This month, our students in Wyoming Public STEAM classes are receiving a lesson called ‘Gimme Some Space’
During our lesson, students realized that, like themselves, plants have different likenesses and differences that a gardener needs to be aware of. They were able to recall from previous lessons that plants need sun, soil, water, and air but this week realized that to grow properly plants need the proper amount of space.
Students witnessed a radish-growing experiment in which seeds were planted at three different densities. Students observed how the seedlings in the various pots grew differently and came to the conclusion that the distance between seeds greatly affected how well the plants grew.
Students saw that they could find all kinds of information about how to care for their seed by reading the seed packet. They were able to locate the plant spacing information on the packets and saw that radish seeds needed a space of 2” between each seed. Students practiced proper seed placing while participating in creating seed tapes where they marked off 2” increments on a strip of biodegradable paper toweling and adhered a seed every 2” with a special food and seed safe corn starch glue.
The highlight of the lesson was to create a Garden on a Plate. Students were encouraged to create a garden with their food. They used refried beans for soil, carrots, and celery for fences, corn kernels for seeds, broccoli florets for garden plants, and shredded cheese for mulch and “watered” their garden with salsa. Many students enjoyed eating their garden creations.
You can watch the video about our Gimme Some Space lesson here!
This project was funded in whole or in part by the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Michigan Fitness Foundation. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.