Lessons

The purpose of this lesson is for students to practice partitioning and creating equal parts through real-world applications in the kitchen and garden. In the garden, students will prepare raised beds for planting by dividing them into equal parts. In the kitchen, they will work on creating equal parts from fruits and vegetables of different sizes for sharing. They will explore the terms fair and equal and consider if equal is always fair.

The purpose of this lesson is for students to investigate why people use maps, how maps help people, and the different types of maps that people use. Students will explore the similarities between maps and recipes and then navigate their school garden using a map they create. This lesson supports the DCPS 1st Grade Social Studies Unit Getting Around Town.

The purpose of this lesson is for students to understand similarities and differences between leaves within the same family of plants. Students will learn that plants, like humans, share some characteristics but also inherit individual traits. They will study the differences between leaves by making observational drawings in the garden and comparing harvested leaves through Venn diagrams and leaf rubbings. This lesson supports the DCPS 1st grade Science Unit Parents and Their Offspring. 

The purpose of this lesson is to learn about the Three Sisters Garden, and why Native Americans planted corn, beans, and squash together. Students will learn how these three plants benefit one another and thrive together, as well as other examples of companion planting. Students will read the legend and explore how the theme of the Three Sisters applies to their own lives, build models of the plants, and design a Three Sisters Garden. ​

The purpose of this lesson is for students to explore plant families. Students will study characteristics of different plant families and look for examples of each one in the school garden. They will create observational drawings that focus on the differences between plant families and use seed catalogues to create a poster of plant families. This lesson supports the DCPS 2nd Grade ELA Unit From Seed to Plant and the Science Unit Organisms – Needs and Interactions.

The purpose of this lesson is for students to investigate the different factors that influence the foods we choose to eat, including culture, peers, media, and advertising. Students will evaluate what influences their own food choices and create an advertisement for a nutritious food or ingredient. They will also work to clean the garden so that it can be an advertisement for its delicious and nutritious produce.