Background information:

Plants come in all shapes and sizes, colours, textures and smells. However, they all start as a small seed. All that seeds need is some soil, some sunlight and some water, for example, see the life cycle of a bean factsheet.

While for some of us nature may seem removed or unfamiliar or even scary, growing seeds is a great way of bringing nature back into our lives, a way of experiencing nature even in the busiest of cities.

How to plant a seed:

Step 1. Fill a small tub with soil using a spoon to fill the tub almost to the top.
Step 2. Create a small hole with your finger about 2-3 cm deep. Place your seed inside, cover with soil and press the soil down lightly.
Step 3. Place your tub in or close to sunlight and water frequently.

Which seeds to plant? You could try some of the following:

Sunflowers - Sunflowers will sprout in 1 week, become a small seedling in 2 weeks, and should be 5cm tall in a month.
Lettuces - The seeds will germinate in 7-10 days; growing season is 40-50 days.
Radishes - Radishes germinate in 3-10 days, and have a very short growing season of 20-30 days.

Tip: When growing seeds with your children, you may want to have more than one seed for each child as some seeds may not grow; they may simply be duds.

New words for kids to learn:

Seed
Seedling
Soil
Nutrients
Stem
Roots

Activity: Grow a tree

Ages - 0 to 2

What to do

Preparation: Place your soil, seeds, tubs, tray and spoons in an outdoor area.

Explain to children that they will be conducting a science experiment to see how plants grow from seeds.

Demonstrate how to plant a seed (see Content Information above).

Ask children to plant their own seeds. Label each tub with each child's name if you wish.

Once complete, place all the tubs into the tray and carry your tray to the site where you will grow your seeds. This could be indoors or outdoors but there will need to be some sunlight (check the seed packet to see how much light your seeds like).

Explain that it is now time to give your little seeds a drink. What do plants like to drink? Do they like water or juice or milk or tea? In nature, plants will drink water so we should give these plants some water.

Observe your plants over several weeks: which ones are growing and looking healthy? Which ones aren't growing at all? Which ones don't look very healthy?

Provocations

I wonder where plants come from?
I wonder how plants grow?
I wonder what plants like to eat and drink?

Possible lines of development

Plant other seeds that you find in the garden.
Repeat experiment using different types of drink (see activities for older children below).
Find plants of different sizes and ages in the yard.
Explore different seed shapes and sizes.

Ages - 2 to 3

What to do

Preparation: Place your soil, seeds, tubs, tray and spoons in an outdoor area. Have two different 'drinks' for the plants, such as milk, juice, tea and water. One of your drinks must be water.

Explain to children that they will be conducting a science experiment to see what growing plants like to drink.

Demonstrate how to plant a seed (see Content Information above).

Ask children to plant their own seeds. Label each tub with each child's name if you wish.

Once complete, place all the tubs into the tray and carry your tray to the site where you will grow your seeds. This could be indoors or outdoors but there will need to be some sunlight (check the seed packet to see how much light your seeds like).

Explain that it is now time to give your little seeds a drink. What do plants like to drink? Do they like water or juice or milk or tea? Divide your tubs into two groups. Label each group and give your plants a drink.

Observe your plants over several weeks: which ones are growing and looking healthy? Which ones aren't growing at all? Which ones don't look very healthy?

Provocations

I wonder what plants like to drink?
I wonder if they like to drink water or milk or juice or tea?
I wonder how you can tell whether a plant is healthy or unhealthy?
I wonder what plants drink in nature?

Possible lines of development

Plant your healthy seeds into the garden and watch them grow into bigger plants.
Plant other seeds found in the yard.
Repeat experiment with other seeds found in the yard.
Time-lapse film of plants growing.
Roleplay of a plant growing from seed into tree.
Explore different seed shapes and sizes.
Life cycle of an animal (e.g. a caterpillar, using the book "The Very hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle.

Ages - 3 to 5

What to do

Preparation: Place your soil, seeds, tubs, tray and spoons in an outdoor area. Have a range of different 'drinks' for the plants, such as milk, juice, tea and water. One of your drinks must be water.

Explain to children that they will be conducting a science experiment to see what growing plants like to drink.

Demonstrate how to plant a seed (see Content Information above).

Ask children to plant their own seeds. Label each tub with the child's name if you wish.

Once complete, place all the tubs into the tray and carry your tray to the site where you will grow your seeds. This could be indoors or outdoors but there will need to be some sunlight (check the seed packet to see how much light your seeds like).

Explain that it is now time to give your little seeds a drink. What do plants like to drink? Do they like water or juice or milk or tea? Divide your tubs into as many groups as you have different types of drinks. Label each group and give your plants a drink.

Observe your plants over several weeks: which ones are growing and looking healthy? Which ones aren't growing at all? Which ones don't look very healthy? How can you tell which ones are healthy and which ones are unhealthy? You could consider measuring the height of the plants and charting their growth on a sheet of paper.

Provocations

I wonder what plants like to drink?
I wonder if they like to drink water or milk or juice or tea?
I wonder how you can tell whether a plant is healthy or unhealthy?
I wonder what plants drink in nature?
I wonder which type of drink will give the plant the most nutrients?
I wonder where seeds come from?

Possible lines of development

Plant your healthy seeds into the garden and watch them grow into bigger plants.
Plant other seeds found in the yard.
Repeat experiment with other seeds found in the yard.
Time-lapse film of plants growing.
Roleplay of a plant growing from seed into tree.
Explore different seed shapes and sizes.
Life cycle of an animal (e.g. a caterpillar, using the book "The Very hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle.

Evaluation

Complete an analysis of learning listing evidence about:

Belonging	Finding something of interest
Communication	Expressing an idea or feeling
Exploration	Engaging with challenge and persisting when difficulty arises
Well being	Being involved

Embedding into daily practice

Use any relatively clean water left over after craft activities and games to water plants in your garden.
Propagate seeds from suitable local endemic species, nurture them and then have the children plant them at your centre..
Start a worm farm to use scraps and make wonderful fertilizer for your centre gardens.

Grow a Tree

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