HANDS ON ACTIVITY
Planting Green Beans
Materials:
plastic
10 oz cups, one for each child
potting soil (1 10 oz cupful per child)
green bean seeds approx. 3 per child
labels for labeling child's name on cup
empty sport top bottled water bottle (this is a good "no spill" way of
watering plants)
sunny window sill to sit growing plants on
poster board for making classroom graph
200 or more 1 inch square pieces of construction paper
paper cutter
12 inch ruler & yard stick
glue stick
Directions:
Give each child a plastic 10 oz cup. Children will fill cup 3/4 full of
potting
soil.
They will then place 3 green bean seeds into the cup. ( I always tell
them
to arrange the seeds "like eyes and nose", therefore the seeds
won't be too close together. After arranging the seeds the children will
cover the seeds with soil and gently press the soil down with their
knuckles. They should hold the cup with their other hand so as not
knock over the cup.
The next step is to water the plant. Use a sport top bottled water bottle.
It is easy for small hands to handle and reduces the chance for spills.
Children should be aware that too much water can drown a plant. There-
fore great care should be taken when watering. Label the child's
cup
with his/her name using a self stick name tag or label. Place the plant
on a sunny window sill. Now, watch the plants grow!