it when they say, "Oh, how cute!"

Now, it's time to give each little a plate with a wet paper towel...a worm...hand lens...and a toothpick. I make sure they know they don't have to touch the worm, but I want them to look for...

The worm bin in action...two worms mating...a bit of a lesson!

Do you see eyes? Nose? Mouth? Ears? Segments? Front end and back end? Clitellum? Bristles? Something in the intestines? We talk about discoveries. What discoveries can they make? My favorite discovery is when they figure out worms aren't so bad!

Getting a closer look at worms!

By the time we are ready to share our discoveries...

They are all smiles!
Give them a cut out worm...have them write one thing they learned or discovered...and have them glue it to a picture of the grass and dirt...and you have a great lesson for kindergarteners. Take a look at the book we read along with it...

Great read to help our little wiggling worms pay attention:)

Need some lessons to make science simple? Here is my worm pack... Worm You Way Over To TPT to find it!

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Outdoor Science Antics

This week, right after testing three out of my six grades that I teach... we are participating in stations. My second graders did potato stations...we planted potatoes and still have even more to plant! My third graders worked on echolocation stations...did we have fun playing Marco Polo style echolocation games as well as learning about animals that use echolocation through reading and watching some quick videos, but two of  my favorite activities this week are planting our pumpkins that the kinder "gardeners" planted from seed. Now their babies are growing up and need more space. Take a look my little pumpkins in the patch!

Working as a team, digging, and gently placing their plants in the hole, then making a hill to support the stem. I demonstrated and they did it all by themselves! One of my little pumpkins said, "It was the best day of her life!" One little pumpkin said, "Now, we are really kinder gardeners!"

I love the pride in their own pumpkin patch! This is why we grow a garden! We grow more than plants!

The great thing about stations is that I allow my students to self pace, as well as set a grade goal for how many stations that they can complete. It is very exciting to watch them work harder when their "grade" is at stake. We set it up as a scale of 4, 3, 2, 1 and covert it so they understand if they have advanced, proficient, basic, or minimal. It really does motivate them and the 4's get to the front of the line regardless of line order!

Here is an example of their ant station. We hit the mother lode! An ant colony with eggs, larva, and adults. We lifted the rock and wow whee did we watch them scurry to take the eggs and larva to safety! We then went back in to use the freebie I am including! Ant Antics Freebie is part of my  Insects In And Out of The Classroom Pack on TPT.

See the yellow clump...all eggs. Wish you could see them hustling. It was amazing to watch! What great observations that students were able to be part of!
Enjoy your antics whether you are out of school or finishing up the year!

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This Week In Science...

Every day I teach Kinders through fifth graders. I love it, but each and every hour you have to change gears with a different topic.Here are just a few things we did this week!  I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world right now. It is my happy place! What is your happy place in your job?

Our School Garden Tulips...learning how to be insects!

This week...in space...the moon! 

 Check out this great moon phase song!

We also used EPIC books again! Love the non-fiction book choices! The Moon Book is great! Just enough for 4th graders! Great pictures! Check out EPIC for teachers!
It's 

I love this picture! Look at my kinders looking closely at our school garden. They were looking for treasures!

Here is a FREEBIE for you!

Darkling beetles and drawing a picture of a live specimen.

Looking at the indoor habitat of the mealworm!

I love the new pack I made for myself first...but for all now that I see how it works! Next week, butterflies!

Here is my insect pack that I have been using! Sorry to bug you, but it is a fun pack! Check it out...Insects In and Out of the Classroom.  

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Garden Time!

It is that time of year here at TJ Elementary! We are getting growing! Our kinder"gardeners" are busy learning about pumpkins and how to plant a seed. Remember these 6 easy words:
1. scoop
2. pat
3. poke
4. drop
5. cover
6. water

It works every time. How fun to have our kinders learning that it  takes time to grow. This video helps them visualize the process and what the pumpkin looks like from seed to pumpkin. Awesome song...time flies by and they can see the date change, see the plant grow and vine out...yellow flowers...then the pumpkin!

         Take a look at my little pumpkins!

 Here is a garden sheet that I use with them...Thanks to Mrs. Ricca's Kindergarden for such a great freebie...

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Garden Nests: Engineering for Easter

I just can't wait anymore to use our school garden. Even if you don't have a school garden, you can gather some great items outside for your students to do this engineering project. I have two classes the day before spring break...I was wondering about what I could do with both kindergarten and 1st graders from my Easter pack...I added three new activities today! I am really excited about using it! Take a look...

I added chromatography eggs, an engineering next building activity, and a writing activity! Here are my littles in action!

Easter Egg Sound Discrimination Activity...

Teachers are Egg-cellent art project...

Building a nest for our Cadbury Eggs...great for outside connections! We started inside...made a mess...took it outside...and

A nest fit for a Cadbury Egg! Bird nests are hard to build, but the kiddos loved getting outside and using natural garden goodies!

Happy Easter!

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Sunday Scoop...Microgreens Freebie

As I was sitting here thinking about the Sunday Scoop over at The Teaching Trio....I forgot all about the microgreens growing at school. That I have to check on...coddle...talk to...so that they grow. Never grew them before, but let's just say those little shoots are getting taller and taller and the kids are so excited about growing something in the winter. So...here's the scoop....

I am sitting here over 45 minutes away from my laundry at my daughter's volleyball practice. Just a bit of alone time that I love. The sound of girls shouting "mine" and the bouncing of volleyballs is drowned out by the typing of my keys. Laundry can wait...

Funny thing...though...when you sit you remember all the things you might have to do when you are home. I have added to the things happy to do...help my son finish a large Egyptian project when I get home...then play cards. Homework first.

I will also add...I had to help my oldest daughter edit her paper for college...yes...since they were little...I have edited for spelling, errors, and doubles...and given pointers or two my childrens' papers. I was a pretty good writer and edited hundreds of papers in my day. Closing sentences the toughest. Now, that is done...I am looking to get down to business and figure out my task cards for my 5th graders for review. It goes with my PPG...SLO...all that jazz.

But, first back to microgreens...

Kale...look at those little guys!

Lettuce...check it out!

Taking care of business!

Microgreen Sheets Freebie just for you! I used these sheets with my 4/5 garden club group! A fun...winter activity that we will share in our upcoming harvest of the month.

Do you garden? School or home? Would love to here what you plant and when you start your seeds. Have a great week!

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Happ"BEE" New Year!

Okay...so in my last post I was telling you how I am already planning for the next planting season...right?!! I know...I know... I live here in Wisconsin and I will be lucky if I can start planting outdoors by April, but...I am growing microgreens with students inside in January...with whoever wants to plant with me at recess...I will have a TON o' kids...who wants to be outdoors when it is too cold! Not me!

Well, I got so excited about some of my new book purchases that I had to create a bee unit for this school year...in and out of the garden. Where would our garden be without the bees?

SO...Happ"Bee" New Year...Here is a FREE"BEE" for you!

You can find  the FREE"BEE" HEREor at my Science School Yard TPT Store!

"BEE" Happy, my friends!

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