Flowers, Plants and Gardening-Week of April 13, 2013

Flowers, Plants and Gardening

This week we focused on flowers, plants and gardening. We planted wild flowers, yellow pear tomatoes and sweet basil. Through participating in our lessons the children learned parts of a flower, how to care for a plant, places flowers grow and how fruits come from flowers. Concepts we focused on this week included flowers are plants, flower can become fruit, and flowers need soil, water and sun to grow. New vocabulary introduced included flower, plant, fruit, sun, soil, seed, stem, leaves, and roots.

Suzianne helping plant our sweet basil.

Our new yellow pear tomatoe plant.

 

All is great in the world of Eco Baby, Suzianne and Wallach has adjusted to one another this week. Suzianne has learned a thing or two from Wallach, she now likes to use a spoon when eating and loves to play with toy cars. Wallach has found his place at Eco Baby, he loves digging outside and is very helpful watering our plants. He also enjoys spraying the water up in the air keeping us nice and cool on hot summer days. However both Suzianne and Wallach dislike having their hands dirty, this includes play dough, paint, sand or dirt. Quirky cuteness :o)

 

ART ACTIVITIES

 

SEED COLLAGE ON PAPER PLATES

 Suzianne's seed collage

 Wallach Seed Collage

 

EGG CARTON FLOWERS

 Left side is Wallach's egg carton flower and on the right we have Suzianne's egg carton flower

 

COUNTING FLOWERS

 

COLORING FLOWERS

Suzianne was very focused coloring her flower.

 

 

DRIED FRUIT BRACELETS

Stringing fruit and cereal is great for fine motor development.

 

TOILET PAPER ROLL BIRD FEEDER

Wallach enjoyed trying the almond butter, and rolling it into the seeds.

 

PAPER PLATE FLOWER COLLAGE

 Suzianne really enjoyed scrunching up the paper and throwing it on the table :o)

 

FRUIT STAMPING

Love to see them creating masterpieces side by side

 

Tiny bear showing off her orange fruit stamping

 

MAKE PLAY DOUGH

Thursday Wallach worked with playdough. He was very helpful at measuring and counting all the ingredients. However he did not like to mix with his hands only the spoon.

 

The children can make trees, worms, and flower shapes. (There are more than 40 recipes in the Play Dough Category...even one for fossils and dough that looks like mud!)

PLAY DOUGH that LOOKS LIKE MUD!
Bring 3 cups water and 3 tablespoons vegetable oil to a boil.
While the mixture is heating, put 3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cream of tartar, and 1 1/2 cups salt into a large bowl. Carefully mix the wet and dry together and knead until smooth.
For the MUD additions, add brown tempera paint (either dry or liquid) and 2 or 3 Tablespoons of coffee grounds. It really looks like dirt!

 

SONGS

Daisies

One, two, three, four, five (pop up fingers one at a time)

Little daisies all alive (wiggle fingers)

Here they are all in row (point to fingers standing)

The sun and rain will help them grow

 (make a circle for sun and flutter fingers for the rain)

My Garden

This is my garden (extend one hand forward with palm up)

I’ll rake it with care (raking motion with fingers)

And then some flower seeds (planting motion)

I’ll plant it right there, the sun will shine (make a circle with hands)

And then rain will fall (let your fingers flutter down to your lap)

And my garden will blossom (cup hands together and extend forward slowly)

And grow straight and tall

BOOKS & STORYTIME

 

 

Other books we read included...

 

Fowler, Allan. (1993). What's your favorite flower?

Jordan, Helene J. (1992). How a seed grows

Wexler, Jerome. (1990). Flowers fruit seeds

 

                                       RANDOM CUTENESS

 

 

Next week LADYBUGS!!!!! Wednesday we expect a shipment of 1500. Wow!