Sowing the seeds - a thematic approach to plant life in early years education

Abstract

This chapter examines how plant biology can be contextualised to make it a relevant and engaging topic for young children. It suggests that learning activities within broad Early Years themes such as ‘gardening’, ‘food’ and ‘the seasons’, illustrated with case studies, children’s story books, and curriculum links. The chapter argues how learning in the area of the curriculum can led to children adopting healthier and ‘greener’ lifestyles. Children can plant seeds in all sorts of ways: as ‘hair’ in an egg shell, in cotton wool in a plastic bag taped to the window, in a seed tray, in the garden, or on wet tissue. The chapter shows how learning about plants is a vital part of young children’s education. Learning about food chains; noticing the ways in which insects pollinate plants and the ways plants feed insects; looking for small creatures under leaves or in the bark of a tree-all the observations point to the interdependence of living things.