Project Objective: To Plant a Garden
(Leecy Wise and Sandi Watkins, Cortez, CO, 2000)

Related to Standards of Colorado Certificates of Accomplishment
ABE II, 2M1, 2M2, 2M19, 2M20

This material can also work very well with Intermediate students of English as a Foreign or Second Language.

(Two lesson plans for adult learners, designed to appeal to multiple intelligences.)

Objectives: At the end of the following two sessions, students will be able to…

Materials and Handouts – Click on the link below to access the PDF file with all materials and handouts for these lesson plans

The 5 P’s -- P1= Preparation P2= Presentation P3= Practice with student help
P4= Practice with teacher help P5= Perform alone (class or homework assignments)

Activity

Method (Leecy’s 5 P’s)

Introduce Objectives for the topic.

P1 - Preparation

State the objectives. Discuss the need for knowing how to plan a vegetable garden that will yield the best produce for the space. Talk about the students’ experiences with gardens; discuss their preferences for different vegetables; tell stories about growing and having to eat vegetables or weed gardens, etc… Establish a dialogue around different parts of the topic. Invite students to draw, talk, laugh and exchange ideas.

Discuss vocabulary

Go over the vocabulary words listed in the handouts and have students offer suggestions as to what they mean. Spend time looking up words and discussing different meanings for certain words (i.e. plant (v) plant (n)).

Have students group the words into different parts of speech. Help them notice endings that might give clues as to the parts of speech. As they group words, have them use different colors for each group.

Have students write and spell the words. Have them write sentences with the words, combining as many as possible in a sentence. Compare results.

(Some teachers prefer to work with vocabulary as part of the reading, which is fine. Adopt whatever works for you!)

Read the Passage on “Planting a Garden.”

P2 -Presentation of Topic

Read the passage. Pause after each paragraph and relate the material to real life. Ask questions, discuss experiences, give examples, and show pictures.

P3 –Practice (You practice with student's help.)

After going through the passage once, have students read aloud with you, without getting ahead or behind. Establish a reading rhythm that students can follow. If possible, have soft music in the background.

If students want to take turns reading, encourage them to do so. Have them substitute words in the passage (i.e.- foods they like more, verbs that are stronger, names of people, etc…)

Distribute Matching Exercise and Crossword Puzzle.

P4 – Practice (Student practices with your help.)

Have students get into groups or pairs and see how fast they can finish the exercise. Repeat the process with the crossword puzzle. (Answers are included in Handouts)

Distribute the Planting Information Handout

P2 -Presentation of Math Objectives

Go over the chard showing different information for each plant. Show students how to read the chart. Ask questions to help students interpret the chart (alone, in groups and in pairs, if possible). What is the order of presentation (alphabetical). Find spinach/watermelon/broccoli. How do you spell broccoli (English?). Which seedling can stand the coldest/warmest weather? Which three products require the greatest space? The deepest holes? Etc…

Ask personal preference questions, like “ When did you last eat….?” Which products have you eaten this week? Raw? Cooked? Taste?

Distribute the Garden Plot Project Handout

Ask students to study the sample garden plot. Ask questions about how it is laid out so that students understand how the garden was planned.

Show students how to solve several math problems based on the information they have in front of them. For example, “How many more carrots can you plant per foot than a cucumbers?” How much deeper do you have to plant peas than carrots?” How long would a row have to be to plant 10 potato sets next to each other?” “If you planted 10 rows of watermelons, how long would the watermelon plot have to be?” Have students add and subtract figures using the information in the chart.

Play a couple of games.

P3 and P4 with Math Games

Fractions Rhythm Game – One clap represents ¼ of an inch in depth. If I say, cucumber, you must clap 4 times because cucumbers need to be planted in 1-inch holes. (Always use the highest depth stated for each product). If you say, “Peppers,” students will clap twice (1/2 in). Have a student give you the names and you clap for the class.

Multiplication/Division Game – One clap represents 2 inches between rows. Continue as above.

Home assignment

Your Garden

P5 - Homework

Have students take the sample plot home and draw out a plot of their own to bring to class in the next session. Ask students to use the Planting Information Chart to design each row in the garden they want to plant. Ask them to write in the length and distances between each row (ft and in).

Review and Introduce Objective for Session 2.

Students will be able to manipulate math figures to change the characteristics of different plots and products. They will be able to estimate and figure distances, areas, perimeters, using whole numbers and decimals.

Use as many different learning approaches as possible to review the objectives covered in the last session.

Discuss the home assignment, comparing the products that each person selected. Check for accuracy in measurements by having students use the chart to evaluate each other’s work. Show students your own plot and discuss your reasons for outlining it as you did.

Present the Objectives for this session.

Distribute the crossword and matching exercises again and see how fast students can complete them.

Distribute “Planning a Vegetable Garden”

Have students silently read the information on “Planning a Vegetable Garden.” Have them ask each other questions about the different products.

Refer to the handouts from the previous session giving product information and the sample plot. Hand out the nine questions in the Handout relating to the Sample Garden Plot and Planting Information.

Help students answer the nine questions relating to the Sample Garden Plot.

Demonstrate Problem-Solving Steps

P2, P3– Math problem solving

Show students how to add, subtract, multiply and divide numbers using decimals. Draw a plot with fractional dimensions and have them help you solve the problems, similar to the final exercise you will give them to do next (Going Beyond Handout).

Distribute “Going Beyond” Handouts with final problems to be solved.

Have students work alone or in groups to solve the problems presented in the “Going Beyond” exercise. Go over answers and discuss different approaches to solving the problems.

Have students write a problem of their own and present it to the class.

Really Go Beyond

Optional Extension Activities:

Work with fractions instead of decimals.

· Develop pie and other charts to interpret garden dimensions and product distribution.

· Work with weather and temperatures, converting temperatures to Celsius

· Discuss the planting zones in the Map included in the Handouts and the products that would thrive best in each one.

Have a nutritionist come in to speak to the class.
Plan meals around different products.
Bring products to class and make soup together.
Have students visit the sites recommended below and write short reports on what they find.
Study the Zone Map included in the

Review the two sessions and complete related tasks.

Suggestions: Have students bring pictures and products to class when the right season arrives. Publish pictures and eat the goodies!

http://www.gardening.usda.gov/ - “This website is dedicated to all gardeners--young and old, novice and experienced, rural, urban, and suburban. In this website, we've pulled together years of research and experience to provide you with useful gardening information.” As a matter of fact, the whole USDA site has lots of helpful information.