Finally!  We are still somewhat behind in our Plants Unit Study... that seems to be the perpetual state in teaching!  We went on our Bush Field Trip on Thursday, September 27.  It was so much fun! Thank you so much to the parents who were able to accompany us and provide rides!  I apologize again for the extra learning that took place surrounding the chicken butchering apparatus set up on the front yard.  That was an unexpected part of our field trip!  Oh well, such is life! 

This week (October 1 - 5) we will be completing Lesson 2 and introducing our Unit Bible Verse (Genesis 1:11) as well as discussing seed dispersal and making peanut butter.  Our seed coat experiment went really well last week and we saw how the water softened the seed coat and allowed the little sprout inside the seed to pop out.  So hopefully by the end of this week we will be completed up to lesson 4. 

Plants: Lesson 3

How Seeds are Dispersed

Read the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-9)

How do seeds get spread around?

1)      People plant them

2)      The wind carries them (Anemochory)

3)      Animals move them around (Zoochory)

4)      They are carried away by water (Hydrochory)

5)      Exploding seed pods (Autochory)

Ask Students to come up with ways that seeds travel in nature, without the help of man.

As they get stuck, give them examples of different seeds and ask them how they think the seeds travel around.

Ex. Dandelion – the wind blows them; Acorns – squirrels forget them;

Give out the worksheet (How Seeds Travel) and complete together.  For each box, students should write what the word means and draw an example of a type of seed that is dispersed using this method. 

Materials:

How Seeds Travel worksheet

Coconut

Touch me not plant

Burdock, choke cherries

Milkweed Pod

 

Plants: Lesson 4

Field Trip to the Bush!!

Itinerary

Leave the school at 11:30.

Arrive at Don and Gwen’s by 11:45

Picnic Lunch on the hill at Don and Gwen’s

Outside Games 12:30 – 1:00

Bathroom Break 1:00

Walk to Bush, explain assignment, collect samples 1:00 – 2:45

Walk back and leave Don and Gwen’s 3:00

Arrive back to school 3:15

 

Intro

Review all parts of a plant (seeds, leaves, stem, roots).  Pass out field trip guides and explain to kids what they need to do. 

 

Assignment

Have students pick one plant in the bush and draw its picture.  Miss Edwards will also take a photograph of your plant.  Take a rubbing of its leaf.  Dig it up and take a look at its roots, if possible.  For trees, take a rubbing of its bark.  Does it have visible seeds?  How do you think the seeds might be dispersed?  Do you know what this plant is called?  If not, look it up I a field guide.  Miss Edwards can help you. 

 

Materials:

Bush Field Trip Guide

Pencils

Clipboards