OBJECTIVE
Students will be able to determine if an object we use in the garden is living or nonliving and why.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
What do living things need to survive and grow?
MATERIALS NEEDED
A variety of seeds
A variety of fruits and vegetables Bowls of soil
Bottles of water
A picture of the sun
Trays labeled “living” and “nonliving”
PROCEDURE
Introduction: Review what students know about living things.
How do you know if something is living or nonliving?
Make a list on the board of the characteristics of living things. (They grow/change, reproduce, move, need food, air and water).
Next, ask students to list living and nonliving things.
Activity: Each table has a collection of items (seeds, soil, water, vegetables). They also have two trays: one labeled “living” and one labeled “nonliving”.
Taking turns, the students have to each put an item onto one of the trays, according to where they think that item belongs.
When all the items have been put onto a tray, students come back together in the circle.
Wrap up/ Assessment:
Bring one of each tray to show the students, and go through each item together. End with a discussion around seeds, and how they are living.
What are the things that the seed needs to grow into one of these vegetables? Soil, air, water, and sunlight.