Enjoy this simple preschool lesson plan that helps children learn about plants, herbs, and harvesting. The activities below will introduce children to plants and herbs through a science project, a literacy activity, an outdoor activity, music and movement, a circle time activity 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 gardening or science theme.
Science Project
Mini Greenhouse Herb Garden
Materials: 2 liter soda bottle, utility knife, potting soil, herb seeds, water, plate
Discussion Starters: Discuss the elements plants need to grow. Bring in a variety of herbs and let the children smell them. What are herbs? Have you ever tasted herbs? Today we are going to plant herbs in a small green house.
Instructions: Ask each child to bring in a 2 liter plastic soda bottle. Remove the label and cut the bottle in half lengthwise so that the bottom half is large enough to hold soil. Create small holes in this half for drainage. Allow children to add potting soil and plant seeds to create an herb garden. Place the lid on the greenhouse. Put the greenhouse on a plate and in a sunny spot. Instruct the children to water once or twice per week as necessary.
Literacy: My Garden Book
My Garden Book
Materials: Blank sheets of paper, sheet protectors, 3-ring binder, crayons, markers, colored pencils
Discussion Starters: What kinds of things do we find in the garden? What kind of tools do we use in the garden? What kind of plants and bugs do we find in a garden?
Instructions: Encourage the children to draw and color pictures of things they find in the garden such as plants, insects, tools, people, etc. on separate sheets of paper. Next, have children describe their drawing. Write the name of the item beneath the picture then ask children to trace (go over) the letters with markers. Insert the pages into sheet protectors. Insert the sheets into a 3 ring binder.
Outdoor Activity
Harvest Time
Materials: plastic fruits and veggies or fruits and veggies cut from construction paper, wicker or plastic baskets
Discussion Starters: When farmers and gardeners pick the plants they have grown, it is called harvesting. This means they collect all the fruits and vegetables and put them into baskets. How many fruits did you harvest? How many vegetables did you harvest?
Instructions: Spread fruits and vegetables throughout the yard. Explain that it is harvest time. Provide each child with a basket and encourage children to collect (harvest) the fruit and vegetables.
Music and Movement
Over in the Garden
Discussion Starter: This song sounds like “Over in the Meadow”
Instructions: Teach the children “Over in the Garden” to the tune of “Over in the Meadow”
“Over in the Garden”
Over in the garden with a rake and a hoe,
I’ll plant some little seeds in a nice straight row.
“Grow,” I will say. “Please grow all day long.”
And the little seeds will grow
Into plants big and strong.
Circle Time: All about Plants
All about Plants: Create a poster board that shows the parts of the flower. Draw the Roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds. Show the children the parts of the plant and explain what each part does. Roots get water and food from ground. Stems carry water and food to leaves. Leaves make food for the plant. Flowers make seeds or fruit. Seeds make new plants
Story Time
Read Curious George Plants a Seed by H. A. Rey
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