BRAIN COMPATIBILITY & DIFFERENTIATION 1

Laveeta Sweeney

February 20, 2017

Brain Compatible Strategies

EDU 417 Cognitive Studies Capstone

Dr. Savarese-Levine
BRAIN COMPATIBILITY & DIFFERENTIATION
Let's Grow Plants! |
Scholastic
Students will:
Identify what a seed does
List reasons why people plant seeds
Plant seeds
Graph the growth of their seeds
over several days
Write about their experiences
planting seeds
Materials:
Large sheet of chart or butcher
paper for brainstorming words
Scissors
Markers
The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss and
Crockett Johnson
Seeds (Use any available kind. I
usually use a fast-growing flower
seed if I do this lesson before
Mother's Day.)
Soil
Styrofoam cups, one per student
Watering can full of water
Wooden tongue depressors or other
flat wooden sticks, one per student
Newspaper (for catching the mess)
Spoons (for scooping soil)
Nonfiction books about plants (see
the Plants and Trees Book List for
suggestions)
Observation notebooks, one per
student
Optional: KidspirationT software
Optional: KidPixT software
Optional: Computer
Optional: Large screen TV or projector for
displaying computer screen
Considerations: (added by LMS)
1. You may want to call a parent
volunteer to help with planting the
seeds.
2. Cut out a large paper leaf from the
2
Brain Compatible Modifications
for Lets Grow Plants!
(Age range 5 7 years)
After school program activity
Activity Objective:
Learn what a seed is and what it
does
Learn why seeds are important
Learn what seeds need in order to
grow
Plant seeds
Learn to create environment for
seeds to grow
Learn how to care for plants that
sprout
Learn about the relationship
between plants, the environment
and people.
Connect specifically how seeds and
their plants are influential to the
child
Learn about seeds that grow plants
for other uses, not just food.
Materials
Books on topic
Seeds / a variety; begin with larger
fast sprouting for introduction
Clear Plastic, sturdy containers
o Small for sprouting
o Larger for rooting in soil
Spray bottles for water
Cotton Balls
Paper towels
o Some cut into small squares
to fit in small clear containers
Potting Soil
Wooden garden spikes for labeling
Tools: trowels, rakes, shovels
Gloves
For introductory Group Lesson
A selection of books to reference
A large piece of paper
Several Markers for students to write
on paper
Table to place paper on for writing
An interesting assortment of objects
such as very large pine cone and
picture of the tree it grows, a very
small pine cone and picture of tree,
BRAIN COMPATIBILITY & DIFFERENTIATION
chart or butcher paper. Hang the leaf so
it attaches to the flower paper from the
previous lesson.
3. Before planting the seeds, spread
newspaper on the desk or table where
students will be planting.
4. Write each student's name on a
wooden tongue depressor or flat wooden
stick.
5. Set up class time for one small group
at a time to plant their seeds. The other
small groups will rotate through other
activities.
DAY 1
Step 1: Read: The Tiny Seed and The
Carrot Seed aloud to the class.
Step 2: Lead the class in comparing and
contrasting the two books and in discussing
what a seed does.
Note: If you use Kidspiration, record your
discussion using diagrams (connect your
computer to a projector for students to view).
Otherwise, use a sheet of chart paper to record
the discussion.
Step 3: Throughout the discussion, have
your parent volunteer add vocabulary
words to the leaf-shaped paper.
Step 4: As a class, plan how The Carrot
Seed could be dramatized.
Step 5: Divide the class into small groups.
Group 1: Goes with the parent volunteer
to plant their seeds at the station.
1. Each student will need a
Styrofoam cup, a wooden tongue
depressor, a marker, a spoon, and a
few seeds.
2. Use a spoon to fill the Styrofoam
cup about halfway with soil.
3. Place the seeds in the center of
the cup. Note: Read directions on the
seed packets for best practices for
planting, watering, and caring for the
type of plant you are using.
4. Cover the seeds with more soil.
Leave about a half inch of space
between the soil and the top of the
cup.
5. Pour a small amount of water
from the watering can into the cup.
3
tiny basil seeds w/ pics, large
pumpkin seeds w/ pics. A jackfruit to
open and discover the seeds.
Environment Set Up
Provide works spaces for group work
(partners, threesomes and more), and
individual work spaces. These spaces will
accommodate the organic forming of
collaborative work as well as suggested
group or individual works.
Establish a gathering for group that allows
the group to sit together in a circle or oval
comfortably.
Establish the indoor space (as best as
possible) with windows and a view of where
the outdoor garden will be.
Create independence in the activities, have
them presented on shelves for choice and
include all needed materials that can be
replenished by the children and not need
the adult (avoids, down time waiting for
help).
Create a social expectation for respectful
interactions and manners. Respect a
students biological needs, create a signal
such as the sign language letter /R/ to flash
at the educator to indicate restroom use
(avoids embarrassment for private
functions).
Provide water, tissues, hand sanitizer,
snack and wipes (any other noted needs).
Encourage an individual snack activity,
meaning design a snack area that allows
students to get drink, snack and sit with a
classmate or two independent of the adult,
not a whole group activity.
Engage an outdoor space for the garden
and as weather permits, and / or space
proximity allows, encourage students to
work in both spaces.
Suggested Time
Begin each afterschool period with a check
in discussion.
Offer lessons to the group for each topic
and tasks. Group lessons should be
approximately 15 minutes.
BRAIN COMPATIBILITY & DIFFERENTIATION
6. Stick the tongue depressor with
the student's name written on it into
the student's cup for identification.
Group 2: Acts out the story of The Carrot
Seed.
Group 3: Will be the audience for the
dramatization.
Group 4 (if needed): Reads other books
about plant growth. I recommend From
Seed to Dandelion, From Seed to Pumpkin,
and From Acorn to Oak Tree by Jan Kottke,
or From Seed to Plant and It Could Still Be a
Flower by Allan Fowler. See the Plants and
Trees Book List for more suggestions.
Group 5 (if needed): Illustrates the story
with paper and crayons, colored pencils, or
markers.
Step 6: Rotate the groups so every student
has a chance to plant seeds.
Step 7: Have students place their labeled
seed cups in a sunny area of the classroom.
DAY 2 AND BEYOND
Step 8: Over the next week or so, have
students water the seeds, watch, and write
their observations in their notebooks.
Step 9: Have students write about their
experiences with planting seeds.
Optional: The students could illustrate and
write about plants using a computer
software program like KidPix. Print the final
product (or a screen capture).
Step 10: Bind students' stories to create a
class book about plants.
1. Have each student tell you three
facts about growing plants.
2. Write a story about plants.
3. Was there enough time?
4. Did the planting of the seeds go
smoothly?
5. Did students have enough
content information to write about
plants?
6. If you used it, how effective was
4
Individual engagement and follow up
lessons to occur during the remainder of
the period.
This activity can extend throughout the
growing season.
Provide time management checks, give
notice for hard break requirements, such as
end of program.
At 45 minutes until end, signal wrap up,
clean up and a meeting to share,
discoveries, insights, what might be needed
for next time.
Activity:
First Task: Seed Sprouting
Group Lesson:
a. Have set out on table or at stations
the objects of interest for students
to see, touch and ponder.
b. Have ready table with seed
sprouting materials: small clear
plastic containers, cotton balls,
spray water bottle, paper for writing
name, shelf set up near sunshine
source.
c. Invite students to join you with a
song, such as Oats, peas, beans and
barley
d. Initiate discussion about seeds,
growing, plants. Ask what the
students know about seeds.
e. Point out table with large sheet of
paper and markers (or colored
pencils) and ask students to draw,
write and share their ideas about
seeds, how they grow and what
things need to grow.
f. Give 5 minutes / be responsive to
engagement, shorten or lengthen
g. Re-engage students by exploring the
paper, the ideas and the images.
h. Invite students to assist to get
objects and bring to the group.
Discuss each and share pictures.
i. Give brief introduction to seeds, and
the lessons and activities to come,
sprouting, rooting, planting,
growing, gardening. Nutrition,
relationships and uses.
j. Offer focused discussion on needs of
BRAIN COMPATIBILITY & DIFFERENTIATION 5

the use of the software? seeds to grow.

Copies of the students' experience writing
should be saved for their assessment
portfolios.
Teacher Observations
1. Were students able to compare and
contrast the stories?
2. Can students describe the life cycle of a
plant?
k. Introduce 1st hands-on exploration
activity; Watch seeds sprout!
a. Small clear containers
b. Cotton balls
c. Small paper towel squares
d. Spray water bottle
e. Paper for name, tape
l. Ask why the seed needs water.
What the cotton ball does, and why
cover with moist paper towel.
m. Demonstrate the seed starting by
placing cotton balls (cover bottom)
into container, wet them to
saturation with spray bottle, put two
to three seeds on top, cover with
paper towel and wet with spray
bottle.
n. Discuss reason for cotton, covering
and ask where it should be put to
sprout.
o. Discuss placing near window for
sunshine.
p. Invite students to start their own
seeds.
q. When students are finished, invite
students to explore the anatomy of
the seed, and what to expect. Have
books, pictures, tablets with videos
for exploration.
r. Invite students when finished to
explore books, draw pictures, make
reports, make anatomical charts.
s. Encourage students to write on large
paper their ideas about what seeds
to start, what kind of garden to be
created.
t. Challenge students to return with
ideas and information about gardens
that have plants we dont eat.

Individual Explorations:
Have readied, activities and materials to
encourage exploration of seeds, their parts,
what they need to grow, what they grow
into and why they are important.

Present activities that reflect the

multisensory explorations.
Drawing parts (seeds, plants)
Drawing / Designing outdoor / indoor
garden plots
Art materials for collaging, painting
(water colors), clay for sculpting, oil
BRAIN COMPATIBILITY & DIFFERENTIATION 6

pastels, and picture cards for

reference if desired.
Books for reference and report
writing
o Vocabulary Cards for
reference
o Picture Cards for reference
Tablets with videos about plant
parts, life cycles, needs, gardening,
composting, environmental
elements, bugs, animals that
contribute to growing, different
kinds of gardens and their purposes.
Invite students to create poetry,
songs, music that reflect the
feelings and ideas about seeds,
growing, plants, gardens . . .
Encourage collaboration and
discussion about what the class
garden design could be, what to
plant, how to care for it, what tools
and materials will be needed, what
work will need to be done, what will
be done with the things grown.

Follow Up Lessons / Activities:

Each week, or if less than every day, at
each new class period introduce more
hands-on explorations and follow up
discussions about what the seeds have
done, what is next.
a. Discuss moving sprouting seeds to
soil.
b. Introduce soil and what it does,
made up of and how to ensure it is
right for the plants.
c. Discuss outdoor gardening, how to
move seedlings to outdoors.
d. Discuss needs of plants for growing.
e. Discuss composting, and
environmental relationships
f. Discuss local farms, grocery stores
and food logistics
g. Discuss different purpose gardens,
such as herb gardens, medicinal
gardens, industrial gardens, food
gardens, flower gardens, bonsai
gardens, rock gardens . . .

Ask the questions at the end of each period

to instigate further exploration such as
what does a banana seed look like? Where
is, it found in the banana?
Resources
BRAIN COMPATIBILITY & DIFFERENTIATION 7

A few books to build a library for the

experience. (not exhaustive)
How Plants Grow by Dona Herweck Rice
How a Seed Grows by Helene J. Jordan
How Does a Seed Grow? By Sue Kim
Seed to Plant by Kristin Baird Rattini
From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons
The Vegetables We Eat by Gail Gibbons
Plant Stems & Roots by David M. Schwartz
Jacks Garden by Henry Cole
Flower Garden by Eve Bunting
The Reason for a Flower: A Book About
Flowers, Pollen and Seeds by Ruth Heller
My First Book About Backyard Nature:
Ecology for Kids! By Patricia J. Wynne
Soil by Christin Ditchfield
Videos:
Research and add videos to a tablet for
individual or collaborating groups to watch.

Encourage students to create resources for

the class, place those resources in the
library of resources for the activity or
program.
Modification |Accommodation |
Differentiation

The group, individual and collaborative

model of lessons and activities supports
meeting each student at their strength and
being flexible with pace, progression and
need for repetition and diversity in
expression of knowledge.

The hands-on activities provide individual

experiences for refinement of skills,
knowledge and exploration at a pace and
progression unique to each student and
with facilitation and support from the
educator at key points.

Providing a variety of resources such as

books, pictures, videos, songs, peers and
the educator for use by the student covers
multi avenues of reception and expression
of knowledge and skill.

Designing a variety of activities to reinforce

learning and extend knowledge supports
the students expression and demonstration
of gained skills and needed support.
BRAIN COMPATIBILITY & DIFFERENTIATION 8

References

Briggs, S. (2014, June 28). The Science of Attention: How To Capture And Hold The Attention of

Easily Distracted Students. Retrieved from InformED - Opencourses:

opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/30-tricks-for-capturing-students-attention/

Jensen, E. (2008). A fresh look at brain-based education. Phi Delta Kappan, 89(6), pp. 408-417.

Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20442521

Jossey-Bass (Ed.). (2008). The Jossey-Bass reader on: The brain and learning. San Francisco,

CA: John Wiley & Sons.

Lackney, J. A. (n.d.). 12 Design Principles Based on Brain-based Learning Research. Design

Share. Retrieved from http://www.designshare.com/Research/BrainBasedLearn98.htm

Roberts, J. W. (2002). Beyond learning by doing: The brain compatible approach. The Journal of

Experiential Education, 25(2), 281-285.

Scholastic. (n.d.). Lesson plans. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-

plans/free-lesson-plans

Wolfe, P. (2010). Brain matters: Translating research into classroom practice (2nd ed.).

Alexandria, VA: ASCD.