Embedded Files
“Gardener Says” Game Instructions
Unit 4
In order to further emphasize gardening as physical activity and practice the use of gardening tools, the teacher leads the children in a game of “Gardener Says” (played like Simon Says).
Children line up and the “gardener” says “Gardener Says to Dig,” and the children make a digging motion pretending to have a shovel in their hands.
This game is repeated as the children practice other gardening actions such as raking, watering, harvesting down low (bend at the waist and bend their arms at the waist, moving them back and forth to pretend like they are picking fruits and vegetables), and harvesting high (children stand on their tiptoes and pretend to pick apples from the top of the tree by reaching up high with their left and right hand).
“Watering” Game Instructions
Unit 4
Materials Needed:
Pictures of dry, wilted plants (need water)
Pictures of healthy plants (don't need water)
Watering cans
Picture of a sun
Instructions:
To reinforce the importance of water, play the “Watering” game. The teacher tells the children that just like them, plants are made up of water as well.
The teacher engages the children in a discussion about what happens when plants and people don”t get enough water.
The teacher shows the children pictures of plants with lots of water and plants that are “thirsty” and have become wilted.
The teacher asks the children to stand up in a line and using one of the water cans, pretends to water the children. As the children receive “water” they stand up strong and tall on their tiptoes with arms stretched out. The teacher then says that there is no more water and instructs the children to droop their arms as if they were wilted. Repeat several times.
The teacher holds up a flashcard of sun and asks the students what happens if they get too much sun, the children respond by drooping their arms, crouching down, and pretending to be “wilted.” Next, the teacher holds up a watering can and asks the children what happens when the plant is watered, the children are encouraged to respond by jumping up with their arms reaching to the sky to imitate a strong healthy plant.
The teacher continues to do this asking the students the following questions:
What happens when we play all day outside in the hot sun?
What happens when our mom or dad gives us a large glass of water to drink?
What happens to our plants when it’s hot outside?
What happens to our plants when they get a lot of rain?
What happens when we drink sugary and soda drinks instead of water?
“Plant Splash Relay” Game Instructions
Unit 4
Materials Needed:
2 Baskets
Small blue balls for each child
Instructions:
To reinforce the importance of drinking water and watering the plants, the children play the “Plant Splash Relay” game:
The children are split into two teams and line up as far as possible from two baskets set up for each team to run to. The baskets represent a pretend flower.
Each child is given a blue ball, which represents a “water droplet.”
The teacher says “Go” and the first child in each line runs down to the basket and places her/his “water droplet” or ball inside the “flower” or basket and then runs back to his/her line.
Once the first child returns, the second child runs down to the flower and deposits her/his water droplet before returning to the line.
While each child is relaying back and forth between baskets, the children waiting for a turn jump up and down with their arms in the air cheering for each classmate.
This continues until everyone has had a turn. Repeat the relay several times if time permits and have the children hop, skip, and/or run for each additional turn.
For additional physical activity, redistribute the blue balls for each relay by having the children run to the basket to retrieve a ball and run back to get into line.
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