Lesson Plan:
Be the E! Eat Local, Wear Organic!: Grades K-8

Lesson Plan Created by: Gillian Jackson for Anvil Knitwear and Earth Day New York

In this lesson, students will learn about that both food and clothing come from the land.  Students will explore how food and clothing start life by dissecting a seed, growing a salad in their indoor classroom and visiting TrackMyT.com. To celebrate Earth Day, students will create commitments to share this knowledge with their families and community!

Subject Area(s):

Life Science, Social Studies, Agriculture

Recommended Grade Level:

Kindergarten - 8th

Time Frame:

Prep- 24 hours to soak beans, Lesson - 45 min, Grow - About 2 weeks

Objectives:

• To understand that food and clothing grow from the land
• To learn that plants start life as a seed and identify the parts of a seed
• To learn about eating local by growing a salad

Materials:

• Smartboard/Chalkboard
• Dried lima beans (soaked over night) – one per student
• Indoor Garden Kit and/or Seed Trays
• Mixed salad seeds
• Soil
• Computer with internet access

Note to Teachers:

This activity is a great way to use leftover seeds since students will only harvest the first few inches of growth. Best seeds to use are carrots, radishes, salad mix, lettuce, mustard greens, peas, and beans. Do not worry about spacing; just have students throw seeds on tray filled with moist soil and cover with a light dusting of soil.  When plants get to be 3-4 inches tall harvest by snipping greens where the stem meets soil, these are call micro-greens.