A project-based learning plan for Kindergarten

1. How Does Your Garden Grow?
A Project-based Learning Activity
Grade: Kindergarten
Subject: Science
Lukacs Timea

2. Overview
• This activity is based on the book Muncha!
Muncha! Muncha! By Candace Fleming
• In the story, the bunnies keep getting into Mr.
McGreely’s vegetable garden and eating his
growing vegetables
• Children will be challenged to design and build
something to prevent the bunnies from
getting into the vegetable garden

3. Objectives
Students will be able to:
• Brainstorm ideas for keeping the bunnies out of
the garden
• Predict which materials will make the best device
• Use prior and knew knowledge to create the
device
• Compare the effectiveness of different designs
• Describe in simple terms what an engineer does

4. Time
• An hour for introduction, watching a story
about engineers on the interactive
whiteboard, designing, building, and testing
solutions

5. Materials
• Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! By Candance Fleming
• Construction paper
• Cardboard
• Scissors
• Glue
• Tape
• Crayons and markers
• Yarn and string
• Paper towel tubes
• Plastic wrap and foil
• Play dough
• Straws
• Paper plates with lettuce and carrots (precut lettuce and carrots)
• Pop-up bunnies

6. Procedure
Introduction:
• Questions: What do you want to be when you
grow up? Would anyone like to be an engineer?
Does anyone know what does an engineer do?
• Explanation: Engineers design things to help
people. They figure out how to solve problems.
• Story: Munch! Muncha! Munch! – Reading the
first part of the story and introducing the
problem: The bunnies keep getting into Mr.
McGreely’s vegetable garden and eating his
vegetables.

7. Brainstorm:
• How could Mr. McGreely’s problem be solved?
• What device could an engineer design and
build to keep the bunnies out of the garden?
• If the device keeps the bunnies out, is there
anything else that needs to get into the
garden? (sunlight, rain, Mr. McGreely)
• How will you be sure that it works?

8. Design and Construct:
• Children will work in groups of 2-3 (engineers
also work in teams)
• Children will use the material provided
• Children will design and build something that
will prevent the bunnies from getting into the
vegetable garden

9. Evaluation and Design
• We will test each design by releasing a plastic
pop-up bunny near the garden to see if the
device prevents the bunny from getting in
• The garden must still be exposed to sun and rain
• Mr. McGreely must still be able to get into the
garden
Extension: Students can work on improving their
designs.

10. Wrap-Up
• We re-assemble as a group and talk about our
solutions, what worked and what didn’t work
• Story: finishing the story to find out how Mr.
McGreely solved the problem

11. Curriculum Standards
• The project-based activity is based on the
Next Generation Science Standards K-2
Engineering Designs
(http://www.nextgenscience.org/dci-
arrangement/k-2-ets1-engineering-design)

12. Explanations
• The project-based activity fulfills an educational
purpose
• I would like my students to perceive the work
personally meaningful and be motivated to do well
• The project gives students opportunities to build 21st
century skills, like collaboration, communication, and
critical thinking
• The activity presents opportunities for students to
assess themselves
• The project would be publicly repeated in the schools
garden where students will plant their own vegetables