Friday 10 October 2014

Sunflower Inquiry


Using the Zoomy, hand held microscope, to look closely at the sunflower head.
This year we are focussing on inquiry. We are learning to question, investigate, collaborate, make connections, and experiment. We are looking closely at objects. Our first inquiry involved sunflowers. We examined the parts of the sunflower, measured stems, and created sunflowers with a variety of different materials: cubes, construction paper, stones, wikki stix, playdough and modeling clay. We built sunflowers on the light table. We drew and painted sunflowers using water colour paints, pastels, sharpies, and tempera paint. We also used magnifying glasses and a hand held microscope called a Zoomy to examine the parts of the sunflower. We used tweezers and pulled the sunflower apart. We took the seeds out of the sunflower head and measured, weighed, counted and examined them. Some of us even planted seeds in soil. While we were working collaboratively we came up with some questions.
Do seeds float?
Why are some seeds all black and some have stripes?
Do all sunflower seeds weigh the same?
How many seeds are in the sunflower head?
Which sunflower stem is the tallest?
Why are the leaves are all dried up now?
Why are the sunflower stems scratchy and have marks on them?
Will these sunflower seeds grow into sunflowers?



Examining sunflower seeds with the Zoomy.

Comparing the sunflower stems.  
Sunflower building on the light table.
Building sunflowers with play dough.



Looking at seeds.

Using sunflower seeds to make designs and then counting the seeds.

Examining and weighing sunflower seeds.

Painting sunflowers

1 comment:

  1. I love the question about why some sunflower seeds have stripes. That is a wonder of my own and a wonder that our class also had. Has anyone found out any information about the stripes?

    ReplyDelete