Bursting Buds

It’s spring!  Tree buds are opening, flowers are blooming, birds are singing, and the days are getting longer.  It’s time to explore the fascinating world of buds and plants with children!

Weather permitting, take children outside for story time and read My Mother Talks to Trees by Doris Gove.  After you have read the story ask the children: Do your parents or other family members ever do anything that surprises them?   Take children on walk to look for buds on trees, and shrubs.  Follow the spirit of the story by walking up to trees and shrubs and talking to them.  Talk about the things that are unusual, beautiful, and remarkable about each.  Questions to ask: Do any of the plants have new leaves or flowers? Do any of them have buds? What do they look like? Describe them (color, texture, size). What do you think the buds will grow into? What do you think they will look like?  

Make plans to periodically return to the plants that have unopened buds over the next few weeks to watch for new growth. While you are outside, look for other signs of spring such as birds, insects and frogs.  Have the children close their eyes and “smell spring” in the air and feel the warmth of the spring sun on their faces.  Questions to ask: What do you smell? What does the sun feel like on your skin? What colors do you notice outside that you haven’t seen all winter?

Collect twigs with buds from plants that have been pruned.  Using plastic knives encourage the children to take the buds apart.  Provide magnifying glasses.  Provide other plants materials, such as twigs from various kinds of trees and shrubs, bulbs, flowers, and seeds, for the children to explore as well. Questions to ask: Do you think any of these things can grow into plants? Flowers? Leaves? What do you think would happen if we planted them in soil? Or put the twigs with buds in water? What do the plant materials smell like?  Feel like? Describe the inside of the buds.

Try putting some of the twigs in water and watch the buds open in the classroom.  Apple, forsythia, maple, oak and pussy willow are good choices.  Change the water frequently and recut the stem ends if needed. Check the buds daily and have the children make observations about what they see.  Questions to ask: How are the buds changing? Do you think they will develop into leaves or flowers? Why? Describe what you see.

For snack time make “sunshine sandwiches”.  Spread cream cheese on English muffins.  Put sunflower seeds in the center and arrange mandarin oranges around the center to form the sun’s rays.  Enjoy!

For more great ideas use Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood’s “Bursting Buds”.

Book List

Baylor, B. 1997. The Other Way to Listen. Aladdin.

Behn, H. and J. Endicott. 1994. Trees. Henry Holt & Company, Inc.

Berger, S., M. Sweet, and P. Chanko. 2001. It’s Spring! (Hello Reader! Series). Scholastic, Inc.

Bernard, R. 2001. A Tree for All Seasons. National Geographic Society.

Blackaby, S., and C. Delage. 2003. Bud and Blossoms. Coughlan Publishing.

Bourgoing, P. 1992. The Tree. Scholastic First Discovery Books.

Burnie, D. 2005. Plant. DK Publishing, Inc.

Burns, D.L. and J.F. McGee. 1996.  Berries, Nuts, and Seeds (Take-Along Guide). T&N Children's Publishing.

Burns, D. and L. Garrow. 1998. Leaves, Trees and Bark (Take-Along Guide). NorthWord Books for Young Readers.

Canizares, S. and P. Chanko. 1997. Look At This Tree. Scholastic, Inc.

Charman, A. 2003. I Wonder Why Trees Have Leaves and Other Questions about Plants. Houghton Mifflin Company.

Davis, R.F. 2006. Flowers and Showers: A Spring Counting Book. Capstone Press.

Dixon, M. 1998. Plants around Us. Smart Apple Media.

Downden, A.O. 1984. From Flower to Fruit. Thomas Y. Crowell Co.

Eckroat, L. W. 2009. The Life of Bud. Tate Publishing & Enterprises, LLC.

Evans, L. 1999. Spring: An Alphabet Acrostic. Houghton Mifflin Company.

Florian, D. 2006. Handsprings. HarperCollins Publishers.

Fontes, J.K. 2002. Signs of Spring. Mondo Publishing.

Fowler, A. 1991. How do you Know it's Spring? Scholastic Library Publishing.

Gerard, V.J. 2002. Spring: Signs of the Season around North America. Capstone Press.

Gibbons, G. 2002. Tell Me Tree: All About Trees for Kids. Little, Brown Young Readers.

Gibbons, G. 1984. The Season of Arnold’s Apple Tree. Voyager Books.

Glaser, L., R. E. Glaser, and S. Swan. 2002. It’s Spring!. Lerner Publishing Group.

Gove, D. and M. H. Mallory. My Mother Talks to Trees. Peachtree Publishers.

Hewitt, S. 1999. Plants and Flowers. Scholastic Library Publishing.

Johnston, T. 2005. The Whole Green World. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Lyon, G. 1996. ABCedar: an Alphabet of Trees. Scholastic Inc..

Orie, S. De Coteau. 1996. Did You Hear Wind Sing Your Name? Walker & Company.

Orme, H. 2003. Why Do Plants Grow in Spring? Gareth Stevens Audio.

Posada, M. 2004. Robins: Songbirds of Spring. Lerner Publishing Group.

Raczka, B. 2007. Spring Things. Albert Whitman.

Roca, N., R. M. Curto. 2004. Spring. Barron’s Educational Series, Inc.

Royston, A. 2001. Plants, Flowers, Fruits and Seeds. Heinemann.

Saunders-Smith, G. 1997. From Bud to Blossom. Coughlan Publishing.

Schwartz, D. M., and D. Kuhn. 1998. Plant Blossoms. Creative Teaching Press, Inc.

Worth, B. 2006. I Can Name 50 Trees Today!: All about Trees. Random House Publishing Group.

Wiggling Worms!

Explore the fascinating world of worms! “Earthworm” is a general term used to describe many different species of worms that live in the soil.  While they do not have an obvious head or tail you can identify the head by which way the worm crawls.  And did you know that worms absorb oxygen through their skin?  Explore the world of worms with young children with this activity!

For this activity dig worms from your backyard or schoolyard to bring into class.  If you are unable to find worms on your own purchase them from a local bait shop.  (Note: Worms that are purchased must not be released into the local environment.  Non-native worms can disrupt the local ecosystem.) 

Place the worms in a container and cover with soil. Show children the container of soil that contains the worms (the worms will likely be hiding in the soil) and ask them what animal might eat this soil for lunch? After they have guessed dig into the soil so that they can see the worms.  Next put a damp paper towel in front of each child and place a worm on each paper towel.  Allow the children a chance to observe and touch the worms (remind them to use gentle touches).  Give them a chance to share their observations.  Questions to ask: How does the worm move? What color is it? What does its skin feel like? What does its skin look like? How does the worm move?

Take children outside to look for worms.  Bring small shovels or old spoons and allow the children to help dig.  Ask them where they think worms might live.  Dig there.  Try several places.  Questions to ask: Do you think worms prefer wet or dry soil? Why? Do you think they prefer shade or sun? Why? How deep in the soil do you think worms live?

For snack time make “worms and dirt”: crush chocolate sandwich cookies and mix with chocolate pudding or low fat chocolate yogurt.  Spoon into small cups  Serve each with a few gummy worms. Yum!

For more information and for craft ideas use Growing Up WILD’s “Wiggling Worms” activity!

Book List

Bailey, J. 2006. Worm. Heinemann.

Bial, R. 2001. A Handful of Dirt. Walker & Company.

Bourgeois, P. 1990. The Amazing Dirt Book. Kids Can Press, Limited.

Bourgeois, P., M. Newbigging, and K. Vanderlinden. 2008. The Dirt on Dirt. Kids Can Press, Limited.

Brendler, C., and A. Hoyt. 2009. Winnie Finn, Worm Farmer. Farrar, Strau and Giroux.

Bryant-Mole, K. 1996. Soil. Steck-Vaughn.

Coleman, G. and T. Gibbons. 1997. Worms. Gareth Stevens Publishing.

Cronin, D. 2003. Diary of a Worm. Harpercollins Childrens Books. 

De Bourgoing, P. and G. Jeunesse. 1995. Under the Ground. Scholastic, Inc.

Fredericks, A. D., and J. DiRubbio. 2001. Under One Rock: Bugs, Slugs and other Ughs. Dawn Publications.

French, V., and J. Ahlberg. 2010. Yucky Worms. Candlewick Press.

Glaser, L. 1994. Wonderful Worms. Lerner Publishing Group.

Heinrichs, A. 2004. Worms. Coughlan Publishing.

Holmes, K.J. 1998. Earthworms. Coughlan Publishing.

Loewen, N., and R. Peterson. 2005. Garden Wigglers: Earthworms in Your Backyard. Coughlan Publishing.

Oxlade, C. 2002. Soil. Heinemann Library.

Pfeffer, W. 2003. Wiggling Worms at Work. HarperCollins Publishers.

Richardson, A.D. 2001. Soil. Capstone Press.

Woodman, N. 2007. Dirt. National Geographic Society.