Objective:
The students will create patterns.

Materials

• Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

• Paper - long strips will work best

• Crayons

• Chart paper or butcher paper

Procedure

1. Read Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert.  This is the story of a girl and her mother planting flowers which bloom all the colors of the rainbow.  It does not discuss patterns. However, it is a good starting point for flower colors.

2. Depending on the background knowledge of the students, discuss color patterns.  Provide examples and work as a class to create a pattern of flowers on the chart or butcher paper.

3. Pass out the strips of paper and have the students create their own patterns by drawing different colors of flower.  Older students may get more creative with their patterns.  For example, their patterns may include the flower color as well as the number of petals or leaves on each flower.  Perhaps they will have a number of patterns happening at the same time.

Other Lesson Ideas

1. Cut out petal shapes - about 10-20 per student - and have them complete math problems using the petals as manipulatives.  They may use a pipe cleaner for the stem and a button or penny for the center of the flower.  Give the students addition and subtraction problems and have them find the answer by using the petals.  For example, "A flower had four petals, two more were added.  How many petals does it have now?"  Or "A flower had eight petals, three fell off.  How many petals does it have now?"  Older students may get into multiplication by working together with other classmates to find answers to problems such as "Three flowers each have four petals.  How many petals are there altogether?"

2. Have students use sunflower seeds as manipulatives to complete math equations.

3. Place sunflower seeds in a small jar.  Have the students estimate the number of seeds in the jar.  Work as a class to count how many there are and compare the estimates.

4. Have the students graph their favorite type of flower or their favorite color flower.

5. Bring in some flower seed packets to the classroom.  Read on the back the grown heights of the flowers.  Have the students measure out the different heights onto pieces of paper.  Arrange the seed packets from shortest to tallest flower.  (Be sure to include some sunflowers in this lesson!)