- building blocks of different sizes and shapes
- craft sticks
- laminated flower seed packets
- large sheet of brown construction paper
- large sheet of craft foam
- plastic flowers
- small square of craft foam
- tape
- soil
- flower
- garden
- plant
MA Standards:
English Language Arts/Speaking and Listening/SL.PK.MA.5 Create representations of experiences or stories (e.g., drawings, constructions with blocks or other materials, clay models) and explain them to others.
Head Start Outcomes:
Approaches to Learning/Initiative and Curiosity Demonstrates flexibility, imagination, and inventiveness in approaching tasks and activities.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
Science and Technology/Physical Sciences 20 Create representations of experiences or stories (e.g., drawings, constructions with blocks or other materials, clay models) and explain them to others.
Build a Garden
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
Skill Focus: Small Motor Skills, Math (Patterns), Vocabulary
Tell children you want them to build a block garden. First hold up the craft foam square and show children how you can poke a plastic flower in it and the flower will stand up. Place the large sheet of craft foam on the floor and cover it with brown paper. Ask, What part of the garden do you think the brown paper is? (dirt, soil)
Have children build a block wall around the craft foam so the dirt doesn’t fall out. Encourage children to make rows with the blocks so they can plant rows of similar plants together in between the blocks. Tell children to “plant” their garden in rows. Encourage them to make labels for their rows of plants by taping a craft stick on the back of a seed packet. Ask, Why do you think you need to label the rows of plants? (remember what was planted)
Encourage children to have a garden showing for other children and talk about their plants and garden.