Looking At The Roots

Yesterday, my son and I were out in the backyard filling up the pool (a small inflatable). He wanted to play with the hose, but since we are on water restrictions, I told him he could not waste the water. So I told him he had one more minute, but he had to give the plant a drink. He said, "But where is its mouth?" We did a little science on the parts of a plant- truly only three parts- the roots, the stem, and the leaves.

I pulled up a section of grass (it was growing where grass should not- in the flower bed) and got the roots. We washed off the dirt and examined the roots. They were great with long spidery pieces and smaller shoots growing from those. We talked about the roots drinking the water. I showed him how to water the plant so the roots got the water from the sand.

We talked a little more about the stem and the leaves and we were done and the water was off. He never did play in the pool! He would much rather play in the hose.

It was a short little lesson that should stick. When you show them the real thing, the tend to remember more!