Kindergarten Inquiry Update
What Do Living Things Need to Grow?
By Leli Katarina Ginting (Kathy) – Kindergarten Teacher
Over the past four weeks, our Kindergarten students have been busy exploring an important question: What do living things need to grow and stay healthy?
Through hands-on investigations, students planted seeds, observed changes over time, and carefully watched how plants responded to different conditions. This helped them understand that living things need the right environment and care to grow.
To explore this idea more deeply, students worked in different inquiry groups, each investigating one important factor for plant growth.
Group 1 – Soil, Sand, Stones (Seed Media)
Students explored which growing material helps seeds grow best. They compared how seeds grow in soil, sand, and stones.
Group 2 – With / Without Sunlight
Students observed how plants grow when they receive sunlight and what happens when plants grow without sunlight.
Group 3 – With / Without Water
Students investigated the importance of water by comparing plants that were watered regularly with those that were not.
Group 4 – With / Without Air
Students explored how plants grow in normal conditions compared to plants placed inside a closed container.
Group 5 – With or Without Space
Students observed how plants grow when they have enough space and compared them to plants that were crowded together.
Through these investigations, students discovered that plants need:
- Sunlight
- Water
- Air
- A place and space to grow
- Soil or a growing medium
- Care and attention
These experiences helped students begin to understand that:
- Plants grow when their needs are met.
- Plants may not grow well when something important is missing.
- Living things depend on us to show care and responsibility
We are proud of how curious and thoughtful our young scientists have been during this inquiry. They asked wonderful questions, made observations, and began to understand how we can care for living things and our planet.
Ask your child: “What do plants need to grow?”
You might be surprised by how much they can share!
