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WHAT WILL GROW? STEAM / Literacy Lessons and Explorations for Inside the Classroom,

Outside the Classroom, and Beyond

WHAT WILL GROW? by Jennifer Ward

illustrated by Susie Ghahremani Bloomsbury USA Children’s ISBN-13: 978-1681190303

Seeds can be big or small, round or pointy, and all sorts of colors. They can become flowers, trees, fruits, or vegetables, and they sprout all times of year, during spring, summer, fall, and winter.

But all seeds have one thing in common --- inside each is a new plant life waiting to emerge. What kind of plant will bloom? Wait and see what will grow!

Including four gorgeous pull-out gatefolds, this lyrical and stunningly illustrated book includes fun facts about starting a garden.

Praise for What Will Grow?

“This bucolic companion to Ward’s WHAT WILL HATCH? captures the magic and excitement of planting a garden and waiting for it to bloom.”—School Library Journal, starred review

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“An enchanting vision of how strikingly different seeds and plants can be, and closing notes explain how and when to plant all 12 types of seeds.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Don't let its deceptively humble subject fool you; this is a mighty oak of a book.”—Shelf Awareness, starred review

Let’s Explore Seeds and Plants with STEAM & Literacy!

Get your little ones connected to science, technology, engineering, art, math, and literacy (STEAM & Literacy) while exploring the many different types of plants, flowers, trees, leaves and seeds that surround us. Lessons in this activity guide may be done inside and outside of the classroom, in nature centers, or in the home! In this guide, children will:

Observe and describe the similarities and differences found among plants and seeds

Identify the basic structure of a plant Become aware of essential things plants need in order to grow Grow seeds and tend plants Sort, compare and classify seed properties Listen with purpose and make predictions Identify rhyming words Dictate, write and illustrate Sequence the life cycle of a plant Create and explore patterns with seeds Design flower art using seeds, fruits and vegetables Engineer / construct various types of gardens Observe and record changes to plants found in their immediate

environment Observe time-lapse footage of seeds sprouting and growing

PBS Learning Media, From Seed to Flower http://illinois.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.colt.plantsgrow/from-seed-to-flower/

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Observe footage of “How to Make a Seed Sock” and compare what will grow from seeds gathered from different areas http://illinois.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.stru.sockseeds/sock-seeds/

Research the inventor of Velcro, George de Mestral Count sequentially. Group and tally. Count by 5s Observe and note what trees and plants provide for wildlife and humans Practice Citizen Science by recording and sharing their observations and

data with scientists in the field

Exploring Seeds and Plants: STEAM & Literacy

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Read “What Will Grow?” Encourage children to study each illustration and predict what will grow from each seed. Invite children to listen for words that rhyme. Make a list of rhyming words found in the story. Discuss an author’s role in making a book. Discuss an illustrator’s

Share/read the back matter of “What Will Grow?” , which features different types of seeds, the germination for each and how to plant each seed. Create a Word Wall with plant and seed related words for writing reference. Create and keep a KWL chart: What do we Know about plants? What do we

Review Word Wall. Children will dictate or write/illustrate field observations of plants, trees, and wildlife discovered after taking a nature walk. Continue to add new words to the Word Wall. Comparison Chart: How We Use Plants and Trees / How Animals Use Plants and Trees

Children will create seed i.d. cards to label the types of seeds they have planted. Children will keep a record sheet to document seed growing process. (re- producible)

Label the basic parts of a plant. Using a felt board, sequence the life cycle of a tree. Discuss describing words / adjectives. Re-read “What Will Grow?”, noting when and where the author placed adjectives in the text. Visual Discrimination: as the story is read, invite children to seek the ladybug the

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role in making a book.

Wonder about plants? What have we Learned about Plants?

Continue to use the KWL chart.

illustrator painted on each page.

Provide a variety of seeds for children to handle and explore for sorting. Consider using pumpkin, sunflower, corn, various bean seeds, and flower seed packet seeds. Use the reproducible in this packet for sorting and classifying. (Reproducible)

Plant seeds in cups. Materials: small cups, soil, and water. Discuss the vital things plants need to grow: soil, water, air and sunlight. Keep one planted seed out of light and compare its growth success to the seeds that had sunlight.

Take a nature walk. During your walk, note as much wildlife as you can on or around plants and trees. Look and listen for birds. bugs. mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Brainstorm the things plants and trees provide humans and wildlife (food, clothing for humans, wood/furniture, homes,

Study parts of a plant: roots, stem, leaves and flower. Supply a live, potted flower for each pair of children and a sheet of newspaper. Gently remove each plant from its soil and place it on newspaper. Gently wipe or rinse soil away from the roots. Allow children to carefully examine all aspects and parts of each

Place a stalk of celery in a cup of water mixed with food coloring. The next day, discuss the changes that took place and how the stem of plants works to transport water from the roots to the plant.

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habitat, protection, shelter and food for wildlife...) Discuss the importance of habitat conservation for all living things.

plant. What do they notice about the roots? What purpose do roots server (to anchor plant, to collect water). Stems carry water and food from the roots to the leaves. Leaves make food for the plant. Leaves collect energy from the sun. The flower makes fruits and seeds. Practice identifying the four parts – roots, stem, leaf and flower. Then, replant.

Multi-media footage: From Seed to Flower http://illinois.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.colt.plantsgrow/from-seed-to-flower/ Sponsored by NOVA, the National Science Foundation and PBS

Multi-media footage: Sock Seeds Science Experiment http://illinois.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life.stru.sockseeds/sock-seeds/ Sponsored by NOVA, the National Science Foundation

Do further re- search via the internet on George de Mestral, the inventor of Velcro, who was inspired to create it after closely studying the burrs attached to his dog’s fur after going on a walk.

Plants in Motion – National Science Foundation interactive multi-media: http://illinois.pbslearningmedia.org/asset/lsps07_int_plantmovies/

Become a Citizen Scientist. Grow milkweed for Monarch butterflies, a pollinator garden for hummingbirds, or simply track the seasonal changes noted in plants in your area. Submit your findings and

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Learning Media Share video footage with children which depicts time-lapse footage of various plants growing from seed to flower.

and PBS Learning Media After watching the sock seed video, place an old sock over your shoe and take a walk, gathering seeds to the sock as you do, Plant the sock per instructions on the video. Note and compare findings of seeds gathered from different areas.

Assess: who has Velcro or has used Velcro? Discover: When was Velcro invented? How was it invented? Why was it invented?

compare your data to data shared by others around the world at Journey North Citizen Science, A Global Study of Wildlife Migration and Seasonal Change https://www.learner.org/jnorth/

Provide a variety of seed types: dandelion, maple ”whirlygigs”, seeds that float, soar, stick (burrs), etc. Invite children to observe them through a magnifying glass, noting how each is designed. Brainstorm,

Construct a sock seed planter. Materials: shoebox or plastic shoebox size tub, soil, old sock, water, and “how to” footage from “Sock Seeds”, above. Gather seeds from different areas. Label each sock-seed box.

Design an outdoor garden space, either in containers or in the ground. Make note of important elements in your design: location (how much sun or shade?), drainage (for water), and the purpose of your garden (food source for

Create a self-sustaining terrarium using clear plastic cups, lidded glass jars or clear liter bottles with the label removed. Materials: Potting soil -Two clear plastic cups -Aquarium gravel -Grass seeds -Water -Tape

Fill 1/6 of cup with

Investigate products inspired by nature, through biomimicry. In the plant world: -Hook and loop material inspired by cockleburs (Velcro). -Solar cells inspired by plant leaves (photosynthesis) to capture energy from sunlight.

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discuss and explore how each unique design aids in survival of each plant.

Compare what grows from each.

humans or a pollinator garden or food source for animals, such a milkweed for Monarchs).

gravel (to collect water), then potting soil, then grass seeds sprinkled lightly with more soil.

-A wind-driven planetary rover designed to capture wind, modeled after the tumble weed. -Self-cleaning

outdoor window glass, umbrella fabric and tiles inspired by the lotus flower and its ability to wash away dirt with rain. -Reduce drag propellers designed from kelp. -Filters modeled after a marsh.

Using large-sized seeds that are easily handled with fingers (beans, corn, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds) – create a flower on a small paper plate by gluing seeds in the design of a flower.

Pot colorful flowers by the entrance of your school or home, or plant a flower garden to create an aesthetic space / outdoor art. Consider your design: natural, grid, spiral, symmetrical, asymmetrical.

Create a symmetrical design on a butterfly using seeds. Materials: simple butterfly shape cut from construction paper, seed assortments, glue, markers or crayons (optional).

Using red, yellow and blue paints (primary colors), practice mixing to create green (blue + yellow), orange (red + yellow), and purple (red + blue) Paint a colorful garden

Slice an apple, an orange, a red cabbage, and carrot in half. Dip halves in shallow tempera or acrylic paint to create block-print flower art on paper.

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Create patterns with seeds. Practice creating or finishing these patterns: ABAB... ABCABC... AABB... Create your own patterns using a variety of seeds.

Use beans as manipulatives to practice matching sets to numeral symbols (7 beans represents the numeral 7), and to practice basic addition and subtraction sentences.

Take a nature walk and tally what type of plant is found the most. Practice counting by 5s. Practice counting on from 5s (one set of five (complete tally group) plus one tally, plus two tallies, etc.)

Select one tree outside and name it. Observe and record how it changes throughout each month and season. Mark special field notes on a calendar and in a journal to record leaf changes and other observations noted throughout the passing of time.

Practice the concept of measurement. Keep track of the height of plants you are growing using a ruler or other form of measurement (string, unifix cubes...) Measure the shadow at the base of a tree or shrub, comparing the same spot to morning, noon and late afternoon.

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Reproducible:

Seed Sorting Sheet

Large Seeds

Small Seeds

Pointy Seeds

Fluffy Seeds

Round Seeds

Heavy Seeds / Light Seeds

How else can you sort your seeds by characteristics and things they have in common?

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Name____________________________

Seed Growth Record What did you plant? _________________________________ Draw and record its growth.

Date__________

Date__________

Date__________

Date__________

Date__________

Date__________

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Date__________

Date__________

Date__________

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About the Author

About the Illustrator

Jennifer Ward is a naturalist and the author of numerous acclaimed books for children, including Mama Built a Little Nest, illustrated by Steve Jenkins (Simon & Schuster / Beach Lane Books), What Will Grow? and What Will Hatch?, each illustrated by Susie Ghahremani (Bloomsbury USA Children’s). Her parenting books include, I Love Dirt! 52 Activities to Help You and Your Kids Discover the Wonders of Nature, Let's Go Outside: Outdoor Activities and Projects to Get You and Your Kids Closer to Nature, and, It's a Jungle Out There: 52 Nature Adventures for City Kids, (Roost Books). Jennifer writes full-time from her home in Illinois. Visit her at jenniferwardbooks.com or follow her on Facebook, Jennifer Ward

Susie Ghahremani is an award-winning illustrator, exhibiting artist, and designer of the popular and whimsically illustrated gift brand Boygirlparty®. She is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), and she lives in Southern California. Follow her on Instagram at @boygirlparty.