Recently I was selected to try some Biodegradable Peat Pots and instead of doing a boring old review, I thought I'd get a little more creative and get the kids involved.
Lesson Plans
I found some really great FREE science lesson plans downloads here. There are elementary, middle school and high school plans available. If you would like to get more into the plant side of things, I recommend Milliken Publishing Company's "Plants" for grades 5-9,is full of lesson plans and reproducible worksheets (This book comes with transparencies, but they can still viewed and photocopied without an overhead projector.
Book List
Cool Stuff for Your Garden: Creative Handmade Projects for Kids by Pam Scheunemann
Johnny Appleseed
Dirt by Steve "The Dirtmeister" Tomecek
How Does My Garden Grow by DK Publishing (Lots of fantastic hands-on activities in this one!)
Hands On Craft
Have fun decorating biodegradable peat pots! Use washable markers, crayons or paint to make pictures of what you plan to grow in your pot. Or simply use your fanciest writing to label them. The plant seeds in your biodegradable peat pots and chart their growth with an observation chart. For older kids you may want to plant several and use different variables to see what makes plants grow the best. After a couple of weeks any surviving sprouts can be planted in the garden or in a container with proper drainage.
Hint: Some seeds do better with an overnight soak or when left overnight between two damp paper towels. They will germinate faster!
Hands on Experiment
Fill one peat pot with dirt from outside and fill one with potting soil. Everyday give them exactly the same amount of water. Place them side by side and see which one grows better. Chart growth on a observation chart. Use an empty clear plastic strawberry container for a "mini greenhouse," to help seeds sprout in cooler weather.
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| We used Ramini Brands Peat Pots, we decorated, germinated and planted! |
Have the kids "dissect" fruits and veggies, talk about the seeds and the way they look on the inside or draw a picture diagram showing the skin, seeds and stem. Or you can take a small silver of each fruit and put it under a magnifying glass or a microscope if you have one, to take a closer look.
Either cut up and serve for snack after or juice it in a juicer.
Try this kid-friendly combo:
Fruit & Veggie Punch
6 big carrots
1 cup strawberries
1 cup pineapple
3 medium apples (or two large)
1 medium beet
Juice it up and serve ice cold. Try it diluted with plain water or some sparkling water to make homemade "soda". Or freeze for Popsicles.
There are so many ways to get kids off the couch and get them outdoors doing something productive! A garden is a great way to do this because it needs to be watered every day. The promise of being able to dig in the dirt doesn't hurt either!
-Have Fun Learning and Gardening!
***We received a free package of Ramini Brands peat pots for review and testing purposed. No other compensation was received.