====== Plants and Seeds ======

//This is a great meeting to do in the spring, when everything is starting to grow. Grow a carrot top and sprout some seeds ahead of time so the kids can see what is going to happen with theirs.//

  * Opening Ceremony
  * Talk about Plant Propagation
    * What are the parts of a plant?
      * //Optional:// have the kids label the parts of a plant on a [[https://www.sciencefacts.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Parts-of-a-Plant-Worksheet.pdf|worksheet]].
    * Ask kids how plants grow
    * Seeds vs growing plants from cuttings/grafting
      * Seeds involve fertilization and lead to more genetic diversity (this is how we get hybrid foods, like lemons and bananas)
      * Many of the foods we eat are grown from propagating a single parent plant through cuttings, division, or grafting. This allows you to maintain desirable characteristics over time. Many fruit and nut trees are grown this way. Bartlett pears have been grown this way dating back to 1770.
    * Look at carrot tops and seed germination demos
      * Talk about how carrots grow (they are biennial, so the first year the seeds turn into carrots, then the second year they produce flowers that produce more seeds) and why you won't get another carrot directly from regrowing the top, but you could from the seeds.
  * Put seeds in damp paper towels to germinate
  * Snack & read story
  * Steam Off Game
  * Talk about how plants grow in the wild
  * Pollinators: bees, hummingbirds, butterflies
    * What attracts them?
    * How do they fertilize plants?
  * Seed Dispersal
    * How do seeds spread?
    * Wind, Water, Animals, Explosions, Fire
    * Adaptation: how does where the plant is located inform its seed dispersal mechanism?
  * Make simple bird feeders from pine cones or toilet paper rolls, sun butter/crisco, and bird seed.
  * Closing Ceremony
  * Send each kid home with the seeds they sprouted, a carrot, the instruction and [[https://drive.google.com/file/d/10J_wDI3wW5OpKI81KGvoS9oZevJiczMS/view?usp=sharing|observation]] handouts, and their birdfeeders.

===== Related Activities =====

  * [[activities:index:carrot_tops|Regrow Carrot Tops in Water]]

===== Items Needed: =====

  * Sprouted Carrot Tops for Demo
  * Sprouted Pea & Carrot Seeds for Demo
  * [[activities:index:carrot_tops|Carrot Top Sprouting Instructions]]
  * Seed and Carrot Top [[https://drive.google.com/file/d/10J_wDI3wW5OpKI81KGvoS9oZevJiczMS/view?usp=sharing|Observation Sheets]]
  * Paper Towels
  * Plastic Sandwich Bags
  * Spray Bottle with Water
  * Sugar Snap Peas & Carrot Seeds (could also bring other types)
  * Sharpie
  * Carrots (the ones that have greens at the top work great for this)
  * Pine Cones or Toilet Paper Rolls
  * Sun Butter or Crisco
  * Bird Seed
  * Twine or yarn

===== Badge Requirements Covered: =====

=== Tan Handicraft Paw ===

  * Make a bird feeder from recycled materials

=== Green Nature Paw ===

  * Grow a seed in a water soaked paper towel
  * Regrow a carrot top or other plant in water

{{tag>meeting:otter ot_handicraft:bird_feeder ot_nature:sprout_seeds ot_nature:regrow_carrot_top}}