Activity 1: Sunflower Lifecycle

1. Read the book, Sunflower House, by Eve Bunting to the students. As you read, Discuss with students the meaning of a “life cycle.” Point out the steps of the sunflower lifecycle as you read the story.
2. Show students the Sunflower Growth Stages pictures. Show the students an actual sunflower head with the seeds inside if you can, but if not, use the pictures provided with this lesson. Go through each step of the cycle. Place the pictures on the board with tape or a magnet and leave them for the next activity.

Activity 2: Paper Plate Sunflowers

1. Distribute the activity supplies.
2. Glue the Seed to Seed Cycle in the middle of the paper plate, and set aside.
3. Ask students what the first step in the Seed Cycle is (seed). Have students glue one sunflower seed about 1” up the craft stick, as if they were planting a seed in the ground and the stick is the stem that would grow from the seed.
4. Ask students what the next step in the cycle is (sprout). Talk with them about what is needed for a seed to germinate. Have students draw roots on their craft stick below the seed with the brown crayon.
5. Ask students what the next step is (grow). As the stems and leaves begin to grow, have students cut out leaves from the green paper and glue them to the stick above the seed.
6. Ask students what step 4 is (flower). Have them color the white paper plate around the Seed to Seed Cycle. Use scissors to snip the plate edges to the center circle to create flower petals.
7. Talk with students about step 5 (fruit). Students should glue sunflower seeds to the center of the Seed to Seed Cycle.
8. Tape or glue the paper plate flower to the craft stick.