I had been expecting 16 students and was a little nervous that that would be too many students for the space, but we had a few no shows and the class went VERY well. I was so glad that I had planned out beyond the first class because one hour was a lot more time than I had figured so we started some of the explorations I had planned for the second class...now I'll have a better sense of how capable the kids are as I plan future classes. Usually just putting on the gloves takes 15 minutes, but I had an assistant I wasn't expecting and there are more second grade kids than kinders so they could help the younger ones as well. We lucked out on the weather- I will have to build two plans in case the weather forces us indoors or just have one or two lessons at the ready for inclement weather.
The KWL chart was great. The kids know quite a bit since Hedda is so spectacular and the 2nd graders are old pros by now. But the W part was my favorite- they had GREAT questions...like how does a plant "use" the sunlight ( they knew a plant needed water, air, soil and sunlight to live and they could understand how it accessed the water and the nutrients from the soil but weren't so sure about the sunlight)...a lesson will be built to explore this for sure.
At the end of the class we regrouped and filled in the L part of the chart. My objective had been for the kids to understand that what we call dirt is actually soil and it is pretty complicated stuff. It has nutrients, it is alive and it affects the health of the plant. One kid said it perfectly when I asked what they had learned that day, that "not all soils are the same", some are dark and crumbly and some are hard like clay. Success!
The observation game was good- it would have been a little easier with kids of the same grade level or age group because the little kids didn't always get that what they changed had to be visible. With practice I can see making this a good team building or fun rainy day activity in the classroom.
All in all the class went well...and the garden looks a heck of a lot better already from all those eager weed pullers. WE FOUND A LOT OF WORMS!
Are you keeping their papers? Maybe they can make notebooks out of them or any future handouts to fill in?
ReplyDeleteI have a sugar pea or snap pea plant that I found out was going to grow them peas. It's in a little cup right now. How big of a pot do I have to buy and what kind of soil? That sucker's actually growin' real well as I never really thought I had a green thumb.
Congrats BTW on a successful first gardening class!!! Woo hoo!!! ^^
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