Top Tip
Get creative and bring some extra colour to this task by painting your plant pots. You could decorate the pot with lots of bright colours and flowers, your name, or simple stripes and spots!
COMPETITION CLOSED
Thank you to everyone who took part!
Task 1
FEBRUARY
BULBILICIOUS
Equipment Needed
Pots (approx 20cm)
Dahlia Bulbs
Multi-purpose Soil
Method
Cover the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot with a piece of fabric, or anything that will prevent the compost from leaching through.
Put in a layer of compost to a minimum depth of 100mm for roots to grow into.
Add your layer of bulbs, pointy end up. You can space them however you want, in a pattern of your choice.
Cover the bulbs with compost to within approximately 30mm from the rim of the pot. Firm the compost into position.
If you wish, you can go ahead and personalise the pot with a layer of something decorative such as pea gravel, some shells, a layer of leaves or wood chip or whatever you fancy.
Put the pot in a prominent spot outside and keep it watered.
Your bulbs should start to flower in the early summer.
Supporting Teacher's Resources
Project 1 - BUBILICIOUS
Integrate maths into the bubilicious task by introducing measurements.
Get ready to estimate, measure and record your data as you plant your bulbs.
Maths
Learning Outcomes
Strand: Measures
Strand Unit: Length
The children will develop an understanding of length through exploration, discussion and through use of appropriate vocabulary!
Students will estimate lengths and then take accurate measurements in standard units, eg with a ruler. You can also try measuring in non standard units like lollipop sticks, pasta pieces or cubes.
They will be active in selecting and using non-standard and standard units of measurement to measure length, width and height.
Learning Experiences
Class discussion about planting the bulbs – paying close attention to the depth at which the bulbs should be planted, and the distance of the bulbs from the rim of the pot:
Ask the class:
Why is this important?
How can we measure?
What can we use to measure?
Lets Measure!
Ask the class to estimate:
What would a 100mm depth look like for space for the plant's roots to grow?
What would 30mm from the rim of the pot look like?
Teacher to lead a demonstration of measuring the depth of 100mm for the soil in the pot and 30mm from the rim.
Ask the children to measure themselves using a ruler, and compare their estimations against the accurate measurement.
Don’t forget to keep track of the growth of your bulbs! You could measure and track the length of their growth each week/ month!
Have some fun measuring!
Ask the students to estimate and then measure various classroom items. For example desks, books or their pencil cases. Record the estimations and then compare and contrast with the accurate results. You could use standard units of measurements with a ruler, or non standard units like lollipop sticks, pasta pieces and cubes!
Task 2
MARCH
THE SNACK BOX
Equipment Needed
Window Box
Lettuce Seeds
Multipurpose Soil
Method
Cover the drainage hole at the bottom of the box with a piece of fabric, or anything that will prevent the compost from leaching through.
Fill the box with multi-purpose compost to within approximately 30mm from the rim, tamp it down gently to remove air pockets.
Water the compost and allow it to drain.
Sprinkle the seeds directly on to the compost. Bear in mind that not all will germinate and they can be thinned once they establish.
Plant the seeds in a tidy row. If you are doing a few rows, make sure you keep some space between them, about 100mm.
Cover the seeds with a thin layer of compost. Water gently, be careful not to disturb the seeds.
After germination, water the compost when it appears dry – about once a week. When the lettuce have grown to about 100 mm tall, you can ‘pot them on’.
Plant outside after late May, as lettuce is fragile and you need to avoid the frost.
Top Tip
Gardening is hungry work and we all get a little peckish – snacks that you grow yourself are extra delicious!
Supporting Teaching Plans
Project 2 - THE SNACK BOX
This project will integrate both Science and SPHE, discussing healthy eating and the importance of a balanced diet. Try out some new fruits and vegetables and learn more about how food is our fuel!
SPHE
Learning Outcomes
Strand: Taking care of my body
Strand Unit: Food and nutrition
Through teacher-led class discussion the children will become aware of the importance of food for growth and development.
They will explore food preferences by discussing their favourite fruits and vegetables and the role they play in a balanced diet.
Realise the importance of good hygiene when preparing their fruit and veg for the smoothie.
Learning Experiences
Class discussion about the vegetables you have planted together. Chat about why vegetables are an important part of our diets and why we should try to eat fruit and veg every day.
Ask the class:
What vegetables they like and dislike?
Why is fruit and veg important in our diets?
Let's Design a Healthy Menu!
Allow the class to write or draw their own healthy menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
How many different types of fruits and vegetables can they include in their menu?
Lets Make Our Own Smoothie!
In small groups the class can choose their own combination of fruit and veg to make their won smoothies.
Throughout the activity, the children should be encouraged to keep their stations clean, wash their hands carefully, and their ingredients too. Teacher to support with chopping or slicing as needed.
Task 3
APRIL
MICRO MEADOW
Equipment Needed
Window Box
Wildflower Seed Packs
Multipurpose Soil
Method
Cover the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot with a piece of fabric, or anything that will prevent the compost from leaching through.
Fill the box with multi-purpose compost to within approximately 60mm from the rim.
Sprinkle a generous layer of wildflower seeds in a random pattern directly on the compost over the whole area.
Cover this first layer of seeds with a 10mm layer of compost.
Sprinkle another generous layer of seeds in a random pattern directly onto the compost over the whole area.
Cover this second layer of seeds with a 10mm layer of compost.
Water gently, making sure not to disturb the seeds.
Put the box in a sunny position and water regularly, making sure that the compost does not dry out.
Deadhead regularly (remove the spent flowers) throughout the season.
Top Tip
Our wildlife needs a home too so don’t forget them. Wildflowers are a great source of pollen and nectar for our bees!
Supporting Teaching Plans
Project 3 - MICRO MEADOW
In this project, the class will plant wildflowers. This project will integrate with Geography where the children will explore weather and seasonal changes. Get ready to go on a walk around your locality and discover how naturechanges with the seasons!
Geography
Learning Outcomes
Strand: Natural Environments
Strand Unit: Weather
The children will discuss a variety of weather conditions.
The children will observe the weather for one week and record the weather each day on their class or individual weather chart.
The children will take a walk around their locality to note the plant life in the area at that time of year, becoming aware of the effects of different weather conditions on plant life in the local environment.
Learning Experiences
The class will plant their wildflower seeds and discuss where wildflowers grow and at what of year.
Ask the class:
Discuss with the class the changes in nature as we move through ther seasons.
What plants would wee growing in the winter time?
When might the leaves fall off the trees?
What time of year would we expect to see daffodils appear?
What happens to the grass if there is n't a lot of rain?
Let's Design!
Design a weather chart for the week as an activity for the whole class or individually.
The children will observe, discuss and record the weather each day for one week-opportunity to extend this period if there are extreme weather conditions
Lets Go Out and About!
Walk around locally to your school with the class and invite the children to pay special attention to plant life in their local area.
Discuss how the season or weather conditions may dictate plant life.
- Why are certain seasons more desirable for plants to flourish?
- What plants do we see now, that we might not see at other times of the year?
- Is there more colour in bloom now than we saw this time last month
The class can record through writing or drawing what they noticed on the walk.
This activity could be repeated again in a few weeks and the class can compare the findings.