Growing the Future by Teaching Children in the Gardens
www.GrannysGardenSchool.org / 20 Miamiview Lane, Loveland, OH 45140 / 513-324-2873
If I Could Create a Plant
Kindergarten
Lesson Summary
When to use this lesson
Use this lesson to discuss and observe plant parts.
Objective
Students understand the purpose for a plant’s parts and observe differences in the same
kind of plant part.
Materials






Samples of plant parts
Construction paper
Glue
Scissors
Crayons or a pencil
Option for precollecting: phone books and precut flowers, stems, leaves, and roots to
press in your phone book
Estimated Duration
30 minutes
Ohio Learning Standards Connections
Life Science
Living things have physical traits and behaviors, which influence their survival.
 Living things are made up of a variety of structures. Some of these structures and
behaviors influence their survival.
If you decide to collect flower parts in advance

Collect samples of stems, leaves, and flowers. Place them in a phone book to store them
ahead of your class. Collect sufficient quantity for students to be able to create a plant of
their own.

Collect at least one dandelion that has its root, stem, leaves, and a flower intact. Keep it
fresh in water. Several are better to have in order to share with groups of students.

Collect samples of crabgrass to show how crabgrass roots look different from dandelion
roots.

Collect a thorny stem.
About Plant Parts

Explain that living things have parts that help them live. Ask students to name some of their
body parts and how the parts help them live. Do all of their parts look the same? No, the
Revised 6/16 © 2015-2016 Granny's Garden School, Inc. We encourage you to use these lesson plans and change
them to fit your specific needs. We ask only that you credit Granny's Garden School as your source.
Page 1
same part can do the same thing, but look different on different people. The same thing
happens with plants.

Distribute your sample weeds, keeping one for yourself. If you do not have sample plants,
show the picture in this lesson.

Discuss the parts of the plant and how the plant uses the parts to live. Show some of your
samples as you discuss the parts.

Roots hold plants in the ground and absorb water and nutrients from the soil. Nutrients are
like vitamins for a plant. Roots can be thick and long like the dandelion root or roots can be
thin and short and tangled like the crabgrass roots. Long roots reach water deeper in the
ground. All roots take in water for the plant to live.

Stems support the plant as it grows above the ground and carry water and nutrients to other
parts of the plant. Some stems stand up straight and some stems crawl on the ground or
twist around things to climb up. Some stems are very wide like the trunk of a tree and some
are very thin like on some flowers. Stems of roses have thorns to help protect the plant. All
stems carry water to other plant parts so the parts can grow.

Leaves make food for the plant. Leaves can be different sizes and different colors, but they
all do the same thing for the plant. All leaves make food to help the plant grow.

Flowers attract bees and butterflies that pollinate flowers so fruits and seeds can grow.
Flowers can be many different colors and shapes. Some smell like perfume. Some have
many petals and others just a few or even just one (show a petunia if you have one). Bees
and butterflies have favorites. Many bees are attracted to blue flowers first. Butterflies often
like flowers that are flat on top, like some zinnias, so they have a nice landing spot to sip
nectar. People have favorite flowers, too. Ask for hand votes of favorite flower colors. All
flowers attract the right kind of animal so the plant can make seeds to grow new plants.

Explain that all of the parts you have discussed have the same job on every plant, but they
do not look the same on every plant.

Ideas to help your discussion: Have students demonstrate plant parts with you while
standing. Spread feet wide to show how roots that spread help to keep the plant in place.
Keep your torso straight and then bend to show how stems can be straight or curve. Spread
your arms and use your hands to demonstrate leaves. Wiggle your fingers as you discuss air
and sunlight entering the leaves to make food. Your head is the flower. It attracts based on
how it looks and smells.
Create Your Own Plant

If you could create a plant just for you, what would it look like? Students will create a plant
by collecting a stem, a leaf, and a flower from different garden plants. The garden
educator can decide if students can create a plant with many flowers or many stems.

Ask students to think about what is important to have on their plant. Do they want a big leaf
to make a lot of food for the plant? Do they want a thick or thin stem to transport water, a
tall or short stem? Do they want a special color, special scent, a special size flower?

Show students the parts you collected and, if you precollected, invite students to collect
from your supply if they have a hard time choosing from the garden.

Students create their plant by gluing the parts on a piece of construction paper. Students
use a crayon or pencil to draw the kind of roots they want for their plant.
Revised 6/16 © 2015-2016 Granny's Garden School, Inc. We encourage you to use these lesson plans and change
them to fit your specific needs. We ask only that you credit Granny's Garden School as your source.
Page 2

Allow time for students to discuss why they combined the parts they used.
Alternative

If you are limited for time or it rains: precollect a variety of leaves, stems, and flowers.

Discuss the plant parts and show samples.

Have students collect from your samples to create their own flower. Have students draw the
roots.

Students share and discuss the plants they created.
Revised 6/16 © 2015-2016 Granny's Garden School, Inc. We encourage you to use these lesson plans and change
them to fit your specific needs. We ask only that you credit Granny's Garden School as your source.
Page 3
Revised 6/16 © 2015-2016 Granny's Garden School, Inc. We encourage you to use these lesson plans and change
them to fit your specific needs. We ask only that you credit Granny's Garden School as your source.
Page 4