Bailey-Greene
Unit Emmanuelle Lesson Plan
Fall 2011
Monday: Plastic Bag Seeds
Procedure
o The materials needed for this experiment are a plastic glove for each child,
five different types of seeds for each child, and a water dropper for each
child.
o To begin this experiment, give each child a water dropper, a plastic glove,
and five different seeds. To ensure the best possible results, it is important
to get seeds that are likely to grow quickly, such as bean sprouts or peas.
After a basic discussion on how seeds grow, possibly accompanied by a
book detailing the process or a chronological chart, have each child place
a seed in each finger of the glove and use the water dropper to place five
drops of water on each seed. Roll up each childs glove, clip the end, and
poke holes in the glove to let oxygen reach the seeds.
o At the end of the week, the plants will have started to grow, and a circle
observation of the progress will be stimulating for the children, along with
a comparison of their plants to the book or chart that was used on Monday
to describe the process of plant growth.
Assessment
o The assessment will consist primarily of the circle discussion that will
occur at the end of the week. Each child should be encouraged to compare
results to the chart or book as well as to each other. While some leading
may be necessary in order to facilitate the learning process, open ended
questions will create an environment that is friendly to critical thinking.
Cause and effect relationships will also be examined in this exercise(If I
put a seed with water, a plant will grow).
o While the assessment style is loose, great care must be taken to ensure that
every child understands the process that is occurring during the
experiment.
Bloom
o Cognitive learning is achieved through the learning of the actual growing
process.
o Affective learning is carried out by the parent-child interactions that will
occur after this experiment. On Friday, children will take the plastic
gloves home with them, and parents will be encouraged to maintain the
plants outside of the gloves, planting them in a small pot of soil that the
children will create during the week. The children will theoretically be
able to experience the growth of a plant that will produce a flower or
vegetable, while experiencing a social activity with their parents that
requires near daily maintenance.
o Psychomotor learning is achieved through the process of placing the seed
and water into the separate fingers of the glove. Counting will also be
exercised here through the number of drops, as well as completing a
sequence of events, i.e., seed before water.
Tuesday: Worm Home
Procedure
o The materials necessary for this experiment are three to four worms,
potting soil, a clear container, and the mature forms of the vegetables
grown in the plastic gloves from Monday.
o Have the children put on gloves for sanitary purposes. Pick out a few
special helpers to assist in the creation of the worm home. Place the soil
and a small amount of water into the container. Place the vegetables (must
be ripened) into various places within the soil, and put the worms on top.
Have the children take turns observing the worms go into the soil. Couple
the experiment with a book about a worm as well as a dance where they
pretend to slither around like worms.
Assessment
o The purpose of this experiment is to practice the oral observation process.
Children should be able to observe characteristics about the worm, such as
its coloring, length in comparison to the other worms, movement style,
etc.
o By breaking children down into small groups for observation, they will be
able to have a more intimate connection with each other, the instructor,
and the worms.
o Children will be assessed on ability to understand the similarities and
differences between humans and worms, in the form of questions asked in
a group setting. Each child should be encouraged to participate.
Bloom
o Cognitive learning occurs through the understanding of a worms habitat.
In addition, at the end of the week, the vegetables will be gone, so the
instructor needs to explain a basic digestive process, that the worm eats
food its through mouth and that it comes out the other side, and that that
process gives nutrients to the soil. Cognitive learning also happens when
the difference between worm and human locomotion is discussed and
demonstrated.
o Affective learning occurs through the use of living creatures and creating
an environment for them. Students should care about the well being of the
worms as long as an emphasis is placed on the worms being living
creatures, just like us. A name will need to be created and used throughout
the week.
o Psychomotor learning occurs when students dance like a worm as well as
when students handle the worms, soil, and vegetables.
Wednesday: Worms and Water
Procedure
o No materials are necessary besides a large quantity of water.
o On Tuesday night, the worms will go completely under the soil.
Emphasize that to the students.
o Before this experiment, discuss what happens when it rains. Does anyone
remember worms being on the sidewalk after a big storm? Show the
worms home and the jug of water. Before putting the water into the
worms home, discuss what might happen if water was placed into the
worm home. Make sure to encourage all answers, even if they are
incorrect, because the reasoning process is critical. In addition, discuss
what we might do if someone filled this room halfway up with water.
o Fill the worm home about half way up with water. The worms will almost
immediately rise to the surface so they dont drown.
o Talk to the students about how just like us, worms need to breath. And
that when it rains, their homes get filled up with water, and they come up
to the surface so they can breath. Dont focus on the possibility of
drowning and death.
o Drain out the water so the worms dont die, and keep the worms as pets
for the rest of the week.
Assessment
o Assessment will be carried out through reasoning and students attempts to
think of possible effects of adding water. After the experiment, reflection
is critical, and students need to analyze whether their predictions were true
or false.
o The actual thinking process is much more important than the correctness
of their predictions.
Bloom
o Cognitive learning occurs through the discovery of the importance of
breathing, as well as cause-effect relationships and practice with
predictions.
o Affective learning occurs by drawing similarities between worms and
humans, as well as through humanely releasing the water in the dirt to let
the worms breath and continue to live.
o Psychomotor learning is not emphasized, but may be easily facilitated by
providing several sizes of magnifying glasses to closely observe the
worms.
Thursday: Observation of Grass Letter and White Flower
Procedure
o Materials needed will be a small plot of soil for each child, grass seed,
water, and the plants to be used during the experiments during Fridays
experiment.
o Earlier during the week, have children place grass seeds on fertile soil in
the shape of whatever letter the class is focusing on. The use of cookie
cutter stencils will be beneficial. Grass seeds will take approximately two
days to grow.
o Have children take turns orating observations about the grass letter or the
white flowers. Have them compare and contrast the two.
o Follow up with a physical activity in which children pretend to be seeds,
then shoots, then flowers. Emphasize the necessity of sunlight, water, and
soil for plant growth. Children should be seeds in a crouched position,
with eyes closed, shoots standing straight up, and flowers with arms
spread wide and big smiles.
Assessment
o Students will be assessed on their ability to individually create
observations about the grass and flowers. The entire week should be
focused on making observations, so by Thursday, they should be
comfortable orating observations, comparing, and contrasting.
Bloom
o Cognitive learning is carried out through the observation process.
o Affective learning is carried out through the dance pretending to grow as a
flower. It gives children the opportunity to identify with nature.
o Psychomotor learning is carried out through the physical activity of the
dance. It should be a dance that increases with speed as time goes on.