Natural Science Lessons for KS1We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This costs the purchaser nothing extra. In this way I can continue to provide free resources. Thank you for your support. |
A bulb, simply put, is an under ground storage system that supplies the plant with the nutrients it needs to survive - either the winter with its freezing temperatures, or summer with potential drought.
The best time for planting spring flowering bulbs is in the autumn and so this activity is best undertaken at that time of year. Much useful work can be undertaken by growing Hyacinth bulbs in the classroom. I have showed you below, how this activity easily fits with the desired outcomes of the National Curriculum, but I want you to try really hard not to let these lead your teaching. Instead, learn to let the activity speak for itself - as this is the way in which young children really engage with an activity and really learn from it. Aim that the children will learn about Hyacinths and experience the wonder of seeing beautiful flowers grow from a dead looking bulb. Aim to excite their interest in their world. As you do this, the National curriculum will easily be covered without much effort. With this lesson they will naturally begin to use scientific skills and will start to understand plants. National curriculum for science KS1
Plant the bulbs
Begin the lesson by showing the children the bulbs and asking them if they know what they are. Explain that they are Hyacinth bulbs and that if plantded now, they will flower in the spring. Show them the picture of the flowers on the packet explaining that this is what we hope to grow. contrastthe dead-lookin gbulb with the pretty flowers. How can this be? Let the children help to wash the pots and saucers. Talk to the children about how the bulbs will be planted: two will be planted in soil, as they should be, but two will be planted in water so that they can watch the bulb growing. Let them help to fill the pots with 1 inch of soil - first placing the small stones at the bottom to help let excess water drain away. Place the bulb in position and pack more soil around it, pressing the soil down firmly, up to half and inch below the top of the bulb. Water the bulbs well. Provide clean glass jars. Fill them with water to half an inch of the neck and place the bulbs over the top. Explain that the bulb should not actually make contact with the water or it will rot, so a space is left. Some of the water will dry up (evaporate), keeping the air damp. There may already be some roots showing - some may be old, or there may be some new ones too. Mark the level of the water with a strip of paper. Other children can make labels for the pots and jars, giving the colour, and the date planted. These can then be fastened on. Then explain to the children that the plant needs to make strong roots. Bulbs grow better in a dark place. Find a dark cupboard where they can be safely positioned. Explain how when the plants are under the soil, they are in a dark place. Perform simple tests: If you wish, you could plant one more in a jar and another in a pot to keep on the window sill for comparison. Observing closely and recording data: Prepare a large sheet of paper (about A3 size at least) to pin up in the classroom. Draw three columns and label them: date, growth of root and growth of shoot. It is unnecessary and overly cumbersome on the young child to ask him/her to record at this level. Let the teacher write, and a photo of the record kept in case proof of the lesson is needed. Keep the children's' interest alive and don't kill it with desk work. There is time for that when they are older. Each week, the bulbs in jars should be brought out and inspected. Any changes should be recorded on the sheet. The length of the roots can be judged approximately (!/4 way down the jar/1/2 way/fills the jar/etc..). The length of the shoot can be measured with a ruler. You could of course draw up a simple graph of the length of the shoot. Once the roots are well established, you can bring the bulbs out into the light. Opportunities can now be given for groups of children to take turns to make drawings to show the stages of growth of the bulbs. These drawings could be in a little, purpose made book. You could use the front cover given in this pack. Once the flowers appear, a further lesson can be taken on the flowers and their structure, with more drawings taking place.
Share the sense of excitement that such a project brings as each week the plants are brought out and changes observed.
Extension activities:
Download our FREE Bulb pack to have these notes to hand and more...
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Welcome Hello, I am Lilibette (B.Ed Hons Early Years, Studies in the Environment Specialism Course), here to encourage the next generation to love the natural world, and thereby learn the necessary skills and knowledge to look after it in the years ahead. Read more... Categories
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