Type: Small group/whole class exercise

Title: Seeds of Culture

Learning Objectives: The student will:

• Use content from an informational text to gather background information and inspire ideas
• Identify the role that plants play in shaping culture

Description:

In this activity, students will work in small groups to choose, brainstorm, and map out how a plant described in Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots could have multiple uses. The whole class will then discuss how these uses might relate to a culture or civilization.

Materials:

• Copies of Weslandia and Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots
• Whiteboard or Smartboard
• Paper and pencil for each student

Preparation:

• Librarian/educator will read Weslandia aloud to the group

Direct Instruction

1. In Weslandia, Wesley created a whole new civilization based on a plant growing in his yard. He based this on what he learned at school, that "each civilization has its staple food crop." What are some of the things from the story that his plant inspired? (food, clothing, medicine, timekeeping, counting, music, language) This same concept has held true throughout history for human civilizations--cultures have been influenced by plants they have harvested or cultivated.
2. Today we will be using what we learn from an informational text (Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots) to brainstorm uses of plants that may be grown in a garden, and how they may apply to culture.

Guided Practice

1. Librarian/educator will share the list of the "Top 20 plants for kids" from Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots with the group.
2. Librarian/educator will create a sample web graphic organizer for the first of these plants listed, the pumpkin. In the center of the whiteboard (or Smartboard), the librarian/educator will write "pumpkin." The librarian/educator will then read aloud the brief passage highlighting why these are popular with children and some of their uses.
3. The librarian/educator will seek input from the class about the uses of pumpkins, and enter these as nodes on the demonstration "web." Ideas may include: food/eating (pies), art (carving/painting), container (for carrying water or food), lighting (jack-o-lantern), building (making a wall or shelter out of many pumpkins), etc. Encourage students to be creative! Wild ideas are okay--just think of how Wesley used his plant in the story.

Independent Practice

1. Students will be divided into groups of 3-4, and each group will choose one of the 20 plants listed in Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots to brainstorm uses for. The librarian/educator may wish to have groups state the plant they are choosing in advance to avoid duplicates. As with guided practice, the plant will be listed in the middle of the web, and the group will write uses in nodes surrounding the center. Once again, students will be encouraged to be creative when it comes to uses and how they may connect to a culture.

Sharing/Reflection/Closing

1. Once the small groups have completed their webs, all students will regroup to share their thoughts/ideas.
2. The librarian/educator will facilitate a wrap-up discussion. Suggested questions are:
• What were some of the unique (maybe wild) ideas we came up with today?
• How might these connect with a culture? (sample answer might be how gourds can be used for art or musical instruments)
• What are some plants that are connected to our own culture? (example could be the widespread use of coffee or tea, and that an entire segment of the economy is based on these drinks, as well as the social aspects of coffeehouses)

Notes about this strategy:

Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots is loaded with ideas for students to connect with nature through gardening. If time and resources permit, the librarian/educator may wish to grow one or more of these popular plants and have the group fulfill some of the ideas they suggested.