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And God Created Plants Then God said, ‘Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.’ And it was so. Genesis 1:11

Introduction After God created the Earth, he gave its care to human beings. All of us share in the responsibility to care for the plants that fill our world and provide food for all living things. Some plants are also a source of medicine to heal people. God created plants the same way He created people. Both come in all shapes, sizes and colors. There are many types of plants that fill the world from our backyards and farms to forests and mountaintops. And just like people, plants require special care if they are to live. Today, more than 7 billion people depend on plants as a source of food. Plants need clean water, healthy soil and fresh air to grow. Our choices are like tossing pebbles into a pond. Each pebble makes a ripple that is felt far beyond the one small pebble. We, too, can have a big ripple effect by working together to care for our Earth.

Outline

Prayer Caring for Creation

Song I Am an Acorn by Carol Johnson

Craft Make A Seed Tape

Game Garden Scavenger Hunt

Snack Ants on a Log

Activity Learn about Plant Structures

Meal Bruschetta, White Bean Salad, and Kale Chips

Activity Clean it Up! Storytime

Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life by M. Bang & P. Chisholm; Trout are Made of Trees by A.P. Sayre

Rainy Day Option Celery Experiment

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Prayer

Caring for Creation

Most High, good Lord, You are the Maker of all creation and

all creatures are related as brothers and sisters.

Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures,

especially Sir Brother Sun who is the day, and through whom You give us light.

Praised be You, my Lord,

through Sister Moon and the stars, Brother Wind, Sister Water

and Brother Fire.

And praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth,

who sustains and governs us, and produces varied fruit

with coloured flowers and herbs.

Grant us, Lord, the grace to see Your beauty and likeness

in created things in showing care for creation.

Amen. Adapted by and used with permission from Br. Cathal Duddy, OFM, from "The Canticle of the Creatures" by St. Francis of Assisi

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Song

I Am an Acorn

I am an acorn, the packet, the seed God is within me, and God is the tree

I am unfolding the way I should be Carved in the palm of His Hand (2x) Sown in the soil of God’s land (2x)

To hear the melody for this song, click here. © l981, Carol Johnson, Noeldner Music, BMI www.caroljohnsonmusic.com, From the recording "Might As Well Make It Love"

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Make a Seed Tape Time Needed: 1 hour Materials:

Biodegradable paper towels (paper towels without ink or chemicals), cut into strips, 3 inches x 12 inches

White glue Small seeds: lettuce, carrot, etc. Ruler Pencil

Instructions:

1. With a ruler and a pencil draw small dots every inch in the center of the paper towel strip.

2. Place a tiny drop of glue in the center of the dots. 3. Place one seed on each drop of glue 4. Allow glue to dry completely before moving or storing strips. 5. Plant seed tapes 1/2 inch deep in garden at the appropriate date for planting

(see back of seed packet for information).

Activity used with permission from Dalhousie University.

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Garden Scavenger Hunt To help the children become more familiar with their surroundings, have them complete this scavenger hunt in teams. This can be done in any setting, but this will be especially useful in the garden for children who are new to gardening. Customize the list of items based on the unique characteristics of your garden or other space. Time Needed: 1 hour Materials:

Paper

Writing utensils

Proper clothing: long pants and long T-shirts

Optional: clipboards

Preparation: 1. Adjust the scavenger hunt item list with items that you can find in your

garden.

2. Print out a copy of all the items the children need to find.

3. Prepare a couple of facts that children may be interested in hearing about the

different items

Instructions: 1. Divide the children into teams. Each team should have a teacher or older

student helper to ensure safety and to help explain what the children are

looking for if they are unfamiliar with some of the scavenger hunt items.

2. The teams will set off and begin looking for the items on the list. Teachers

should point out items if they find any and give insight about the different

items they have found.

3. Groups will get back together in around 30 minutes and compare their lists

and share what they have learned.

(continued on next page)

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Garden Scavenger Hunt List Once you find it, make sure everyone in your group sees it, too. If the item is a plant or a bug, just look at it unless a teacher says it’s okay to touch it. Some plants and bugs can hurt us!

Flower

Something I can eat

Gloves

Watering can

A bug

A stone

Stick or twig

Seeds

Biggest leaf you can find

Butterfly or moth

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Ants on a Log Makes 10 servings

Ingredients:

10 ribs celery, cut into 3 pieces each 1 cup peanut butter or almond butter 1 cup raisins

Instructions: Allow each child to spread peanut or almond butter on pieces of celery using a plastic knife or butter knife. They can then line up raisins on top and press them into the peanut or almond butter. Explain that celery is an edible stem. Peanuts and almonds are seeds that we mash to make butter. Raisins are fruits (made from grapes) that we allow the sun to dry. Therefore, ants on a log combine three different edible plant parts into a yummy snack

* Find out whether any participants have nut allergies before making this snack. Pumpkin seed or sunflower seed butter can be substituted for peanut butter.

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Learn About Plant Structures The tomato has already been cleverly called out for actually being a fruit, not a vegetable. Children will learn about other sneaky fruit commonly called vegetables and more. This activity explains the different parts of the plant that we eat. Time needed: 30 minutes Materials:

Large version of the plant structure diagram or copies for children

Examples of each part of the plant that we can eat (See the list below)

Tip: Use fruits and vegetables that will be part of the day’s meal to help make the connection between plant structures and the things we can eat (carrots, celery, peppers, chickpeas), and also to save money. Instructions:

1. Explain to the children that the fruit is only one part of a plant that can be

consumed. Roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds can also be edible, though

usually not all from the same plant. Going from the bottom of a plant to the

top, examples of dietary plant parts include all those pictured.

2. Explain the different parts of a plant by using the following diagram, a

drawing based on the diagram, or a plant or weed from the garden.

Roots: carrot, turnip, sweet potato, radish, beet, parsnip

Stems: celery and asparagus

Leaves: parsley, basil, mustard greens, chard, spinach, lettuce, cabbage

Flowers/Flower buds: broccoli and cauliflower

Fruits: tomato, cucumber, pepper, squash, peach, apple, mango, kiwi,

apricot

Seeds: pea, bean, corn, rice, barley, oat, nuts, sunflower, and pumpkin

3. Display a collection of fruits and vegetables that represent all of the parts of

the plant. Ask the children to collect samples that represent each part of the

plant to build a “Frankenstein plant”. For example, our new plant could have

a carrot for a root, a celery stalk for a stem, spinach as leaves…and so on.

4. As the children share their newly created plants, explain to them briefly what

each part of the plant does using the following page.

If time allows and your garden is already growing, have children identify plant parts on live plants. If the garden is not available, ask children to identify some of their favorite fruits and vegetables and which part of the plant they come from. (continued on next page)

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Roots: These are found below the soil surface and are essential to plants. Hairs on

the roots take up water and other nutrients from the soil. Roots transport nutrients and water to other parts of the plant. They also help keep the plant standing up straight and protect the plant in the wind and rain.

Stems: These are the plant’s backbone! Stems support the plant and transport

water and nutrients.

Leaves: These are the plant’s “food factories.” Leaves take light energy from the

sun and turn it into plant energy. Animals and people can’t do this—only plants can. If a plant loses all its leaves, it can no longer grow because it can’t get any energy.

Flowers: These are where the plant shows off! Birds and insects are attracted to

flowers and help transfer pollen to other plants. Pollination and fertilization happen in the flower. After that, seeds are formed.

Seeds: These are how a plant reproduces, or makes more copies of itself. Seeds

can be spread by the wind, birds, or other animals.

Fruits: These develop after the flowers have been fertilized. Most fruits and

vegetables house their seeds in fruit, which helps protect and disperse them. The true definition of a fruit is “the seed-containing structure that is formed by the pollinated flower.” For more information, visit www.jmgkids.us. Used with permission of the Junior Master Gardener® Program Terms Junior Master Gardener, JMG, and associated logo designs are registered service marks of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

Learn About Plant Structures (continued)

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Learn About Plant Structures (continued)

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Bruschetta

Makes 10 servings. Time Needed: 30 minutes Ingredients:

1 medium-sized ripe tomato, diced 1 clove fresh garlic, minced 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh basil 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar Dash of salt One French-style, whole grain baguette

Instructions:

1. Blend all of the ingredients (except the baguette!) in a small glass or ceramic bowl, and let the mixture rest for at least 10 minutes at room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Right before you plan to serve, slice the baguette about 3/4" thick, on the diagonal. Brush one side of each slice with olive oil.

3. Place slices oil-side-up on a baking sheet, and broil (carefully) just until the slices are lightly browned. Remove them from the broiler and let them cool completely. Pack them in an airtight container.

4. When ready to serve, place a scant tablespoon of the tomato mixture on top of each slice of bread.

Adapted from King Arthur Flour at http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/bruschetta-recipe

COMPLETE THE MEAL: Serve with grapes, milk, white bean salad, and kale chips (see next page) to complete the meal.

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White Bean Salad Makes 10 servings. Time Needed: 15 minutes Ingredients:

2 cans cannellini beans, drained ¼ cup minced red onion 1 clove garlic, minced (optional) 2 Tbsp olive oil ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped ½ tsp oregano, chopped Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to marinate before serving.

Kale Chips Makes 10 servings. Time Needed: 15 minutes Ingredients:

1 lb kale 2 tbsp olive oil Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash and tear kale. Toss the kale in olive oil and salt. Bake for about 10 minutes until crispy.

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Clean It Up! Plants need healthy soil, enough sunshine, and clean water to grow healthy and strong. When water becomes polluted, we need to filter out the bad things in order to make it safe for plants and people again. Of course, it’s also important to stop polluting water so that we don’t have to clean it as much. This activity will demonstrate the challenge to getting contaminants out of water. Time needed: 1 hour Materials: (per team of 3-4 children)

2 cups of gravel 2 cups of sand ½ cup of activated charcoal, rinsed Sponge Coffee filter Paper clip Drinking straw Cotton balls 2-liter plastic bottle, cut in half Rubber band Tape (electrical or duct) Pantyhose Modeling clay or plumber’s putty Scissors Yarn, 12” long

For the group: One large bucket filled with water and small amounts of these “contamination materials:” food coloring, soy sauce, raisins or dry beans, potting soil, baking soda, paper plate torn into small pieces. Instructions:

1. Start by asking children what plants need to grow strong and healthy. Collect responses including soil, water, and sunlight. Tell them that today we will focus on the clean water that plants (and people) need.

2. Each team will need one 2-liter soft drink bottle, cut in half. 3. Remove the screw-on cap and discard it. Take the top portion of the bottle

and turn it upside down and place it in the bottom portion. The filter will be built inside the inverted, top portion of the bottle. The base portion will act as a reservoir and collect the water that runs out of the filter.

(continued on next page)

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4. Ask one or two children to help you mix the contamination liquid that will be poured through the children’s filters. Add the “contamination materials” to the water in the bucket. The food coloring represents chemicals, the raisins represent animal and human waste, the potting soil represents earth, the baking soda represents road salt, the soy sauce represents motor oil, and the torn paper plate represents litter.

5. Divide the group into small teams of 2-3 children per group. Provide each team with the filter materials and explain to them that they have been charged with a mission to design the most efficient water filtration system possible with the materials supplied. The teams may only use eight items, not counting the soft drink bottle, to construct their filtration device. Grant them 15-20 minutes to discuss, design, and construct their filter.

6. At the end of the allotted time, have each team share with the group which materials they chose to use and why they decided to use each item. Then pour the “contaminated” water on to the top of each of the filtration systems. This part can be messy, so it’s best to move outside. The team that has the clearest, most debris-free water in its collection base is declared the winner.

7. Compare and contrast the outcomes of each team’s filtration system. 8. Ask each team what they would change if they could re-build their filtration

system. 9. Ask the group how this activity changes the way they might treat water in the

future. 10. Ask the group to help clean up by recycling and disposing of materials used

properly. Water purification activity (Clean It Up!), courtesy Dr. Craig Just, University of Iowa, is from the DVD Discover Engineering. See www.discoverengineering.org, a project of the National Engineers Week Foundation.

Clean It Up! (continued)

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Storytime

Trout are Made of Trees by April Pulley Sayre How can a leaf become a fish? Join two young children and their dads to find out, as they observe life in and around a stream. Energetic collage art and simple, lyrical text depict the ways plants and animals are connected in the food web. Back matter provides information about the trout life cycle as well as conservation efforts that kids can do themselves.

Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life by Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm Living Sunlight shows children, teachers, and parents the remarkable magic of what makes us human. This informative yet dramatic book will mesmerize readers and help further a child's understanding of the energy we share with all living things in nature. We are all dancing sunlight.

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Rainy Day Option: Celery Experiment Introductory Questions: How do stems transport water to the leaves of a plant? What happens to plants that are exposed to a polluted water supply? Time Needed: 30 minutes Materials:

Reusable cups or glasses Water Food coloring Celery (also works with white Queen Anne’s lace picked from a field) Stickers and markers (optional)

Instructions:

Have each child make a prediction or hypothesis about what will happen to the celery (or Queen Anne’s Lace) in the dyed water.

Ask, “What do plants need to be healthy?” Collect responses such as air, sunlight, and water.

Make a control cup at the front of the room with clean water. Give each child a cup and a stalk of celery. Children should fill their cups halfway with clean tap water. Allow children to choose the color of water for their experiments. Place a few drops of food dye in each cup. Have the students decorate the outside of their cups or make a sticker with their

name to label their cup. Check on the celery at the end of the day to see if the leaves are turning different

colors from the dye. Ask, “Can you tell the celery has been drinking the water? How does the water travel up the celery?”

It may take a couple of days for the experiment to fully work.