From the Bank Street Family Center

The Teachable Moments of Spring: Growth is Universal

by Lindsay Salz

The magic of spring can be a wonderful vehicle for teaching young children many new concepts. With the arrival of a new season, many preschoolers notice the changes that are occurring around them. As the temperature rises and children bring out favorite sundresses or pairs of shorts from the previous summer, they will quickly realize how their bodies are changing as they grow. This is an excellent opportunity to parallel their growth with new growth and changes outside in nature.

In our preschool classroom we have tied the seasonal events of springtime into our primary curriculum of “growing and changing.” Like many families have done at home, we created a chart of the children’s changing heights. As springtime approached we measured the children once again and read books that discussed the concept of planting and growing. Concurrently, we took nature walks in the park and looked for signs of spring. As the weather warmed, the children noticed the green sprouts pushing out of the barren earth, and later, they noticed the formation of buds and the blossoming of numerous brightly colored flowers. We looked at what plants needed in order to grow and blossom, and then discussed what people need in order to grow.

While outside walks enable children to observe the growth process, it is important to provide the children with a sense of ownership through direct classroom activities. The planting of seeds in the classroom allows them to take on the role of nurturers and see the results of their care.

When planting to teach a lesson in the classroom it is important to sow seeds that will show rapid results to young waiting minds, such as lima beans and mustard seeds. Children can place seeds in wet paper towels and hang them in zip lock bags in the window. This allows them to observe the first steps of the germination process, and it provides immediate results. Once the seeds have germinated, the children can transplant them into soil. In our classroom, this activity was followed by a discussion of what the soil provides for growing plants—why seeds can not survive in a paper towel alone. After this discussion we placed the pots in direct sunlight and watered them daily.

Each morning the children arrived at school and excitedly ran to make their daily observation. “Look, something is poking through,” remarked one child. “Hey it’s just like Jack and the Beanstalk!” screamed another. As time progressed comments such as, “It’s getting bigger” and “Look, at the bean plant grow,” enabled us, the teachers, to draw parallels to the ways in which the children themselves were growing and changing. It further provide an opportunity to discuss the ways in which even though the plants were “getting bigger” they still required and were supplied with love and care.

Here are some books to read in conjunction with this project: The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Crockett Johnson; How a Seed Grows by Helene J. Johnson, illustrated by Loretta Krupinski; and Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert.

Lindsay Salz is a preschool teacher at the Bank Street Family Center

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