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plants

Easy Study Of Photosynthesis & Plant Cell Activities For Kids

March 21, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have some fun plant cell activities for kids who love hands-on learning. Also, look at my post 4 Weeks Free Plant Unit Study And Best Hands-On Ideas for more activities.

Teaching kids about photosynthesis and plant cells doesn’t have to be boring.

So, I have a quick and easy study packet for learning what is photosynthesis.

Easy Study Of Photosynthesis & Plant Cell Activities For Kids

And photosynthesis is the process that plants use to make food.

Understanding the structure of a plant cell is another way to help kids grasp photosynthesis.

With these easy activities and the quick and easy study of photosynthesis, kids will understand how plants make food.

PLANT BOOKS FOR KIDS

9 Plant Books for Kids Who Read and Love to Be Read To

 Add a few of these books about plants to your home library or to your unit study.

Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring The Earth To Life

Living Sunlight shows children, teachers, and parents the remarkable magic of what makes us human.This informative yet dramatic book will mesmerize readers and help further a child's understanding of the energy we share with all living things in nature. We are all dancing sunlight. The book is co-authored by award-winning M.I.T. professor Penny Chisholm, a leading expert on ocean science. A perfect addition to any library!

Rooting for Plants: The Unstoppable Charles S. Parker, Black Botanist and Collector

In 1882, Black botanist and mycologist Charles S. Parker sprouted up in the lush, green Pacific Northwest. From the beginning, Charles’s passion was plants, and he trudged through forests, climbed mountains, and waded into lakes to find them. When he was drafted to fight in World War I, Charles experienced prejudice against Black soldiers and witnessed the massive ecological devastation that war caused. Those experiences made him even more determined to follow his dreams, whatever the difficulties, and to have a career making things grow, not destroying them.As a botanist and teacher, Charles traveled the United States, searching for new species of plants and fungi. After discovering the source of the disease killing peach and apricot trees, Charles was offered a job at Howard University, the famed historically Black college where he taught the next generation of Black scientists—men and women—to love plants and fungi as much as he did.

Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas

How do mothers and fathers—whether they are apple trees, sheep, or humans—pass down traits to their children? This question fascinated Gregor Mendel throughout his life. Regarded as the world’s first geneticist, Mendel overcame poverty and obscurity to discover one of the fundamental aspects of genetic science: animals, plants, and people all inherit and pass down traits through the same process, following the same rules.

Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story

This picture book biography examines the life and career of naturalist and artist Anna Comstock (1854-1930), who defied social conventions and pursued the study of science. From the time she was a young girl, Anna Comstock was fascinated by the natural world. She loved exploring outdoors, examining wildlife and learning nature's secrets. From watching the teamwork of marching ants to following the constellations in the sky, Anna observed it all. And her interest only increased as she grew older and went to college at Cornell University. There she continued her studies, pushing back against those social conventions that implied science was a man's pursuit. Eventually Anna became known as a nature expert, pioneering a movement to encourage schools to conduct science and nature classes for children outdoors, thereby increasing students' interest in nature. In following her passion, this remarkable woman blazed a trail for female scientists today.

In the Garden with Dr. Carver

Sally is a young girl living in rural Alabama in the early 1900s, a time when people were struggling to grow food in soil that had been depleted by years of cotton production. One day, Dr. George Washington Carver shows up to help the grown-ups with their farms and the children with their school garden. He teaches them how to restore the soil and respect the balance of nature. He even prepares a delicious lunch made of plants, including "chicken" made from peanuts. And Sally never forgets the lessons this wise man leaves in her heart and mind. Susan Grigsby's warm story shines new light on a Black scientist who was ahead of his time.

A World of Plants

Covering more than twenty-five subjects, from photosynthesis and permaculture to the hidden world of Victorian plant hunters, this stylish illustrated guide is packed with scientific insight into the critical role plants play in the drama of life on Earth. Did you know that some plants steal while others defend themselves against attack? That the largest cacti can reach sixty-six feet tall and weigh more than a car? That there are meat-eating plants the size of footballs? Readers young and old will marvel at the wondrous diversity and adaptability of plants, from trees and tropical species to those that have evolved to master extreme conditions. A brisk narrative bursting with facts—all carefully organized with maps and charts in richly patterned vintage-style illustrations—make for a vivid guide to all that grows . . . and a beautiful gift book for anyone interested in the environment.

Notes on Plants and Flowers: The Nature Notebook

Originally published in the early 1900's by Anna Comstock. This book, Notes on Plants and Flowers, contains the following information: How to Understand a Plant, How to understand a flower; along with multiple forms to fill in while in the field, to aid in the identification of plants and flowers.

Anna Comstock intended that the pupil would use these notebooks to create their very own field guides by observing local flora and fauna with which they should be very familiar.

This is an 8.5x11 workbook for students, featuring short illustrated chapters on identifying parts of plants and flowers along with multiple forms for the pupil to complete.

First Studies of Plant Life (Yesterday's Classics)

A guide to discovery of the forces at work in the world of plants. Through germinating seeds and varying their growing conditions, students learn by observation the different ways seeds germinate and young plants respond to moisture and light. Further experiments shed light on the manner of nourishment, respiration, and reproduction. The reader is given plenty to ponder since the text often poses questions without supplying answers. The life stories of the sweet pea, oak, ferns, moss, and mushrooms and an account of some of the forces plants have to contend with in their struggle to survive encourage students to continue to read and interpret their surroundings. An engaging introduction to botany for middle school and beyond.

Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities

A tree that sheds poison daggers; a glistening red seed that stops the heart; a shrub that causes paralysis; a vine that strangles; and a leaf that triggered a war. In Wicked Plants, Stewart takes on over two hundred of Mother Nature’s most appalling creations. It’s an A to Z of plants that kill, maim, intoxicate, and otherwise offend. You’ll learn which plants to avoid (like exploding shrubs), which plants make themselves exceedingly unwelcome (like the vine that ate the South), and which ones have been killing for centuries (like the weed that killed Abraham Lincoln's mother). Menacing botanical illustrations and splendidly ghastly drawings create a fascinating portrait of the evildoers that may be lurking in your own backyard. Drawing on history, medicine, science, and legend, this compendium of bloodcurdling botany will entertain, alarm, and enlighten even the most intrepid gardeners and nature lovers.

Then look at some plant cell activities for kids.

PLANT CELL ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

  • How to Make a Plant Cell Model Edible for Kids
  • Learn All About Cells with Slime
  • Plant Cell Model – Edible Science Project
  • Plant Cell Model Activity for Kids with Printables to Use
Easy Study Of Photosynthesis & Plant Cell Activities For Kids

Next, look what is included in this download.

ABOUT THE QUICK AND EASY PHOTOSYNTHESIS STUDY

Look what is included in this download.

(3) informational pages
(2) 1 label page and answers
(2) Vocabulary matching and answers

HOW TO USE THE QUICK AND EASY STUDY PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Because this is a quick study, use it to teach your lessons for a few days when you add the hands-on activities listed below.

Most elementary children will be able to do this on their on.

Use it for:

  • Also, fold the pages as minibooks and add to your notebooks.
  • independent study for your elementary aged children
  • use them to add to a lapbook. Grab my Plant Lapbook and add your pages there. Look at my post How to Turn Boring Worksheets into Fun Minibooks – From Boring to Interactive to fold your worksheets to add to a lapbook.

HOW TO GET THE QUICK AND EASY STUDY: PHOTOSYNTHESIS

You can download the printable quick study of photosynthesis now!

All my products are digital. You will not receive a physical product for anything in my store.

Downloads are INSTANT. When you pay, you will receive an email with a download link INSTANTLY. Depending on your internet connection, the email could be just 30 seconds or so, or a bit longer. The point is it will be soon, not a week later,etc.

Easy Study Of Photosynthesis & Plant Cell Activities For Kids
  • Quick And Easy Study: Photosynthesis How Do Plant Cells Make Food

    Quick And Easy Study: Photosynthesis How Do Plant Cells Make Food

    $2.00
    Add to cart

The email with the download link will go to the email you used for paypal. If you used your husband’s paypal, your downloads will go to that email. Please check that email and your spam before emailing me telling me you can’t find it.

Please put my email tina @ tinasdynamichomeschoolplus dot com (take out the space and substitute the right symbol for dot) in your address/contact list so that your product does not go to spam.

MY GUARANTEE: To treat you like I want to be treated which means I know at times technical problems may cause glitches, so I will do everything possible to make your experience here pleasant.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, life science, plant, plant cell, plants, science

4 Weeks Free Plant Unit Study And Best Hands-On Ideas

February 20, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a 4-weeks free plant unit study and some fun hands-on ideas. Also, look at my pages Best Homeschool Unit Studies for more unit study themes.

Kids love learning about plants.

You can teach about the parts that make a plant.

4 Weeks Free Plant Unit Study And Best Hands-On Ideas

How do they get their food and how do they reproduce is another question.

And there are different kinds of plants. For example, there are trees, flowers, bushes and grasses.

Too, this unit study could be exhaustive if were to list what plant we eat at every meal.

And we use plants to make clothes, make furniture and even to make medicine.

In addition, learn about the basic needs of a plant or if plants need soil to grow.

Plus, I will list some vocabulary words in the unit

First, look at some of these books.

BOOKS ABOUT PLANTS FOR KIDS

Use them as a spine or for additional reading.

9 Plant Books for Kids Who Read and Love to Be Read To

 Add a few of these books about plants to your home library or to your unit study.

Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring The Earth To Life

Living Sunlight shows children, teachers, and parents the remarkable magic of what makes us human.This informative yet dramatic book will mesmerize readers and help further a child's understanding of the energy we share with all living things in nature. We are all dancing sunlight. The book is co-authored by award-winning M.I.T. professor Penny Chisholm, a leading expert on ocean science. A perfect addition to any library!

Rooting for Plants: The Unstoppable Charles S. Parker, Black Botanist and Collector

In 1882, Black botanist and mycologist Charles S. Parker sprouted up in the lush, green Pacific Northwest. From the beginning, Charles’s passion was plants, and he trudged through forests, climbed mountains, and waded into lakes to find them. When he was drafted to fight in World War I, Charles experienced prejudice against Black soldiers and witnessed the massive ecological devastation that war caused. Those experiences made him even more determined to follow his dreams, whatever the difficulties, and to have a career making things grow, not destroying them.As a botanist and teacher, Charles traveled the United States, searching for new species of plants and fungi. After discovering the source of the disease killing peach and apricot trees, Charles was offered a job at Howard University, the famed historically Black college where he taught the next generation of Black scientists—men and women—to love plants and fungi as much as he did.

Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas

How do mothers and fathers—whether they are apple trees, sheep, or humans—pass down traits to their children? This question fascinated Gregor Mendel throughout his life. Regarded as the world’s first geneticist, Mendel overcame poverty and obscurity to discover one of the fundamental aspects of genetic science: animals, plants, and people all inherit and pass down traits through the same process, following the same rules.

Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story

This picture book biography examines the life and career of naturalist and artist Anna Comstock (1854-1930), who defied social conventions and pursued the study of science. From the time she was a young girl, Anna Comstock was fascinated by the natural world. She loved exploring outdoors, examining wildlife and learning nature's secrets. From watching the teamwork of marching ants to following the constellations in the sky, Anna observed it all. And her interest only increased as she grew older and went to college at Cornell University. There she continued her studies, pushing back against those social conventions that implied science was a man's pursuit. Eventually Anna became known as a nature expert, pioneering a movement to encourage schools to conduct science and nature classes for children outdoors, thereby increasing students' interest in nature. In following her passion, this remarkable woman blazed a trail for female scientists today.

In the Garden with Dr. Carver

Sally is a young girl living in rural Alabama in the early 1900s, a time when people were struggling to grow food in soil that had been depleted by years of cotton production. One day, Dr. George Washington Carver shows up to help the grown-ups with their farms and the children with their school garden. He teaches them how to restore the soil and respect the balance of nature. He even prepares a delicious lunch made of plants, including "chicken" made from peanuts. And Sally never forgets the lessons this wise man leaves in her heart and mind. Susan Grigsby's warm story shines new light on a Black scientist who was ahead of his time.

A World of Plants

Covering more than twenty-five subjects, from photosynthesis and permaculture to the hidden world of Victorian plant hunters, this stylish illustrated guide is packed with scientific insight into the critical role plants play in the drama of life on Earth. Did you know that some plants steal while others defend themselves against attack? That the largest cacti can reach sixty-six feet tall and weigh more than a car? That there are meat-eating plants the size of footballs? Readers young and old will marvel at the wondrous diversity and adaptability of plants, from trees and tropical species to those that have evolved to master extreme conditions. A brisk narrative bursting with facts—all carefully organized with maps and charts in richly patterned vintage-style illustrations—make for a vivid guide to all that grows . . . and a beautiful gift book for anyone interested in the environment.

Notes on Plants and Flowers: The Nature Notebook

Originally published in the early 1900's by Anna Comstock. This book, Notes on Plants and Flowers, contains the following information: How to Understand a Plant, How to understand a flower; along with multiple forms to fill in while in the field, to aid in the identification of plants and flowers.

Anna Comstock intended that the pupil would use these notebooks to create their very own field guides by observing local flora and fauna with which they should be very familiar.

This is an 8.5x11 workbook for students, featuring short illustrated chapters on identifying parts of plants and flowers along with multiple forms for the pupil to complete.

First Studies of Plant Life (Yesterday's Classics)

A guide to discovery of the forces at work in the world of plants. Through germinating seeds and varying their growing conditions, students learn by observation the different ways seeds germinate and young plants respond to moisture and light. Further experiments shed light on the manner of nourishment, respiration, and reproduction. The reader is given plenty to ponder since the text often poses questions without supplying answers. The life stories of the sweet pea, oak, ferns, moss, and mushrooms and an account of some of the forces plants have to contend with in their struggle to survive encourage students to continue to read and interpret their surroundings. An engaging introduction to botany for middle school and beyond.

Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities

A tree that sheds poison daggers; a glistening red seed that stops the heart; a shrub that causes paralysis; a vine that strangles; and a leaf that triggered a war. In Wicked Plants, Stewart takes on over two hundred of Mother Nature’s most appalling creations. It’s an A to Z of plants that kill, maim, intoxicate, and otherwise offend. You’ll learn which plants to avoid (like exploding shrubs), which plants make themselves exceedingly unwelcome (like the vine that ate the South), and which ones have been killing for centuries (like the weed that killed Abraham Lincoln's mother). Menacing botanical illustrations and splendidly ghastly drawings create a fascinating portrait of the evildoers that may be lurking in your own backyard. Drawing on history, medicine, science, and legend, this compendium of bloodcurdling botany will entertain, alarm, and enlighten even the most intrepid gardeners and nature lovers.

Next, look at some of these ideas for history and geography.

HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY PLANT UNIT STUDY IDEAS WEEK 1

The historical use of plants in ancient civilizations, exploration, and trade have been valuable to human society.

You can focus on a time like Native Americans and their uses of plant for medicine to the amazing Dr. Carver who helped farmers with poor soil.

And think about preparing trioramas to learn about the different biomes or geography of plants.

Look at some of these ideas from the beautiful gardens in Ancient Babylon to early making of paper.

  • Hands-on Ancient Babylon: Hanging Gardens Fun Activity
  • Hands-on Ancient Mesopotamia: Easy STEM Irrigation Activity
  • How to Make an Easy Rainforest Triorama With Kids
  • What Plants And Animals Did Lewis And Clark Discover on their Famous Trek & Bitterroot Craft
  • Quick and Easy Ancient Chinese Paper making for Kids
  • Easy Composting With the Amazing Dr. George Carver (Free Printable About Compost
  • How to Make A Desert Triorama About the Gobi, Sahara, & Antarctica

In addition, learn about plant based food around the world while learning geography.

NATURE & SCIENCE PLANT UNIT STUDY IDEAS WEEK 2

Next, since this is a study of plants it is heavy science based.

For example, one cool fact is that chlorophyll helps plants make food from sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water.

  • How to Make a Plant Cell Model Edible for Kids
  • How To Make Plastic Bottle Little Greenhouses | 5 Plastic Bottle Craft Ideas
  • How to Make a Fun Kids Root Viewer
  • Foraging and Feasting Nature Unit Study and Lapbook 
  • Growing a Seed Activity
  • Fun Kids Activity How to Make Wildflower Seed Bombs
  • How to Easily Make Fun Seed Tape With Kids
  • Simple and Fun Hands-On Water Cycle Activity For Kids
  • Wildflowers Unit Study & Lapbook
  • Dissect a bean seed 
  • Leaves change colors experiment 

Also, look at this fun plant lapbook to give your child a hands-on tool for learning about plants.

Dynamic Plant Lapbook

You can get it now!

  • Dynamic and Fun Plant Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    Dynamic and Fun Plant Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    $4.00
    Add to cart

MATH & LANGUAGE ARTS PLANT UNIT STUDY IDEAS WEEK 3

Additionally, you can use some of these hands-on math ideas below.

  • Have your child plant multiple seeds (e.g., in a grid). Then calculate how many seeds they planted and how many plants might grow if each seed sprouted successfully (multiplication).
  • Measure the growth of a plant. For example, measure the height, volume, and length.
  • Discuss patterns in math. For example, look at the leaf patterns and flower petals.
  • Measurement Garden Activity the kids practiced counting, comparing, reading, and writing.
  • Free Flower Playdough Math Mats
  • Seed temperature experiment 
  • Introduce the concept of the Fibonacci sequence.
  • Free Carnivorous Plants Notebooking Pages & Easy Hands-on Science Activity
  • Free Printable Flower Number Matching Activity
  • Count the sunflower seeds and craft
  • Leaf Math activity
  • Leaf number line activities

Also, look at these vocabulary words.

  • nutrients substances needed to live and grow
  • coniferous bearing seeds in cones or similar structures
  • nettles plants whose leaves create a burning feeling when you touch them
  • water a clear liquid, chemical formula: H2O, that is essential for all plant and animal life.
  • photosynthesis the process that occurs in green parts of plants. The chlorophyll in the plant reacts with water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight to produce oxygen and simple sugars.
  • algae single or multi-celled plants, usually living in water
  • soil a mixture of dirt, humus (organic matter), and living and dead organisms
  • annuals plants that complete their life cycle (grows, flowers, produces
  • seed, and dies) in one year
  • biennials plants that grow during one year and flower, produce seed, and die during the next year. They live for two years.
  • perennials are plants that live for more than two years. They can grow year after year without replanting.
  • propagation to increase in number, to reproduce

ARTS & CRAFTS PLANT UNIT STUDY IDEAS WEEK 4

  • Spectacular Lewis And Clark Plants Drawings | 7 Quick Botany Art Lessons
  • Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft
  • Two Yummy Pumpkin Seed Recipes
  • Build a sprout house 
  • How to Make a Fun Pitcher Plant Craft With Pool Noodles
  • 10 Plant Life in The Amazon Rainforest Facts and Make a Fun Rafflesia Arnoldii
  • Hands-On Mixed Media Flower Art Fun Nature Study

4 Weeks Free Plant Unit Study And Best Hands-On Ideas

MORE BEST HOMESCHOOL UNIT STUDY IDEAS

Look at these other homeschool unit study ideas.

  • Mushroom Unit Study and Kids Learning Activities
  • How to Plan And Start an Easy Gardening Unit Study for Kids
  • George Washington Carver Fun Peanut Quick Unit Study & Notebooking Pages
  • Easy Seeds and Gardening Unit Study for Kids (Middle – Upper Elementary)
  • Printable Strawberries Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
  • Free Kids Insect Unit Study┃ How to Make Clay Insects
  • Free Summer Unit Study For Kids and Fun Starfish Craft
  • Above & Below: Pond Unit Study, Hands-on Ideas, & Lapbook
  • John Muir Spring Unit Study (and Hands-on Geography Ideas)
  • Carnivorous Plants Lapbook and Homeschool Unit Study
  • Kids Dandelion Flower Unit Study and Easy Tea Recipe & Notebooking Pages

Leave a CommentFiled Under: My Unit Studies {Free Printables & Hands-on Ideas} Tagged With: plant, plants

How to Make a Plant Cell Model Edible for Kids

November 20, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Did you know that you can make a plant cell model edible?

In fact, you can, and it makes for a great hands on activity to learn all about the different parts.

It just so happens to be pretty tasty too with a sugar cookie base, icing, and extra sweets on top to represent each thing.

How to Make a Plant Cell Model Edible for Kids

Having kids be able to fully get in there and explore with multiple senses is always the best way for them to learn.

Besides, who is going to forget the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell after they form it from candy, label it, and then gobble it up?

Before we get to our tasty activity let’s look at each of the cell parts and what they do to get a better understanding.

Also, I have some wonderful activities to go along with today’s hands-on project to extend the learning and appeal to all learning types.

BOOKS ABOUT PLANTS FOR KIDS

Too, look at these living books about plants.

9 Plant Books for Kids Who Read and Love to Be Read To

 Add a few of these books about plants to your home library or to your unit study.

Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring The Earth To Life

Living Sunlight shows children, teachers, and parents the remarkable magic of what makes us human.This informative yet dramatic book will mesmerize readers and help further a child's understanding of the energy we share with all living things in nature. We are all dancing sunlight. The book is co-authored by award-winning M.I.T. professor Penny Chisholm, a leading expert on ocean science. A perfect addition to any library!

Rooting for Plants: The Unstoppable Charles S. Parker, Black Botanist and Collector

In 1882, Black botanist and mycologist Charles S. Parker sprouted up in the lush, green Pacific Northwest. From the beginning, Charles’s passion was plants, and he trudged through forests, climbed mountains, and waded into lakes to find them. When he was drafted to fight in World War I, Charles experienced prejudice against Black soldiers and witnessed the massive ecological devastation that war caused. Those experiences made him even more determined to follow his dreams, whatever the difficulties, and to have a career making things grow, not destroying them.As a botanist and teacher, Charles traveled the United States, searching for new species of plants and fungi. After discovering the source of the disease killing peach and apricot trees, Charles was offered a job at Howard University, the famed historically Black college where he taught the next generation of Black scientists—men and women—to love plants and fungi as much as he did.

Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas

How do mothers and fathers—whether they are apple trees, sheep, or humans—pass down traits to their children? This question fascinated Gregor Mendel throughout his life. Regarded as the world’s first geneticist, Mendel overcame poverty and obscurity to discover one of the fundamental aspects of genetic science: animals, plants, and people all inherit and pass down traits through the same process, following the same rules.

Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story

This picture book biography examines the life and career of naturalist and artist Anna Comstock (1854-1930), who defied social conventions and pursued the study of science. From the time she was a young girl, Anna Comstock was fascinated by the natural world. She loved exploring outdoors, examining wildlife and learning nature's secrets. From watching the teamwork of marching ants to following the constellations in the sky, Anna observed it all. And her interest only increased as she grew older and went to college at Cornell University. There she continued her studies, pushing back against those social conventions that implied science was a man's pursuit. Eventually Anna became known as a nature expert, pioneering a movement to encourage schools to conduct science and nature classes for children outdoors, thereby increasing students' interest in nature. In following her passion, this remarkable woman blazed a trail for female scientists today.

In the Garden with Dr. Carver

Sally is a young girl living in rural Alabama in the early 1900s, a time when people were struggling to grow food in soil that had been depleted by years of cotton production. One day, Dr. George Washington Carver shows up to help the grown-ups with their farms and the children with their school garden. He teaches them how to restore the soil and respect the balance of nature. He even prepares a delicious lunch made of plants, including "chicken" made from peanuts. And Sally never forgets the lessons this wise man leaves in her heart and mind. Susan Grigsby's warm story shines new light on a Black scientist who was ahead of his time.

A World of Plants

Covering more than twenty-five subjects, from photosynthesis and permaculture to the hidden world of Victorian plant hunters, this stylish illustrated guide is packed with scientific insight into the critical role plants play in the drama of life on Earth. Did you know that some plants steal while others defend themselves against attack? That the largest cacti can reach sixty-six feet tall and weigh more than a car? That there are meat-eating plants the size of footballs? Readers young and old will marvel at the wondrous diversity and adaptability of plants, from trees and tropical species to those that have evolved to master extreme conditions. A brisk narrative bursting with facts—all carefully organized with maps and charts in richly patterned vintage-style illustrations—make for a vivid guide to all that grows . . . and a beautiful gift book for anyone interested in the environment.

Notes on Plants and Flowers: The Nature Notebook

Originally published in the early 1900's by Anna Comstock. This book, Notes on Plants and Flowers, contains the following information: How to Understand a Plant, How to understand a flower; along with multiple forms to fill in while in the field, to aid in the identification of plants and flowers.

Anna Comstock intended that the pupil would use these notebooks to create their very own field guides by observing local flora and fauna with which they should be very familiar.

This is an 8.5x11 workbook for students, featuring short illustrated chapters on identifying parts of plants and flowers along with multiple forms for the pupil to complete.

First Studies of Plant Life (Yesterday's Classics)

A guide to discovery of the forces at work in the world of plants. Through germinating seeds and varying their growing conditions, students learn by observation the different ways seeds germinate and young plants respond to moisture and light. Further experiments shed light on the manner of nourishment, respiration, and reproduction. The reader is given plenty to ponder since the text often poses questions without supplying answers. The life stories of the sweet pea, oak, ferns, moss, and mushrooms and an account of some of the forces plants have to contend with in their struggle to survive encourage students to continue to read and interpret their surroundings. An engaging introduction to botany for middle school and beyond.

Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities

A tree that sheds poison daggers; a glistening red seed that stops the heart; a shrub that causes paralysis; a vine that strangles; and a leaf that triggered a war. In Wicked Plants, Stewart takes on over two hundred of Mother Nature’s most appalling creations. It’s an A to Z of plants that kill, maim, intoxicate, and otherwise offend. You’ll learn which plants to avoid (like exploding shrubs), which plants make themselves exceedingly unwelcome (like the vine that ate the South), and which ones have been killing for centuries (like the weed that killed Abraham Lincoln's mother). Menacing botanical illustrations and splendidly ghastly drawings create a fascinating portrait of the evildoers that may be lurking in your own backyard. Drawing on history, medicine, science, and legend, this compendium of bloodcurdling botany will entertain, alarm, and enlighten even the most intrepid gardeners and nature lovers.

Plant cells are complex structures that perform a variety of functions essential for plant growth and survival.

PARTS OF A PLANT CELL

Additionally, here are the main parts of a plant cell include:

  • Cell Membrane: The cell membrane is a selectively permeable barrier that surrounds the cell and regulates the movement of substances into and out of the cell.
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum: The endoplasmic reticulum is a network of membranes that fold and transports proteins.
  • Cell Wall: The cell wall is a rigid structure that surrounds the cell membrane and provides support and protection for the cell.
  • Cytoplasm: The cytoplasm is a jelly-like substance that fills the cell and contains all of the cell’s organelles.
  • Nucleus: The nucleus is the control center of the cell and contains the cell’s DNA.
  • Nucleolus: The nucleolus is a small structure within the nucleus that produces ribosomes.
  • Ribosomes: Ribosomes are small structures that produce proteins.
  • Golgi Apparatus: The Golgi apparatus is a stack of membranes that modifies, sorts, and packages proteins.
  • Lysosomes: Lysosomes are small sacs that contain enzymes that break down waste products and worn-out cell parts.
  • Vacuoles: Vacuoles are storage sacs that hold water, salts, and other substances.
  • Chloroplasts: Chloroplasts are green organelles that contain chlorophyll and carry out photosynthesis.
  • Mitochondria: Mitochondria are organelles that produce energy for the cell.

Next, look at more edible plant activities.

MORE CELL MODEL EDIBLE PROJECTS

  • Start with a video on Plant Cells and Their Parts to demonstrate each part and the role they play as part of the cell.
  • Follow this tutorial to learn  How to Make a 3D Cell Model with Jello.
  • This Plant Cell Model is made from all kinds of kitchen goodness from jello to noodles to fruit. This is a creative way to use up a little bit of everything in the pantry and fridge.

Too, grab my free Amazon Rainforest lapbooks which have several minibooks about plants.

For example, I have the Plant label, Why do we need plants, Photosynthesis wheel rain forest and Labeling a Plant Cell printable minibooks to name a few from my rainforest lapbook.

And look at more hands-on plant activities.

PLANT ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

  • How to Make a Fun Pitcher Plant Craft With Pool Noodles
  • Spectacular Lewis And Clark Plants Drawings | 7 Quick Botany Art Lessons
  • Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft
  • What Plants And Animals Did Lewis And Clark Discover on their Famous Trek & Bitterroot Craft
  • Free Carnivorous Plants Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
  • 10 Plant Life in The Amazon Rainforest Facts and Make a Fun Rafflesia Arnoldii
  • Free Carnivorous Plants Notebooking Pages & Easy Hands-on Science Activity
  • Fun Kids Activity How to Make Wildflower Seed Bombs
  • How to Easily Make Fun Seed Tape With Kids
  • How To Make Plastic Bottle Little Greenhouses | 5 Plastic Bottle Craft Ideas
  • How to Make a Fun Kids Root Viewer
How to Make a Plant Cell Model Edible for Kids

Finally, look at how to make a plant cell model edible.

HOW TO MAKE A PLANT CELL MODEL EDIBLE FOR KIDS

The first thing you want to do is take a picture of a plant cell on your phone with you to the store and let your kids pick out candy that they think looks like the various parts.

To keep it simple I recommend using various colors of taffy like candy, they are easy to warm and manipulate into different shapes.

Dollar Tree has a ton of fantastic options to choose from, look for bags with multiple colors in them like Air heads or Laffy Taffy Packs.

How to Make a Plant Cell Model Edible for Kids

You will need:

  • Sugar cookie mix
  • Various candy
  • Frosting
  • paper/pencil

First, prepare cookie mix according to package directions.

Spread dough out onto a parchment lined baking sheet and form it into a rectangle with slightly rounded corners, roughly the shape of a plant cell.

How to Make a Plant Cell Model Edible for Kids

Bake to the directions.

Allow the cookie to cool completely then cover it with frosting, leaving a small unfrosted border all the way around to represent the cell wall.

How to Make a Plant Cell Model Edible for Kids

Now set out your frosted cookie and selection of candies for creating the parts.

How to Make a Plant Cell Model Edible for Kids

To make the candy a little more malleable, heat it in the microwave for 8-10 seconds to just slightly soften it.

How to Make a Plant Cell Model Edible for Kids

Get creative with shaping and placing the candy to represent the various parts of the plant cell.

How to Make a Plant Cell Model Edible for Kids

Once it is done, write the parts on a piece of paper.

And have your child create a ‘legend’ to show what each is by placing another piece of the matching candy next to the label.

How to Make a Plant Cell Model Edible for Kids

Now you can use your masterpiece to quiz your child. Remove the labels and ask what each does.

Have them tell you what each does before they eat it and rearrange it to see if they can correctly remake the labels.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, life science, plant cell, plants, science

How To Make Plastic Bottle Little Greenhouses | 5 Plastic Bottle Craft Ideas

August 14, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I’m sharing 5 plastic bottle craft ideas. Also, look at my page Easy Seeds and Gardening Unit Study for Kids (Middle – Upper Elementary) for more ideas.

Too, we’re creating these adorable 2-liter plastic bottle mini greenhouses.

By turning plastic bottles into greenhouses, you’re not only doing science but teaching about upcycling.

In addition, I have a bit of history of greenhouses, and you can have a mini unit study for the day.

Mini greenhouses are a game-changer for any gardener, no matter your skill level!

So this makes for a great hands-on learning project for multiple ages.

How To Make Plastic Bottle Little Greenhouses | 5 Plastic Bottle Craft Ideas

A greenhouse is basically an enclosed space that is heated and lit by the sun.

Now if you were to expand this project into an actual structure, you will want to cover other topics.

Look at these questions and ideas to think about and plan.

  • what size project is right for your family
  • how many children will be using the space
  • who will be maintaining the space and how much time do you have
  • what do you want to grow. Do you want to grow just vegetables, plants, or explore hydroponics?

Also, for any type of greenhouse, the fun part is checking the progress each day.

This can be expanded into lessons.

Children can take light, wind, and temperature measurements and track the sun at different times of the day.

Additionally, learn about the history of greenhouses.

History of Greenhouses

Did you know that greenhouses are also called glass houses?

Some of the earliest accounts of using structures to grow plants date back to ancient Rome, around 30 A.D.

Cucumber and squash were grown for the Emperor Tiberius.

How To Make Plastic Bottle Little Greenhouses | 5 Plastic Bottle Craft Ideas

In addition, Andrew Faneuil an affluent merchant from Boston, built the first known greenhouse in America in 1737.

Look at this site Dave’s Garden for a short history lesson about greenhouses.

Gardening Books for Kids

Too, look at some of the fun living books about gardening to add to your fun craft today.

I prefer living books when I can find them, then I add reference books too.

11 Gardening With Kids Books & Fun Resources

As a true bibliophile no unit study would be complete without a strong list of books to support a topic. Here is a great list for everyone in the family.

Farm Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of Country Life

Learn the difference between a farrow and a barrow, and what distinguishes a weanling from a yearling. Country and city mice alike will delight in Julia Rothman’s charming illustrated guide to the curious parts and pieces of rural living. Dissecting everything from the shapes of squash varieties to how a barn is constructed and what makes up a beehive to crop rotation patterns, Rothman gives a richly entertaining tour of the quirky details of country life. 

The Garden Classroom: Hands-On Activities in Math, Science, Literacy, and Art

Packed with garden-based activities that promote science, math, reading, writing, imaginative play, and arts and crafts, The Garden Classroom offers a whole year of outdoor play and learning ideas—however big or small your garden.

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt:

Explore the secret realm beneath the dirt that brings the world of nature to life: Follow a young girl and her grandmother on a journey through the year planning, planting, and harvesting their garden—and learn about what's happening in the dirt to help make it all happen.Up in the garden, the world is full of green—leaves and sprouts, growing vegetables, ripening fruit. But down in the dirt exists a busy world—earthworms dig, snakes hunt, skunks burrow—populated by all the creatures that make a garden their home

Gardening Lab for Kids: 52 Fun Experiments to Learn, Grow, Harvest, Make, Play, and Enjoy Your Garden

A refreshing source of ideas to help your children learn to grow their own patch of earth, Gardening Lab for Kids encourages children to get outside and enjoy nature. This fun and creative book features 52 plant-related activities set into weekly lessons, beginning with learning to read maps to find your heat zone, moving through seeds, soil, composting, and then creating garden art and appreciating your natural surroundings.

The Ultimate Guide to Gardening: Grow Your Own Indoor, Vegetable, Fairy, and Other Great Gardens

Whether inside or outside, decorative or edible, this book is full of gardening projects large and small. Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions are accompanied by photographs that guide the aspiring gardening through planting all kinds of gardens.

Kids Gardening Set

MONTESSORI FOR TODDLERS: Our gardening tool set encourages kids to play outside & learn about plants, nature & sustainability. Perfect for the yard and sand box.

OUTDOOR LEARNING ACTIVITIES: Our Kids Garden Set is great for Occupational Therapy & Developing Fine Motor Skills. Suitable for Boys and girls.

Do-It-Yourself Garden Research Handbook - The Thinking Tree: How to Design, Plant, & Care for Your Own Garden! Homeschooling Science, Nature & Home Economics

A Gardening Research Workbook & Planning Guide for Teens, Kids and Families! Perfect for Homeschooling Science, Nature Study, Botany and Home Economics!

Designed for teens, but perfect for Ages 9+ (Younger students will need some extra help).

Raised Garden Bed Wood Planter Boxes Outdoor for Kids with Legs

{Raised Garden Bed for Kids} We designed the children raised garden bed carefully, so that your children can feel the happiness of plant growth and the magic of natural life. Our raised garden bed deep enough to provide your plants and vegetables with ample room to breathe and grow healthy.

From Seed to Plant

Flowers, trees, fruits—plants are all around us, but where do they come from?  With simple language and bright illustrations, non-fiction master Gail Gibbons introduces young readers to the processes of pollination, seed formation, and germination.  Important vocabulary is reinforced with accessible explanation and colorful, clear diagrams showing the parts of plants, the wide variety of seeds, and how they grow.  The book includes instructions for a seed-growing project, and a page of interesting facts about plants, seeds, and flowers.   A nonfiction classic, and a perfect companion for early science lessons and curious young gardeners.

National Geographic Readers: Seed to Plant

Kids see plants, flowers, and trees around them every day. In this lively and educational reader, they'll learn how those plants grow. Kids will take this magical journey from seed pollination to plant growth, learning about what plants need to thrive and grow with the same careful text, brilliant photographs, and the fun approach National Geographic Readers are known for.

Oh Say Can You Seed? All About Flowering Plants

An easy and fun introduction to plant biology! With the able assistance of Thing 1 and Thing 2 - the Cat in the Hat explores the world of plants. Kids will learn about the various parts of plants, seeds, and flowers; basic photosynthesis and pollination; and seed dispersal.

Additionally, look at these other 5 plastic bottle craft ideas.

5 Plastic Bottle Craft Ideas

  1. Use a plastic bottle to make this cool submarine on my post Renaissance Inventors: How To Make A Fascinating Da Vinci Submarine Craft.
  2. How To Make A Plastic Bottle Faux Succulents Terrarium
  3. Take a 2 or 3 liter plastic bottle and make this Ship Craft Ideas & Ship Terminology | Fun Ship in A Bottle Craft for Kids.
  4. DIY Bottle Organizers
  5. Fairy House Night Lights

More Gardening Ideas | 5 Plastic Bottle Craft Ideas

Similarly, look at more gardening ideas.

  • Gardening Projects For Homeschool Easy Composting With the Amazing Dr. George Carver (Free Printable About Compost
  • Growing a Seed Activity For Kindergarten Science Kids Activity
  • How to Plan And Start an Easy Gardening Unit Study for Kids
  • How to Make a Fun Kids Root Viewer
  • How to Easily Make Fun Seed Tape With Kids
  • 7 Science Garden Ideas and Make a Pizza Container Garden
  • How to Make Easy Herb and Olive Oil Garden Bread With Kids
  • 8 Peter Rabbit Garden Ideas | How To Make A Preschool Garden Box

Finally, look at these 2-liter bottle mini greenhouses to add to the other 5 plastic bottle craft ideas.

How to Make 2-Liter Bottle Mini Greenhouses

First, here is what you need:

  • empty and clean 2-liter bottles
  • x-acto knife
  • plastic wrap
  • rubber band
  • soil
  • seeds (I used sunflower for this project)
  • spray bottle filled with water
  • optional: plastic tray
How To Make Plastic Bottle Little Greenhouses | 5 Plastic Bottle Craft Ideas

First, using the x-acto knife, cut the middle part of the 2-liter bottle out and discard.

How To Make Plastic Bottle Little Greenhouses | 5 Plastic Bottle Craft Ideas

On the bottom of the bottle, cut a few drain holes using the knife.

How To Make Plastic Bottle Little Greenhouses | 5 Plastic Bottle Craft Ideas

You’ll want the top portion of the bottle to fit just enough into the bottom portion to create the greenhouse.

Fill the bottom portion of the bottle with soil.

How To Make Plastic Bottle Little Greenhouses | 5 Plastic Bottle Craft Ideas

Poke 1-3 holes into the soil for the seeds.

How To Make Plastic Bottle Little Greenhouses | 5 Plastic Bottle Craft Ideas

Place a seed into each hole.

How To Make Plastic Bottle Little Greenhouses | 5 Plastic Bottle Craft Ideas

Use the spray bottle to moisten the soil enough with water.

Cover the top portion of the bottle with a piece of plastic wrap and secure with a rubber band.

How To Make Plastic Bottle Little Greenhouses | 5 Plastic Bottle Craft Ideas

Place the lid on top of the bottom portion of the greenhouse.

Set the mini greenhouses near a windowsill that gets good sunshine.

How To Make Plastic Bottle Little Greenhouses | 5 Plastic Bottle Craft Ideas

Use a tray underneath if desired. Observe over a few days.

After a few days, you should see the seeds sprouting.

If you do not see any seeds sprouting, you can try planting another until you get a sprout.

 Seeds not sprouting could be from just bad seeds, diseased seeds, etc.

Once plants reach a certain height, you can transfer to a bigger container or garden outside and watch them grow!

How To Make Plastic Bottle Little Greenhouses | 5 Plastic Bottle Craft Ideas

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: garden, gardening, greenhouses, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, life science, plants, plastic bottle, science

How to Make a Fun Kids Root Viewer

March 7, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, you’ll love this fun kids root viewer. Also, look at this post Easy Seeds and Gardening Unit Study for Kids (Middle – Upper Elementary) for more ideas.

While planting and watching a garden grow is tons of fun you kind of miss out on some of the fun and learning.

You don’t really get to see what is going on under the soil and that is where the real action takes place, at least in the beginning.

How to Make a Fun Kids Root Viewer

Giving kids a chance to really see what is happening underground really helps the idea of seed to plant take shape even more in their minds.

They do sell plastic root viewers online but really I enjoyed making our own for some hands-on fun and also because it only cost $3 to make it with tons of leftover seeds and soil for other garden activities or planting.

DIY Fun Kids Root Viewer

We will use ours over and over checking out how different plants look, how long it takes them to germinate, and how big they grow.

1. root viewer vertical How to Make a Fun Kids Root Viewer

Next, look at some of these garden and seed books for kids as you make this kids root viewer.

Make this a complete unit study with fun hands-on ideas.

11 Gardening With Kids Books & Fun Resources

As a true bibliophile no unit study would be complete without a strong list of books to support a topic. Here is a great list for everyone in the family.

Farm Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of Country Life

Learn the difference between a farrow and a barrow, and what distinguishes a weanling from a yearling. Country and city mice alike will delight in Julia Rothman’s charming illustrated guide to the curious parts and pieces of rural living. Dissecting everything from the shapes of squash varieties to how a barn is constructed and what makes up a beehive to crop rotation patterns, Rothman gives a richly entertaining tour of the quirky details of country life. 

The Garden Classroom: Hands-On Activities in Math, Science, Literacy, and Art

Packed with garden-based activities that promote science, math, reading, writing, imaginative play, and arts and crafts, The Garden Classroom offers a whole year of outdoor play and learning ideas—however big or small your garden.

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt:

Explore the secret realm beneath the dirt that brings the world of nature to life: Follow a young girl and her grandmother on a journey through the year planning, planting, and harvesting their garden—and learn about what's happening in the dirt to help make it all happen.Up in the garden, the world is full of green—leaves and sprouts, growing vegetables, ripening fruit. But down in the dirt exists a busy world—earthworms dig, snakes hunt, skunks burrow—populated by all the creatures that make a garden their home

Gardening Lab for Kids: 52 Fun Experiments to Learn, Grow, Harvest, Make, Play, and Enjoy Your Garden

A refreshing source of ideas to help your children learn to grow their own patch of earth, Gardening Lab for Kids encourages children to get outside and enjoy nature. This fun and creative book features 52 plant-related activities set into weekly lessons, beginning with learning to read maps to find your heat zone, moving through seeds, soil, composting, and then creating garden art and appreciating your natural surroundings.

The Ultimate Guide to Gardening: Grow Your Own Indoor, Vegetable, Fairy, and Other Great Gardens

Whether inside or outside, decorative or edible, this book is full of gardening projects large and small. Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions are accompanied by photographs that guide the aspiring gardening through planting all kinds of gardens.

Kids Gardening Set

MONTESSORI FOR TODDLERS: Our gardening tool set encourages kids to play outside & learn about plants, nature & sustainability. Perfect for the yard and sand box.

OUTDOOR LEARNING ACTIVITIES: Our Kids Garden Set is great for Occupational Therapy & Developing Fine Motor Skills. Suitable for Boys and girls.

Do-It-Yourself Garden Research Handbook - The Thinking Tree: How to Design, Plant, & Care for Your Own Garden! Homeschooling Science, Nature & Home Economics

A Gardening Research Workbook & Planning Guide for Teens, Kids and Families! Perfect for Homeschooling Science, Nature Study, Botany and Home Economics!

Designed for teens, but perfect for Ages 9+ (Younger students will need some extra help).

Raised Garden Bed Wood Planter Boxes Outdoor for Kids with Legs

{Raised Garden Bed for Kids} We designed the children raised garden bed carefully, so that your children can feel the happiness of plant growth and the magic of natural life. Our raised garden bed deep enough to provide your plants and vegetables with ample room to breathe and grow healthy.

From Seed to Plant

Flowers, trees, fruits—plants are all around us, but where do they come from?  With simple language and bright illustrations, non-fiction master Gail Gibbons introduces young readers to the processes of pollination, seed formation, and germination.  Important vocabulary is reinforced with accessible explanation and colorful, clear diagrams showing the parts of plants, the wide variety of seeds, and how they grow.  The book includes instructions for a seed-growing project, and a page of interesting facts about plants, seeds, and flowers.   A nonfiction classic, and a perfect companion for early science lessons and curious young gardeners.

National Geographic Readers: Seed to Plant

Kids see plants, flowers, and trees around them every day. In this lively and educational reader, they'll learn how those plants grow. Kids will take this magical journey from seed pollination to plant growth, learning about what plants need to thrive and grow with the same careful text, brilliant photographs, and the fun approach National Geographic Readers are known for.

Oh Say Can You Seed? All About Flowering Plants

An easy and fun introduction to plant biology! With the able assistance of Thing 1 and Thing 2 - the Cat in the Hat explores the world of plants. Kids will learn about the various parts of plants, seeds, and flowers; basic photosynthesis and pollination; and seed dispersal.

Kids Spring Activity Root Viewer

To make your own diy root viewer you will need:

  • a smooth cylinder vase-glass or plastic
  • Potting soil
  • Garden seeds- radishes, marigold, melon, and squash sprout quickly
  • A handful of large rocks or pebbles
  • cardstock/construction paper
2. root viewer supplies How to Make a Fun Kids Root Viewer

Gather up all your supplies and begin by placing a layer of rocks about 3” deep in the bottom of your vase carefully.

You can use plastic but I like the transparency and durability of the glass one better, so we chose a tall cylinder vase at Dollar Tree.

For stones, we just used some that we had in our driveway.

3. DIY root viewer adding rocks How to Make a Fun Kids Root Viewer

Next, add the potting soil to fill your vase to about 1”-2” from the top of the rim. We were also able to get a nice sized bag of potting soil at Dollar Tree and there is plenty left in the bag for more projects.

Add 1-2 seeds to the soil 1” deep, press them in with your finger.

We spread ours out in 3 different spots around the vase in case some didn’t take.

How to Make a Fun Kids Root Viewer

Be sure to place your seeds right up against the glass so you can watch them sprout clearly, you will also be able to see some of the roots as they reach down.

Easy Kids Root Viewer

We choose radishes to plant in ours because they generally sprout pretty quick, this lets you get to the action much quicker but we will rotate our “crops” to observe other types of plants.

4 diy root viewer water How to Make a Fun Kids Root Viewer

Water the seeds/soil well.

Now, in order for a seed to sprout it needs a moist but also dark environment, so we need to cover the vase as if the seed were in the ground.

5. root viewer soil How to Make a Fun Kids Root Viewer

Measure the height and diameter of your vase and cut a piece of thick dark cardstock or construction paper to fit, wrap it around and tape snugly in place, tape it to the other end of the paper, not the vase so that you can easily lift it off the vase and view the process.

We made ours 2 layers thick to give the tiny seeds as much protection as possible.

6 root viewer horizontal How to Make a Fun Kids Root Viewer

Place the cover on your vase and put your root viewer in a sunny window so that the soil can be warmed by the sun and provide the ideal conditions for your seeds to sprout.

As you put together your diy root viewer and watch the growth it’s a great time to talk about what a seed needs-water, oxygen, and proper temperature for optimal growth.

Kids DIY Root Viewer

Our viewer held a lot of water and we only needed to add just a bit of water directly to the top to keep the seeds moist.

Every day slide up the cover and check out the progress. Make notes and drawings in a journal to track your plant’s growth.

7. root viewer cover How to Make a Fun Kids Root Viewer

Ask your child some open-ended questions to encourage their curiosity.

  • What is happening?
  • How has the plant changed?
  • What will happen next?
  • After how many days did the seed begin to open?
  • How long before the leaves sprouted?

Kids Root Viewer

Here are our sprouts on day 1, day 3, day 5, and day 15

The kids really enjoyed being able to see a normally hidden magical process.

8 root viewer sprout growth How to Make a Fun Kids Root Viewer

We could see the seed as it broke open, roots as the grew down, and the stem and seeds as they reached upward for the sun.

The other thing seeds need to sprout is contained inside them- nutrients.

Once they sprout in the right conditions and roots take hold and the leaves sprout they are then able to use the process of Photosynthesis to make food.

How to Make a Fun Kids Root Viewer

Here are some terms to go over with your child while building and watching the process…

  • Photosynthesis– The process where green plants and organisms use sunlight to create food from water and carbon dioxide.
  • Germination– The development of seed after planting in soil.
  • Sprout– Germination process where the seed puts out roots.
  • Nutrients– Something in food that helps plants, animals, and people grow.
  • Dormant– The state of rest for seeds before they sprout.

Go a little deeper by learning about the basic parts of a plant- roots, stem, leaves.

You’ll also love these other activities:

  • Easy Seed and Gardening Unit Study for Kids (Middle – Upper Elementary)
  • Fall Unit Study (Includes Apples, Sir Isaac Newton, Art, and Appleseed)
  • Foraging and Feasting Nature Unit Study and Lapbook 
  • Wildflowers Unit Study & Lapbook
  • How to Easily Garden Plan With Kids Using LEGO

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities, Science Tagged With: hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, nature study, plants, science, seed

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