One morning when we went to check up on our garden, I heard another teacher talking about photosynthesis. C was listening to the conversation as well and he wanted to know what this meant. I told C I am not too sure but I will research on it and tell him later, I encouraged C to ask around as well.
Photosynthesis is when green plants produce oxygen and make food. The following day at group time I proudly told the children what this meant but this confused the children even more. Some questions I got asked was:
“What is oxygen?”
To explain to the children what oxygen was, I suggested for them to breathe in slowly and breathe out. Once they had finished, I told them that the air that they just inhaled was oxygen but then what is air came the question so I had to explain to the children what air is.
“Plants don’t make food, mummy does”.
I explained to them that plants make food in a different way that we can not see, and that is what makes the plant so strong and green.
“Where does the food come from?”
I told them that the food comes from the soil that is why we have to leave the plants in the soil in order for them to grow.
“How does the food get there?”
I was not too sure as to how the food gets there so I asked the children if I could do a research or find a book on plants and then show them what the process looks like.
“Does our garden make this too”.
Yes all green plants go through the process of photosynthesis to grow and live.
After this group discussion, I could see the changes in childrens behavior; I noticed how when A tried to pull out a plant then C told him “no don’t do that the plant will need the soil”. So I told A “yes the plant needs the soil so that the plant can grow strong and tall like the children”.
It was interesting to see how your children engaged with gardening and science. How would you extend children's interests in planting and social studies?
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