Summer | Water: Grades 1-3

Thirsty Plants & People: Who Drinks More? 

Summary: It might not look like it but our bodies are nearly all water! More than 60% of our bodies are made of water. In this lesson, we’ll explore the water in our bodies and compare it to the water all around us!

Pre-Visit Planning: 

    • Gather: Chalk, carrot, paring knife
    • Explore: A globe or world map; look how much water covers our planet!
    • Read: Water by Frank Asch

In the Garden: 

The human body on average is 60% or more water (in our blood, muscles, organs) and some plants can be up to 95% water. The planet we live on is nearly 71% water. Water is very important to plants and people! 

Questions to Explore:

-What is your favorite thing to do with or in water?

-Where do you think the water in your body is?

-How should we keep plants and people full of water?

-Do you see any plants in the garden that need water?

Activity:

  • Cut a carrot in half using the paring knife. Carrots are 88% water! 
  • It can be hard to visualize these numbers so on the sidewalk near the garden use chalk to outline everyone’s bodies. 
  • Using blue chalk, mark a line right around the mid-chest. Have everyone color the lower half of his or her body in blue to see what 60% looks like. 
  • You can also draw a carrot and show how much of it is made of water. 

Water is so valuable because we all use it; plants, people, and the planet. As we grow our garden, we have to be careful to make sure we keep our plants watered, and as our bodies grow, it’s important to water them too by drinking lots of water!

Beyond the Garden | Track Your Water Usage

Over the next week, work together to make a chart tracking how much water you drink each day. You can make a graph that shows how much water you drink each day or simply how many times you drink water throughout the day. Hang it up on the fridge so you can watch your progress each day. Which day did you drink the most water? Why do you think you drank more water on that day? Which day did you drink the least? Why? 

Continue Exploring | Supporting Materials


Note for Parents:
Each lesson suggests you explore a piece of artwork and read a specific book with your child. The artwork and books are easily available for view with an online search. However, these suggestions are not necessary to complete the lessons.

Guiding Principles

1

Learning, though not always visible, is always happening. The lessons are designed using inquiry as a base. Rather than “right answers” be more concerned with asking good questions.

2

Things may not go as planned. The lessons are designed to be used in whatever way works best for you. You can use all of the lesson or just pull a piece out of it.

3

Planting and cultivating a garden is believing in possibility. The lessons are designed to generate excitement about the future.

4

Each lesson includes a way to take the learning out into the community for more learning and more connection.

5

When a young child’s innate curiosity is unleashed in a garden the possibilities are endless. Any topic is open for exploration.

6

You will get dirty. There will be bugs.