The Growing Plant

Botany, Reproduction, Pollination, and Life Cycles

Note: PDF files require a pdf document viewer, such as Acrobat. Links will open new browser windows. Download Acrobat.

"There are close to 400,000 recognizably different kinds of plants, called species, in the world today." (Capon, 1990)

"About 250,000 of the world's plants produce flowers." (Capon, 1990)

Flower Power Part One (PDF, 103 KB)
The Growing Classroom: Garden-Based Science
Jaffe, Roberta and Gary Appel. Addison Publishing Company, 1990.
Grade: 4-6
Flowers that Attract (PDF, 46 KB)
Garden Detectives
2000.
Grade: K-6

Flower Power Part Two (PDF, 169 KB)
The Growing Classroom: Garden-Based Science
Jaffe, Roberta and Gary Appel. Addison Publishing Company, 1990.
Grade: 4-6
Plant Part Art
UCD Children's Garden Program
Grade: K-6
Stem, Root, Leaf, or Fruit? (PDF, 98 KB)
The Growing Classroom: Garden-Based Science
Jaffe, Roberta and Gary Appel. Addison Publishing Company, 1990.
Grade: K-3
Tasty Plants
What Growing On?
California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, 2006.
Grade: 4-6
CA State Standards: Grade 4 Science 2, 2a, 3, 3c; Grade 5 Science 2, 2e, 2f; Grade 6 Science 5, 5a, 5b

Plant Hunt: Blooms and Beneficials (PDF, 55 KB)
Garden Detectives: A Guide to Using Your Powers of Observation to Solve the Mystery of Creating a Healthy Garden
Ezrahti, Tahara. Community Environmental Council, 2000.
For more information or to order copies, call (805) 884-0459 x. 16. Grade: 4-6
Roots, Stems, Leaves (Song) (PDF, 61 KB)
The Growing Classroom: Garden-Based Science
Jaffe, Roberta and Gary Appel. Addison Publishing Company, 1990.
Grade: K-3
Teacher creates a large picture board depicting the life cycle with each element of the cycle a removable part. Students put them in the proper order.

Coy, John. Two Old Potatoes. Alfred A. Knopf, 2003.
A father and daughter plant two old potatoes they find in their cupboard and learn how this vegetable grows. (Grade K-3)
Gibbons, Gail. From Seed to Plant. Holiday House, 1991.
Learn about the lifecycle of the plant by examining its parts during each phase of its life. Learn the scientific names for plant parts and examine how seeds and flowers grow. (Grade K-3)
Heller, Ruth. The Reason for a Flower. Gorsset & Dunlap, Inc., 1983.
Learn about the functions and many aspects of the flower including pollination and seed development. (Grade (K-3)
Landau, Elaine. Tomatoes. Children's Press, 1999.
In this true-to-life book, learn the history of this garden product and how tomatoes grow. (Grade K-3)
Levenson, George. Pumpkin Circle. The Story of a Garden. Tricycle Press, 2002. (P)
Take a visual tour of the cycle of the pumpkin from seed to pumpkin to seed again. (Grade K-3)

Check out the University of New Hampshire, Cooperative Extension's beautiful website that lists ideas for different garden themes:
horticulture.unh.edu/ggg/gardenThemes.html
Capon, B. Botany for Gardeners: An Introduction and Guide. Timber Press. Portland, Oregon, 1990.
CSGN School Garden Planting Guide (PDF, 261 KB)
Use this School Garden Planting Guide to plan your school garden harvest. This comprehensive guide includes suggested vegetables, herbs and flowers to plant in the fall and the spring. In addition the guide includes the following information: when to plant seeds indoors, when to plant outdoors (based on frost dates), depth to plant seed, spacing of plants, days to germination, days to harvest and nutrients content of vegetables. Find frost dates for California at the Victory Seeds Web site or contact your local Master Gardener.

More information on vegetable, flower and herb planting, care, and harvest can be found at:

Organic Gardening.com: Get gardening tips, sign up for monthly garden reports for your area, and simplified information on the care and harvest of garden plants.
National Gardening Association's Food Garden Guide: Detailed information on planting, care and harvesting of garden plants.
National Gardening Association's Regional Reports: Get gardening information for your region, sign up for bimonthly gardening tips.
Burpee.com: Great information on gardening and seed catalog, sign up for regional garden reports, visit their "library" for plant care and harvest information. visit their "nutrition guide" for vegetable nutrient content and garden kitchen tips.
CityGardening.net: Information on how to test the viability of garden seeds as well as seed viability chart.