Preschool: The Parts of a Flower
As part of our current Botany study in science, we are focusing on flowers. Holly brought in an array of flowers to show the children including tulips, daffodils and hyacinth. Her presentation was interactive as she allowed the children to smell the freshly cut flowers. “What do they smell like?” she asked. One child, exclaimed, “They smell like honey!”
Earlier in the school year, the children studied Living and Non-Living things. As a review, Holly asked the children, “Is a flower living or non-living?” One child raised her hand and replied, “It is living.” Holly questioned, “How do you know?” The child recalled, “It needs sun and water to live!” Next came a discussion on the important parts of a flower. Holly then pulled a flower from a pot, revealing the roots. One child announced, “Those are the roots. That’s how the flower eats.” Other parts of the flower were discussed next including the stem, leaves, petals, etc. The children can choose to explore works on the science shelf during work time such as coloring and labeling the parts of the flower, flower puzzles and flower matching cards.
“We cannot create observers by saying ‘observe,’ but by giving them the power and the means for this observation and these means are procured through education of the senses.”
-Maria Montessori
