Growing Together: Open Forum

Hi there everyone and Happy Spring from Virginia! 

I had a request from the 5th grade teachers at our school to come into their classrooms and do a mini (15 min), hands-on lesson on photosynthesis because the students don't seem to be retaining the information. I can understand why, as it's quite the process to explain! I'm wondering if anyone here might have a fun way to help reinforce this concept? I'm struggling to find a way to make this fun and hands-on for the kiddos. I also feel added pressure whenever I'm invited into classrooms to make the lessons extra engaging because these teachers don't see me in action in the garden and I want them to take more of an interest in what my program does!

Thanks so much! 

Alicia 

I've used this activity and this short video shows how to do it.  https://www.youtube.com/shorts/oHDTWLPyKN0

Hi there everyone and Happy Spring from Virginia! 

I had a request from the 5th grade teachers at our school to come into their classrooms and do a mini (15 min), hands-on lesson on photosynthesis because the students don't seem to be retaining the information. I can understand why, as it's quite the process to explain! I'm wondering if anyone here might have a fun way to help reinforce this concept? I'm struggling to find a way to make this fun and hands-on for the kiddos. I also feel added pressure whenever I'm invited into classrooms to make the lessons extra engaging because these teachers don't see me in action in the garden and I want them to take more of an interest in what my program does!

Thanks so much! 

Alicia 

Hi there everyone and Happy Spring from Virginia! 

I had a request from the 5th grade teachers at our school to come into their classrooms and do a mini (15 min), hands-on lesson on photosynthesis because the students don't seem to be retaining the information. I can understand why, as it's quite the process to explain! I'm wondering if anyone here might have a fun way to help reinforce this concept? I'm struggling to find a way to make this fun and hands-on for the kiddos. I also feel added pressure whenever I'm invited into classrooms to make the lessons extra engaging because these teachers don't see me in action in the garden and I want them to take more of an interest in what my program does!

Thanks so much! 

Alicia 

Hi there everyone and Happy Spring from Virginia! 

I had a request from the 5th grade teachers at our school to come into their classrooms and do a mini (15 min), hands-on lesson on photosynthesis because the students don't seem to be retaining the information. I can understand why, as it's quite the process to explain! I'm wondering if anyone here might have a fun way to help reinforce this concept? I'm struggling to find a way to make this fun and hands-on for the kiddos. I also feel added pressure whenever I'm invited into classrooms to make the lessons extra engaging because these teachers don't see me in action in the garden and I want them to take more of an interest in what my program does!

Thanks so much! 

Alicia 

Thanks Peggy! I will search for good videos for sure. It's a nice starting point.

Hi there everyone and Happy Spring from Virginia! 

I had a request from the 5th grade teachers at our school to come into their classrooms and do a mini (15 min), hands-on lesson on photosynthesis because the students don't seem to be retaining the information. I can understand why, as it's quite the process to explain! I'm wondering if anyone here might have a fun way to help reinforce this concept? I'm struggling to find a way to make this fun and hands-on for the kiddos. I also feel added pressure whenever I'm invited into classrooms to make the lessons extra engaging because these teachers don't see me in action in the garden and I want them to take more of an interest in what my program does!

Thanks so much! 

Alicia 

I would like some help with this.  I tried following the video that uses the spinach cut from a hole puncher and put the cut-outs in a glass with baking soda.  But my spinach never sank, not even when I covered the glass with a towel so no light could reach it.  I want to do this experiment with a group of kindergarten children and it sounded like something that could be done in a short period of time.  But as I said, it did not work.  Can anyone shed some light (no pun intended!) on what I am doing wrong?  Thanks so much!

Thanks Peggy! I will search for good videos for sure. It's a nice starting point.

Hi there everyone and Happy Spring from Virginia! 

I had a request from the 5th grade teachers at our school to come into their classrooms and do a mini (15 min), hands-on lesson on photosynthesis because the students don't seem to be retaining the information. I can understand why, as it's quite the process to explain! I'm wondering if anyone here might have a fun way to help reinforce this concept? I'm struggling to find a way to make this fun and hands-on for the kiddos. I also feel added pressure whenever I'm invited into classrooms to make the lessons extra engaging because these teachers don't see me in action in the garden and I want them to take more of an interest in what my program does!

Thanks so much! 

Alicia 

Hi there everyone and Happy Spring from Virginia! 

I had a request from the 5th grade teachers at our school to come into their classrooms and do a mini (15 min), hands-on lesson on photosynthesis because the students don't seem to be retaining the information. I can understand why, as it's quite the process to explain! I'm wondering if anyone here might have a fun way to help reinforce this concept? I'm struggling to find a way to make this fun and hands-on for the kiddos. I also feel added pressure whenever I'm invited into classrooms to make the lessons extra engaging because these teachers don't see me in action in the garden and I want them to take more of an interest in what my program does!

Thanks so much! 

Alicia 

Here's an idea:

Photosynthesis Lesson - Air and Plants  (adapted from Project Learning Tree)

Fill a bowl with fresh water.

Mix baking soda into the water to provide carbon dioxide to the plant.

Place an aquatic plant inside a drinking glass.

Lower the glass sideways into the bolw of water until the glass fills with water and no air bubbles are left in the glass. Then turn glass upside down without letting in air. The glass should rest on the bottom of the bowl. Aim light from a lamp toward the plant on the side of the glass.

You will see small bubbles forming on the leaves in the water. Most bubbles will come from the side of the plant nearest the light. After about an hour, you will see that a large bubble will form on the top of the water inside the glass. This bubble contains the oxyen that the plant has made.

If you are outside, just put a plastic bag over a large leaf on a plant or a tree. It will take only a few minutes to start sweating. 

Hi there everyone and Happy Spring from Virginia! 

I had a request from the 5th grade teachers at our school to come into their classrooms and do a mini (15 min), hands-on lesson on photosynthesis because the students don't seem to be retaining the information. I can understand why, as it's quite the process to explain! I'm wondering if anyone here might have a fun way to help reinforce this concept? I'm struggling to find a way to make this fun and hands-on for the kiddos. I also feel added pressure whenever I'm invited into classrooms to make the lessons extra engaging because these teachers don't see me in action in the garden and I want them to take more of an interest in what my program does!

Thanks so much! 

Alicia 

Hi there everyone and Happy Spring from Virginia! 

I had a request from the 5th grade teachers at our school to come into their classrooms and do a mini (15 min), hands-on lesson on photosynthesis because the students don't seem to be retaining the information. I can understand why, as it's quite the process to explain! I'm wondering if anyone here might have a fun way to help reinforce this concept? I'm struggling to find a way to make this fun and hands-on for the kiddos. I also feel added pressure whenever I'm invited into classrooms to make the lessons extra engaging because these teachers don't see me in action in the garden and I want them to take more of an interest in what my program does!

Thanks so much! 

Alicia 

Hi there everyone and Happy Spring from Virginia! 

I had a request from the 5th grade teachers at our school to come into their classrooms and do a mini (15 min), hands-on lesson on photosynthesis because the students don't seem to be retaining the information. I can understand why, as it's quite the process to explain! I'm wondering if anyone here might have a fun way to help reinforce this concept? I'm struggling to find a way to make this fun and hands-on for the kiddos. I also feel added pressure whenever I'm invited into classrooms to make the lessons extra engaging because these teachers don't see me in action in the garden and I want them to take more of an interest in what my program does!

Thanks so much! 

Alicia 

Hi there everyone and Happy Spring from Virginia! 

I had a request from the 5th grade teachers at our school to come into their classrooms and do a mini (15 min), hands-on lesson on photosynthesis because the students don't seem to be retaining the information. I can understand why, as it's quite the process to explain! I'm wondering if anyone here might have a fun way to help reinforce this concept? I'm struggling to find a way to make this fun and hands-on for the kiddos. I also feel added pressure whenever I'm invited into classrooms to make the lessons extra engaging because these teachers don't see me in action in the garden and I want them to take more of an interest in what my program does!

Thanks so much! 

Alicia