Carrie Burns

Preschool (3-5)
7/24/2015

Potting Bean Seeds (Extension from Germinating Bean Seeds on

7/20)
GOAL: The major purpose of this activity is to help children develop their
social skills following directions and participating in discussions with their
teachers and peers through the discussion and demonstration of the natural
world and living things.
RATIONALE: It is important for children to develop these social skills
because when they enter kindergarten, having these skills is extremely
important in becoming a successful student in that first year of schooling and
throughout their lives.
OBJECTIVES:

After given a set of directions, children will be able to follow them

appropriately and successfully.
After discussing how plants grow and demonstrating how to grow
plants through potting their own bean seeds, children will know the
three basic things that plants need to grow.

STANDARDS (HEAD START CHILD OUTCOMES FRAMEWORK):

1.1.2 Shows progress in understanding and following simple and multiplestep directions.
1.2.2 Progresses in abilities to initiate and respond to appropriately in
conversation and discussions with peers and adults.
4.2.1 Expands knowledge of abilities to observe, describe and discuss the
natural world, materials, living things and natural processes.
DEVELOPMENTAL PREREQUISITES/DEVELOPMENTAL TARGET(S):
Developmental skills that are necessary for success would be basic social
skills. While this activity is working on developing social skills further, to have
a successful activity, children must cooperate and have patience when
waiting their turn to do the bulk of the activity. The specific area of
development that is targeted during this activity is social development.

LOCATION AND SETUP: The activity will take place in a large group, and
will be done outdoors in the small grassy area near the door.

TEACHER PREP:

On Monday (7/20) all children started germinating their own bean

seeds. Make sure that each child has a baggie with a bean seed in it
(even the ones that werent there on Monday). Germinate some extra
seeds just in case some children have seeds that wont sprout.
On Wednesday (7/22) all children present painted a pot for their bean
seed. Make sure that each child has their own pot (even the ones that
werent there on Wednesday), and have extras just in case a pot
breaks.
Make sure to have enough potting soil and set it outdoors before
beginning the lesson.
Find a good shovel from the outdoor area to use for potting.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES:
1. After cartoon time, instruct the children to waddle like a penguin over
to circle
2. Friends, we are going to be doing something really exciting this
morning! Can someone tell me what we have hanging on our window
over by the bean bags?
3. We will be doing something with these bean seeds, but I need some
help. Can you help me?
4. Have a discussion about our bean seeds that are hanging on the
window, remind children to wait to talk until they are called on.
a. Talk about what made the seeds grow (water, sunlight)
b. Talk about what we are missing (soil)
5. Brainstorm different ideas of how we could give our seeds the soil that
they need to grow bigger, remind children to wait to talk until they are
called on.
a. Lead them to remembering about the pots that we painted on
Wednesday, and how they could use those to take their seeds
home with them
6. Do you think we could put some soil in those pots and then plant our
bean seeds in them?
7. Let the students know that we will be going outside to pot our seeds,
and that while we are out there, it is not time to play on the climber or
get out toys, and we are only potting our seeds.

8. Remind them also to be patient, and that we will all get our soil if we
wait until its our turn.
9. Ask the children who are sitting down quietly to go find their bean
seeds on the window. If they have a hard time finding or reaching the
one that has their name on it, they can ask a friend to help them.
10.
Once they have their seeds, ask them to line up at the door and
wait for the teacher to open the door.
11.
While they are lined up at the door, ask a child what the rule is
while we are outside potting our seeds (it is not time to play or get toys
out)
12.
Let the children know that we will be going out and potting our
seeds right next to the tree and that all children must stay in the
grassy area.
13.
Walk the children outside and begin by picking one of the pots
out of the bag. Whoevers pot it is, they can put their soil in first.
14.
I have _______s pot. ______, are you ready to plant your seed?
Everyone else needs to watch to make sure that they know what to do
when its their turn!
15.
Give the child a shovel and let him scoop his own soil into his
pot, leaving about an inch from the top.
16.
Instruct the child to very carefully pull their seed out of their bag
and bury it just below the surface of the soil in the center of the pot.
17.
Okay, now that our seeds are planted in the soil, you cant touch
them, just like our strawberries in the garden. They need to be left
alone so that they can grow big and tall!
18.
After each child is done with their potting, instruct them to sit on
the sidewalk by the door and wait patiently to go back inside.
19.
After all of the children are finished with potting their bean
seeds, instruct the children to walk inside quietly and put their pots on
top of their cubbies so that they can take them home later in the day.
20.
______, will you help me by putting these empty soil bags into
the garbage in the kitchen for me?
21.
______, will you help me by putting this shovel back where it
belongs?
22.
After all of the children have put their pots on the tops of their
cubbies, instruct them to go back to the carpet, sit down, and wait to
choose where to go for centers.
23.
Remind children that whoever is sitting quietly and waiting
patiently will be able to choose their center first.
EXPERIENCE/EXPLORATION: Students will process concepts in a large
group setting, through discussion with the teacher and their peers. Through

the action of actually potting the seeds, they will also process scientific
concepts individually.
ASSESSMENT: Informal assessment will take place through observation
throughout the activity. Children will have been successful in this activity if
they participate in discussion and can follow almost every set of directions
that they are given.

DIFFERENTIATION: For the younger children and children that havent

developed their large motor skills enough to put the soil into the pot without
spilling it everywhere, I will help these children by guiding their hands when
scooping the soil. I do not foresee any other problems with this activity, other
than some children not being able to recognize their own names on the
baggies, in which case they will be able to ask a friend for help, as described
in the procedure.
CLEAN-UP: Children will take their pots inside and put them on top of their
cubbies. Two students will be asked to be a helper and take the empty soil
bags to the garbage in the kitchen as well as put the shovel back in the play
area.
TERMINATING STATEMENT: Now do we have all three things that a plant
needs to grow? What are those three things? Remind children to set their
plant in a sunny spot and water it every day to make it grow big and tall.
TRANSITION: When students are sitting back at the carpet, have them
choose which center they would like to go to first. I will call on children who
are sitting quietly and waiting. These children can come up and touch the
prop from whatever center they would like to play and learn at first.