- chart paper
- story figures for The Carrot Seed (boy, seed, mother, father, brother, watering can, carrot, wheelbarrow—you can photocopy characters from the book and laminate)
- tape
- grow
- plant
- seed
MA Standards
Literature/RL.PK.MA.2: With prompting and support, retell a sequence of events from a story read aloud.
Speaking and Listening/SL.PK.MA.1a: Observe and use appropriate ways of interacting in a group (e.g., taking turns in talking, listening to peers, waiting to speak until another person is finished talking, asking questions and waiting for an answer, gaining the floor in appropriate ways).
Head Start Outcomes
Social Emotional Development/Self-Regulation: Follows simple rules, routines, and directions.
Language Development/Receptive Language: Attends to language during conversations, songs, stories, or other learning experiences.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
English Language Arts/Language 1: Observe and use appropriate ways of interacting in a group (taking turns in talking; listening to peers; waiting until someone is finished; asking questions and waiting for an answer; gaining the floor in appropriate ways).
English Language Arts/Reading and Literature 12: Listen to, recite, sing, and dramatize a variety of age-appropriate literature.
Sing Together: “The Boy Plants a Seed”
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
STEM Key Concepts: Some plants start from seeds; Plants need water, food, and sunlight to grow; Some parts of plants are below the ground and some above
ELA Focus Skills: Phonological Awareness, Recall and Retell, Sequencing, Vocabulary
Review the steps that the boy took to grow a carrot. Then sing “The Boy Plants a Seed” using hand motions to demonstrate each step. Have children join in. The song will help children retell the story.
Then display the story figures for The Carrot Seed. Ask children to identify each one. Encourage children to help you retell the story. Tape the boy and the seed on the chart paper and say, A little boy . . . Pause to let children complete the sentence: “plants a seed.” Next, place the mother on the board and say, His mother says . . . Prompt children to complete the sentence: “It won’t come up.” Continue retelling the story in this manner.
Place the story figures in the Pretend and Play Center and encourage children to retell the story on their own. You may want to tape a craft stick to the back of each character, so children can use them as play props to retell the story.
The Boy Plants a Seed
(sung to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell”)
The boy plants a seed,
The boy plants a seed,
Hi, ho, watch it grow,
The boy plants a seed.
The boy waters the seed,
The boy waters the seed,
Hi, ho, watch it grow,
The boy waters the seed.
The boy pulls the weeds,
The boy pulls the weeds,
Hi, ho, watch it grow,
The boy pulls the weeds.
The carrot comes up!
The carrot comes up!
Hi, ho, watch it grow
Just like he knew it would!
Adaptation: Depending on the make-up of the group, you may want to switch the subject of the song to “child” or alternate verses between “girl” and “boy.”
Adaptation: With very young children, sing the song to one child at a time.
Social Emotional Tip: Encourage children to partake in role-playing to help them develop self-awareness and expression.