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Week 06 · Plants and Pets

Family Helper Day

Family Helper Day: Living things crew
// Living things count on you every day
⏱ about 15 min

Family Helper Day: Living things crew

Seed cups line the den window. Biscuit snores in his basket. Lizzy checks the Helper chart.

"Today you take care of something alive, with your grown-up," she says. "A plant, a pet, or both."

Riley adds, "Ask first. Gentle hands. Wash up after." Rosie holds up the log card like a trophy.

  1. Finger test first. Dry means water, damp means wait.
  2. Pour slowly onto the soil. Stop at the first drips. Empty the saucer.
  3. Plant a seed with a grown-up. Write a log line every day, even when nothing changed.
  4. Read the leaves and the soil together. When unsure, ask a grown-up.
  5. A pet care chart your grown-up approves. Never feed without asking.
  6. A report has four parts: planted, did, happened, learned.
◇ CARE FOR SOMETHING ALIVE TOGETHER
Choose one job. Check and water the plants, plant a seed cup, or do one pet job.
Step 1: Both wash hands.
Step 2: The child does the finger test on each plant. Say dry or damp out loud.
Step 3: The child waters only the dry ones, slowly, and empties the saucers.
Step 4: For a pet job, the grown-up says yes first. Then watch while the child measures.
Step 5: The child writes one log line: date, what they saw, what they did.
Step 6: Add Plant or Pet Helper to the Helper chart with a check mark.
Safety first
Wash hands before and after soil and pets.
A grown-up opens soil bags, makes drain holes and handles any cleaner.
Never bother an animal that is eating or sleeping. A grown-up handles an upset pet.
Nothing from the plant table goes near your mouth.
For a grown-up
Let your child decide dry or damp before you give your opinion.
Approve the pet chart out loud so your child hears what approve means.
Pick one living thing your child can check every week from now on.
LIVING THINGS CHECK
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Two plants droop. One soil is dry, one is soggy. Which gets water?
Your grown-up is busy and the pet looks hungry. What do you do?
Your seed cup looks the same as yesterday. What goes in the log?
What do you check before you water a plant?
WHY THIS EXERCISEChecking the soil is the habit that stops both too much and too little water.
On paper, draw your seed cup today. Label the soil, the cup, the saucer and any sprout.

Living things crew complete! Next week Oliver teaches clocks, timers and plans.

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