Readers of Nursery World taking part in the Sunflower Challenge should now be ready to help chldren plant their growing seedlings. Have fun with these exciting activities to accompany the transplanting, and find further activities by visiting the website www.sunflowerchallenge.org.uk
Where to begin?
Set up a display about sunflowers by covering a low table with a yellow cloth and arranging books about sunflowers (see box) alongside growing seedlings, artificial sunflowers and a small dish of sunflower seeds.
Exploring and investigating
* Invite each child to take a seedling out of a pot, shake off the soil, spread it on a sheet of white paper and explore the different parts carefully with a magnifying glass. Talk about the purpose of the roots and stem. Are they smooth or hairy? Are there any leaves or buds forming?
* Explain the need to transplant the seedlings outdoors so that they have room to grow and enjoy the benefits of the sun and rain.
Counting and measuring
* Ask each child to cut a piece of string the same length as their seedling and to tape this to a named strip of card.
* Cut the card to the length of the string. Arrange the cards in sequence according to length. Which is the longest/shortest? Are any the same length?
* Mark some garden canes at centimetre intervals using a black waterproof pen. Transplant the seedlings into their new positions and tie each one to a cane. Count the markings to see how tall each seedling is and record changes in height regularly.
Art and design
* Introduce the children to the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh through books such as Camille and the sunflowers or Vincent Van Gogh: Sunflowers and swirly stars (see box).
* Talk about how the artist used oil paint and a palette knife in his work and invite the children to try a similar technique to paint sunflowers.
* Put green, yellow and orange powder paint into separate containers and stir in flour and water until thick and creamy.
* Drop the paste on to sheets of card and use flat lollipop sticks to move it around.
* Use a clean stick for each colour and mount the finished pictures on yellow and orange card.
* Create sunflowers by inviting the children to cover the inside of the lid of a round plastic tub with PVA glue and stick sunflower seeds all over it.
Cut out petals from thick yellow card and glue these around the edge of the back of the lid and then tape a stem made from a green garden cane securely to the back.
Moving imaginatively
* Have the children pretend to be sunflower seeds curled up tightly, gradually pushing a small shoot through the soil. Slowly stretch upwards and then wave open arms and fingers like sunflower petals swaying in the breeze.
* Talk about how sunflower stems turn so that their flowers always face the sun. Invite the children to move their bodies like sunflowers, following the sun as it moves through the sky.
SUNFLOWER CHALLENGE
Nursery World is supporting the National Day Nurseries Association and WaterAid with their annual Sunflower Challenge, helping to provide a brighter, healthier future for some of the poorest children and adults in Malawi. Packs of Russian Giant sunflower seeds were distributed with Nursery World on 11 March. Children have their seedlings sponsored and measure them in September. This is the third year of the Challenge, which has so far raised 22,500 for WaterAid. For details, see www.sunflowerchallenge.org.uk.
Books
* From Seed to Sunflower by Gerald Legg (Franklin Watts, 14.99)
* Sunflower (Watch it grow series) by Barrie Watts (Franklin Watts, Pounds 10.99)
* Life as a Sunflower (Little Nippers series) (Heinemann, 4.99)
* Daisy's Giant Sunflower by Emma Damon (Tango Books)
* Tilda's Seeds by Melanie Eclare (Ragged Bears Publishing, 8.50)
* Katie and the Sunflowers by James Mayhew (Orchard Books, 4.99)
* Camille and the Sunflowers by Laurence Anholt (Frances Lincoln, Pounds 5,99)
* Vincent Van Gogh: Sunflowers and swirly stars by Joan Holub (Smart About Art, USA)
