Download OMJCC ECE Activity Title: How our Garden Grows Goal: Introduce

OMJCC ECE Activity
Title: How our Garden Grows
Goal: Introduce gardening techniques
Objectives:
1. Introduce what is needed to successfully grow a fruit or vegetable.
2. Introduce different methods of gardening. (outdoor in ground, outdoor raised beds,
outdoor container and indoor container)
3. Each child will plant their own seed to keep at school to observe growth.
Activities:
1. The teacher will read, I’m a Seed by Jean Marzollo. This book discusses the growing
process of a seed.
2. We will discuss the need for a seed, fertile soil, proper temperature, sun and water to
grow a fruit or vegetable.
3. We will discuss the ingredients of fertile soil. The four major components of soil are
mineral matter, organic matter (humus), water and air. Mineral matter refers to the
inorganic elements in the soil e.g. stones, gravel and makes up to 40%-60% of its
volume. This part of the soil usually originates from the bedrock that lies beneath the
soil. Organic matter (humus) is the decayed remains and waste products of plants and
animals and has a great effect on the chemical properties of the soil e.g. availability of
nutrients. Almost 40%-60% of a soil's volume can be space and this is occupied by water
and air.
4. We will pass around a bucket of soil for each child to touch, observe and smell. We will
discuss what we can see in the soil (sticks, white fertilizer, sand, rocks etc.)
5. Each class will either plant a vegetable seed in an indoor green house to be cared for in
their classroom or plant a seed in our outdoor garden. The class teacher will observe
and discuss with the children daily of its changes. When the indoor plants are larger
they will be transplanted in the JCC outdoor garden or go home with each child.