Sprouting Seeds to Microgreens!

Categories: Primary Literacy , Math , Kits , Literacy , Plants , Science

Garnish your math, literacy and science curriculum with sweet or spicy microgreens! Students will explore a tasty way to learn about life cycles and calculate area through real-life applications.

Activity 1: Heads Up, Plants Up!
1. Divide students into six groups. Explain to students they will be playing a quick game of Heads up! Plants Up!.
2. Distribute a stack of Heads Up! Plants Up! cards to each group.
3. Explain to students that the bottom side of the card has a secret word, the guesser in the group will hold the card up to their forehead with the word facing out for their other
group members to see. Their group members are to describe the word on the card to their teammate and the guesser has to figure out the word. When the guesser says the correct
word, he or she will set the card aside and pass the deck of cards to the next person. The group member who just received the stack of cards will draw the next card placing in face
out on their forehead. Then, the other groups members will describe the new word to the new guesser. Once you have made it through the entire deck, all group members should
raise their hands quietly. The first group through all of the cards is the winner. If for some reason, one of the describers accidentally says the word or the card is revealed in some
other way you get a point taken away. You may begin!
4. After everyone has finished, have students return to their desks for a quick review of the words.
a. What were the words on our cards? (water, air, nutrients, seeds, light and care)
b. What do these words have in common with plants?

Activity 2: Microgreen Mythbusters
1. Explain to students that they will be learning about microgreens a small, edible plant.
2. Divide students into groups of 3-4 students or work together as a whole class. Provide groups or display a copy of each of the Microgreen Information cards.
3. Distribute a copy of Microgreens Mythbusters worksheet to each student.
4. Explain to students that they will read through the Microgreen Information cards to determine whether or not the statements on the Microgreens Mythbusters worksheet are
true or false. If the statement on the worksheet is false, students are tasked with rewriting the statement to make it true.
5. After completing the worksheet, review the following concepts as a class:
a. What are microgreens?
b. How are microgreens harvested?

Activity 3: Mighty Microgreens
Teacher Preparation: fill a growing flat or tray with water to allow students to moisten the soil with.
1. Explain to students that they will be growing some microgreens of their own and will get the opportunity to taste them when they are ready to harvest.
2. Provide students with a copy of the Mighty Microgreens worksheet.
3. Distribute a growing container to each student.
4. Using the worksheet, students will determine the optimal seed density for growing microgreens in the provided container.
5. There are two different versions of the Mighty Microgreens worksheet included in this lesson. Each worksheet is labeled in the top right-hand corner based on what shape of container students will be planting in. Make sure to select the correct one as the formulas are different for determining the area.
6. Have students follow the steps listed on the worksheet to determine the area of the container they will be planting in.
7. Next, have students calculate the amount of seeds to plant in the container based on the formula provided on the worksheet.
8. After, have students follow the steps listed in Step 3, to prepare and plant microgreens in their container.
9. Instruct the students to fill their provided container nearly full with soil.
10.Using the baking tray or 1020 flat with water you prepared, have students place their soil container on the tray to begin to wet the soil.
11. Once the soil is wet, students should remove the container from the water.
12. Instruct students to evenly distribute the amount of seeds determined in the Step 2 calculations on the Mighty Microgreens worksheet.
13. After all students have their soil wet, discard the remaining water and have students place their planted container on the tray.
14. Place the tray of containers in a dark area until germination has occurred. If needed spray the soil with a water spray bottle to keep the area moist during germination.
15. After seeds have germinated, place the trays in an area where they will be in direct light near a window.
16. As needed add water to the tray to maintain moisture in the soil.
17. The microgreens will take between 7-21 days to grow, during that time, have students track their growth using the worksheet to sketch their growth every 2-3 days.
18. Harvest the microgreens using a clean pair of scissors when the true leaf of the microgreens have emerged. Wash the microgreens and enjoy them as a snack in class!