Infinite Choices
Lesson Overview
Goals
- Identify common plants by growing season
- Describe how to plant with the seasons
Outcomes
Teaching Primer
Start with what is appropriate for the season, then what you like to eat, and finally what grows well together. That’s the best advice on selecting which seeds to grow. Why grow something you don’t like to eat unless you’re growing produce for market. But for the home gardener, it makes the most sense to grow what you like to eat.
Of course, growing what you like to eat sounds straightforward but there are countless other considerations to keep in mind like the season, the location for each variety, and identifying which plants grow well together and which ones do not. Planning a garden with companions, location, and season in mind takes, well…planning. Get it wrong and you will be disappointed with the harvest. But do your homework and be thoughtful in your approach and you just might have a bumper crop on your hands. Then the question becomes “What do I do with all this amazing food!” And that’s a great problem to have.
Tools & Materials
- SMART Board or Chalkboard
- Companions and Seasons Grid (print copies for Students)
Vocabulary
- Seasonal crops
- Shoulder season
- Companion planting
Method
Introduction (10 minutes)
Begin this lesson by once again asking the Students to name their favorite vegetable. Ask for a show of hands for all the Students that have grown their favorite vegetable. Then introduce the concept of seasonal planting. Finally, present a few example pairings that represent good companions like tomatoes and carrots, or the Three Sisters.
Activity (20 minutes)
Make a list of the Students’ favorite vegetables. Using the form in the Related Articles section and your classroom SMART Board or chalkboard, chart each of the vegetables with their “friends and foes” and their season. Have each Student chart along with you using the form while you do a master copy for the class on the board.
Discussion (10 minutes)
So what should we grow in our garden? What would you like to eat from the garden that you will be helping to build, maintain, and harvest?
Assessment (5 minutes)
Use the following questions to assess the Students before and after the lesson. Tally the responses of the group in the Assessment Tracking Log for comparison:
- By a show of hands, how many of you know how to select seeds for the garden based on the season?
- Now that you understand seasonal planting, how many of you think you could help your family create a plan for the family garden?
Related Lessons
Give the Intermediate or Advanced lessons a try now that you’ve completed the Beginner Lesson!
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