Sometimes teaching about plants can be difficult to make it hands on without an actual plant. Sometimes, as much as I wish I did, I just don't have a green thumb. That doesn't stop me from finding some way to make it engaging and hands-on for the kiddos! One way that I do this is by teaching children about the life cycle of plants.
When I teach about the life cycle, we take a pause and discuss pollination. I pull out the cotton balls, cupcake cups, and kool-aid packets! I provide each pair with theses materials and a cotton swab.
The cotton ball represents the flower of the plant, while the kool-aid is the pollen. I use different colors of kool-aid so students can see that actual transfer of the "pollen" from one "flower" to another. The cotton swab (as the bee) transfers it from one flower to another.
This engaging and hands-on science lesson is available for you to download free here at my teachers pay teachers store. It comes complete with the lesson outline and printables you need!
Happy Teaching!
