Background information

Plants come in all shapes and sizes, colours, textures and smells. As a general rule plants have roots (or tuber or bulb), trunks, branches and leaves. Most plants live in the soil; however there are some plants that live without soil (for example, algae and mistletoe).

All plants require food (nutrients and minerals), sunlight and water to survive. However, plants have adapted to a huge variety of environments and some can live with very little water (like in the desert), others can live with very little sunlight (like on the floor of a rainforest), and others can live in soils with very low amounts of nutrients (like in sand dunes at the beach). In order to survive in their specific environment, plants have evolved in a range of adaptations. This is why there are so many differences in the shape, colour and texture of the leaves, flowers and seeds and plants.

Concepts and definitions:

Plant life-cycle: All plants need to reproduce (otherwise they will go extinct). Most plants make seeds in order to keep their species going. Some plants make their seeds sticky so that they stick to animals and humans and can travel to new areas. Other plants make seeds that are very light and have an aerodynamic shape so that they will get blown to a new place. Most fruits from fruit trees and shrubs grow with seeds in them so that when a bird, a human, or other animal eats the fruit, the seeds don't digest, and they come out sometime later in a new place.
The flower is the reproductive organ of a flowering plant. Many seed plants form their seeds inside their flowers. For reproduction to take place, pollen grains from the male stamen must be carried to the female part of the flower, the pistil. This pollination can happen in two ways; by insects and by the wind. Insects are attracted to the bright petals and the sweet smell of the flowers and will land on the flowers to drink a liquid called nectar. When bees touch the stamen, pollen sticks to the bees. When the bees move around the flower, pollen is transferred to the pistil. Pollination leads to the making of one or more seeds in a flower.
Plant names: All plants have names so that we can tell them apart and tell other people about them. Some plants were given names a very, very long time ago and these names are still being used. Some plants are given names because of where they can be found (like the country they are found in, or because they are found in the desert or rainforest). Some plants have names that come from another language, like German or Chinese or an Indigenous language. When scientists find new plants they give them names based on what type of plant they are and who found it.

New words for children to learn:

Seed
Petal
Pollen
Pollination
Stamen

Activity: Plants

Ages - 0 to 2

Preparation: Collect a range of different plant materials with different textures, shapes, colours and smells. Consider including leaves, nuts and seeds (sealing in a tub if small), flowers, roots, etc.

Display all the plant items where children can see and touch them. Encourage children to touch and smell the plant materials.

Talk to children about where the items come from and what features they have.

Create a playdough tree. Ask children to press the plant materials into the playdough and observe the marks they make. Next, ask children to make a trunk out of the playdough and add the plant materials to the trunk to create a tree.

Provocations

I wonder which ones you can smell?
I wonder if they have a nice smell or a bad smell?
I wonder if these things are hard or soft?
I wonder if these things are sharp or prickly?
I wonder if these things are light or heavy?
I wonder if these things are strong or if they break easily?

Possible lines of development

Ages - 2 to 3

Preparation: Collect a range of different plant materials with different textures, shapes, colours and smells. Consider including leaves, nuts and seeds (sealing in a tub if small), flowers, roots, bark, etc. Choose as many as possible from the centre yard so that children can find the plants that they came from if they wish.

Display all the plant items where children can touch them. Encourage children to touch and smell the items.

Talk to children about where the items come from and what features they have.

Ask children to either:

Make rubbings of the plant parts; or
Make mosaics with the plant parts, sticking the plant parts to a piece of board.

As they create their plant artworks, ask children to think about what names they could give these plants based on their particular features. For example, a leaf with a prickly edge could be named ‘prickle leaf’ or a herb with a strong fragrance could be named ‘smelly plant’ or a red flower could be named ‘little red flower plant’.

Write these names on the children’s work.

Provocations

I wonder which ones you can smell?
I wonder if they have a nice smell or a bad smell?
I wonder if these things are hard or soft?
I wonder if these things are sharp or prickly?
I wonder if these things are light or heavy?
I wonder if these things are strong or if they break easily?
I wonder which part of the plant these things come from?
I wonder if we can eat any of these plants? I wonder how they taste?
I wonder why is it important to connect with nature?

Possible lines of development

Other things in the room that are hard or soft.
Other things in the room that are sharp or prickly.
Other things in the room that smell.
Investigate a wide range of different seeds – from coconuts to avocados to poppy seeds.
How plants grow from seed to shoot to plant (demonstrate using grass or alfalfa).
Plants in the garden – what types of plants are in the garden at your centre and what do children think about them?
Plants you can eat – what plants can we eat, including vegetables?
Create a pressed flower book.
Use the Plant Patterns and Shapes Flashcards to prompt further discussion.

Ages - 3 to 5

Preparation: Collect a range of different plant materials with different textures, shapes, colours and smells. Consider including leaves, nuts and seeds (sealing in a tub if small), flowers, roots, bark, etc. Alternatively, or in addition, use the Plant Patterns and Shapes Flashcards to engage children in the discussion.

Display all the plant items where children can touch them. Encourage children to touch and smell the items. Talk to children about where the items come from and what features they have. If any of the plant parts have come from your centre garden, show children which plants these are.

Ask children to think about what names they could give these plants based on their particular features. For example, a leaf with a prickly edge could be named ‘prickle leaf’ or a herb with a strong fragrance could be named ‘smelly plant’ or a red flower could be named ‘little red flower plant’. Finally, ask children to invent a new plant, creating the leaves, the bark and the nut or seed. Children can draw their new plant or create the plant parts from craft materials such as paper, cardboard, playdough or fabric. Children should then name their new plant based on its appearance and features.

Provocations

I wonder which ones you can smell?
I wonder if they have a nice smell or a bad smell?
I wonder if these things are hard or soft?
I wonder if these things are sharp or prickly?
I wonder if these things are strong or if they break easily?
I wonder which part of the plant these things come from?
I wonder if we can eat any of these plants? I wonder how they taste?
I wonder what names these plants have?
I wonder how a plant gets its name? (See content information.)
I wonder how animals use plants? (Food, shelter, nesting.)
I wonder what plants eat? (Water, nutrients from the soil, carbon dioxide.)
I wonder why is it important to connect with nature?

Possible lines of development

How plants grow from seed to shoot to plant. Demonstrate using grass or alfalfa. Measure the rate of growth of the plants and create a graph.
Plants that you can eat. What types are there (including vegetables) and are they healthy for you? Help children understand that there are many plants that are tasty and healthy for you, but there are some plants that can make people very sick, so it’s always important to make sure you know what you are eating and that you check with an adult first.
How animals use plants (food, shelter, nesting).
How humans use plants (wood, paper, food, fresh air).
Favourites – what is your favourite tree, bush or flower and why is it your favourite?
Touch and feel animals – organise a visit to your local zoo to find out how different animals feel and smell.
Create a pressed flower book.
Use the Plant Patterns and Shapes Flashcards to prompt discussion.

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.Create a natural habitat in your centre using native plants.
Remove weeds – what seems like a harmless plant can turn into a serious weed if it escapes into bushland.
Propagate seeds from suitable local endemic species, nurture them and then have the children plant them in your grounds.
Start a worm farm to use scraps and make wonderful fertilizer for your centre gardens.

Plant Patterns, Shapes and Names

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