LEARNING PLAN

I. Activity Information

a. Children will plant an indoor sponge garden and watch it grow.

b. Science

c. This activity will take place on October 21, 2015 at 9:00 am.

II. Children Involved

a. Children are ages 4 to 5 years old.

b. Children will participate in small groups of four children on a rotating basis.

III. Primary Learning Outcome

a.  Children will be able to learn about nature and the process of growing plants. Children will also learn to care for a plant to help it grow.

IV. Goals and Objectives

a. Social Development:

1. Most of the children will take turns using the materials.

2. All of the children will work as a group to do the activity.

3. Most of the children will interact with one another to talk about what they are doing.

b. Emotional Development:

1. All of the children will enjoy creating their indoor sponge garden.

2. Most of the children will understand the different steps there are to plant.

3. Most of the children will feel accomplished knowing they can make something grow.

c. Cognitive/Language Development:

1. Most of the children will learn the concept of planting and caring for a plant after it is planted.

2. Some of the children will discover why we are using a sponge in the activity instead of dirt.

3. All of the children will use their language and literacy skills to communicate with one another to help each other with the activity.

d. Physical Development:

1. All of the children will use their fine motor skills when placing the seeds on the sponge.

2. All of the children will use at least 4 of the 5 senses.

3. Most of the children will use their eye-hand coordination when placing seeds on the sponge and watering the seeds.

e. Creative Expression:

1. Most of the children will show their originality when making their garden.

2. Most of the children will use their non-verbal self-expression.

3. All of the children will use their verbal self-expression to explain what they are doing, how they are doing it and how they will care for it.

f. Provision for Individual Differences

1. A few of the children will need help placing the seeds on the sponge.

2. A few of the children will need help understanding how the seeds will grow on the sponge.

3. A few of the children will need reminding of the steps to plant the indoor sponge garden.

V. Materials and Preparation

a. Materials Needed: New and clean sponges, small plates, grass seeds, water and plastic wrap.

b. Space required is a table with 4 to 5 chairs near the sink.

c. Set-up Required: All the materials will be placed at the center of the table so the children can access them easily.

VI. Procedures (step-by-step description)

a. Introduction to the activity will be an opening question, ‘Have you planted a garden before?’

b. When the children sit at the table, I will explain the activity and ask them to name the different materials in front of them. I will then ask each child to take a plate and a sponge from the center and sent the sponge on the plate. Then I will ask the children what they think comes next and have them place the seeds on the sponge without dropping them on the plate. When the children are done placing the seeds on the damp sponge, I will ask them again what they think comes next and have them sprinkle the seeds with water and cover their garden with the plastic wrap.

c. Language/Discussion/Questions: I will ask the children, ‘Have you planted a garden before? What kind of materials do I have on the table? What do you think comes next? How will you care for the garden?’

d. Closure: Once the children have completed their activity I will ask them to place their garden in a safe place and go wash their hands.

e. Clean-up: The children will clean up their area and leave the space reado for another child to participate in the activity.

VII. Evaluation (to be done with cooperating teacher if possible after the activity)

a. Primary Learning Outcome

b. Objectives: evaluate each objective one by one giving evidence

c. Follow-up Activities Recommended

d. Changes Considered