This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
How would you like to see all the steps in plant growth happen right before your eyes? My very inquisitive first grade class would love to explore science in a hands-on, inquiry-based way! The students in my classroom are in a heavily populated urban area, and few have room to plant flowers or vegetables in their own homes. However, they are still curious as to how soil is made and they love watching things grow!
So what's the problem? We don't have all the great materials for planting seeds, investigating stages in the plant life cycle and soil types, and reading all about plants and soil! Hands-on opportunities like growing plants and observing parts of the plant cycle help keep students interested in learning and provide verbal problem-solving skills, which is especially important because many of my students speak English as a second language. However, I do not have the supplies I need to create centers or whole-class activities that address all these key skills.
With window greenhouses, each student will be able to grow his or her own plant, watch roots form, and observe the way plants grow from seedling to adult plant. Simultaneously, students can work in small groups to investigate how soil is formed, the parts of a plant, and factors that affect plant growth. These concepts can be taught as part of science centers contained within each activity tub. Finally, we can reinforce our observations and dispel misconceptions through the use of age-appropriate trade books about soil and plants. I believe that through these methods, students will not only learn about plants and soil, but also the inquiry skills needed to be scientists.
Your donation will help make a unit on plant growth and soil formation deeply hands-on and engaging for my first grade students. These materials will meet the needs of each child for hands-on experimentation, observation, and research about plants and soil as well as the development of critical science process skills.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Angie Stewart and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
