Classroom Close-Up
“I brought in different kinds of citrus fruit—oranges, grapefruit, and limes. Then I cut them open and the children looked at the different parts—the seeds, the sections, the pulp, and the skin. We talked about how they’re alike (“They all have seeds”) and how they’re different (“The skin has different colors”). Now we’re going to let the seeds dry out and plant them. I wonder if any of them will grow.”
—Terry, preschool teacher
“I uprooted one of the onion bulbs we had planted and laid it on a tray so kids could see how the roots had grown underground. “Tell me about what you see,” I said as the kids gathered around.
“Roots,” everyone chimed in.
“Why do you think plants have roots anyway?” I asked.
Jenny said, “They need roots to grow.”
“What else do plants need to grow?” I asked.
Ben said, “Water.” (He’s always the first to volunteer to water the plants.)
Moustafa said, “The roots are like straws that drink the water. It’s like their mouth!”
—Terry, preschool teacher