Farm

Crafts:

Animals ears headbands and puppets

Lesson:

Seed dispersal:

Mechanical Dispersal: ​Pods that “pop” and “throw” their seeds away from the plant. Garden examples include beans, kale, broccoli, 

Wind Dispersal: ​“Poofs’ ‘ that blow away in the wind like a parachute (like a dandelion). Garden examples include lettuce, artichoke, and also “helicopter” seeds like maple.  

Water Dispersal: ​Seeds that can float. Examples- Coconuts are buoyant and can travel across whole oceans. 

Animal Dispersal: ​These seeds are the most common, they are either Yummy (​seeds inside fruits) ​or Sticky ​(burrs). ​The technical definition of a fruit is anything with seeds on the inside and a “fleshy” coating. This means that things on the farm such as zucchini, cucumbers and tomatoes are considered fruit. Yummy seeds are eaten and pass through an animal’s digestive system. Animals eat fruits, walk around, and then poop out the seeds nicely including some fertilizer as well. Other yummy seeds are stored for winter in the ground, but not all of them are found again. Example: squirrels and nuts or seeds. Hitchhiker seeds are sticky and cling to an animal’s fur, example: burrs.

Game:​

Explain to students that we will be exploring the farm and making observations. First we need to sharpen our observation skills. Have the students make two lines facing each other—they need to match up one to one. One side will be the detectives, the other side be the shape-shifters. Give the detectives a moment to concentrate on the shape-shifters, have both lines turn away from each other and have the shape-shifters change three small things about their appearance. Have them turn back to face each other and see if the detectives can figure out what has changed. Switch roles. Next, review the boundaries and read over the hunts they will be using so everyone is comfortable with the task at hand. Some students will need help reading the hunts along the way so circulate and offer to help. Decide if you will have students work in pairs independently. Give them supplies and make sure they know what to listen for when their time is up (hoot, whistle, song?) Give them 10-15 minutes to explore. Make sure you call them back together and give each of them a chance to share one interesting thing they found

Lesson Plan 2:

Introduction Questions: 

What are the different kinds of leafy greens we eat? (lettuce, spinach, arugula). Why are salad greens healthy? (low in calories, low in fat, high in protein, fiber, iron, calcium). Are all salads the same? (most salads are served chilled or at room temperature. Salads can be categorized as appetizers, side dish, main course, dessert). What is a list of possible salad components? (leafy greens, cuke, pepper, tomato, carrot, celery, radish, mushroom, olive, hard boiled egg, beans, cheese, meat, seafood, croutons, pasta, potato, fruit, nuts, gelatin, whipped cream, etc.) For background and nutrition information on lettuce, spinach and arugula, refer to Vermont Harvest of the Month educator materials, which can be found at www.vermontharvestofthemonth.org. 

INTRODUCTION 

Bring examples of different greens, such as different varieties of lettuce, spinach, and arugula. What part of this plant are we eating? Discuss the parts of a leaf and their roles. Observe what can be seen under the microscope or with a magnifying lens. Have students draw and label what they see. 

PARTS OF A LEAF:

Veins: Veins transport water, minerals and food energy through the leaf and on to the rest of the plant. They also provide structure and support the leaf. 

Petiole: The petiole is the stalk of the leaf, which attaches to the stem of the plant. 

Lamina: Lamina is the scientific word for blade of a leaf. This is where food is made through the process of photosynthesis. 

Epidermis: Epidermis is the outer protective layer of a leaf. Sometimes the leaf may be waxy because the epidermis secretes a waxy protective cuticle. 

KEY QUESTIONS: 

What color is this? How is it good for you? What part of our body does it help? We remember from our introductory “Eat the Rainbow lesson” that greens are full of vitamins K and A, and are a good source of calcium. They are good for strong bones and teeth, and also for healing cuts and scrapes. A good rule to remember: the darker the green, the more nutritious it is for our bodies.