Seeds and Planting

Propagation, Germination, Transplanting

In the Garden

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

• Adapt-a-Seed (PDF, 62 KB)
  The Growing Classroom: Garden-Based Science
  Jaffe, Roberta and Gary Appel. Addison Publishing Company, 1990.
  Grade: K-6
  CA State Standards: Science 4th Grade: 3b, c
• Kids Make Eco-Pots
  UCD Children's Garden Program
  Grade: K-6
• Transplanting (PDF, 154 KB)
  Children’s Gardens
  Grade: K-6
• Transplanting, or Let's Move 'Em Out (PDF, 338 KB)
  The Growing Classroom: Garden-Based Science
  Jaffe, Roberta and Gary Appel. Addison Publishing Company, 1990.
  Grade: 4-6
  CA State Standards: Science 3rd Grade: 3a, c, d; Science 4th Grade: 3b, c

In the Classroom

• Kids Make Slides
  UCD Children's Garden Program
  Grade: K-6
  CA State Standards: Science Kindergarten: 2c; 4d, e; Science 1st Grade: 2e; 4a, b; Science 2nd Grade: 2e, f; 4c, d, f, g; Science 3rd Grade: 3a
• Plant Anatomy
  How Much Is Too Much? How Little Is Too Little?
  Emery, Pamela. California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, 1993.
  Grade: 4-6
• Seed Magic (PDF, 193 KB)
  TWIGS
  Grade: K-3
  CA State Standards: Science 2nd Grade: 2.c, 4.a, 4.b
• Seedy Character (PDF, 389 KB)
  The Growing Classroom: Garden-Based Science
  Jaffe, Roberta and Gary Appel. Addison Publishing Company, 1990.
  Grade: K-3
  State Standards: Science Kindergarten: 2a, c; 4d; Science 2nd Grade: 4c, g
• ZIP Code Seeds (PDF, 273 KB)
  The Growing Classroom: Garden-Based Science
  Jaffe, Roberta and Gary Appel. Addison Publishing Company, 1990.
  Grade: 4-6
  State Standards: Science 4th Grade: 3b, c; Science 6th Grade: 5e

Taking it Further

• Read The Reason for a Flower. (See Children's Literature Resource below.) Use this as a prompt for discussing seeds and the role they play in propagation and growth of plants.
• Students draw their own pictures the life cycle of plants. (Grade K-6)
• Students read about how seeds travel and write a fictional story about how a seed got from its host plant to the ground. Alternatively, students write a class story of a seed's adventures. Teachers use seed dispersal background information to assist students. This can be found in National Gardening Association's GrowLab.  (Grade K-6)

Resources

Children's Literature

• Carle, Eric. Tiny Seed. Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, 1991. (Grade K-3)
• Heller, Ruth. The Reason for a Flower. Putnam Juvenile; Reissue edition, 1999. (Grade 4-6)
• Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad Together (Chapter 2, "The Garden"). HarperCollins, 1972. (Grade K-3)
• Malett, David. Inch by Inch: The Garden Song. Harper Collins, 1975.
  This classic folk song celebrates nature in all its bounty with expressive illustrations in picture book format. The music for accompanying instruments and voices is provided.
• Marzollo, Jean. I Am a Seed. Cartwheel, 1996. (Grade K-3)
• Overbeck, Cynthia. How Seeds Travel. A Lerner Natural Science Book, Lerner Publishing Group, 1982. (Grade 4-6)
• Schaefer, Lola M. Pick, Pull, Snap! Where a Flower Once Bloomed. Greenwillow, 2003. (Grade K-3)

For Teachers

• Savvy Seed Saving National Gardening Association article by Eve Pranis
• 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.
• Arizona State University College of Teacher Education
  Under Teacher Created Resources, there is an entire section on seeds. This is articulated to Arizona State Standards, but the application is similar to CA.
  coe.west.asu.edu/explorer
• Students, Seeds and Soil: A School Garden Resource Guide
  www.studentsseedsandsoil.com
  Based in Portland, Orgeon, this website offers a wonderful range of information and activities about school gardens and classroom activities relating to gardens.
• National Gardening Association
  www.garden.org and www.kidsgardening.com
  National Gardening Association websites are a must for all aspects of school gardening in the U.S.
• California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom
  CFAITC offers extensive curricula articulated to CA State Standards, as well as a wealth of information related to California agriculture.
  www.cfaitc.org

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.