Can We Grow Plants from Other Fruits and Vegetables? - Plant Inquiry ELP

On St. Patrick's Day, Ms. Switzer was checking her cupboard for potatoes to play "hot potato" and to do some potato paint stamping.  She came across an old potato in the bag that was beginning to sprout so she thought the kids might be interested.

We began a knowledge building circle using the "I See", "I Think", "I Wonder" method.  The children were amazed at this new found discovery.

 I See: "It's squishy", "It has roots", "It looks like a brain with lines", "It smells like a garden", "It feels wet". I Think:  "It would not be good to cook", "It grew some roots", "It happened because it sat in the cupboard", "Someone put oil and salt on it". I Wonder: "Can we plant it?", "How do we do that?","Should we put it in soil or soak it in water?" "Can we plant any kind of potatoes?", "Can we plant other vegetables to get plants?", "Will they grow roots?"

Setting up our Inquiry 

Over the next few days, Ms. Switzer and I asked the children what kind of vegetables they think that we might bring in to experiment with.  We got a list of common household vegetables such as sweet potatoes, avocados, onions, celery, carrots, etc.

I looked on Pinterest and found an idea to try soaking the top of a pineapple to get a plant! I had one at home so I brought it in.  We began by putting the potatoes on the table with some magnifying classes and paper, pencils, etc. The students visited to check it out.

On Friday, we had a collection of items to experiment with: an avocado seed, a white potato, a sweet potato, a pineapple top, a green onion, and the sprouted potato. We looked on the internet to see what we could do to get started.  Most sites said to begin by soaking them in water with toothpicks so that they don't fall in.

The children thought that maybe we should do something different with the sprouted potato, so we decided to plant it in some soil.

We cut off the rotting part of the potato and we put it in a container for the students to look at.

Finally, the students made signs to go with each fruit/vegetable.  

Ms. Switzer and I set out some recording sheets, paper, pencils/erasers, pencil crayons and magnifying glasses to help with inquiring minds. Now it was time to wait and see!

Let's Draw! and St. Patrick's Day Fun

We've been very busy here in our classroom. The children seem to be interested in everything and the inquiries are piling up on us!! Back in February, we noticed that one of our SK students was very interested in drawing superheroes and he began to inspire other students to do the same.

I tweeted out this picture because I thought it was a good example of how we learn to write first using pictures.

"The superheroes have colours and the villains do not" (Noah)

Ms. Switzer and I wondered if the children might be interested in learning to draw other things and we hoped to further inspire them to take an interest in "driting" (beginning writing, using pictures). We set out to create a drawing provocation table.  I brought some learn to draw books that I had at home from my own children. We also looked on the internet for some easy "learn to draw superhero" tutorials. We also made some scrapbooks into drawing books and put out paper, pencils (and erasers), crayons and pencil crayons, and other odds and ends.

We showed the students the books and we had a knowledge building circle to discuss what they could be used for. We also discussed that writers often begin by drawing pictures and writing words to label them and segmenting the sounds in words to write sounds that they hear (c-a-t or s-r-l for squirrel). Then we waited...

We have been photo-documenting their daily writing activity and am very surprised to see that when we have playtime, many children are choosing to spend their time drawing and writing on paper and in their journals. I should mention that we did not give the children writing topics or prompts; we just let them draw whatever they wanted!

"A squirrel, a tree and a hole" (JK student)

"Transformers, Ninja Turtles, and  Beyblades" (JK and SK students)

We are amazed by their engagement and focus during this time. Both Junior and Senior K students are drawing pictures and taking chances with spelling.

It is now the end of March and the drawing and writing continues to be an interesting choice!

St. Patrick's Day Fun

March 17th was St. Patrick's Day so Ms. Switzer and I put out some fun activities for the children to explore. It was also a great way to highlight the colour green!

(clockwise from top left) Pepper shamrock, potato, celery heart and celery stick stamping; gold and green pipe cleaner bracelets; and creative shamrock decorating.  One student came in his Irish leprechaun t-shirt!! Ms. Switzer even made mini green cupcakes for the children to eat!

Shaving Cream Fun!

Later in the week, we used the celery hearts and added some pussy-willows to the paint centre and the children made a large stamped collage which we later cut up and used as a bulletin board border.

We have some other inquiries on the go and I hope to get them on the blog soon.  Stay tuned...

Have a great week!