Live From the Living Lab

The corn is almost as high as an elephant's eye in the living lab and kindergarten is excited to be a part of the growing process! Each year, the Oakhill kindergarten students study corn as an on-going thematic unit, incorporating science, math, and communication arts skills.

Earlier in the summer, Mr. Cole invited both kindergarten teachers to help plant corn. The corn was planted over a period of weeks with the knowledge that it would grow at different rates, allowing the students to observe the corn plants in various stages of growth. This year we are growing sweet corn. This will be a new variety for the students to observe after having had a successful growing season of gem corn last year!

Recently kindergarten students used the Living Lab as their own outdoor classroom! Kindergarten writers used their five senses to write about what they saw, smelled, felt, and heard while observing in the living lab. With Mrs. Ziegler's help, the students used a yardstick to measure the various heights of the plants. They also made predictions about when the corn would be ready to harvest and what it would look like. During this unit students  have been expanding their vocabulary while learning about the life cycle of the corn plants and the plant parts. New words have been added to their vocabulary including stalk, tassel, husk, silk, and ear.

As the unit continues, students will learn more about the harvesting of corn and its importance in the midwest. Kindergarteners will help with the harvesting and be able to observe varieties of corn up close. Students will take part in a taste test of foods made from corn, including the corn they helped grow! They will also learn more about how corn is used, what popular foods and products are made from corn, and its historical importance to people in North America and beyond.