Seeing The World Through Different Eyes

We Are Growing Like SunflowersThrough Grandpa's Eyes

Part 3

Video Links Here

Day 1

This is a continuation of the lessons in “Through Grandpa's Eyes” focusing on art, math, science, cooperative work.

Ahead of time ask children to bring in a big bag of sunflower seeds.

You can put the sunflower seeds altogether when ready to be used in bowl for each station since some might bring in smaller bags.

You will need green tagboard (construction paper is too thin to hold sunflower seeds) as well as yellow and brown tagbard.

Cut out long stems of the same height (enough for the whole class), also cut out 2 green petals for each child, a brown circle for the head of the sunflower and enough yellow petals to go around the head of the sunflower.- see pictures to get an idea.

Day 1

Begin a KWL chart for Vincent Van Gogh.

What do we know?

What do we want to know?

Day 2

Reread The Biography of Van Gogh found in The

Starry Night Observation Lesson.

Day 3

Ask the students what they learned.

What kinds of paintings did they notice?

Explain that the Sunflowers paintings were a series of paintings capturing them in different light and growth.

Watch the video “Vincent Van Gogh's Sunflowers”

Elicit more of what they learned.

Day 4

Bring in a sunflower or if possible take a trip to a garden where the children may see Sunflowers.

Allow them to sketch a drawing of them.

Day 5

Watch the video “Sunflower Life Cycle”

With the children, create a cycle showing how the sunflower grows.

Day 6

Watch the video again and have the children act out how a sunflower would grow.

For example:

First a seed is planted under the ground. (The children can curl into a little ball)

After 3 days with the help of water and the sun a radicle (root) shoots into the ground (The children place legs out straight)

After about a week with the sunlight helps the shoot grow upwards (The children place their heads up) etc..

You can give explicit directions or have them improvise.

Day 7

Explain that just like sunflowers have a life cycle so do people.

Create with the children a cycle showing this growth.

Just like sunflowers we are all growing.

Show them a sunflower made by you of your height.

They will be making the same.

Day 8

Teach children how to use a measuring tape.

Make sure they do not snap it back in when measuring but slowly reel it in.

Show the children how to measure each other from the base of the head to the tip of the arch of the foot. (It wont be exact as long as they get the idea).

Remind them to stand up straight.

Day 9

Place the children into groups of four.

One child holds the tape measure from the base of the head, the other to the arch of the foot. (You can measure in centimeters or inches).

One gets measured.

One records.

Have them take turns in groups.

Show them the line in the middle of the two units of measure. That is the halfway mark.

If they can remember that they can measure in using halves or if they are younger tell them to pick the number its closest to.

Make sure the recorder writes the number down.

Day 10

Have the children paste their photo in the middle of the tagboard circle you give them.

Then have them glue the yellow petals around the circle first.

Around the photo they glue sunflower seeds.

Make sure to cover all around the circle except for their picture.

Let them dry overnight.

Day 11

Give children the tagboard stems you cut out.

Using the tape measure with partners they measure the stems and cut off just enough to match their height.

Then with a marker they write their height on the stem.

Day 12

Have children glue the remaining pieces together.

The petals to the stem. (I usually staple the stem to the flower head because the head is so heavy.)

Day 13

Since the sunflowers now have the petals around the head they are a different height.

The children can get back into groups of 4.

They can now just use the sunflower as the tape measure (A non-standard unit of measure).

Have one child place the sunflower up to one childs head.

The other down to their feet.

The other cuts off the remaining stem piece that is longer than their height.

Day 14

Review with the children everything they learned and have them share their sunflowers with

each other.