Activity
- Read We Grow Corn! to find out about corn farming in Kansas. While reading the book complete the Main Idea Worksheet to identify the important concepts about Kansas farming.
- Next look over the features of the We Grow Corn book such as the index, glossary and bold words and fill out the Text Features worksheet.
- Watch the six Kernels of Knowledge videos that tie directly to the We Grow Corn book. They provide great opportunities for discussion about what happens on a farm. Find the videos at wegrowcorn.com by
scrolling to the bottom of the page.
- Lesson 1: Thinking about plants
- Introduce the topic and assess student(s) for prior understanding with such questions as:
- Draw or write down different types of plants.
- What characteristics do these plants have? What makes a plant a plant? (Guide the discussion, but do not correct or explain to them. This discussion is to get them thinking and comparing ideas.)
- Instruct students to circle the indoor plants they drew with a black crayon, and the outdoor plants with a red crayon (if unsure, circle with both black and red).
- Lead further discussion so students explore ideas of what plants need, whether indoors or outdoors, by asking questions such as:
- Why do you think some plants are grown indoors?
- Can the outdoors be too dry or too cold for some plants, but not others? Too hot? (Note: Most houseplants originated in tropical or subtropical climates, similar to indoor conditions.)
- What do indoor plants and outdoor plants have in common?
- What do all plants need to live and grow? (Create a list on a piece of paper)
- Guide the discussion toward questions about what plants need to live and grow, whether they’re indoor or outdoor plants. Encourage wonderings and leave questions open for investigation, such as:
- Do plants need light?
- Do plants need water?
- Do plants need soil? (see note below for your own reference, though allow students to ponder this for investigation)
- Do plants need air?
- Do plants need other plants?
- Do plants need food like we need food? (see note below)
- Do you think plants need the same things that we need as humans? Or do they have different needs?
- Do plants need the same things when they’re just sprouting from the seed versus once they’ve grown leaves?
NOTE: Not all plants need soil. In fact, while soil provides micronutrients or minerals, soil is not the main source of the matter that plants take in. Rather, water and carbon dioxide (from air) combine through the processes of photosynthesis in plants, creates the simplest building block of plant matter: glucose. Light, water, and air are the most important needs of plants since they provide the elements that form most of the plant’s mass (even when dried). This may seem counter-intuitive, but it is true. Soil mainly provides support for roots and water, as well as a source for micronutrients. See this website for further information on Misconceptions about Plants: https://tinyurl.com/Misconceptions-about-Plants
- Lesson 2: Plant corn seeds
In order to germinate seeds, you will need the following supplies:
- Seeds of any kind, corn is preferred
- Cotton balls or paper towel
- Ziploc bags or plastic cups you can see through
- You can use soil instead of the cotton balls; however, it prevents you from SEEING what is happening with the seeds each day.
- Containers for planting after the seeds germinate
- Soil