This simple preschool lesson plan focuses on introducing fruits and veggies to young children. The activities below will introduce children gardening through a group project, a math activity, a cooking activity, a circle time activity, a music and movement and a story. For each activity you will find the materials, instructions and discussion starters (verbal cues). This lesson plan works well in conjunction with a daycare center unit with a spring theme or science theme.
Project/Documentation
Carrot Tops Project
Materials: 3 Carrots with tops on them, small stones, large wide salad bowl, water, poster board, markers, camera.
Discussion Starters: Did you know that you can plant the tops of carrots and it will grow? Every week we will take a picture of the plant and we will write about how the plant has changed.
Instructions: Cut the tops off the carrots. You should have the green end of the carrot leaving with about 1 inch of the carrot attached. Put the carrots in the dish so that they are standing upright. Surround the carrot tops with stones to secure them in place. Add a small amount of water in the dish. Every week, check the carrot tops. Take a picture of the plant each week. Create a poster board chart by placing a picture of how the plant changes week by week. Ask children to notice the changes they see.
Math Activity
Sorting Fruits and Veggies
Materials: A wide assortment of fruit and vegetables in yellow, orange, red, and green
Discussion Starters: Discuss that fruit and vegetables come in a variety of colors. Can you name some fruits that are red? Name some vegetables that are orange. Name some fruits that are yellow. Name some vegetables that are green. Let’s sort the fruits and vegetables into piles of red, green, orange, and yellow.
Instructions: Let the children sort the fruits and vegetables by color.
Cooking and Snack
Fruit Skewers with Yogurt Dip: You will need nectarines, bananas, kiwis, strawberries, and grapes, plastic skewers, vanilla yogurt and brown sugar. Cut the fruit into bite sized pieces. Mix ½ cup of yogurt with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to create the yogurt dip. Let the children thread the fruit onto the fruit skewers and dip their fruit into the delicious yogurt dip.
Circe Time
Where does it Grow?
Discuss that fruits in vegetables grow in many different places: under the ground, on the ground, on a vine, on bushes, and on tress. Find pictures of various fruits and vegetables growing on vines, trees, etc. and glue then on individual pieces of art paper. Show each fruit or vegetable and discuss where each one grows.
Music and Movement
The Vegetable Song
Discussion Starters: This song sounds like “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”
Instructions: Teach the children “The Vegetable Song” to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”
Carrots, Peas, and Broccoli,
Vegetables are good for me.
For my snack and in my lunch,
Veggie sticks are great to munch.
Carrots, Peas, and Broccoli,
Vegetables are good for me.
Story Circle
Read The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss
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