Encouraging the next generation - Setting up a growth project in Key Stage One

Growing edible plants is not only great fun for children, it also provides plenty of opportunity for observation and measurement. For this activity, we would recommend using radishes and loose leaf lettuce which are quick and easy to grow and so are ideal for a school project.

Growing tips: radishes prefer loose, well-drained soil. Seeds should be sown 2-3cm deep and will germinate in just a few days. They can usually be harvested within 4-5 weeks. When sowing the lettuce seeds, cover with around ½cm of soil so they have the light they need to germinate and keep soil moist. Germination should occur within 7-14 days.

Learning objectives:

• To understand what plants need to grow.
• To have experience of growing their own plants. 

Divide the class into groups. Each group plants either radish or lettuce seeds in half of a container. Some groups have a standard container whilst others use an Amberol self-watering container. Each container should have one half radish seeds and one half lettuce seeds so both are growing in each type of planter.

The children should discuss the stages of planting the seeds and record the process on a planning sheet. Talk about what you think will happen, what they will see first, what they think is happening under the soil. How long do they think it will be before they see anything?

The children should then record what they see at every stage of growth, e.g. date planted, date shoots first appear as well as recording every time they water their plant. They can record every few days in pictures and words how their plant grows. If possible, an adult should take photos every day to chart progress. Changes can also be recorded on a class chart with observations for each group. These changes can either be discussed at the start of each science lesson or at regular intervals during the week.

As part of a plenary, draw all the results together. Groups can explain when their plant first grew and plot on a class chart for standard containers and self-watering containers. What conclusions can they draw?