Lesson 4: Grow, Seeds, Grow

Aim
To understand that flowers and plants come from tiny seeds and God made them

Materials
1. Garden catalogue, potted plant, watering can, packets of seeds, flower pots, small trowels / forks.
2. Grow Seeds Grow, from The Toddlers Bedtime Story Book, by V. Gilbert Beers
3. The Tiny Seed, by Eric Carle (Scholastic Books)
4. Large picture from story with the words, “God made Seeds” to give to the children.
5. Cress seeds or some flower seeds (e.g. candytuft, pansies, marigolds or nasturtiums)
6. A small container (flower pot, ice cream box, egg box or yoghurt pot) and soil

Lesson Outline
1. Introduction
2. Story & Discussion
3. Activities – growing game, plant seeds,
4. Review the lesson
5. Prayer

1) Introduction
…………………….
Show the gardening objects. Ask what you would use them for and talk about gardens – Who’s got one? Who’s been to a local park? Does anyone have plants indoors at home, or in a window box on a window sill? Many people like to grow flowers. What kind of flowers do the children like? Show pictures of well-known flowers. Today’s story is about how a tiny seed becomes a beautiful flower.

2) Story and Discussion
* Read the story.
* Discuss all the things which helped the seeds to grow – sunshine, rain, soil, helpers to plant them,  time. But the seeds were created in the first place by God, who also made the sun, rain and soil

3) Activities
* Play The Growing Game
* Plant seeds – Plant cress or give each child a flower pot, egg box or yoghurt pot with a drainage hole in the bottom. Have ready soil or potting compost or a mixture of both, and let the children fill their containers. – they’ll make a mess but will love it! Make sure nobody eats it, and moisten the mixture before planting the flower seeds to take home (Something like candytuft, pansies, marigolds or nasturtiums would be suitable). Remind them to water the seeds regularly, and tell parents the seedlings may have to be transplanted to a bigger pot later.

* Collect polystyrene trays and provide each child with one. Put blotting paper, cotton wool or a layer of kitchen towel or paper tissue in the bottom of each tray, dampen well and add cress or mustard seeds. Let children take them home and remind them to keep them watered.

4) Review the aims of the lesson

To understand that flowers and plants come from tiny seeds and God made them

5) Prayer
Say a prayer of thanks to God for giving so many beautiful flowers and plants, and the seeds that make them. Name some well-known flowers.