outreach programs: plant survivalbuilding community through gardening, education & environmental...

Building Community through Gardening, Education & Environmental Stewardship

2715 Reading Rd. | Cincinnati, Ohio 45206 | P: 513.221.0981 F: 513.221.0961 | www.civicgardencenter.org

Outreach Programs: Plant Survival

2nd & 3rd Grade

Behavior, Growth & Changes

Outline

5 minutes Introduction

Your Name

The Civic Garden Center-“what do you think happens at the Civic Garden Center?”

Why Plants are Important-use them for clothing, food, medicine, shelter, etc.

Survival-what is it? What do humans need to survive? What do plants need to survive?

15 minutes Activity: Life Cycle Cartoons

Materials: pumpkin life cycle example, 30 copies of student handout (1/2 page printed front and back),

leaf & flower images, colored pencils

Ask the students to review a few life cycles (they can focus on plants or animals), show them the

pumpkin life cycle as an example

Encourage them to list the commonalities and differences between life cycles

Pass out the handouts and instruct the students to draw a plant life cycle (they can use the leaf & flower

images if they are stuck)

Ask if any of the students want to share their life cycle cartoons with the class

15 minutes Activity: Germination Experiment

Materials: pots, soil, seeds, tray, paper, pencils

Show the students the materials you have for planting pea seeds

Group the students into teams of 4 or 5 and ask them to create an experiment to test seed germination

for pea plants

Hand out scrap paper or have the students take out their science notebooks/journals to record their ideas

Walk around the room and ask the students questions about their experiments

5 minutes Activity: Planting Seeds

Materials: pots, soil, seeds, tray, information on seeds planted

Have the students line up and plant seeds one at a time. Hand each student a pot, instruct them to scoop

up some soil and then plant two seeds into their pot. Put all of the pots on a tray, place in a sunny

window and add water. When everyone is finished, ask the students how they can help their seeds grow.

5 minutes Conclusion: What Can You Do?

Materials: teacher handout with extension activities

While you pass out the handout, ask the students to give ideas on how they can help the environment by

taking care of plants and animals, composting, recycling, etc.

Ask if they have any questions




2nd & 3rd Grade


Pumpkin Life Cycle Example




2nd & 3rd Grade


Student Handout




2nd & 3rd Grade


Leaf and Flower Images

Apple Leaf & Flower Pear Leaf & Flower

Peach Leaf & Flower Cherry Leaf & Flower

Tomato Leaf & Flower Pepper Leaf & Flower




2nd & 3rd Grade


Potato Leaf & Flower Carrot Leaf & Flower

Watermelon Leaf & Flower Pumpkin Leaf & Flower

Corn Leaf & Flower Bean Leaf & Flower




2nd & 3rd Grade


Teacher Handout with Extension Activities

Today you planted:

PEAS

Peas grow in sunny spots in the spring and fall. You should water your pea seeds every other day

until you see them sprout. Then water when they are dry. Peas are vines so they need a stick, string,

or fence to climb on. You can eat the flowers or wait for the pea pods to grow and then enjoy the

green peas!

Behavior, Growth & Changes Extension Activity

After your peas have begun to grow, have the students complete the Venn diagram below to

observe differences between the plants. Remind the students that the seeds all started out the same,

and if your class conducted germination experiments to see which variables could influence growth

remind them to record reasons why the plants may have different growth behaviors. We’d love to

see your students’ data! Call 513.221.0981 when you are ready to share their observations.

Stem Characteristics

Leaf Characteristics

Root Characteristics

outreach programs: plant survivalbuilding community through gardening, education & environmental...

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