---

Background

---

In the garden, students will observe the differences and similarities between plants and animals. Plants and animals are both alive and they need water. Plants are stuck in the ground and animals can move around. Different types of plants you can include are trees, food from the garden, and flowers. Trees can grow tall and are made of wood. The plants from the garden are different shapes, tastes, and sizes. Flowers can be all different colors, sizes, and smells. They will also observe animals in the garden, which may include insects, worms, birds, and squirrels. All of these animals can move around and they need to eat.

Vocabulary

---

Plant parts: leaves, stems, tree trunk
Insect parts: wings, legs, antennae
Bird parts: wings, feathers, beak

---

Garden Activity   

---

• Students will go on a garden taste tour. Let students know that everyone will get an opportunity to pick something from the garden, but you will show them what to choose. Also, ask students to hold on to what they pick (or they can give it to you) so you can review it before you sample. Some good garden samples include:  mint, lettuce, carrot, and sugar snap pea.  

• Discuss what is similar between the plants while leading the vegetable collecting.  Ask them to describe what it looks like. Point to the different parts of the plants, such as leaves, stems, flowers if there are some.

• While in the garden, be sure to stop and observe insects and birds.  They can listen to the birds, talk about their feathers, what are the birds doing? When they see insects, they can observe what they are doing, compare insect wings to bird wings, look at their antennae, do they have feathers?

• After the samples are collected, students can sit in a circle and eat the samples while they discuss the similarities and differences between the plants. Are they the same color? Are they the same shape? Do they taste different? Do they look different? Are they all from a plant?

Wrap Up

• Review the different things the students saw and sampled in the garden.

• Organize what the students saw into two main categories: plants, and animals. Within each main category, children can share the type of plant (tree, garden plant, flower, etc.) or animal (insect or bird). Students can use this list to discuss the similarities and differences in the appearance and behavior of plants and animals. After they complete the list, they can compare how things are similar and different on the list.

What’s Next?

---

• Students can continue their study of plants and animals by doing the next two lessons in this book, “The Edible Bug Project” and “The Six Plant Parts”.

• Make a “Big Book” showing the different parts of plants, birds, and animals. Use construction paper and pictures to show the parts.