Veggies That Hide Lesson Plan

What We Are Learning

plants

root, leaves, stem

rhyming words

number recognition, counting

The Surprise Garden by Zoe Hall is a simple primer on how plants grow, but with a fun hook. Before reading, ask children if they have ever seen plants growing in a garden. What was growing there? Then ask children to predict what will grow in this garden! text pairing

Science: Root Veggie Taste Test

Materials: “Root Veggie Taste Test” skill sheet, root vegetables (see suggestions below), crayons

Now that children have learned that they can eat roots, let them taste a few!
Gather edible plant roots. For example, you could use beets, carrots, and radishes. Set out plates of each root veggie, labeled with the name.
Pass out the skill sheet, and let kids try the different root vegetables. Then have them record their findings by drawing what they ate and coloring a face to show whether they liked it.
If you’d like, you can use the data to graph what the class thought of each root veggie. Which was the favorite? Which was the least favorite? nutrition

Materials: romaine lettuce heart, knife, clear jar or bowl, toothpicks, water, magnifying glass, paper, crayons

This super simple experiment lets children watch a plant sprout in real time.
Cut the bottom off a heart of romaine lettuce. Put four toothpicks in the bottom of the heart to hold it up, and put the heart in a bowl. Add enough water so the bottom of the heart sits in an inch of water and the top is sticking up. Put the bowl in a sunny spot, and check it daily. If the bottom of the heart is not submerged, add water. It should sprout within days and grow quickly.
Set up an observation station with paper, crayons, and a magnifying glass. Have children stop by a few times a week to examine the lettuce. What is happening? How is it changing? Have them draw what they see. observation and recording