Unit 5 Summary

Objective:  Children will be able to describe the plant growth process from seedling, to fruit, to harvest. Children will understand that water, fruits, vegetables, and physical activity will help them grow. 

Materials Needed

• “Plant Splash Relay” game instructions

• 2 Baskets

• Small blue balls for each child

• Session 5 discussion card

• Book:  Pumpkin, Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington

• Poster with pumpkin cutouts

• “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” song lyrics

• Tummy Mindfulness and Experiential Eating protocol

• Fruit, vegetables, and napkins for tasting

• Tummy dolls

• Watering cans

• “Seedling Song” lyrics

• “Follow the Leader” game instructions

• Measuring tape

Review [10 minutes—game]

• Game: “Plant Splash Relay”

Classroom Activity [15 minutes—discussion, song]

• Discussion 5a:  Discuss growth and development in plants. Choose one activity below and alternate each time this session is implemented.

• • • Read Pumpkin, Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington

    • Have the children act out each page

    • Start crouched down and grow as the pumpkin grows, when he carves a face out of the pumpkin, have them make their best pumpkin face.

    • Review the life cycle of a pumpkin using the poster. Ask the children to act out what they see in the pictures

• Song: “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes!”

Mindful Eating [15 minutes—tummy mindfulness, experiential eating]

• Tummy Mindfulness and Experiential Eating Protocol

Garden Activity [20 minutes—garden maintenance, song, garden exploration, game]

• Garden Maintenance and Song: 

  • • • • Have the children water the garden

        • Sing lyrics to the “Seedling Song” while watering

• Garden Exploration: 

  • • • • Point out the plants growing

        • Have the children identify characteristics of fruits and/or vegetables (color, shape, texture, if ready for harvesting)

• Game: “Follow the Leader”

Wrap Up/Review [5 minutes—discussion]

• Mindfulness Activity: There are three (3) Mindfulness activities available as Bonus Materials; (1) Art Activity, (2) Guided Meditation, and (3) Yoga Activity. You have the option of selecting one of these mindfulness activities to perform along with the Wrap-up and Review of each unit. 

* (See Mindfulness Activities for Objectives, Key Learning Concepts, Materials, and Instructions)  

• The teacher measures the lima bean so that we can continue to chart its growth.

• Discussion 5b: The teacher reviews the current and past Unit concepts.

  • • • The teacher asks the children what plants need to grow healthy and strong (prompt the children to identify water, sunshine, and soil).

      • The teacher then transitions over to the drying leaf and shows the children what has happened to the leaf now that it is dried out.

      • The teacher prompts the children with questions such as “What does the leaf feel like?” “What does the leaf look like?,” “Why has it changed from being soft and green to brown and dry?”

      • The teacher asks the children what they need to grow (prompt the children to identify fruits, vegetables, water, and physical activity).