Section: 2 Child 150: Foundations of Early Childhood

ACTIVITY PLAN

Team Members: -------

Topic: Flowers

Preassessment: It is June, and the children have been seeing flowers pop up all around the Clarke building throughout
the spring. The children can visually identify a flower. Many of the children know that there are different kinds of flowers
and that flowers vary in shape and color. They do not know that flowers come from seeds. Many of them do not know
what a flower needs to be able to grow. All of the children have seen flowers and many of them have experienced
touching and smelling them. Some have experienced cutting or picking them. They have shown interest in the topic by
pretending to pick flowers and give them to each other and picking flowers on their walks in and out of preschool. I feel
it is important for them to understand where flowers come from so that they can have a better understanding of the
world around them. I think that if they understand that flowers are grown from seeds, it will open up opportunities for
new discussion about other things that are grown from seeds, different kinds of plants, where our food comes from, etc.
I believe that the children will be able to understand seed germination on a very basic level and that this topic and
concept are age, culturally, and developmentally appropriate and will be beneficial to the children.

Idea to be Emphasized

1. Flowers are grown from seeds.

Curriculum Area Focus: Science

Title of Activity: Seeds in a Bag

Description of Activity: We will be germinating sunflower seeds in plastic bags. Each child will be given a sandwich-size
plastic bag, a paper towel, and five sunflower seeds (in case some of them do not sprout). Each child will dip their paper
towel into the water and then lightly squeeze the excess water out. They will place the wet paper towel into the bag.
They will then put the seeds into the bag, making sure each seed is touching the wet paper towel. They will blow some
air into the bag and then seal it (they may need help with this part). After that, we will help the children (if needed) write
their names on the bag and tape their bags to the window. Throughout the next several days, the children will be able to
watch the seeds sprout through the clear plastic bag. Throughout the activity, we will talk about how seeds need air,
sunlight, water, and the right temperature range to sprout. We will ask open-ended questions (such as, “What do you
think will happen to these seeds? Why do you think seeds need water? What do you think would happen if the seed got
too much sunlight? Etc.) in order to foster discussion throughout the activity. We will also have a few full-grown
sunflowers cut and put on the table for the children to see, feel, smell, and explore. There will be pictures of the different
stages of the sunflower life cycle on the table. The children can put these in order if they like or try to match the seeds
and flowers on the table to the correct stage. A teacher will be present to ask and answers questions, but will stay back
enough to allow the children to explore.

Materials Needed: Plastics bags, paper towels, bowl of water, sunflower seeds, tape, markers, rag in case of spills,
access to a window that gets plenty of sunlight, life cycle pictures, 3-4 sunflowers

Idaho Early Learning Guideline:

Goal 43: “Children further engage in exploring and making sense of the natural world by asking questions and
making predictions about cause and effect relations that can lead to generalizations.”
 Developmental Growth: “Investigate unfamiliar phenomena and both trial and error (sometimes systematic
trials), with assistance.”

Child Indicator: “Shows curiosity and interest about familiar/unfamiliar and living/nonliving things.”

Department of Health and Welfare. (n.d.). Idaho Early Learning EGuidelines. Retrieved from
http://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/Portals/0/Children/InfantToddlerProgram/ELeG/crosswalk_final.pdf