This week’s activities

Planting broad beans

We introduce the children to new vocabulary, ensuring that it has some relevance to their lives, the time of year or festivities. We also introduce new language through the activities the children take part in. Our current ‘word of the week’ is ‘germinate/ germination’. To make the word relevant and so that the children have hands-on experience of what it means, this week the children explored how they could help beans to germinate. Firstly, they noticed that the beans look like stones, with a smooth, shiny appearance. The teacher then asked them what they might need to germinate – water and sunshine were the favourite answers. The teacher agreed that is the case but they also need something to germinate in. Unlike some seeds, beans can germinate without soil. This prompted the children to ask what they could use. The teacher explained that it needed to hold water, to keep the beans moist and hydrated (one of the words we had previously introduced). Having discussed some options, they came up with tissue. The teacher asked how they could keep the beans warm, as this is something else they need to help them germinate. Sunshine was the popular answer but she explained that putting them into a clear plastic bag means that the beans would be kept both warm and hydrated. Being in a clear plastic bag means that we will, hopefully, begin to see the beans germinate over the coming weeks. The children will then go on to replant them into pots and then into the ground in our allotment garden. They are on the window to Robin Room if you want to have a look.

We hope you have a lovely weekend.

The Pre-school Team