- children’s plant graphs
- markers
- science notebooks
- sheets of construction paper (one for each child)
- various nonstandard measuring tools (small stacking cubes, construction paper cut into strips, paper clips, string, blocks, etc.)
- roots
- bulbs
- seed
- environment
MA Standards:
Mathematics/Measurement and Data/PK.MD.MA.1 Recognize the attributes of length, area, weight, and capacity of everyday objects using appropriate vocabulary (e.g., long, short, tall heavy, lights, big, small, wide, narrow).
Mathematics/Measurement and Data/PK.MD.MA.2 Compare the attributes of length and weight for two objects, including longer/shorter, same length; heavier/lighter, same weight; holds more/less, holds the same amount.
MA Draft STE Standards
Life Sciences/From Molecules to Organisms: Inheritance and Variation of Traits/LS1/3.D Recognize stages of the life cycle of plants and animals they have observed and discuss ideas about what happens at each stage. [Patterns, Change]
Head Start Outcomes:
Language Development/Receptive Language Attends to language during conversations, songs, stories, or other learning experiences.
Science Knowledge/Scientific Skills and Method Observes and discusses common properties, differences, and comparisons among objects.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
Mathematics/Patterns and Relations Sort, categorize, or classify objects by more than one attribute.
Science and Technology/Inquiry Skills 4 Record observations and share ideas through simple forms of representation such as drawings.
Plant Graph
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
Skill Focus: Measure, Record Observations, Vocabulary
Remind children how they measured a tree last week using nonstandard measuring tools (cubes, paper clips, string, etc.). If you have photographs of children doing these activities, share them with children.
Then show children their plant graphs and have them measure their plants again and record the measurements on the graph. Remind children when they place a strip on their graph, they have to glue it standing up and next to the strips they already glued on the paper. Help children document the day at the bottom of the strip.
Have children discuss the growth of their seeds and beans. Prompt children to use key vocabulary words such as roots, bulbs, seeds, and environment as they discuss the seeds and beans.