This document provides information about a lesson on seed saving using French marigolds. The lesson includes bringing French marigold flowers into the classroom, discussing their history and cultural significance. Students then rotate outside in small groups to harvest seeds from the flowers and store them in envelopes to be planted in the spring. The document includes materials needed, vocabulary, instructions, student objectives and extensions for the lesson.

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mary@greenstem.us
Mary Van Dyke
571 425 5278
MY FRENCH MARIGOLD
STORY
GreenSTEM

2. Seed Saving Lesson with
Mini-Books, and Garden Signs
Seed saving is one of agriculture's oldest practices. For farmers
and gardeners crop-growing includes the art and science of
harvesting. Some of the crop may be used for fuel, food, fodder,
fiber, decorative or industrial purposes, then save some of the
seeds for replanting the following year.
Here in this simple lesson for the fall season, each student
harvests and saves seeds from a French Marigold.
Harvested seeds are stored in an envelope in a cool dry place to
keep dormant until the spring.
In spring the seeds can be sown in the schoolyard garden to
harvest in the following fall by next year's class.
So students learn to appreciate the seasons, the plant's lifecycle
and they continue this ancient practice of seed-saving.
This presentation includes:
- Lin k t o v id eo (1 minute)
Seed Saving French Marigolds
- Lesson Plan for 1st grade (adaptable K-5)
- M in i-b ook to download and copy for each student
- Color in g sh eet to download and copy for each student
- Sig n for your French Marigold garden
- Lab els for French Marigold plants
Watch video of
seed-saving process
M Y FREN CH M ARIGO LD
STO RY
Cover photo
Pearl Crescent on French Marigolds
Jamestown School by Mary Van Dyke,October 2016
Artwork by George Nicholson
The Illustrated Dictionaryof Gardening
London,England,1884
GreenSTEM
Th an k You
to teachers and students in First Grade classes at
Jamestown Elementary School, Arlington and
the Pre-K students at Brooksfield Montessori School,
McLean, Virginia for participating in this lesson.

3. Lesson
GreenSTEM
Se e d Sa v in g a n d M in i-B o o k s
TH E FREN CH M ARIGO LD STO RY
Gr ad e Lev el 1- 2 for activity/mini-book, pre-K - 5 activity only
Su b ject s Science, Social Studies, Math, English Language, Art
Season Fall, October - November for seed-saving (and spring, mid-April for planting)
Tim e 50 minutes
Facilit at or s Teacher and adult mentor to take small group of students out for seed-saving
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Su m m ar y
In late fall, bring French Marigold flowers into the classroom to observe, review parts of plant
and lifecycle. Study the cultural connections of the flowers; consider their beauty, fragrance
and other uses. Prepare to harvest seeds by naming envelopes. Then small groups of
students go out to harvest seeds from French Marigolds and put seeds in envelopes to save
for planting in the spring.
Essen t ial Qu est ion s
How and why do we harvest seeds from plants? What is special about the French Marigold?
Ob ject iv es
Students will be able to
- Describe plant lifecycle
including pollination
- Illustrate parts of a plant
- Understand that plants have
seeds
- Relate that seeds, if viable will
become new living plants
- Increase their stewardship skills
St an d ar d s
VA Science SOLs
K.1, K.6, K.7, K.9, K.10
1.1, 1.5, 1.7, 1.8
2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8
3.1,.3.4,.3.5, 3.6, 3.10
4.1, 4.4, 4.5, 4.8
5.1, 5.5
Pr ior St u d en t Kn ow led g e
- Plants have a lifecycle
- Plants have flowers, stems,
leaves, roots and seeds
- Gardens need stewardship
- Bees and butterflies and other
animals are part of the garden
ecosystem
- If a flower looks dead then the
seeds are dead too
- Seeds are more viable from a
flower in full bloom
- Pollinators are harmful to us or
to be feared
Pr econ cep t ion s / M iscon cep t ion s

4. M at er ials
Quant it y Descript ion Pot ent ial Supplier Est imat e Price
1 per student Photocopy mini-book of
My French Marigold Story
School photocopy
2 per student Envelopes, 2 per student Amazon $5 for 50
1 per class Shoebox (plastic or card)
Labeled My French Marigold Story
Amazon or
Class supplies
$3 for 1
1 per table Jars or Vases Ball jars $6 for 6
Coloring materials Class supplies
Pencils Class supplies
Whiteboard
Dry erase pens green, red, blue
Class supplies
French Marigolds, with flower,
seedhead, and leaves for vases
and growing outdoors in garden
bed.
4 x 4 foot bed planted with French
Marigolds will be enough for 4
classes
School garden
1 per student Marigold coloring sheet School photocopy
1 (optional) Bee puppet Folkmanis $16
TH E FREN CH M ARIGO LD STO RY
Se e d Sa v in g a n d M in i-B o o k s
GreenSTEM
Vocab u lar y
flower garden seed leaf
stem save sow grow
French marigold root vase
jar keep living dead
India
Mexico
bee
butterfly
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5. Teach er / M en t or Pr ep ar at ion
- Watch 1 minute video of seed-saving - https://youtu.be/aq8uXZiBNOY or scan
- Make 1 mini-book per student i.e. for 27 copies:
- Photocopy the 4 pages, double-sided and 9 times
- Trim sheets on dotted lines, fold and stack to make each mini-book
- Staple on LH top corner of each mini-book
- Pick French Marigold flowers (with flower, seedhead, leaves, stems) to arrange in jars
or vases
- Photocopy coloring sheet of Marigold x # of students
Explore (15 minutes)
As class g r ou p
1. Review parts of a plant
a. Draw diagram on board and label: include flower, stem, leaf, root
2. Plant lifecycle
a. Begin conversation about seeds and plant lifecycle, and pollination (use bee
puppet to demo on real flowers)
M ov e b ack t o t ab le g r ou p s
1. Hand out 1 envelope per student. Draw diagram of envelope on board with flap up
2. Students decorate 1 envelope front side with:
a. Students' name and today's date
b. French Marigold name - and can draw a picture of the flower
3. Repeat with second envelope.(Differentiate, teacher or aide can help student)
On e t ab le g r ou p at a t im e r ot at es t o g o ou t d oor s w it h ad u lt t o h ar v est seed s
W h ile ot h er g r ou p s ob ser v e f low er s in v ases an d com p let e m in i-b ook s
GreenSTEMTH E FREN CH M ARIGO LD STO RY
Se e d Sa v in g a n d M in i-B o o k s
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M et h od
Engage (10 minutes)
1. Bring in vases of French Marigolds from the garden - one for each table group
2. Write 'Fr en ch M ar ig old ' on the board/easel
3. Invite class discussion on 'Fr en ch ' and ' M ar ig old ' and explore cultural themes:
French Marigolds are native from the area now known as Mexico and Guatemala. The
flowers were traded to Spain by colonists, and then traded to France, elsewhere in
Europe, and to the US and elsewhere around the world.
Why do you think French Marigolds are so popular? (Beauty, fragrance, easy to grow)
French Marigolds flowers are used in Mexico, for example to decorate Day of the Dead
celebration masks (November 1st).
Marigolds flowers are used in India for celebrations, for example as wedding garlands.

6. Explain (10 minutes)
Explain and reflect that we are saving the living French Marigold seeds.
- Although the petals and plant (leaves and stem) are beginning to die back, the seeds
are still alive. The seeds will be living and dormant (sleeping) in the envelope until
the spring time.
- The seeds need to be stored in cool dry place until the spring time. Why?
They should be away from mice or animals that might eat them, and if they were
warm and moist the seeds might start growing shoots and roots.
- We are putting the envelopes with the seeds in a labeled shoebox.
We will find the box again and plant the seeds in the school garden in the spring, in
mid-April about the time of Earth Day! Why?
- In mid-April, the ground will be warm enough for the seeds to grow outdoors.
We will need to water and look after the plants as they grow.
Explore (15 minutes)
In d oor s - t ab le g r ou p s (w h ile r ot at in g ou t d oor s)
Han d ou t m in i-b ook s
1. Students observe and draw in mini-books. Draw flower, leaf, seed and vase.
2. Observe flowers and seedheads using all senses.
3. Do you like the fragrance of the flowers? Do you like the colors of the flowers?
Ext r a t im e: Color d r aw in g of M ar ig old w h en st u d en t h as f in ish ed w it h
m in i-b ook /ob ser v at ion
Ou t d oor s - in sm all g r ou p of 5 or 6 st u d en t s w it h ad u lt t o h ar v est seed s
Take ou t two envelopes per student and basket to carry them in on return
Rev iew parts of a plant on the French Marigold
1. Find flowers, leaf, stem and seedheads.
2. Observe any insects on flowers, and identify.
What are the insects doing? Feeding on pollen and nectar?
3. Gently pull off a seedhead. Hold stem in right hand, and petals in other hand, and
pull seedhead off gently to reveal the many seeds.
4. Discuss the shape of the seed. How does the seed travel? How is it the same or
different from other seeds students know, such as a dandelion seed or coconut?
5. Put French Marigold seeds into envelope
6. Repeat with another seedhead for each student, and put seeds in second envelope
7. Adult gathers together envelopes explaining that we are saving seeds until the spring
Ret u r n t o classr oom w it h sm all g r ou p of st u d en t s, an d w it h en v elop es in b asket
Rot at e t h r ou g h all t ab le g r ou p s t o t ake t u r n ou t d oor s h ar v est in g seed h ead s
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TH E FREN CH M ARIGO LD STO RY
Se e d Sa v in g a n d M in i-B o o k s
GreenSTEM

7. GreenSTEMTH E FREN CH M ARIGO LD STO RY
Se e d Sa v in g a n d M in i-B o o k s
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7
Su g g est ed Lin k s For Th is Lesson
- Follow seed-saving with lesson about pollinators, include native bees and honeybees
- Plant your French Marigold saved seeds in mid-April (around Earth Day) in sunny spot
- Watch the seed-saving video with your class https://youtu.be/aq8uXZiBNOY
Elab or at e / Ext en sion s
- Harvest French Marigold flowers, and decorate with them as part of your school or
community's Day of the Dead celebrations on November 1st
- Plant French Marigolds in your garden in the spring from mid-April
- Interplant French Marigolds with vegetables or as a flowery border for your vegetable
garden. French Marigolds attract pollinators, and also can discourage pests, such as
white fly and nematodes
- Plant French Marigolds with Lavender in a Sensory Garden
- Cou n t seed s in a seed h ead (f or 3- 5 g r ad e)
Give each table group, or each student a seedhead to take apart carefully.
Sort out seeds and count them.
Each student records how many seeds in their seedhead.
Compile results for the class.
How many seeds are there in each seedhead?
What is the average number in each seedhead?
Save seeds, and plant them and see how many come up!
Consider reasons why these plants have so many seeds?
- Repeat this seed-saving lesson and adapt for other plants, e.g. pumpkins and peas
- Read in g con n ect ion , e.g. for 2 grade and up, read Seed Saving poem in A First
Book of Nature by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Mark Hearld, 2012, page 104.
Ev alu at e / Assessm en t Tools
- Mini- book completion of drawings, and elaboration
- Coloring of Marigold flower sheet
- Participation in brainstorming and plant/insect identification and activity

8. GreenSTEMTH E FREN CH M ARIGO LD STO RY
Se e d Sa v in g a n d M in i-B o o k s
Sam p le Assig n m en t
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8
French Marigolds grow well in a sunny place
Harvest seeds in late fall, and save seeds until spring
Sow from mid-April
Bee puppet demonstrates pollination in class
Outdoors you may find a bee drinking nectar and
feeding on pollen, and pollinating the flowers
Save the seeds and put safely in envelope Observe the flowers, leaves and seeds
Complete the My French Marigold Story mini-book

9. My French Marigold
Story
NAME:
My French Marigold
Story
NAME:
My French Marigold
Story
NAME:
My French Marigold
Story
NAME:
Flowers in a Vase
Flowers in a Vase
Flowers in a Vase

10. My French Marigold
Flower,
My French Marigold
Flower,
My French Marigold
Flower,
French Marigolds
- Are native to Mexico and Guatemala.
- Became popular in France,England and many
other parts of the world,as explorers and
traders traveled.
- Came to America with English colonists.
- Are a favorite flower in Mexico to decorate for
the Day of the Dead in November.
- French Marigold flowers are used in India to
flavor and color cuisine,and to make garlands
for celebrations.
History
Enjoy the beautiful bright flowers and scent of
French Marigolds!
- Are native to Mexico and Guatemala.
- Became popular in France,England and many
other parts of the world,as explorers and
traders traveled.
- Came to America with English colonists.
- Are a favorite flower in Mexico to decorate for
the Day of the Dead in November.
- French Marigold flowers are used in India to
flavor and color cuisine,and to make garlands
for celebrations.
History
Enjoy the beautiful bright flowers and scent of
French Marigolds!
- Are native to Mexico and Guatemala.
- Became popular in France,England and many
other parts of the world,as explorers and
traders traveled.
- Came to America with English colonists.
- Are a favorite flower in Mexico to decorate for
the Day of the Dead in November.
- French Marigold flowers are used in India to
flavor and color cuisine,and to make garlands
for celebrations.
History
Enjoy the beautiful bright flowers and scent of
French Marigolds!
French Marigolds
French Marigolds

11. How to Grow French Marigolds
Plant French Marigolds with herbs: lavender
and sage
Plant French Marigolds with vegetable crops
to reduce pests: nematodes and white fly
Planting Tips
Grow French Marigolds in sunny spots
Plant seeds in spring after last frost (mid-April)
- Sow seeds 6 inches apart
- Cover seeds with ¼ inch of soil
- Water your garden gently every day
The seeds will germinate in 7 to 14 days
How to Grow French Marigolds
Plant French Marigolds with herbs: lavender
and sage
Plant French Marigolds with vegetable crops
to reduce pests: nematodes and white fly
Planting Tips
Grow French Marigolds in sunny spots
Plant seeds in spring after last frost (mid-April)
- Sow seeds 6 inches apart
- Cover seeds with ¼ inch of soil
- Water your garden gently every day
The seeds will germinate in 7 to 14 days
How to Grow French Marigolds
Plant French Marigolds with herbs: lavender
and sage
Plant French Marigolds with vegetable crops
to reduce pests: nematodes and white fly
Planting Tips
Grow French Marigolds in sunny spots
Plant seeds in spring after last frost (mid-April)
- Sow seeds 6 inches apart
- Cover seeds with ¼ inch of soil
- Water your garden gently every day
The seeds will germinate in 7 to 14 days

12. Using French Marigolds Leaf, and Seed
? Do you like the flower colors?
? Do you like the scent of the flowers?
Pick French Marigold flowers.
Arrange the flowers in a vase of water.
Harvest French Marigold seeds next fall.
Save, and sow the seeds next spring too.
Using French Marigolds Leaf, and Seed
? Do you like the flower colors?
? Do you like the scent of the flowers?
Pick French Marigold flowers.
Arrange the flowers in a vase of water.
Harvest French Marigold seeds next fall.
Save, and sow the seeds next spring too.
Using French Marigolds Leaf, and Seed
? Do you like the flower colors?
? Do you like the scent of the flowers?
Pick French Marigold flowers.
Arrange the flowers in a vase of water.
Harvest French Marigold seeds next fall.
Save, and sow the seeds next spring too.

13. My FrenchMarigold
FrenchMarigoldimagefrommomjunction.com

14. Hereisasignyoucanadaptforyourschoolgarden.
1.SetupadocumentinGooglePresentationorsimilarusingcustomsizeof11x7inches
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DesignbyMaryVanDyke|GreenSTEMLearning2016
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15. GreenSTEM
Herearetwolabelsyoucanadaptforyourschoolgarden
1.PrintontoTerraSlate7mmor10mmthickwaterproof"treeless"paperorsimilar.
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