v2 Lesson Plans

7/31/2019 v2 Lesson Plans

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This product can be freely used in classrooms, at homes and in communities Any person may use as much or as little of itas they want, and adjust it to suit their operational needs. The material herein may also be distributed to anyone who

needs it and will make use of it.

Complete v2 lesson plans

Lesson plans to help teachers bring the gardeninto the classroom

Marc Robson & Chirag Patel

Produced in conjunction with

031 261 3177/ [email protected]

NPO # 1357/8701507

Designed for grades 5 & 6,

but easily scalable to anygrade with increased task

complexity


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1: Introducing the garden. .................................................................................... ............................................. 4

2: The soil and the environment ................................................................ ........................................................ 6

3: No life without soil ............................................................ ................................................................. ............ 8

4: Improving our environment ......................................................... ................................................................ 10

5: Fun with insects ........................................................................................................................................... 12

6: Maintaining the garden ............................................................................................................................... 14

7: The changing Garden ........................................................................................ ........................................... 16

8: Sustainable living .............................................................. ................................................................. .......... 18

9: Alleviating Poverty ....................................................................................................................................... 20

10: Introducing to Garden to others ............................................................................................................. 22

11: Helping others discover the Garden .............................................................. .......................................... 24

12: Preparing for Parents .............................................................................................................................. 26

Accompanying documents (Version 2)Complete Student Activities

Designed for: Students (grade 5/6), other participants

Type: Image heavy, data light

Use: Introduces weekly activities in a simple, easy to read and follow form.

Description: This includes a worksheet for each week the course runs designed to reveal certain aspects of the

curriculum through hands on (practical) activity.

Complete Lesson Plans

Designed for: Teachers, facilitators, or anyone who wishes to learn/teach

Type: Text heavy lesson plans with ideas for teaching

Use: Introduces the garden as an educational resource for teaching in classroomDescription: This includes weekly integrated lesson plans designed around the activities, posters, and support

material bringing garden activities into the classroom.

Complete Teaching Pack

Designed for: Anyone interested in running an educational or food securities garden project

Type: Combined data & Image rich material.

Use: Offers a complete ready for roll out education or food security project.

Description: This master pack includes all Student activity sheets, Lesson plans, posters and Support material; with

planting guides and course breakdown.

Complete Posters

Designed for: Children at home, out and about, or in the classroom

Type: One page posters with image driven data.Use: Classroom walls or any surface with educational potential.

Description: This includes an introductory poster and weekly posters that accompany the course, designed to

reinforce a range of gardening concepts.

Support Material

Designed for: Teachers, facilitators, students, and anyone, or group, who wishes to learn/teach

Type: Image light, data driven.

Use: Any environment that wishes to use a garden to improve individual or community skill/knowledge.

Description: This material is designed so teachers can use garden activities as a way of developing a curriculum that

meets Natural Science, Language and Life Orientation outcomes.


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Critical Outcomes:

Identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and creative thinking.

Work effectively with others as members of a team, group, organisation and community.

Organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively.

Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.

Communicate effectively using visual, symbolic and/or language skills in various modes.Use science and technology effectively and critically showing responsibility towards the environment and the

health of others.

Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving

contexts do not exist in isolation.

Integrated Learning Outcomes

Learning Area Learning Outcome Assessment Standard

Natural Science LO1: Scientific

Investigations

Learners act confidently on their curiosity about natural

phenomena; they investigate relationships and solve problems

in Science, Technology and environment contexts. (AS 1, 2 & 3)

LO2: Constructing

Science Knowledge

Learners know, interpret and apply scientific, technological and

environmental knowledge. (AS 1 & 2)

LO3: Science, Society

and the Environment

Learners are able to demonstrate an understanding of the

relationships between Science and Technology, society and the

environment. (AS 2)

Maths LO 3: Space and Shape The learner is able to describe and represent characteristics and

relationships between 2-D shapes and 3-D objects in a variety of

orientations and positions.

LO 4: Measurement The learner is able to use appropriate measuring units,

instruments and formulae in a variety of contexts.

Languages LO 3: Reading and

Viewing

The learner will be able to read and view for information and

enjoyment, and respond critically to the aesthetic, cultural and

emotional values in texts.

LO 5: Thinking and

Reasoning

The learner is able to use language to think and reason, and

access, process and use information for learning.

Life Orientation LO 1: Health

Promotion

The learner is able to make informed decisions regarding

personal, community and environmental health.

LO 2: Social

Development

The learner is able to demonstrate an understanding of and

commitment to constitutional rights and responsibilities and

show an understanding of diverse cultures and religions.

LO 3: Personal

Development

The learner is able to use acquired life skills to achieve and

extend personal potential to respond effectively to challenges in

his/her world.


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Knowledge Skills Values/Attitude

The importance of plant life for

the environment and us.

Reading and Writing to

communicate and receive

information appropriately.

Encourage and develop natural

curiosity about the world and its

elements.

To be able to influence the

environment positively.

Translation of written material to

appropriate level for learner

context.

That you can work with, not

against, the environment to

meet every day needs.

The world and life common to

their local environment.

To record elements of the

environment meaningfully.

Taking responsibility for the long

term success of the project.

That language can be used to

communicate skills to others.

How to live a sustainable

lifestyle, incorporating the

community.

Using knowledge and skills

developed within the garden to

help the community.

The use of all the elements of an

ecosystem to help their gardens

grow.

Using language to disseminate

understanding and knowledge

into the community.

Taking responsibility for their lifeand success.

What seeds do, and where they

come from.How to use and prepare seeds.

That they live in a rich and

productive environment in

making certain good choices

How to use what they have

learnt in the garden to help

others within the community.

How to think critically about the

needs of community.

Recognising that individual

success often builds from a

successful community

Where food plants come from

and what to do with them.How to use and prepare food.

Living a healthy and sustainable

life.


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1: Introducing the garden.

Grade: Five, Six

Learning Programme Natural Sciences

Theme Nutrition, Plants and healthy living

Activity Discussion & GardeningPurpose of the activity Introduce the learners to the environment

Resources: The Teacher, Learners, The Oxford Successful Life Orientation Grade Six Learners Book, The

Oxford Successful Grade Six Natural Sciences Learners Book, the classroom, the garden, and workbooks.

IntroductionIn class focus: The additional activities are optional and are suggestions for the subject being taught.Natural Sciences: Introduce the idea that without plants there could be no life; and the importance of plants

as food for all animals and even humans. Additional activity: Draw the solar energy cycle (sun -> plants ->

people).

Life Orientation: Discuss the importance of vegetables within a healthy diet. Taking responsibility for the

garden space, and growing food. Additional activity: Tell the learners to draw a plate, and on the plate they

should draw the fruit and vegetables they like to eat.

Languages: Record and observe changes in the local environment using the appropriate language. See

conclusion for suggested things to write, such as plant selection, group membership, etc. Additional activity:

Give the class space and time to, in English, discuss and name their group appropriately.

Maths: Draw the garden beds. How many beds are there? How many students are in the class? What size

should each group then be? Additional activity: How many garden beds would you need if everyone in theschool, divided into groups of four, wanted to start their own garden? What about groups of five?

In class introduction (natural science)

Introduce to the class that over the rest of the semester they will be working in, and learning about, the

garden. (5m.)

Introduce the words Environment and Ecosystem to the class. Explain to learners what the environment

and an ecosystem are (see introductory material). (15m.)

Ask the learners about their own experiences of the environment:

Where do you (i.e. the learners) live?

What type of plants and animals do they see in the environment?

Who do they live with, who are their neighbours?

Teach: Point out that this is all part of the environment and that they live in their environment and can

improve it. (15m.)

Development stage 1 (natural science/life orientation)

Develop an understanding of the relationship we, life and the environment has with plants. Also we, and many

animals, get most of our nutrition from eating plants.

Ask the following questions:

What vegetables do they most like to eat?

What food do they eat?

Do you eat more vegetables or more meat?What animals eat the vegetables and fruit you do?


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Teach:Fresh vegetables (as food) are an essential part of a healthy diet. These vegetables and all plants are

essential to life of earth and therefore to our environment: There would be no live on earth without plants.

Also explain that they will be doing work out in the garden for the rest of the semester.

Who would like to plant some vegetables?What vegetables do you think we should plant? (30m.)

Teach:Remember that some vegetables are an essential part of a healthy diet so we should plant them in our

garden. Also: The garden as a part of the school environment/ecosystem and that they as learners will be

changing the way the school looks, feels and what in produces. Encourage the learners: tell them they will be

creating an ecosystem. (20 - 25m.)

Development stage 2 (natural science/maths)

Most of this will take place in the garden, so move the learners outside.

1) Divide the learners into project groups.

2) Explain that each group will be assigned an area and provided with vegetables, seeds and companion plants

to plant.

3) Remind the students about the importance of plants as food.

4) Introduce the project-garden space.

5) Give the learners plants have and allow them to plant.

5.1) Planting seedlings

5.2) Planting radishes in patterns

6) Give them instructions for how to make seed trays. (60 - 80m.)

Development stage 3 (life orientation/maths/English)

1) Discuss garden responsibilities: Explain that a healthy garden requires they watch the garden and make sureit stays healthy.

2) Assign each group daily responsibilities (for example, have the students pick up all the rubbish around the

garden and throw it away).

3) Hand out workbooks: Each student must map out the garden in their workbooks and describe the shape of

each garden bed (i.e. is it a circle or quadrilateral?).

4) Each group must discuss (in English) and come up with a name for their groups. Each name must be

different and come from natural science (i.e. it could be an animal, insect or plant). (20 - 30m.)

Conclusion (natural science/English)

Tell the class that their workbooks are for writing notes about the garden and their plants. For example, they

will build up a gardening dictionary through the activity sheets. This week, here are a few things they could

write about;

Who is in their group? What size and shape is their bed? What is the soil like? What plants did you plant? What

shape did you plant your radishes in? What tasks have you been given?

(Additional suggestions are included in the activity sheet.) (10 - 15m.)

Assessment

Did the learner demonstrate enthusiasm for the project?

Was the learner able to follow instructions?

Was the learner able to demonstrate in discussion an understanding of what an environment, or eco-system,

is?


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2: The soil and the environment

Grade: Five, Six


Theme For plants its all about the soil

Activity Discussion, Planting & GardeningPurpose of the activity Introduce the learners to the importance of soil for a healthy environment



Introduction

In class focus

Natural Sciences

To introduce the idea that plants need the soil to grow; extending there could be no life without plants into

there could be could be no life without soil and the minerals within the soil.

Life Orientation

The maintenance of healthy and sustainable environment we can all live in. Additional activity: Ask some older

members of the community if they can identify any local plants/flowers/fruits you can eat; tell the class what

you find.

Languages

Record and observe changes in the local environment using the appropriate language. Additional activity:

Suggest the students (if they have not already) start a dictionary to record new (English) words and their

meaning from the garden.

Maths

Measure the area of the garden beds, count how many plants your group is growing (and how many types)

and space new seeds/seedlings.Additional activity: What is the area of the garden beds? How many seeds and

seedlings could we plant with 15cm spacing between each?

In class introduction: (Natural Science)

Remind the class they will be working in, and learning about, the garden. Briefly discuss the terms

Environment and Ecosystem with the class and explain that ecosystems (especially plants) require healthy

soil, with nutrients and minerals. (10 15m.)

Ask the learners to relay their own experiences of their environment/garden:

What did you notice about the soil when you were planting?

What type of insects did the find in the soil?

Was the soil sandy and dry or full of clay and damp?

What did they add to the soil to improve it?

Teach: Point out that the soil contains minerals which plants need to grow well and that these minerals can be

put into the soil for the plants. (15m.)

Development stage 1: (Natural Science/Life Orientation)

Develop an understanding of the relationship we, life and the environment has with soil.

Some questions to ask:

What do plants need to grow well?

What food does a plant need?

Where does a plant get its food from?

Teach: Point out that through roots plants draw much of that they need directly from the soil. The soil is the

source of a plants food and water.

Do they know of any animals that live inside the soil?

Do they know what happens to plants when they die?


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Teach: Soil is essential to life on earth (and therefore our life) no live without soil. Explain that they can do

things to ensure that the soil is healthy for their gardens. (30m.)

Ask: Who can think of things we could do to improve life in the soil?

What animals or plants do they see growing, living in the soil?

Teach: Remember that maintaining the environment is an essential part of healthy living because we live in

the environment and get our food from it. Also the soil is very important to the garden and is part of their

garden ecosystem and they can help plants grow by looking after it by creating an environment whichencourages the presence of worms and insects in the soil and predators to eat pest. This will help the garden

grow! (10 15m.)


Most of this will take place in the garden.

1) Divide the learners into their project groups.

2) Hand out activity sheets to the learners.

3) Explain that each group must check their garden and remove any rubbish from their garden space this

forms part of the maintenance of the garden (this must be done weekly).

4) Introduce that the learners should:

4.1) build a lizard Island/habitat,

4.2) plant the indigenous flower to attract butterflies,4.3) plant the flowers and plants to help their garden health.

5) Give the learners seeds and allow them to plant. (60 80m.)

Development stage 3: (Natural Science/Languages/Life Orientation)

1) Discuss garden responsibilities: Explain that a healthy garden requires they remain observant.

2) Check-up: Ask the learners record what they would like to do with their workbooks.

3) Explain to the learners that they will be given seeds to take home and plant. And that they should tell their

families about the school garden. (20 - 30m.)

Conclusion: (Natural Science/Languages/Life Orientation)

Remind/encourage the class to use their workbooks for writing notes about the garden and their plants. For

example, they will build up a gardening dictionary through the activity sheets. This week, here are a few thingsthey could write about;

What is an ecosystem? What insects did they see in the garden? What is the soil like? What plants would they

like to plant? Have they seen any growth in their plants? What tasks have you been given?

(10 - 15m.)

Assessment



Was the learner able to demonstrate in class/written discussion an understanding of the importance of

environmental/soil maintenance?


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3: No life without soil

Grade: Five/Six


Theme For plants its all about the soil (continued)

Activity Discussion, Planting & GardeningPurpose of the activity The learners discover they can apply understanding and directly influence

soil quality.

IntroductionIn class focus

Natural Sciences

Move from there could be could be no life without soil and the minerals within the soil to directed activities

which will help improve soil quality. Also introduce the idea of photosynthesis. Additional activity: The core

activities this week are Natural Science activities.

Life Orientation

The maintenance of healthy and sustainable environment we can all live in. Additional activity: Prepare a

poster informing people that they can grow food at home? Also ask if you can dig your own garden at home.

Languages

Record and observe changes in the local environment using the appropriate language. Additional activity:

Suggest to the students (if they have not already) that they find Zulu translations for the words in their

dictionary. Also they must continue to expand their dictionary.

Maths

Measure the length of each side of your bed, and draw it (to scale if desired). From this, work out the exactarea of your bed. Each bed is shaped so it can be divided into regular triangles/ rectangles. Additional activity:

Work out the areas of two more beds.

In class:(Natural Science/Life Orientation)

Build on the terms Environment and Ecosystem: Explain to the class that they are creating an ecosystem for

their plants and improving/maintaining their environment. Remind the learners that plants require healthy

soil, rich in minerals and nutrients to grow. (15m.)

Ask the learners about their experiences of the environment/garden:

What did you notice about the soil when you were planting?

What type of insects did they find in the soil?

What colour was the soil?Was the soil sandy and dry or full of clay and damp?

What did they add to the soil to improve it?

After the rain do you think more compost and mulch should be added to the soil?

Teach:(Old) Remember that the soil contains minerals which plants need to grow well and that these minerals

can be put into the soil for the plants. (New) A way of putting nutrients into the soil and ensuring they remain

in the soil is to add compost and mulch. They can easily make 1) a compost heap and 2) a mulch pile: 1)

compost requires a pit to store organic matter (fruit and vegetable scrapes, i.e. orange peels or apple cores

mixed with soil); 2) A mulch pile is grass, leaves and sticks left to dry.

(15m.)

Development stage 1:(Natural Sciences)

Ask the students about their plants:What do plants need to grow well?




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Where does a plant get its food (energy) from?

What can we do to improve our plants?

Teach: Plants draw much of that they need directly from the soil; it is the source of a plant s food (nutrients)

and water. But there is one more thing that plants need to grow sunlight. Plants can draw energy directly

from the sun in a process called photosynthesis. Photosynthesis helps plants turn minerals, nutrients andwater into sugar, and our bodies use sugar as energy for us.

Remember: the sun, environment and planting are essential for our life. By adding compost/mulch to

the soil is learners will be helping the plants grow. Also creating an ecosystem which encourages the presence

of worms/insects in the soil and predators to eat those insects will be help the garden grow.

(20 30m.)


Most of this will take place in the garden.


2) Hand out activity sheets to the learners.

3) Remind each group to check their garden and remove any rubbish from the area.4) Activities: i) check the soil/plants ii) prepare a space to make compost and mulch iii) check/prepare

the seed trays. (30 40m.)

Development stage 3: (Natural science/Life Orientation/Languages)

1) Discuss garden responsibilities: Remind that a healthy garden requires they remain observant.

2) Check-up: learners must record what is happening in the garden in the workbooks.

Teach: Explain that the learners will be given seeds/seedlings to take home and plant. But before they take

the seeds/seedlings home they must prepare their own gardening guides, with all the information they have

learnt, to help them, their families and people prepare a garden.

3) Give them time to, in groups, start their gardening guides. (50

60m.)

Conclusion: (Natural science/Life Orientation/Languages)

Remind/encourage the class to use their workbooks for writing notes about the garden and their plants; this

will also help them make their own gardening guides. This week, here are a few things they could write about:

What do plants get from the soil? What is compost/mulch for? What is does photosynthesis do? What do the

plants look like after the rain? Have they seen any growth in their plants? What did they learn this week?

(10 - 15m.)

Assessment:


Was the learner able to follow instructions?Was the learner able to demonstrate in discussion an understanding of the relationship between the soil and

plants within an environment, or eco-system?


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4: Improving our environment

Grade: Five, Six

Learning Programme Natural Sciences, Life Orientation and Languages.

Theme Taking the garden home to influence the environment.

Activity The discussion and creation of garden guides for home.Purpose of the activity Preparing the learners to setting up food gardens at home and then within

the community.

Resources:The Teacher, Learners, The Oxford Successful Life Orientation Grade Six Learners Book, The


IntroductionIn class focus

Natural Sciences

Demonstrate and develop understanding of some gardening concepts through the appropriate application of

knowledge beyond the school and into learners home environments. Additional activity: compare soil qualityat home and at school. Test for dryness, heaviness, darkness, lumpiness, and worms/ insects.

Life Orientation

Using skills learnt at school and in class to help develop and maintain a healthy home and community

environment. This weeks core activity (the poster) is LO.

Languages

Generate usable material appropriate to the learners home/community context. This weeks core activity (the

poster) is also languages.

Maths

Working out the soil volume in your bed (double dug, about 60cm) vs. the traditional bed (hoed, about 20cm).What is the ratio of bed volume to surface (ground) area? Additional activity; how many tyres would you have

to pile up to get this ratio.

In class:(Natural Science/Life Orientation)

Explain that they will be taking seeds/seedlings home for use in their home environment. To do this they must

create (write/develop) their own garden designs and guides for home.

Ask the learners about their home environment/garden:

What did you notice about the soil where they live?

What can they do about the soil at home?

What sorts of plants would they like to grow at home?What about the neighbours: How do you get them involved with the garden?

What about the parents: How do you get the involved with the garden?

Teach: The terms Environment and Ecosystem do not just terms that apply to animals/nature; the

environment is something they live in, can improve and maintaining, not just at school but also at home. They

can use what they have learnt about soil, plants and planting to grow food at home; or just make their homes

nicer by planting flowers. (15 - 25m.)

Development stage 1:(Natural Science/Life Orientation)

Teach: Everything they are doing in the school garden and for the school can be done at home.

Ask the following questions:

What do plants need to grow well?


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Could the needs be met at home or outside the school?


Can this plant food be found at home?

Where does a plant get its food from?

Can soil for growing be found outside the school?

How could this soil be used for growing at home?

Teach:Plants grow almost anywhere all you need are soil, water and sunlight. In Durban the soil, water and

sunlight are easy to find; so all a food garden needs is creativity, seeds and work. (20 30m.)

Development stage 2: (Life Orientation/Languages)

1) Divide the learners into their project groups

To get learners thinking seriously about the gardening guides, ask the following:

Would people like to know they could easily grow food at home?

What does a person new to gardening needs to know?

What would people like to know about gardening?

2) Have the groups work on their garden guides.

a) Explain that each group must think about what goes into their guides and be creative.

b) Ask: What should go into the guides?

c) Discuss and translate the dig poster into Zulu for the garden guides.

d) Give the groups time during the week to work on their guides.

3) Finalising the guides:

a) Ask: Is there anything else important for making a food garden?

b) Peer learning: Have the groups check each others guides and offer advice.

c) Edit the guide for taking home. (80 120m.)

Development stage 3: (Natural Science, Life Orientation, Languages)

In the garden:

1) Make sure the garden is tidy and watered.

2) Check on the seeds, seed trays and seedlings

a) Assign/decide on who will watch the seed trays and seedlings over weekends.

b) Divide up the provided seeds for taking home fairly.

3) Update the work books about the changes in the garden. (40m.)

Conclusion: (Life Orientation)

Remind/encourage the class to use their workbooks and reflect on what they have learnt from the garden. This

week, here are a few things they could write about:

What can you do for your community/home with a garden? Where are places a garden could grow well; at

home or near to home? What does a plant need to grow? Are there lots of places where plants could grow?

Who should I speck to about using that space? (10 - 15m.)

Assessment:



Was the learner able to demonstrate through written work an understanding of their relationship with the

environment, plants and the community?


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5: Fun with insects

Grade: Five, Six


Theme Life in the garden and environment.

Activity Class discussion and an insect hunt.Purpose of the activity So the learners discover the world and life through careful observation,

classification and interaction.



Old containers (coke bottles, jam jars, etc anything clear)

Introduction

In class focus:Natural Sciences

To make detailed observations about the world and record how things fit together. Additional activity: draw an

insect and label its parts. Which parts do all insects have? What do we call those parts on humans?

Life Orientation

To develop awareness, in the learners, that the environment is inhabited by many different creatures.

Additional activity: Have each group must draw one of the insects they found in their workbooks.

Languages

To generate language appropriate for describing and understanding elements of the environment. Additional

activity: Describe where, when and how they found their insects. Include descriptions of what the insect looks

and feels like, and if it made any sounds.

Maths

Look around the garden and see what conclusions you can draw from it. For example; if you water more, the

plants will grow more. The traditional bed is a third as deep as the learner beds. If the soil is pale, it is poor.

Additional activity: add another sentence to your conclusions (i.e. but too much water will wash away roots/

and so is easier to dig, but will produce less/ and can be fixed with compost)

In class:

Introduce to the learners that will be going outside to hunt for insects and other life. To do this each group

must bring containers (e.g. old coke bottles, ice cream containers, jam jars, etc.) to school, which they will use

to keep the insects in. In their insect house they must build a small habitat similar to the one in which the

insects were living. (5 15m.)

Development stage 1:(Natural Science, Life Orientation)

The activity will develop the learners ability to make relevant and useful observations about the natural

environment. Explain that when the learners are hunting for insects they must:

1) Look on plants, in dead plant matter, in the soil and on the ground.

2) Pay attention to where the insect lives.

3) Decide if they think the insect eats plants or other insects.

4) Decide if they have seen the insect anywhere before.

5) For each insect they choose to keep they must build a habitat for that insect to live in.

(10

15m.)


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Teach: Remind the learners that the soil is not just home for plants but also home for all sorts of life, like

insects. The environment is not just plants and soil but also animals, insects and people.

(10m.)


Most of this will take place outside of the classroom:


2) Make sure the learners understand what they must do.

3) Tell the learners they must look carefully because insects are small and good at hiding.

4) Let the learners go and hunt for insects.

5) Once the insects have been caught, they will need to be put in a house. To do this:

a) The learner must watch where the insect was living

b) Make a habitat in the container, similar to where they saw the insect living

c) Record in their work books where they found the insect and what it was doing

(80 120m.)

Development stage 3:(Natural Sciences, Languages)

After the learners have caught their insects and built the terraria (i.e. house for the insects), talk about the

hunting experience. Try asking:

Did anyone notice anything new about the garden?

What did you notice about where the insects lived (their habitat)?

Has anyone seen any of these insects before and where?

What do they think the insects eat?

What do people usually think about insects?

Teach:Explain to the learners even though insects are very small, if you added up the weight of all the insectsin the world (their total biomass) they would weigh more than all the humans, and mammals, in the world.

Insects are important for the ecosystem; i.e. bees not only make honey but they pollinate flowers when they

collect the nectar they use to make honey. (20 30m.)

Conclusion: (Natural Science, Life Orientation, Languages)

Reflect on what they have learnt, things they could write about:

Do you think insects are important in an eco-system? Where did you find the most insects? Did you see lots of

insects? What strange insects did you find? How many different types of insects did you see? Describe some of

the insects. (10 - 15m.)

Assessment:






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6: Maintaining the garden

Grade: Five, Six


Theme Seeds type and function.

Activity Class discussion, Revision and research.Purpose of the activity Exchanging knowledge and preparing the garden for the holidays by taking

responsibility for its long term needs.

Resources: The Teacher, Learners, The Oxford Successful Life Orientation Grade Six Learners Book, The Oxford

Successful Grade Six Natural Sciences Learners Book, the classroom, the garden, and workbooks. Seeds

(flowers and food) for distribution.

IntroductionIn class focus:

Natural SciencesExamine the fact that often things happen over time and in stages. The garden is a growing and changing

entity, and like everything else has long-term as well as short-term needs. Additional Activity: Find out how

long trees can live for and grow, ask gogo.

Life OrientationLearners must take responsibility for the long-term/ongoing sustainability and success of projects, like the

garden. We need to prepare for future changes to ensure activities remain sustainable and successful.

Additional Activity: Write down what you want to do in ten years, in twenty years. Will you have your own

family? What job do you want to do? What do you need to now to make it happen?

LanguagesGo over the workbook dictionaries and compare them to the glossaries provided. The learners must discuss

and exchange the terms they have in their garden dictionaries. This is the core activity for the week.

MathsDraw conclusions about what will happen over the next few months, e.g. if no one waters the plants, they

might die of thirst. If we carry on gardening at home, we will be better when we come back to our school

gardens. If the goats get in, they will eat all the plants. Additional Activity:add a sentence (i.e. so we must

have a rota, so we should take care of our home gardens, so the fence must be secure.)

In class: (Natural Science, Life Orientation)Remind the learners: they will be going on holiday but the garden will not be; instead, it will be at its fastest-

growing over the summer. It will keep growing, changing and needing maintenance because life does not go

on holiday. (5m.)

Teach:In the natural world, there are many cycles and stages in the environment. Consider the rain cycle over

the year:

- When does it rain more, during summer or winter?

- Does this happen every year?

- When are the plants most green, before or after the rain?

This is a cycle: from rainy to dry season then back to rainy season. These seasons are a cycle which means they

happen one after the other over and over. In nature there are many cycles, of different lengths which overlap

with each other, from the evaporation and cloud cycle to growth cycles, tides and the moon (28 days), the

annual seasonal cycle (365 days), and the solar (suns) cycle (11 years). Even going to school and then going on

holiday then coming back to school is a cycle. To be good gardeners, we need to recognise these natural cycles


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and prepare for them. Also, plants are green after rainfall because the seasonal rainfall triggers new growth in

most plants. (15 20m.)

Development stage 1: (Life Orientation, Languages)In class:Divide the learners into groups. Supply each group with a glossary to work with/from. Explain that the

learners must explain and share the new terms and ideas they learnt (i.e. photosynthesis, germination, mealie)

from the garden, putting the most important ones in their workbooks. What should be in the glossary? What

are the Zulu words for these terms?. Look through the classroom material, in workbook dictionaries and the

glossary.

1) Get the learners into their groups.

2) Have them share/exchange the terms they have written in their workbooks.

3) Compare the terms they have written down with the terms provided in the glossary.

4) Get the students to find examples of these terms in their environments.

5) Ask them to find which terms dont have Zulu equivalents.

(30m.)

Development stage 2: (Life Orientation)Teach: We must take responsibility for the sustainability and success of the garden. During the holiday the

plants will continue to grow (and some might be ready to eat when we get back), but only if the garden is

looked after. This is very easy to do, because plants grow naturally but someone must check on the garden.

Here are some questions to ask:

1) What can we do to prepare the bed for our going away?

- i.e. Add mulch to protect the soil and help prevent evaporation.

- set duty rotas (consider who lives close to the school, what the students in the group are

doing during the holiday, whether they can check on the school garden once a week, etc. Remind

them that the maintenance work will be more fun if done with friends.

2) What happens if we dont prepare the beds? Get the students to talk about how they would feel

and what they would do if, when the y came back after the holiday, the plants had died.

These questions can be examined whilst the learners are in the garden, and dealt with alongside the activities

of Development stage 3. (20m.)

Development stage 3: (Natural Science, Life Orientation, Languages)In the garden: Get the learners to

1) Plant the sunflower seeds around the edge of each bed.

2) When in the garden ask the following:

- Does the garden/soil look better after rain?

- What does the soil look like after lots of hot sun?

- When are the plants brown and grey?

- When are the plants green and growing?3) How long do they think it will take for the sunflower seed to grow?

- Record the answers (take a bet). (20 30m.)

Conclusion: (Natural Science, Life Orientation, Maths, Languages) Reflect on what they have learnt. Things they could write about:

What natural cycles can you think of? When does it rain most during the year? Are the seasons the same

everywhere? When are plants very green? What does a plant being very green mean? When are plants

grey/brown or dry? (10 - 15m.)

Assessment:Did the learner demonstrate enthusiasm for this weeks work?

Was the learner able to follow instructions properly?

Was the learner able to demonstrate, through written work, what they felt about the garden?


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7: The changing Garden

Grade: Five, Six


Theme Change over time.

Activity Class discussion, revision and research.Purpose of the activity Observe garden changes since the holidays and fix the any

problems.


Successful Grade Six Natural Sciences Learners Book, the classroom, the garden, and workbooks.

Introduction

In class focus:

Natural Sciences

Compare your garden to the two next to it. What measurable differences are there? These could include

amount of weeds, plant height, number of plants, soil colour, amount of brown leaves. Additional activity:

Agree on a set of things to measure and measure your garden and three others so you can compare them allon one page.

Life Orientation

The maintenance of a healthy and sustainable environment we can all live in. Additional Activity: Ask the

students to compare a garden maintained at home with the garden at school after the holidays. What

differences are there between the two gardens? What difference can they make to the environment by

working with it?

Languages

Develop an ability to use language to receive and transmit information about the environment. Additional

activity: Get the students to describe, in writing, the differences between a home garden and the school

garden after the holiday. See Natural Sciences activity for detail and examples.

Maths

The students should be able to estimate the difference in the garden from before the holiday with after the

holiday. Additional activity: From natural science activity: which measurements are qualitative (measure with

words or descriptions) and which are quantitative (measure with numbers)? Map data for all gardens and give

totals and averages.

In class introduction: (Natural Science, Life Orientation)

Teach: The time off during the holiday will have changed the garden. The garden will have changed because of

the effects of rain, sunshine and animals (goats, insects, worms, etc.). Too little sunshine and too much water

are bad for seedlings in the seed trays. Too much rain/sunshine can be bad for the vegetables growing. Also

insects and goats can eat the plants. But we can learn from all of these changes, even if the changes were bad

for the garden. (5 - 15m.)

Development stage 1: (Natural Science, Life Orientation, Maths)

Take the students out into the garden, they will need their workbooks. In their workbooks they must record

how the garden changed over the holiday. They should answer the following questions:

1) How much have the plants grown?

1.1) Did any plants get eaten by insects/goats?

1.2) Did any plants die and why did they die?

2) Have any other plants (weeds) grown around the vegetables/flowers?

2.1) Do the vegetables/flowers look like they were hurt by any of the weeds?

2.2) What are weeds?

3) How does the compost/mulch look?3.1) Has the plant/vegetable matter decomposed into the soil?


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4) How would the garden be different if they had worked on it during the holiday?

4.1) Would goats/insects still have eat some of the plants?

4.2) How many weeds would have grown?

4.3) Would the compost/mulch still have decomposed?

Teach: Make sure the students are talking to each other about how the garden has changed, and why they

think it has changed. Remind them that energy for growth comes from the sun, soil and rain.(20 30m.)


Teach:Maintaining the garden: Plants grow together, look at the world.

Questions: Q1) Do lots of different types of plants grow together or just one?

Q2) When you see only one type of plant growing is it natural or because of people?

So when maintaining the garden you do not need to pull out all the plants (weeds) growing around the

vegetables. Only pull out weeds when they are hurting the growth of the vegetables/flowers, otherwise they

often help the plants grow. To mulch, for example, you can just cut the top of the weeds off and leave put

them around the top of the soil and if the weed dies it does not matter, because its roots will help the soil

underneath.

Remember, it is always better and easier to work with nature than fight against it so not all weeds are bad,

and if something dies it is all part of the cycle of life so you can just plant something new there.

Q3) How much work does the garden really need after the holiday?

Q4) How long will it take if everyone works together?

Give the students some time to clean up the garden from the holidays after they have thought about what

needs to be done. (30 45m.)

Development stage 3: (Natural Science, Life Orientation, Languages)Teach: Explain that if the students need more seeds to plant and grow vegetables with it is easy to find them.

You can harvest most seeds from the fruit and vegetables they eat, or they can keep some of the uncooked

seeds (i.e. sunflower, pumpkin seeds) they can eat for planting. There are several easy steps to preparing

seeds.

All they need to do is: (If possible have the students do this in class).

1) Carefully cut open the fruit or veg.

1.1) Does it have any seeds?

1.2) What does the seed look like?

1.3) Is the seed wet or dry?

2) Separate the seeds from the fruit/veg and place them on a flat surface, cover them with newspaper

and leave them to dry.3) When the seeds are dry and hard they are ready for planting.

4) You can plant carrots and potatoes directly into the soil. (20 30m.)

Conclusion: (Natural Science, Life Orientation, Maths, Languages)

Reflect on what they have learnt. Things they could write in their workbooks:

General: How has the garden changed over time? Why has the garden changed? How much of difference

would their working in the garden make?

Specific: Do lots of different types of plants grow together? Where can you harvest seeds from, and how? Is it

easy to grow food and garden? (10 15m.)

Assessment:

Did the learner demonstrate enthusiasm for this weeks work?




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8: Sustainable living

Grade: Five, Six


Theme Sustainability, outreach, and the environment.

Activity Expanding the garden, harvesting seeds and helping others.Purpose of the activity Learn anddevelop skills in order to live sustainably.



Raw fruit and vegetables, a knife and a cutting board.

Introduction

In class focus:

Natural Sciences

Expand on the harvesting seeds and seed-plant life cycle posters, by looking at the place and function of seeds

in plants and food. Additional activity: Design a poster explaining the growth cycle, photosynthesis, or someother aspect of ecosystems that you have learned about.

Life Orientation

Expand on the idea of sustainable living. Reach out to the community and encourage them to work together

on food gardening projects. Additional activity: Design a poster encouraging community interaction with the

school and the gardens of learners.

Languages

Design poster/pamphlet material, with appropriate information, encouraging more community participation in

growing food. Additional activity: translate one of the course posters into Zulu.

MathsLook at which plants in the garden were successful and which ones werent. What proportion of plants grew

successfully? Of those that did grow, how much variety is there in the amount they grew? How many are ready

to harvest, and how many still have a long time to go? Additional activity: Design a poster showing all of the

information in the main activity in a way that helps guide someone wanting to plant at home.

In class: (Life Orientation, Languages, Natural Science)

Introduce the word sustainable to the learners.

Teach: One way to be sustainable is to use resources from the local (i.e. your) environment rather than import

materials from faraway places. Remind the learners they can harvest seeds from many of the fruit and

vegetables they eat. So they do not need to buy seeds or be given them. Two old tyres placed on top of each

other makes a good pot there are many ways to re-use old things. All it takes is creativity, time and a little

work. (10

15m.)

Development stage 1: (Natural Science, Languages, Life Orientation)

Teach: Plants reproduce very differently from animals and us. The flowers and fruits we eat are often the

reproductive organs of the plants. Flowers are pollinated, by insects or birds, and grow into the fruit and

vegetables. Fruit and vegetables often house and protect the seeds of the plant. These seeds will then grow

into a new generation of plants.

Questions to ask:

1) Does anyone know any fruit and vegetables that have seeds?

2) Why do plants produce fruit and vegetables that can be eaten?


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Teach: In the wild fruit and vegetables attract monkeys, birds, and other animals that eat the fruit. In doing

this the fruit/seeds are carried away from the parent plant thus spreading the plant.

3) Does anyone know what the word pollination means?

Teach: Pollination is how plants reproduce. Pollen (found in all flowers) is transferred between flowers and

plants. Once this happens the fertilised flower will often grow into a fruit containing seeds for the next

generation of plants.4) Who would like to try harvesting and planting some seeds. (20 25m.)

Teach: In plant reproduction seasons play a very important role. In autumn most common fruit and vegetables

are ready for harvest (picking and eating), this also means their seeds are ready. During winter there is less

rain so the seeds will dry out and be ready to grow in the spring. We can cheat the system by drying seeds

ourselves, so they can be planted sooner. Also in Durban, you can plant year round because there is no frost in

winter. (5 10m.)

Development stage 2: (Life Orientation, Languages)

Teach:Explain that the learners will need to come up with a way of helping their community grow food. For

this they will need the following: 1) Space to plant and grow gardens, 2) The support of the community, 3)

Seeds for planting, 4) Knowledge and skills. Remind the learners about what they have learnt from the garden.(5 10m.)

1) Divide the learners into groups.

2) In their work groups have the learners answer the following:

2.1) Is there any unused space that can be used for growing food?

2.2) How could they encourage people start harvesting seeds to use to grow food?

2.3) Do they have a garden they can show to their neighbours?

2.4) Is anyone already growing food in the community, maybe they can held?

2.5) What skills and knowledge to people need for growing food?

3) The learners must record the answers and ideas they come up with to reach out to the community.

4) Have the groups design a poster or pamphlet that encourages the community to garden.

5) Discuss some of the ideas and look for similar thinking. (30

45m.)

Development stage 3: (Life Orientation)

Look for areas and ways to expand the gardens at home and in the school. Remind the learners that they can

build up a garden beg using containers or tyres just instead of digging one. Also if they work together it will be

easier to grow food, and they can grow more food.

Some questions to ask

What do you need to grow plants and food?

Is what you need available?

Then why dont you start growing more food? (10 20m.)

Give the learners time to start preparing new space for growing and maintain the gardens.(As needed)

Conclusion: (Life Orientation, Natural Sciences, Languages, Maths)


Has the garden changed? What is pollination? Why are seeds important to plants? What ideas do you have for

helping the community? Do you think growing food is a good idea, why? (10 15m.)

Assessment:






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9: Alleviating Poverty

Grade: Five,Six


Theme Sustainability, outreach and the community (more).

Activity Class discussion and outreach planning.Purpose of the activity So the learners develop a sense of how to help their respective

communities become sustainable.



Seed kits.

Introduction

In class focus:

Natural Sciences

To make detailed observations about the world and record how things fit together. Additional activity: Drawpictures of different seed pod types. Why are they this shape? What is their life cycle, and how do they move

around?

Life Orientation

The maintenance of healthy and sustainable environment we can all live in.

The transmission of skills/knowledge into the home/community.Additional activity: Find out what foods have

become significantly more expensive in the last three years, and see if you can work out why. For example,

bread is more expensive because any corn crops failed.

Languages

The ability to generate functional and useful material appropriate for describing elements of the environment.

Additional activity: Make a list of the resources other than money that are most important for people to bothlive and thrive, why they are important, and how people usually get them.

Maths

How much available growing area is there in the school? Remember, you can grow plants in window boxes and

planters, and you can grow some plants inside. Additional activity: Work out how much your family would

save if you could make your own bread and pap.

In class:

Teach: Introduce the term poverty, and that poverty can be reduced by helping people become more

sustainable. Poverty refers to the amount of food security a person has. If Lindiwes family is living in poverty

then they do not have enough food to meet their nutritional needs. They are going hungry and have no food

security. If a person becomes more sustainable by growing food at home then their food security will improve

because they will be able to eat the food they grow in the garden. (15 m.)

Development stage 1: (Life Orientation, Languages, Natural Science)

Teach: Wealth is about more than money, it is about what resources you have. How much land, skills, food or

people you have. An individual might have lots of land, friends, and food but not have lots of money, but that

person is still wealthy even if they do not have lots of money.

In class:

Divide the learners into groups of four.

Have the students answer the following questions:

1) What is the biggest worry (concern) in their community?

Is it money, security, or food?

2) What does it mean to be living in poverty?Does having no money mean you are living in poverty?


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Does not having food, housing, a community, or free time mean you are

living in poverty?

Which is more important having money or food, you cannot eat money?

3) What resources are lacking within the community?

Is it money, food, space, shelter, or skilled people?

4) How can you help the community meet its needs? (20 25 m.)

Teach:One of the reasons for the loss of skills in communities is that they come to rely on external support

more than on their own effort. One ways to be sustainable is to solve problems yourself, rather than wait for

others to fix problems. Growing food is a skill and a skill is a resource. You can grow food easily and if more

people did it then there would be less hunger in the world. (10m.)

Development stage 2: (Natural Science, Maths and Languages)

Teach:We will look at seed propagation, which is simply to how seeds move. Plants move from by walking,

swimming, and even by flying.

Ask: How do plants walk, swim, or fly with roots stuck in the soil?

How do seeds get carried from place to place?

Plant seeds can walk by being carried by animals. Swim by floating in water. Fly using birds, or by being carried

on the wind. Plants grow tasty fruit/nuts which animals and birds eat will carry around. Some seeds are so

small and light that they can be carried by the wind. Other seeds are shaped like a sail.

What shape is a sail and why is it that shape?

Has anyone seeds shaped to be carried in the wind, like a sail?

Some seeds are like thorns the stick into skin, hair, clothes and fur and get carried like that.

(20 30m.)

Outside get learners to hold a shirt or towel at four corners, have them answer the following: Does it catch

the wind? How big would the towel have to be before it moved them?

How big is a boats sail?

Have the learners draw a sail being blown by the wind. (20m.)


Teach: An indigenous plant is one that has always grown in South Africa (or its local environment). The marula

fruit tree is indigenous to South Africa, as is the Protea of the Western Cape. An alien plant is one that was

brought to the country by people from another part of the world. Some alien plants were brought here on

purpose, like many of the food plants we eat. But some alien plants are damaging because they can kill the

local plants.

Tell the learners to:

Find the name of two indigenous plants, and what they look like.

Find the name of two alien plants and what they look like.

Find the name of an alien plant that is dangerous.

Tell the learners to ask their gogo, or any of the elders in the community for help.

(10 - 15m.)

Conclusion: (Natural Science, Life Orientation, Languages)Reflect on what they have learnt. Things they could write in their workbooks:

Has the garden changed? How do seeds move around? Why are seeds important to plants? What is poverty?

How does a sail work? What is an indigenous plant? (10 15m.)

Assessment:






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10: Introducing to Garden to others

Grade: Five, Six


Theme Introducing the garden to other classes in the school.

Activity Class discussion, Revision and research.Purpose of the activity To have the learners decide on what is important in what they

have learnt.


Successful Grade Six Natural Sciences Learners Book, the classroom, the garden, and workbooks. Saplings,

gardening tools, and ground to plant in.

Introduction

In class focus:

Natural Sciences

To make detailed observations about the world and record how things fit together. Revise what they havelearnt about the garden environment and use that information (see languages). Additional activity: Go through

your curriculum and find something you have covered in the garden. Write notes on what you have learned

about that topic from the garden.

Life Orientation

The maintenance of healthy and sustainable environment we can all live in. Have the learners think about

what to do with the school garden crops.Additional activity: What do you want the garden to do for you? Will

it be focused around food, wildlife, prettiness, something else, or a combination of them all?

Languages

Develop an ability to use language to receive and transmit information about the environment, especially to

younger learners within the school.Additional Activity: Rewrite one of the previous activity sheets for a lowergrade.

Maths

How many plants can you fit in your bed given 30cm spacing, and how many with 15cm? what happens if the

spacing is less than 15cm?Additional activity: Help a student from a lower grade find and mark about a garden

space. The space should be 1 meter by 2 meters, about the size of a door.

Introduction: (Life Orientation, Natural Science, Languages, Maths)

Tell the learners they will be helping younger children learn about the garden and they need to make posters

and other material for them. To do this they must think about what they have learnt about the garden and

growing food. Remember for young children things must be fun, so answer:

1) What would make gardening fun?2) How would you design a poster that is fun for young children?

3) What did you learn about growing food?

4) Could you teach anyone about growing food? (10 15m.)

To make good material the learners must think about what they have learnt and the environment; so ask the

following:

1) In the natural world do you find one type of plant growing next to each other?

1.1) In the natural world do you see lots of different plants growing next to each other?

2) Where do you find only one type of plant growing next to each other?

2.1) How did only one type of plant end up growing in some areas?


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Teach:Think aboutsugar cane fields; it is a farm and over large parts of the farm only sugar cane grows. This

is not natural, lots of work is needed to make only sugar cane grows. A more natural way of planting the land

is to plant a variety of crop plants and followers next to each other. This is called companion planting, and

uses the fact that certain plants grow well together. Plant also can form a community and the different plants

can grow better (or well) together. They form a small (micro) habitat and protect each other from pests, and

help each other grow. (20 30 m.)

Development stage 1: (Life Orientation, Natural Science, Languages)

Poster 1:What and how to plant. Get the learners to examine the garden and their environment then answer

the following questions:

1) In their gardens does only one plant grow?

1.1) Where only one plant grows is it natural or a result of human work?

1.2) Did they grow well?

2)) What plants are growing next to each other?

2.1) Are those plants growing well together?

3) Is it natural for plants to grow together?

Teach:To grow one type of plant together is to do lots of work, but if you use companion plants they helpeach other grow and you need to do less. Let nature do the work for you. (15 20m.)

In groups of four get the learners to design a poster telling younger learners what to plant and how to plant,

and they must remember their answers and experiences in the garden. (30 m.)


Poster 2: Maintaining the Garden. What do you need to do to maintain the garden and quality of the soil?

Have the learners answer the following questions:

1) What is mulch, and what do you do with it?

2) What do plants need to grow?

3) How much water does the garden need?4) Can too much sun be a problem?

5) Is it more fun to work in the garden with friends? (10 15m.)

In groups of four get the learners to design a poster telling the younger learners about mulch and maintaining

a healthy garden. (30m.)

Development stage 3: (Natural Science, Life Orientation and Maths)

With the class discuss what they would like to do with the food they grow in the school garden.

1) How much food could you get from the garden?

2) What about giving the food you grow to the school kitchen?

3) How much food would you need to grow to have a day where you sell the food you grow?

4) What about taking some food home?

Teach:The amount of food taken from the garden is the yield.2) What are you going to do with all the food?

2.1) Who would you like to share it with?

2.2) Who would you sell it to? (20 30 m.)

Conclusion: (Life Orientation, Natural Science, Languages, Maths)


Has the garden changed? What is companion planting? What would you do with the food grown in the school

garden? What is mulch? What do plants need to grow? Could little kids learn how to garden?

(10 15m.)

Assessment:Did the learner demonstrate enthusiasm for this weeks work?




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11: Helping others discover the Garden

Grade: Five, Six


Theme Teaching others about gardening.

Activity Class discussion, Revision and research.Purpose of the activity To get the learners talking about the garden to others.




Introduction

In class focus:

Natural Sciences: To make detailed observations about the world and record how things fit together. Revise

what they have learnt about the environment and use that information (see languages). Additional activity: Go

through over your notes and find something you have covered in the garden. Is there anything new you have

learnt about that topic?

Life Orientation: The maintenance of healthy and sustainable environment we can all live in. Have the

learners think about what to do for their community.Additional activity: Design a poster listing all the ways in

which a food garden can help the community.

Languages: Develop an ability to use language to receive and transmit information about the environment,

especially to younger learners within the school.Additional Activity: Rewrite one of the previous activity sheets

for a lower grade (do not pick the activity sheet from last week).

Maths: Draw a food web of the plants, insects, and animals in the garden; what eats what? Remember to

include worms, humans, and bacterial life in the soil. Additional activity: What would be the effect of changing

each of these? For example, if you wanted to have more chickens, you would need many more plants andinsects, but you could not feed many more people. It takes 20x more land to feed a meat eater than to feed a

vegetarian; can you explain why this is through reference to your chart?


Tell the learners they will be helping younger children learn about the garden and they need to make posters

and other material for them. This week they must remember what they have learnt about environment and

eco-systems and tell others about them. Remind the learners that for young children things must be fun, so

answer:

1) What is an environment?

What is our (human) environment?

2) What is an eco-system?

3) How can we improve our environment?

4) What would you teach anyone about eco-systems? (10 15m.)

To make good material the learners must think about what they have learnt and the environment; so ask the

following:

1) Is the environment a place where only animals live?

1.1) Do humans (us) live in an environment?

Teach: Our (human) environment is where we live. It is our home and community, including all the people

around us: friends, family, neighbours, and the animals and plants that surround us.

2) How can growing a garden help the (our) local environment

2.1) Think about gardens: Are they pretty? Do they produce food? How do they look?

Teach: An eco-system is a part of the world that is balanced and requires little or no work from us. For

example, companion planting builds a community of plants which then help each other by returning nutrients

to the soil, and flowers attract predatory insects, lizards, and birds which eat the pests that would eat our

food. Our gardens can be sustainable eco-systems which improve the environment we live in.

(10 15m.)


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Poster 1: Improving the local (our) environment. Get the learners to examine and think about their

environment then answer the following questions:

1) What lives in their environment?

1.1) What plants and animals do you see growing?

1.2) Does everything look healthy in the environment?2)) Who lives in their environment?

2.1) If all your neighbours and community is happy and healthy how would you feel?

3) What can you do to help improve life in your environment?

Teach: Life as a term is full, which means it includes everything, plants, animals, and people. For our life to be

healthy we must be surrounded by healthy life. (1520m.)

In groups of four get the learners to design a poster telling younger children about the environment, not only

about animals and plants but also our (human) environment, and they must remember their answers and

experiences in the garden. (30 m.)


Poster 2: Eco-systems and sustainability. Tell the learners to think about wild animals and plants and answer

the following questions:

1) Who looks after wild animals and plants?

2) What would happen if all the people left the city?

2.1) How long would it take for plants to overgrow everything?

2.2) How long would it take for animals to move back in?

3) What do Lions and other predators do in an eco-system?

Teach:Eco-systems find a balance and this makes them sustainable. Lions for example will keep the population

of herbivores down - otherwise they would eat all the plants. If your gardens are balanced then they will grow

by themselves and you do not have to do lots of work to help them grow if your garden attracts predators to

eat the pests then you do not have to keep chasing them away. (10 15m.)

In groups of four get the learners to design a poster telling the younger learners about the eco-system and

how predators help keep everything in balance. (30m.)

Development stage 3: (Natural Science, Life Orientation and Maths)

Taste the food from the garden. Some questions to ask:

1) At home, what food do you cook and what food can you eat raw (uncooked)?

2) Do they think they will have to cook the vegetables from the garden?

3) How do you know if you must cook something or eat it raw?

3.1) What can you do to find out?

3.2) Do you know of any other plants you can eat in your home environment?

Have the learners taste the spinach, cabbage, and other foods from the garden and answer the following:

1) What did it taste like?

1.1) Describe what it tastes like

2) Do you think it will taste better cooked or is it alright to eat it raw?

Teach: Spinach tastes best if it is blanched. Boil water, when boiling (bubbling) put the spinach into the water.

Leave the spinach in the water for a very short time (around ten seconds) then remove the spinach and let it

cool. Remind the learners they can ask Gogo about how to prepare food to taste nice. (30 40m.)



Has the garden changed? What is an eco-system? What is the environment? What can food gardening do for

the environment? What foods need to be cooked? (10 15m.)

Assessment:





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12: Preparing for Parents

Grade: Five, Six


Theme A parent/community day.

Activity Class discussion, Revision and research.Purpose of the activity Getting the learners to think about what they need to do in order

to organise an event.




Introduction

In class focus:

Natural Sciences: To make detailed observations about the world and record how things fit together. Revise

what they have learnt about the environment and use that information (see languages). Additional activity: Gothrough over your notes and find something you would like to tell your parents about. Is there anything new

you have learnt about that topic?

Life Orientation: The maintenance of healthy and sustainable environment we can all live in. Have the

learners think about what to do for their community. Additional activity: Design two posters for the classroom

wall telling your parents about what you have been doing and learning in the garden.

Languages: Develop an ability to use language to receive and transmit information about the environment,

especially to younger learners within the school. Additional Activity: Update the glossary, are there any terms

you have encountered from over the last six weeks not in the glossary that should be.

Maths: Develop a logistical sense in the learner. Additional Activity: How many parents would come to theparent day if all the students parents came? How much Juice and how many biscuits would you need for the

parents? How much would all that cost?


This week the learners will be preparing the garden and their school for a parent/community day. They must

invite the parents, grandparents, or an important member of their community to the school and show the

adults what they have been doing and learnt in and from the garden. Ask the learners:

1) Who they would like to invite the school to see their garden?

2) What they would like the garden and school to look like for their parent day?

3) What needs to be done in the garden to make it look better?

4) What they would like to tell the community about the garden?5) What is the most important thing they learnt from the garden?

6) When should we hold the school day? (10 15m.)

Development stage 1: (Life Orientation, Languages)

Get the learners, in groups, to design an invitation for the parent/community day. Explain there is no right or

wrong in this task, but the best design will be used as the invitation sent to everyone. Also this invitation is to

an event so there needs to be information on it, for example:

1) What the parents/community will see at the school.

2) Why the parents/community is being invited to the event.

3) What the parents/community could learn whilst at the school.

4) This invitation is for all the parents/community notjustyour parents.


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Teach: An invitation needs to encourage people to attend the event. People are busy so they need a reason to

take time off from work to come and see the school garden. Also if we work in the garden then maybe you can

show your parents what you can grow in a short space of time. (10 15m.)

In groups of four get the learners to design the invitation; they must keep in mind all the things discussed

about what to include in their invitations. (30 m.)


Getting the school/classroom ready: Having a day at school for all the parents is requires a lot of work, and

there are things that need to be done. Ask the following:

1) What would they like to show to their parents?

2) What do they want everything to look like?

3) What do they want their classroom to look like?

4) What needs to be done in the garden?

5) What do they want to tell the parents?

Teach: Remember that you can get everything done, all it takes is time and for everyone to help out around

the school, in the garden, and in class. This is a day when you get to show off to your parents what you havedone and learnt. (10 15m.)

Divide the learners into groups of four and assign tasks to help get everything ready. (As needed)

Development stage 3: (Natural Science, Life Orientation, Languages, and Maths)

Each group must design a poster based on a concept they have learnt (i.e. photosynthesis, food security, or the

environment) from the project. Each group must do a different concept and poster. Ask the following:

1) What would they like their parents to know?

2) What is the concept they have chosen?

3) How would they tell someone else about the concept?

4) What is the number one, most important thing about the concept?

Teach:Remember that all these posters will be displayed on the classroom walls or around the school for all

the parents to see. They must be careful and make a poster that they can be proud of. (15 20m.)

Divide the learners into their groups and let them design the poster. (As needed)



Has the garden changed? What would they like to show mom or dad in the garden? What would you tell mom

or dad about the garden? What have you learnt about food gardening? Would you like to grow food at home?

(10 15m.)

Assessment:





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Feeding the Self contact details

Chirag Patel Co-ordinator; Project design & Strategy

[email protected] 0735578909

Nicholas Molver Oversight, analysis


Marc Robson Lesson and material design


Website: www.feedingtheself.org

0749 031 332 / 0735 578 909

FTS garden & teaching docs | General teaching material

Gardening research | Useful NGO docs

Project data

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