What plants and animals live above the ground? Which can you find under the soil? Imagine a garden teeming with life!

• 1.

  Above ground there is light, air, wind, people, sunshine, snow, and more. Below ground, there is darkness, moisture, shelter from some elements, pressure, and what else? Some plants and creatures live only above ground, some only below, and others in both areas. Would a seed grow if it didn’t have the Earth to protect it and nourish it? Would a plant flower if there were not the sun’s warm rays coaxing it to open?

• 2.

  Use Crayola® Erasable Colored Pencils to divide your paper in half lengthwise. Sketch plants and animals that live above and below ground.

• 3.

  Cover your art area with newspaper. Using Crayola Washable Paint, paint your garden. Air-dry your painting.

Standards

• Children study life in a garden, above and below ground.
• Students create a cross-section picture, identifying connections and continuity between the two adjacent spheres.

Adaptations

• Plant a terrarium to observe firsthand activities above and below ground.
• Visit a farm, farmer’s market, or grocery store to find vegetables that have their tops, roots, and vines attached such as carrots, beets, lettuce, and tomatoes. Imagine the vegetable growing. Identify which parts are the roots, the flowers, and the stems
• Assessment: Children list and describe the habitats of the plants and animals in their painting and explain the connections between them.