Plant growing

Teaching children to grow plants
Basil plant - FIND project

Plant growing

Teaching children to grow plants

  • }Target year group: 5ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ“11 and SEND

  • cTime: 40 minutes

  • uLinks to literacyÂÌñ»»ÆÞ¯(writing instructions) and maths (measuring water)ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ¯

Learning objectivesÂÌñ»»ÆÞ¯

To understand howÂÌñ»»ÆÞ¯plantsÂÌñ»»ÆÞ¯grow; to learn about the plant lifeÂÌñ»»ÆÞ¯cycle.

Resources needed

  • Egg box
  • Soil
  • Plant seeds
  • Water

Each step may take 10 minutes. Plant growing may take weeks.

 

Instructions

Step 1

  • Choose your seeds (we used radishes).
  • Make a shallow furrow in the soil. The soil can be in your container or your garden - check the seed pack for details as different plants need different temperatures and times of the year.

Seed packet and a furrow in the soil
Taking seeds and planting them

Step 2

  • Take a few seeds from the packet.
  • Plant seeds at the spacing recommended on the packet.

Step 3

  • Label your seeds.
  • Cover your seeds gently.

Labeling and covering seeds
Radishes after two weeks growth

Step 4

  • Wait for your plants to grow! Our radishes had grown small green leaves after two weeks.
  • Water the plants occasionally if they are indoors or there is no rain (the soil should feel damp). Ensure there is some space between the plants.

Step 5

  • Enjoy your home-grown veggies!

Fully-grown radishes
 

Ways to include all learners

Photographs. Short, simple sentences.ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ¯Practical task.

How might this activity support social, emotional and mental health needs?

Connecting to nature improves wellbeing.

 

This activity was created by Katherine Gulliver, Research Assistant, ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ

katherine.gulliver@plymouth.ac.uk.

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