Mulching Lessons

mulching

lesson plan

Lesson	Student Activities	Content Knowledge	Assessment Activities	Resources	SACSA Links
					Key Competencies	Essential Learnings
1	Temperature Control Brainstorm a list of situations where the temperature of things needs to be kept down and list some of the materials which are used in those situations. Present the idea that some plants cannot survive well if their roots are too hot. The students need to, in groups, design an investigation to compare different natural materials for their heat reducing properties (when they are placed on the soil surface)		Participates in the planning of investigation.	Thermometers or data loggers with temperature probes. Sunny day. Pine bark, pea straw, leaves, paper, cardboard, foam, carpet or any other suggested material. A secure site for conducting the experiment. Garden gloves.	1, 3, 6	Communication: uses effective communication when working with others. Thinking: explores and responds to problems by developing an appropriate investigation.
Lesson	Student Activities	Content Knowledge	Assessment Activities	Resources	SACSA Links
					Key Competencies	Essential Learnings
2	Temperature Control Carry out the investigations and record the findings. Follow up Communicate the findings so that a gardener could choose the material (mulch) that is the most effective for protecting his/her precious plants	Safety issues - Be Sunsmart. Ensure safe handling of themometers. Use gloves when working in a garden situation.	Records results. Draws conclusions from the results and presents them in a suitable way	* TEEMSS Test *Computer connected to intranet	2, 3, 6	Communication: uses effective communication when working with others. Thinking: explores and responds to problems by developing an appropriate investigation.
Lesson	Student Activities	Content Knowledge	Assessment Activities	Resources	SACSA Links
					Key Competencies	Essential Learnings
3	Water Loss Discuss the water cycle. Focus on the term evaporation and clarify what that term means. Establish the context that some countries (like Australia) have very high evaporation rates causing many plants to die in dry conditions . The students challenge is to design and test an evaporation minimizing system that would be environmentally friendly. Design the system.	Water cycle. Evaporation.	Creates a concept map about the water cycle. Devises a system.	Sunny day. Pine bark, pea straw, leaves, paper, rocks, pebbles, plastic, grass clippings, material offcuts, alfoil, cardboard, foam, carpet or any other suggested material. Waterproof containers. Equipment for measuring water loss. A secure site for conducting the experiment. Garden gloves.	2,3,6	Communication: uses effective communication when working with others. Thinking: explores and responds to problems by developing an appropriate investigation.
Lesson	Student Activities	Content Knowledge	Assessment Activities	Resources	SACSA Links
					Key Competencies	Essential Learnings
4	Water Loss Set the system up, test it and gather results. Suggest the best system and explain why.	Safety issues - Be Sunsmart Use gloves when working in a garden situation.	Children individually, in pairs or in small groups, demonstrate what they have found out about shadows. Presentation can be in any format and could be part of Show and Tell. Teacher may make anecdotal assessment notes. Produces an interesting information product with relevant information about water loss through evaporation.	Computer with a desktop publishing program and printing paper or a tape and tape recorder.	2,3,6	Communication: uses effective communication when working with others. Thinking: explores and responds to problems by developing an appropriate inv
Lesson	Student Activities	Content Knowledge	Assessment Activities	Resources	SACSA Links
					Key Competencies	Essential Learnings
5	Weed Control Walk around a neglected garden area trying to work out which plants might be useful and which might be weeds.Make a collection and classify them. Present the students with the probem "How could we both maintain this area in a weed free state and be environmentally friendly at the same time without weeding or spraying?' Plan an experiment based upon the knowledge that all plants need sunlight in order to grow.	What is a weed? What does environmentally friendly mean?	Makes a collection of some of the weeds in the area. Devises a fair experiment and outlines variables that have been changed.	An overrun garden area in need of some weed control . Pine bark, pea straw, leaves, paper, cardboard, foam, carpet or any other material suggested by the students. Gardening gloves.	2,3,6	Communication: uses effective communication when working with others to solve a problem. Thinking: explores and responds to problems by developing an appropriate investigation.
Lesson	Student Activities	Content Knowledge	Assessment Activities	Resources	SACSA Links
					Key Competencies	Essential Learnings
6	Weed Control Carry out the investigations and record the findings. Explain how the system works. Follow up Communicate the findings so that a gardener could choose the material (mulch) that is the most effective for protecting his/her precious plants from weeds.	Safety issues - Be Sunsmart. Use gloves when working in a garden situation.	Carries out a fair test. Records results accurately and in an appropriate way.	Marerials for recording.i.e. pen, paper, digital camera.	2,3,6	Communication: uses effective communication when working with others. Thinking: explores and responds to problems by developing an appropriate investigation.