Objective: Children will understand that gardening is a fun way to be physically active.
Materials Needed
“Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” song lyrics
Session 9 discussion card
“The Little Gardener” book
“Exercise When We Rhyme” game instructions
Tummy Mindfulness and Experiential Eating protocol
Fruit, vegetables, and napkins for tasting
Tummy dolls
Watering cans
“Seedling Song” lyrics
Measuring tape
“Plant Splash Relay” game instructions
2 Baskets
Small blue balls for each child
Review [5 minutes—song]
Song: “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”
Classroom Activity [20 minutes—discussion, game]
Discussion 9a: Read the “The Little Gardener” to teach what is needed to care for a garden
Have the children stand and act out each page of the book
Review the importance of physical activity and remind the children how gardening is a great way to be active
Game: “Exercise When We Rhyme”
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)
Measure the lima bean
Ask questions about if the lima bean is getting the nutrients it needs
Have the children look for (and remove) any weeds that may be taking nutrients away from the lima bean
Game: “Plant Splash Relay”
Wrap Up/Review [10 minutes—discussion and song]
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)
Discussion 9b: The teacher reviews the concepts of the unit, prompting children when necessary. The teacher asks the children questions, such as:
“What are some physical activities you can do in the garden?”
“What do the plants in our garden need to grow?”
“What do you need to grow?”
Ask the children questions about the plants growing in the garden (e.g., how they look, are they getting enough nutrients)
Song: The teacher leads the class in the “Seedling Song.”