Kindergarten lesson plans for germinating beans in a Ziploc bag and keeping an observation log along with fun crafts and activities

1. Growing Plants -
Project-Based Learning in
Kindergarten
By: Poonam Mata

2. The Packet
.
Page 1
Page 5
Page 4
Page 3
Page 6
Page 2
Page 7 Page 8

3. Outline of the lessons
Day 1 Introduce the project by bringing in plants & seeds
- Give the 8 page packet to the students
- Set up stations and use the same setup for next few days. Each station should have 5-6 students.
1. 1 station of students set up the seed experiment at a time & complete page 3 & 4
2. Rest of the stations – work on the packet pages 1 and 2
Day 2 Read “Jack and the Beanstalk”
1. Page 3 – Draw the picture of the bag. Page 4 – Record when the seed changes into next stage.
2. Play Round Robin game of seeds with a partner, using page 5 & complete page 6
Day 3 Parts of the Plant :
Make a chart of the parts of the plant with the class
1. Page 3 – Draw the picture of the bag. Page 4 – Record when the seed changes into next stage.
2. Rest of the stations – Do craft activity with straw , yarn, small cupcake, seeds
Day 4 What part of the plant do you eat?
1. Page 3 – Draw the picture of the bag. Page 4 – Record when the seed changes into next stage.
2. Rest of the stations – page 7 - sort carrots, broccoli, spinach, celery and seeds (beans)
Day 5 Life cycle of a plant: Show YouTube video
1. Page 3 – Draw the picture of the bag. Page 4 – Record when the seed changes into next stage.
2. Rest of the stations – complete page 8 and any other work from this week
Day 6 Outdoor activity –
- Transfer the seedling into clear cups with soi
- Complete - Page 3 – Draw the picture of the bag. Page 4 – Record when the seed changes into next stage.
- Take the plant home

4. Introduction
Bring beans and plants:
 Bring some plants to the class and then ask them:
 How did these plants get started?
 What do these plants need to grow?
 So, what will happen if I put the bean seed in water?
 What kind of plant will grow if I plant the bean seed
in the soil?

5. Day 1- Experiment
- One station sets up the experiment & complete page 3 & 4
- The rest of the class will work on page 1 & 2 of the packet
Material for the Experiment: Ziplock bags, sharpies, cotton
balls, beans, spray bottle with water, tape
Procedure: Set up assembly line
➢ Set up the material in order of: ziplock bags, sharpies, cotton balls, beans,
and 1 spray bottle in. Set up each station like an assembly like. Have the kids
do all the steps by themselves. Give them the following directions:
1. Get one ziplock bag and write your name
2. Add 5 cotton balls
3. Add 5 seeds
4. Give it 5 squirts with the spray bottle.

6. Day 1- Experiment
As students complete their ziplock bags:
➢ Tape each bag on the window
➢ Have the students draw a picture of of their bag

7. Day 2
Read – “Jack in
the Beanstalk” or
one of the books
available:
1. Station 1 - Record
bean observation –
pages 3 & 4 of the
packet
2. Rest of the class -
page 5 and 6 of
the packet

8. Day 2 (con’t): Page 5- Seeds – Round Robin
Game Rule
1. Find a partner
2. Rock, paper, scissors to find out
who goes first
3. Play a round with a student as an
example: - Topic – Seeds
Student A Student B
Pine cone Almonds
Coconut Walnuts
Beans Sunflower seeds
Apple seeds Watermelon seeds

9. Day 3: Parts of a plant
:
 Make this as a whole group

10. Day 3 - Parts of the Plant - Craft Activity
Combine the ideas from 2 pictures:
➢Materials: yarn, straws, cupcake holder, green
construction paper, markers & glue
➢Use yarn for roots, straw for stem, cupcake holder will
have the beans, green construction paper to make the
leaves, markers, glue

11. Day 4 - What parts of the plant do you eat?
What parts of the plant do you
eat?
➢Make this chart as a whole class:
1. Flower/ Fruit
2. Stem
3. Leaves
4. Roots

12. Day 4 - What parts of the plant do you eat?
What parts of the plant do you eat?
➢At the station, set up seeds, broccoli, celery,
spinch & carrots
➢Have them sort out the items into seeds, flower,
stem, leaves, or roots.
➢When done, play a “round robin” game with a
partner for each of the part (seed, flower,
stem, leaves, roots)

13. Day 5 – Life Cycle of a plant
:
➢ Show Video Bean Time Lapse
Germination
➢ Station 1 – Page 3 & 4 - Record
➢Rest of the stations - Page 8 of
the packet

14. Transfer the spouts into clear cup with soil
Go outside to complete this activity:
Material: potting soil, clear plastic cups, seedlings, sharpies,
1. Once the beans look like seelings
2. Have the students fill ¾ cup with soil
3. Add the seedlings
4. Add a little more dirt
5. Water
6. Record page 3 & 4 and take the plant home

15. References
C. (1970, January 01). Lil Garden Cuties & a Freebie! Retrieved March 28, 2017, from http://first-grade-
fever.blogspot.com/2012/04/lil-garden-cuties-
freebie.html?utm_ source=feedburner&utm_ medium=email&utm_ campaign=Feed%3A%2BFirstGradeFever%2B%28First%2BGr
ade%2BFever%21%29
Fanatics, F. G. (1970, January 01). Plant Life Cycles. Retrieved March 28, 2017, from
http://firstgradefanatics.blogspot.ca/2015/06/plant-life-cycles.html
Lomberg, L. (2015, May 08). 4 Easy and Quick Parts of a Plant Activities. Retrieved March 28, 2017, from
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/431219733057354995/
(n.d.). Retrieved March 28, 2017, from http://www.spelloutloud.com/wp-
content/uploads/2014/04/seedsnaturejournalMSpell.pdf
Plants/Veggies. (n.d.). Retrieved March 28, 2017, from
http://www.hanginwithmrscooper.com/2012/05/plantsveggies.html
Schoendienst, C. (2015, April 09). Lima Bean Observation Log. Retrieved March 28, 2017, from
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/17592254771168284
T. (2015, June 11). Spring Plant Unit - Eating the Parts of a Plant. Retrieved March 28, 2017, from
http://www.mpmschoolsupplies.com/ideas/3112/spring-plant-unit-eating-the-parts-of-a-plant/