Seeds of Knowledge

Seeds are everywhere!
Everyday, my girls and I encounter seeds.  Yes, we have planted them in our garden and have experienced the joy of watching them grow, Asters - Zucchini.  However, my 5 year old and my 2 year old were quick to point out every seed we came across during each meal of the day:  flax seeds, sesame seeds, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, orange, lemon, kiwi, cucumber, pepper, seeds...the list goes on and on!  So, we decided to collect the seeds we came across until we could fill an old egg carton.  (The girls were amazed to learn that pits, such as in nectarine, avocado, cherry, etc. were seeds as well.)

Once we collected the 12 seeds, we sorted them from biggest to smallest.  Then, the girls examined the seeds under magnifying glasses to better notice each seed's details.  Finally, the girls created a poster drawing each seed as they saw it in relation to the others.

This exercise got them focused on a subject and made them eager to learn more - they wanted to plant each seed to see what would happen next!  While we were collecting the seeds, they had to exercise some patience...it took us a few days to collect 12 seeds.  Also, it sharpened their observation skills; while eating a meal, they would search for seeds among their fruits and vegetables.  In addition, it served as a review for counting, sorting, and making comparisons and contrasts.  Finally, it gave my five year old a chance to act as teacher to my 2 year old!

There are so many other possibilities for learning with this activity.  The seeds could be sorted alphabetically, school aged children could write the name of each seed, and if the seeds are planted students/children could make observations as the seeds grow and sketch what they see on a "growth chart."  

Seeds are not the only option:  you could use rocks, seashells, flowers, bugs, buttons, etc. to accomplish the activity.  It doesn't matter what you use, or exactly how you do it, as long as some seeds of knowledge are getting planted and your young ones are excited about learning!

If you do choose to work with seeds, the following books are great extensions of the topic:

How Groundhog's Garden Grew, by Lynne Cherry

-Squirrel teaches groundhog how to grow and care for his garden through each of the seasons.

The Pea Blossom, by Amy Lowry Poole

-Five peas inside a blossom all what different things.  Follow each pea's unique journey.

Seed by Seed, by Esme Raji Codell

-This book highlights the importance of Johnny Appleseed.

For more book suggestions, check out this blog's "Suggested Reading" list.  

Enjoy learning! 

Motivating and Celebrating Learning

We motivate our children, and students, to do their best and celebrate those milestones that they accomplish. We see how proud they can be at these moments and want to bottle up the feeling

for them. However, as proud as each child can be at certain times, each child at some point experiences a feeling of not really being "into it" or not really feeling that he/she is making progress in the direction he/she would like to. Thankfully, there are many ways to motivate and celebrate learning!

"Word Wall"

The "Word Wall" works well because it is a constant visual, almost becoming a piece of artwork. It grows and changes as the learner does. It quickly becomes personal if he/she is the one physically putting the words onto the word wall. (This could also be done with magnets on a fridge, digitally through photographs, cut out word from magazines/newspapers, etc.)

For this word wall, I printed most words on card stock paper, then cut them to size.
Some words are hand-written on card stock as well.

• For emerging readers...
• as child is able to sound out word independently, post word onto word wall
• words can be grouped by rhyming families, or other logical categories (i.e. irregular words, number of syllables, etc.)
• For elementary spellers...
• as child is able to independently spell words, post word onto word wall
• words can be grouped by weekly spelling lists, or other logical categories (i.e. nouns, adjectives, etc.)
• For elementary/middle/high school students...
• as child is able to define content-area vocabulary in his/her own words, post word to word wall
• words can be grouped by subject area, or other logical categories (i.e. ABC order, root of word, etc.)
• For anyone learning a second language...
• post matches of words from two different languages (i.e. "el gato" = "cat")
• use the word wall to show verb conjugations
• sort nouns by the feminine and masculine definite and indefinite articles
• sort words by parts of speech

The options and ideas are endless, but the process gives such a visual for learners on their growth! (It also gives the teacher/parent a great jumping off point for other ideas and activities, based on what is or is not on the wall.) It is a great way to celebrate the learning and to watch it grow!

"Reading Around the Room"

(This idea was taken from a "Helping Hands" display that was used in my daughter's classroom. In her classroom, a hand was posted on the wall each time there was a good deed in the classroom. The good deed was written on the hand and it was posted on the wall. These hands continued to go up one-by-one around the classroom throughout the year, with a special celebration planned if the hands made it all the way around the room by the end of the school year.)

I loved this idea so much that I wanted to find a way to connect it to reading. Instead of hands, we've been posting books around the room. Each time my daughter independently reads a book aloud, she gets a book to post on the wall. She loves to draw and has chosen to draw an illustration from the book on her paper book to be posted. This activity automatically increases confidence as she sees the number of books quickly making their way around the room. 

This activity can be used in so many ways, but if we focus on just reading, it can be used to...

• track number of books read independently
• show books read to a young child
• demonstrate chapter books read by child just starting with chapter books
• display books read with a whole class
• note literature books that have content-area connection (i.e. literature books read in science class)

The list can go on and on, but no matter how it is used, it is a visual representation of hard-work and accomplishment. It can be used as a group challenge, or individually. It can be use for reading, or for good deeds as I had originally seen it. No matter how it is used, if it involves the learner and is on display, it will motivate the learner to keep learning!

What are some ways that you have motivated and

celebrated learning with your child(ren) or student(s)?

Please feel free to add to this post in the comment section!