OBJECTIVE

Students will draw how a plant change over time

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

What is a bulb?

What does a plant need to grow?

MATERIALS NEEDED

• Paperwhite bulbs
• clear plastic container at least 6 inches deep
• large rocks or gravel
• watering can
• printed ​bulb observation sheets​ (one per student)
• an example bulb observation sheet that a teacher has drawn on
• brown, black, and green colored pencils
• photos of fully grown paperwhites
• Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert (optional)

PROCEDURE

Print out bulb observation sheets and fill one out as an example

Introduction:​

Tell the children that since it’s too cold to work in the garden outside, we’re going to grow a little garden inside. If you want, read ​Planting a Rainbow​ by Lois Ehlert. Show the children the paperwhite bulbs and let them pass them around. Point out the little sprout on top, and any roots that are growing out of the bottom. Explain that a bulb is kind of like a seed because it grows into a plant. Ask them if they can name the two things this bulb needs to grow: water and sun. If they guess that the bulb needs soil, explain that usually plants get their food from soil, but a bulb has all the food it needs in the brown part. Because of this we can grow it in rocks rather than soil! Show them how the container is clear, which will let us watch the roots as they grow through the rocks.

Week One: ​

Let the children work together to fill the container 1⁄2- 3⁄4 full with gravel, then have them gently place the bulbs on top. Have students explore the bulb and figure out which side to have pointing up. Use the watering can to fill the container until the water level just reaches the bottoms of the bulbs.
Show the children the example bulb observation sheet with week one filled in. Explain that we’re going to draw the bulbs every week. Show students where to draw what their bulb looks like today.
Before they get started, help the children explain what they see when they look at the bulb. Ask them what color and shape the bottom of the bulb is- a brown circle! Ask them what color and shape the sprout is- a green point! If they get stuck while drawing, remind them of these descriptions.

Wrap Up/ Assessment​:

Have students draw week one.

FOLLOW UP & EXTENSIONS

• Continue to fill out the Bulb Observation Sheet for the next four weeks. Notice with the students the changes that occur. Ask the children if they remember how small it was when we started, and now it’s tall and has flowers! Let the children smell the flowers, and look at how many roots are growing on the bottom. Let each child take their bulb observation sheet home.

• Dissect a bulb to see what’s inside