Using a sensory table for student exploration, use the following suggestions to progress through the unit.  Allow only one or two students to explore this center at a time.
 
 

Day One:	Fill tub with potting soil and various garden tools for students to rake, scoop, dig, and pour dirt (fine motor/kinesthetic/oral expression).This activity gives you a springboard for introducing elements needed for plant growth.
Day Two:	Add misting bottles for students to dampen the soil (fine motor/kinesthetic/oral expression).  Expand on elements needed for plant growth.
Day Three:	Remove the gradening tools and add worms for some excitement!  These can be purchased at a local bait shop - refrigerate them until you wish to use them!  Allow students to touch if they want to (some may want to use gloves).  Add magnifying lens so that student can also observe without having to touch!  Make sure to keep the soil moist so the worms will stay active under the dirt.  Talk about things that can be found in the dirt - expand on the elements by talking about the food (nutrients) that can be found in soil (fine motor/ kinesthetic/oral expression).
Day Four:	Remove worms to an outside location and "clean up" your soil to prepare for planting.  Have students do similar exercise to Day One with gardening tools (fine motor/kinesthetic/oral expression).
Day Five:	Plant grass seed (we used KwikGrass).  Using the soil from the sensory tub, have each student scoop their own dirt and place it in a cup with their name.  Sprinkle ample amount of grass seeds, cover with additional dirt, and mist with water.  Place the cups in a bright location and watch what happens!  Students can even "mow" their own grass with scissors when it gets above the top of the cup.  We have done this activity around the Easter holiday and used the grass cups to hide an Easter egg the students have decorated earlier!  If this activity is done on a Friday, plant grass seeds in the sensory tub itself.  Tape off the top of the sensory tub so that the seeds won't be disturbed by little hands.  When students return on Monday there should be some little sprouts of grass showing - the grass will quickly grow.  You may want to introduce an insect unit following your plant unit by hiding play bugs in the new grass!  Use those magnifying glasses again and remember to mist your grass every day!
Optional: Week Two	You may wish to purchase "RootVue" from a teacher supply store.  It has 2 clear plastic sides and a narrow center to fill with dirt.  You may plant carrots and onions and the students can observe the growth of the root into the carrot or onion as time progresses.  The RootVue can be used with other plants as well - it was just more effective to see carrots and onions growing.

 
 

For older students using this unit, you may wish to use this PowerPoint presentation to introduce plant parts vocabulary.  Click here for power point presentation!