Garden Lessons: Examining Mini-Ecosystems (2nd Grade)

Grade(s): 2nd

Lesson Objective(s): Recognizing differences and similarities in different parts of the garden

Ohio Curriculum Standard: Living things cause changes in it’s environment

Supplies Needed

• 2 Whiteboards & expo markers- with line down middle that says “Grassy” and “bare”

• Watering cans (in high tunnel, filled)

• snap pea seeds

• Soap at hand washing station

• 4 hula hoops

• Magnifying glasses at each station

• Snap Peas (for snack)

• Harmonica

Introduction (5 mins):

• Start in Grape Arbor. Welcome everyone to garden: introduce self & grown-up helpers again

• Explain what we’re doing today: We’re doing some examining. Who knows what the word Examine means?

  • Examine: using our senses (looking, smelling, touching) to inspect/notice things

• We’re going to examine two different parts of our garden. The part with all the grassy-looking stuff (blue plot), and the bare part where it doesn’t look like anything is growing (the green plot)

• You’ll get to go to both places, and using magnifying glasses, look for stuff in the soil. When you find something, like a bug, or rock, or plant, tell your grown-up helper (your teacher or Miss Katie), and they’ll write it down.

• review quickly rules:

  • allowed to touch, but not pull/harvest/pick

  • Don’t step ON any plants, just use your hands and eyes to see and feel them

  • Take turns telling the grown-up helper- we can’t understand if everyone is talking all at once!

Activity (15 mins)

Divide students into 2 groups. One group goes to Green Plot, the other to Blue Plot

At each station:

• Gather around the 2 hula hoops. Students spend 5-8 minutes using their magnifying glasses to examine the soil. Grown-up helpers list things they see, feel, smell, and hear in their hula hoops.

• Take 5-8 minutes at the station. Students gather around the hula hoops and use their magnifying glasses to identify things they see inside the hula hoop. Some questions to ask:

  • What does the soil feel like? is it crumbly or soft?

  • If you find several bugs- what are the differences between bugs?

  • What else do you see?

• When they find something, the teacher writes it down on their whiteboard

Transition: Everyone go to Grape Arbor for wrap up

Wrap up & Planting (10 Mins):

• Ask group:

  • What did each group find in the hula hoops? Practice listening skills. Ask whole class: who else saw _____?

• Move to High Tunnel. Plant Snap Peas. What do you notice about the soil where we’re planting? Is it different or the same as the soil in the grassy & bare plots?

• Water snap peas

• Line up at back door of high tunnel, wash hands and get Snap Pea Snack (only if class followed directions)

Classroom Extensions:

Before: Read “A Perfect Day For Digging”

After: Take a photo of the lists of things you found. Once back in the classroom, sort the items however you like: Plants vs bugs/animals, living vs nonliving, small vs big, etc.