Amount of Time Needed:     5 - 10 days for student instruction and introduction to plant vocabulary.  Some selected student activities may take several weeks as seeds/bulbs grow depending on the actual germination time period for the seeds chosen.  Teacher may wish to re-visit this unit and it's activities at different times throughout the school year.  Typically I have done a plant unit in the Fall using a Harvest theme to explore apples and pumpkins.  We also plant bulbs in the Fall that will erupt in the Spring!  I re-visit this unit in the Spring (April is National Gardening Month) to include gardening with flowers, watching our bulbs develop into tulips and daffodils, and looking at various vegetables and fruits - I culminate this time with plants grown for Mother's Day.

Supplies Needed:  Basic supplies that will be needed include pots, potting soil, various seeds, and gardening tools.  Supplies may vary depending on activities that are chosen throughout the unit.  Supplies are listed for each activity for your convenience.  Depending on the level of technology you wish to integrate with your particular age of students, you may also wish to have access to student computers for exploration, teacher computer for presentation (PowerPoint), and projection type software/hardware that will allow you to share elements of this unit with students without student  mastery of  computer skills (especially for those Pre-K and K!)  A complete resource list is found on the Resources page - you will find the resources that were used to build this unit as well as any reading materials you may wish to share with your students to introduce different concepts.

Student standards of learning that will be addressed will include:

SCIENCE - 
    The student will investigate and experiment with objects to discover information.
          - Observe, describe, sort, and classify objects according to their common properties.
          - Participate in simple experiments to discover information.
          - Ask questions, make predictions, and communicate observations orally and/or in drawings.
     The student will be observe and investigate plants.
          - Observe and describe what various plants need for growth.
          - Observe and describe the changes that plants go through during their life.

MATH -
    The student will sort and classify objects and analyze simple patterns.
          - Sort objects, group into a set and tell what the objects have in common.
          - Complete and construct simple patterns.
     The student will explore concepts of nonstandard and standard measurement.
          - Measure objects using nonstandard units of measurement (paperclips, blocks, etc.)
          - Identify and name lengths such as long, longer, longest; short, shorter, shortest.
          - Put objects in graduated order from shortest to tallest, thinnest to thickest.

LANGUAGE ARTS - 
  Comprehension:  The student will associate meaning and understanding with reading.
          - Place events in sequential order by telling first, middle, last.
          - Tell what is happening in a picture.
          - Recognize cause/effect relationships.
   Listening and Speaking:  The student will participate in activities which encourage language development and strengthen auditory
          and verbal skills.
          - Participate actively in conversations with others.
          - Follow one- and two-part oral directions.

SOCIAL SKILLS - 
    The student will participate in activities to develop the skills necessary for interacting with others and caring for oneself.
          - Work independently and/or cooperatively to solve problems.
          - Choose a variety of materials and activities from learning centers.
          - Select and complete a task while working at a learning center.
          - Stay involved in a self-selected activity for approximately 15-20 minutes.

CREATIVE SKILLS - 
     The student will be encourages to participate in actvities that foster individual creativity.
          - Participate in activities using a variety of mediums to express creativity.
          - Participate in musical experiences (songs, rhythmic activities, etc.)