HOW DOES MY GARDEN GROW? – Shape, Line, Colour

Students will be able to:

• use torn paper and cutting skills to create a construction paper collage;
• create a composition that communicates information about plants;
• create organic shapes;
• identify the parts of a flower;
• explain what plants need to help them grow;
• demonstrate technical accomplishment and creativity.

Have students:

• work with a partner to examine a variety of fresh vegetables;
• identify the parts of each plant – roots, stem, leaves, flower;
• identify the parts of each plant that people eat;
• sort foods into groups according to their part, e.g., roots, stems, leaves, and flowers;
• choose one of the groups;
• create a 3-dimensional model of a plate of different plants in the group they have chosen;
• share their work with the class.

1. Prior to this lesson have students explore plants.
   - parts of a plant - roots, stem, leaves, flower
   - things plants need to grow - sunlight, air, water, soil
2. Download and display the Colour, Line and Shape posters available on this website.
3. Gather and make available books on the theme of shapes and gardens such as, It Could Still Be A Flower, by Allan Fowler; Round as a Mooncake, A Book of Shapes, by Roseanne Thong; Icky Bug Shapes, by Jerry Pollotta; The Greedy Triangle, by Marilyn Burns and Gordon Silvena; Time For Kids: Plants!, by Editors of TIME For Kids and Brenda Iasevoli; National Geographic Readers: Seed to Plant, by Kristin Baird Rattini; From Seed to Plant, by Gail Gibbons; The Tiny Seed, by Eric Carle; Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt: (Nature Book for Kids, Gardening and Vegetable Planting, Outdoor Nature Book), by Kate Messner, and Christopher Silas Neal; and Planting a Rainbow, by Lois Ehlert.
4. Provide time for students to practice tearing out shapes, and cutting out shapes with scissors.

1. Conduct a read-aloud using a book such as From Seed to Plant, by Gail Gibbons. Focus on,
   - parts of plants
   - how plants grow
2. View and discuss the images in a book with cut paper illustrations such as Planting a Rainbow, by Lois Ehlert, for example,
   - use of space and shapes to draw the eye through the composition
   - use of contrasting colours
   - use of repetition to add movement and interest
   - types of shapes found on the flowers and bushes
3. Explain that a picture made with glued down cut out paper shapes is called collage.
4. Introduce the challenge.

1. Have students work with a partner. Ask them to share:
   - What they like about the pictures.
   - Two things that are the same about their pictures. 
   - Two things that are different about their pictures. 
   - What was difficult about making the picture.
   - What was satisfying about making the picture.
2. Invite some students to share with the whole class.

1. Observe students as they work – thoughtful focus, discriminating, seeking more information, elaborating, experimenting.
2. Observe students as they discuss their pictures – speaks with a clear voice, looks at audience while speaking, points to areas in the picture, provides accurate information, answers questions from the audience effectively.
3. Observe students as they listen – looks at presenter, asks effective questions, supports ideas with evidence found in the artwork.
4. Use a checklist to track progress. (Download - PlantCollage_tracking.pdf)
5. Have students use the self-assessment form to evaluate their work. (Downloads - PlantCollage_self-assessment.pdf)