Taming the Wildflower

With storytelling, a little detective work and dramatic movement, we help to generate enthusiasm for Ontario’s wildflowers. Students reenact how flowers are pollinated, how bees dance to find wildflowers, and by following a series of clues, students discover the beauty and diversity of 6 local species.

Curriculum Links 

ARTS

Dance

• A1. Creating and Presenting
• A1.1 imitate movements found in their natural environment in a variety of ways and incorporate them into a dance phrase (e.g., modify the movements of animals, snow falling to the ground, ice melting, plants growing; connect a series of insect-like movements together to make a phrase). 
• A1.3 create dance phrases using a variety of pattern forms …

Visual Arts

• D1. Creating and Presenting
  D1.1 create two- and three-dimensional works of art that express personal feelings and ideas inspired by the environment or that have the community as their subject
• P.E. Active Living
  A1. Active Participation
  A1.1 actively participate in a wide variety of program activities …, according to their capabilities while applying behaviours that enhance their readiness and ability to take part … 

Reading

• 2. Understanding Form and Style 
• 2.1 identify and describe the characteristics of a variety of text forms

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Understanding Life Systems: Growth and Changes in Plants 

• assess ways in which plants have an impact on society and the environment, and ways in which human activity has an impact on plants and plant habitats 
• investigate similarities and differences in the characteristics of various plants, and ways in which the characteristics of plants relate to the environment in which they grow 
• 2.2 observe and compare the parts of a variety of plants 
• 2.6 use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including stem, leaf, root, pistil, stamen, flower, adaptation, and germination, in oral and written communication 
• 2.7 use a variety of forms (e.g., oral, written, graphic, multimedia) to communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes 

Understanding Basic Concepts 

• 3.1 describe the basic needs of plants, including air, water, light, warmth, and space 
• 3.2 identify the major parts of plants, including root, stem, flower, stamen, pistil, leaf, seed, and fruit, and describe how each contributes to the plant’s survival within the plant’s environment (e.g., the roots soak up food and water for the plant; the stem carries water and food to the rest of the plant; the leaves make food for the plant with help from the sun; the flowers grow fruit and seeds for new plants) 
• 3.3 describe the changes that different plants undergo in their life cycles (e.g., some plants grow from bulbs to flowers, and when the flowers die off the bulb produces little bulbs that will bloom the next year; some plants grow from germination of a seed to the production of a fruit containing seeds that are then scattered by humans, animals, or the wind so that new plants can grow) 
• 3.4 describe how most plants get energy to live directly from the sun (e.g., plants turn the energy from the sun into food for themselves) and how plants help other living things to get energy from the sun (e.g., Other living things, which cannot “eat” sunshine, eat the plants to get the energy. They also get energy when they eat the animals that eat the plants.)

Pre-Camp Kawartha Visit

Portfolio Creation 

Have the students collect items/ideas/pieces of work “of importance to this unit” (deemed by them) and keep it all in individual portfolios. This portfolio can then be presented to the class at the end of the flower unit in a kind of show and tell. 

Magnifying Glass observation time (and sketch)

• Provide each student or group with magnifying glasses. If available hula hoops can also be a fun addition to this activity. 
• Give children the opportunity to explore at a microlevel their environment(s). If hulahoops are present, lay them down or hang them up so that the students have to explore within that particular area (or play with the hulahoops!).
• Questions to consider: Do you notice a difference in wildflowers compared to the flowers in ditches? Gardens? Plant pots? What colour themes do we see in this area? Have you tried counting petals? Leaves? bees?

Colour Hunt 

• Bring your students outside. This activity can be done in groups or individually. Give the students paper and clipboards. Have the teams run out and record (by words, drawings, tallies, etc.) how many items they find associated with a certain colour. When the teacher blows their whistle the teams come back and share what they have found. At the end of the rainbow, see what colour was most prominent, why? Were flowers the most prominent colours? Why or why not (time of year/weather/etc.)?
• This is a fun “minds on” activity to get your students moving and thinking about colour in the environment

Name Creation 

Bring your students outside. Bring a potted plant (or many) with you. When you are outside hold up the plant/pass it around. Ask the students if they know any names for certain parts of the plant(s) (point to the major parts of plants, including root, stem, flower, stamen, pistil, leaf, seed, and fruit if prompting is needed). Then ask them what they think those parts of the plant do. Give time for students to go exploring the plants in the area (no harvesting please!). As they are exploring, ask them to think of what they would name the different parts of the plant. Share the different names in small groups. Engage the students in a lesson about the various parts of flower anatomy. Get them to touch and feel the parts of the potted plants (roots/leaves/etc.).

Recycled Flower Crafting 

OPTION ONE (Adapted from https://leftbraincraftbrain.com/recycled-plastic-flowers-art-and-science-project/) 

You will need: 

• Clear plastic plates, cups, bowls, shot glasses, etc. Anything with recycling number 6! 
• Sharpies
• Found wire, dead branches, tightly rolled used newspaper, straws, etc. anything the students think will work as the flower stems
• Glue gun(s)
• To make your flowers (an oven is required)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 ºF.
2. Have the students colour their found number 6 recyclable materials with Sharpie markers. 
3. Cut slits in the sides of the plastic pieces using scissors (depending on the skill level of your students, an adult may need to do this part carefully as sometimes plastic pieces go flying).
4. Place plastic pieces on a foil covered baking sheet and bake for 2-5 minutes. NOTE: watch your pieces in the oven, so that you don’t leave them in too long. And Please open a window for ventilation because melting plastic can be smelly.
5. Let the pieces cool and then hot glue gun the “stems” to the back center of the flower. You can also glue layers of additional pieces of plastic that you want to add to the flower. 
6. Engage the students in a discussion about the various parts of flower anatomy – looking what they were able to create vs what their simple dioramas do not have.

OPTION TWO: Newspaper roses/flowers (there are many different step-by step guides online, this website has great visuals, https://www.instructables.com/Newspaper-roses/)

You will need:

• Old Newspapers
• Scissors
• Tape or glue
• Found wire, dead branches, tightly rolled used newspaper, straws, etc. anything the students think will work as the flower stems

To make your flowers

1. Have your students cut out shapes of newspaper for their flower petals in varying sizes
2. Take one of the sticks and with a piece of newspaper, make the center of the flower. Just a little bud will do. 
3. Starting with the smallest petals, start attaching them to their chosen stem with adhesive. Stick the first two close against the bud, the rest of the petals go round and round the base, covering each previous petal with a bit of the new one (say half a centimeter of coverage). This task definitely requires some dexterity and patience, increase the size of your petals as you move through the flower.
4. carefully fold all petals down except for the first 2 or 3.
5. Engage the students in a discussion about the various parts of flower anatomy – looking what they were able to create vs what their simple dioramas do not have.