Beverly,
Just a few ideas off the top of my head:
1) "bury" some plant fossils (real ones) in dishpans filled with
vermiculite then supply large artist brushes or cheap 1.5 inch paint
brushes to brush away the vermiculite and reveal the fossil. Bury it again
for the next child. Follow with pressing leaves into plaster of paris to
create "fossils" (you can use cupcake cups of plaster or artist's clay and
small leaves like ivy or Creeping Charlie weed from your lawn/garden).
2) soak lima bean seeds overnight then dissect them to find the "baby"
plant inside the seed. Then, supply small cups of soil and lima bean seeds
which they can plant and take home to see how the "baby" grows.
3) bring in some dried plant stalks with dried flower heads/seed heads.
Supply wooly mittens which the children can brush across the plants to see
what happens. Ask children how they think the seeds hold on... by
adhesive, hooks, barbs, etc. Look through a microscope to see the answer.
Have some velcro for comparison. Get children to think about why this is
an advantage to the plant. What does it accomplish for the plant? Does it
harm the animal vector?
4) take a tablespoon of birdseed and sort the various kinds of seed into
cups of egg cartons. Calculate the percentage of each type of seed in the
mixture. Identify the seeds by comparing with a chart which you have
already prepared. Take the tray home and tack it to the side of a tree or
porch railing and see which kind of seed the birds prefer. Starting with
the same number of seeds in each compartment, which disappears first?
Watch from inside the house to see if different kinds of birds prefer
different seeds.
5) from a container of pond water which you bring in, have the children
look at it under the microscope to see the organisms. Compare with
drinking water.
6) put cuttings of mums or other plants in cups of sand, add water, put in
zip-loc plastic bags to take home (or you can plant directly into the
plastic bag then the students can watch root growth directly). Tape small
instruction sheet to outside of bag: 1. keep soil evenly moist at all
times; do not allow to dry out. 2. keep pot in plastic bag but open bag
from time to time if too much water collects on the inside 3. Keep plant
in good light but not in direct sunlight. 4. Check carefully for root
growth then remove from bag and transplant to pot of regular soil.
7) get free plastic film canisters from local photo processor. Pre-punch
two small holes on opposite sides, near top of can. Thread cotton string
or yarn through holes and knot to form a necklace. Fill can halfway with
good potting mix. Add 4-6 pieces of time-release fertilizer like Osmocote.
Add more soil to within .25 inch from top. Add two seeds of Fast Plants.
Cover very lightly with soil. Put cap on to take home but remove cap
immediately. Wear as necklace on way home and after germination. Watch
plant growth, even to the flowering stage. Older children can learn about
pollinating the plants so they get fruit and seed development. See more
about fast plants at http://www.fastplants.org You can "farm" your own
crop of fast plants to produce large quantities of seed very inexpensively.
Dave
>Hi to all!
>>Our local science museum asks scientists to come in on Saturdays and do
>something interactive with kids. The kids are wandering by various
>displays and may stop at our tables for 5-10 minutes max. I need some
>intriguing, interactive plant ideas for ages from toddler to 3rd or 4th
>grade. Some things which come to mind:
>>celery and food dye
>resurrection plants
>leaf prints
>bee and flower finger puppets or hats (xerox on white paper and have the
>kids color and cut - with help cutting for the little ones)
>>We could have 50 or 1500 (!!!really this could happen if it is a rainy
>day) so things which can be copied in a hurry or are really inexpensive
>are a must.
>>All ideas greatly appreciated!
>>Beverly
>>>--
>_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:
>>Beverly J. Brown, Ph.D. Phone: 716-389-2555
>Nazareth College of Rochester Fax: 716-586-2452
>Biology Department E-mail: bjbrown at naz.edu>4245 East Avenue
>Rochester, NY 14618-3790
>_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_
>:>>>>>---
*********************
David W. Kramer, Chair
Education Committee
Botanical Society of America
http://www.botany.org
Asst. Prof. of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology
Ohio State University at Mansfield
1680 University Drive
Mansfield, OH 44906-1547
Phone: (419) 755-4344 FAX: (419) 755-4367
e-mail: kramer.8 at osu.edu
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