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Lesson 6 Seed Packets

Materials:
Microsoft Word.
Diskette with graphics (see lessons 1 and 4).
Printer.

Background:
Before designing their seed packets my students learned to use the digital camera, the Paint program and had some experience using Microsoft Word.

Objectives:
1. Design a seed packet for seeds collected on the school campus.
2. Use a variety of resources to find the information needed to complete a task (information for the seed packet).
3. Use different features of Microsoft Word such as inserting a photograph or graphic and inserting a headline.

Standards:
L.A.    3.4.3    Understand the structure, organization, and use of various resources such
                        as the encyclopedia, card catalog, almanacs, newspapers, and periodicals.
Science
L.S.     3           Adaptations in Physical structure or behavior may improve an organism's
                         chance for survival:
            a           Students know plants and animals have structures that serve different
                         functions in growth, survival, and reproduction.
            b           Students know examples of diverse life forms in different environments,
                         such as oceans, deserts, tundra, forests, grasslands, and wetlands.

Estimated Time:
20 minutes with the whole class or small group (depending on the approach you take) and 30 minutes for the students to finish their seed packet.

Vocabulary:

Seed packet, commercial, research, identification, genus, climate, zone, annual, perenial, depth, sow, spacing, row, harvest, germinate, seedlings, diameter, variety, bloom, heigth, common name, scientific name.

Procedure:
Template Sample
1. Insert either the photo or drawing of the plant/fruit that will be produced by the seed.
2. Insert a headline with the common name of the plant.
3. Insert text with the name of the packet designer.
4. Look up information on the plant in encyclopedia, Internet, commercial seed packet and/or other resource book (Sunset Western Garden Book). Include as many as possible of the following: plant description, scientific name, days to germinate, depth to sow, seed spacing, growing height, sun/shade preference, watering preference, type (annual, perennial, etc.).
5. Type the information found on the backside of the seed packet.
6. Print the packet, cut it out, glue it (with the exception of the top flap), fill it with seeds that have been collected from the plant/other means or purchased. Seal it.

Assessment:

Rubric:

4 points   Completed independently
3 points   Completed with the help of a peer expert
2 points   Completed with the help of the teacher
1 point     Completed partially
0 points    Did not participate

Sites for researching plants:

Links to Plant Information http://geocities.com/graciesgifts/plant.htm

Botany Encyclopedia http://botany.com/

Etera's plant Search http://etera.com/school/plants/default.asp?sp=186&Srx=1

Plant Encyclopedia http://wildaboutgardening.org/en/growing/section4/

Plant Encyclopedia http://expertree.net/plantorder.html

Common Name Index http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/comindx.html

Plant Search http://planetplants.co.uk/Products.htm
Go to: http://planetplants.co.uk/Products.htm#Online Plant Encyclopedia

Kid Info - Plants http://kidinfo.com/Science/plants.html

Plant Tips and Facts http://edelsoft.net/garden/plants.htm

Digital Librarian http://digital-librarian.com/gardening.html

NeoFlora Plant Database http://neoflora.com/