microworld - k-12 - the garden

Detailed Description:

Enticing young children to "eat their vegetables" has always been a daunting task. Parents, tachers and school administrators are concerned that elementary school children are shunning nourishing foods in favor of those with less food value. The 5th grade science teachers have decided to develop a lesson plan that will interest their students in vegetables and fruits, as well as teach them about the plants in general. The teachers will involve students in managing a vegetable garden. Since students have summer recess during the peak of the growing season, teachers have designed a computer-based environment to simulate the gardening cycle and introduce students to the variables affecting plant growth.

As part of the project, students will need to select plants that are appropriate for the environmental and climatological conditions in which they live. They will need to consult charts of weather histories and analyze the soil. Once the garden is planted, students will need to monitor the growth of their crops. This entails detecting any diseases or pest infestations and deciding on treatment methods. They will also need to protect the plants from unfavorable weather conditions. After the crop is harvested, they must plan for the next planting by protecting the soil and encouraging insects that are beneficial to plant growth.

Learning Outcomes:

Students will acquire the skills and concepts necessary to:

  • Read and interpret weather data to project growing season characteristics
  • Categorize soil types and apply appropriate treatments to foster crop growth
  • Select appropriate plants for the environmental conditions
  • Identify problems that occur during the growing season and research possible causes
  • Analyze possible solutions in terms of short-term effectiveness and long-term implications for the environment
  • Observe the results of applied solutions and determine whether the problem is solved or needs further investigation
  • Plan for future gardens based on experience with the current crop