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How do flowers bloom in the spring?

Plant Movement
4.9 (9032 reviews)
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
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How do you think plants move?

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Credits
How do flowers bloom in the spring?
Plant Movement
4.9 (9032 reviews)

Featured Reviews

“It was just my son and I. I didn't do it with my class via Zoom. We loved it! Perfect for a quick activity that didn't take a lot of time to prep but was totally meaningful and engaging. We even tried hot water by accident and it worked really well. Will you be doing one more live show Doug? My students, my son and I loved the last one!”
· Renna · Teacher
“We had fun learning about and making the flowers! I wished I was there when the kids gave their mom's the cards. ”
· Carolyn · Teacher
“The kids shared lots of ideas about why they thought flowers bloom. When they saw their own bloom, they were thrilled! They also planned to teach their mom the science lesson when they put their bloom from the card in water. What a way to empower the kids with learning.”
· Elaine · Teacher
“The kids LOVED it! The best part was watching them following the directions and being so proud of their flower at the end. Watching it bloom was awesome too! ”
· Libby · Teacher
“What an awesome activity! Fun for any grade level, and I even demonstrated this in a Parent Workshop so the parents could see how simple it could be to do at home. I think there are a lot of lessons/experiments that you can do with it. Tap water vs. rain water, paper vs. cardstock, crayon vs. marker, etc. In second grade, we had a lot of great discussions as they were doing the activity. Two flowers were stuck together and weren't bloom, so I asked them what else to plants need to grow. They said "space!" They spread them apart and they started blooming immediately. ”
· Lauren · Teacher
“Students were engaged, the video instructions with the words were a great support and all students were able to be successful in making the flower. ”
· Jem · Teacher
“We did this together with our K book buddies, and we had the greatest curiosity time together! They learned a lot, each child at his or her own level, and the wonder over the opening flowers ended my week on the perfect note. I'm always in awe of your clever directions that help each person work independently and successfully. Very happy scientist here.”
· Cherie · Teacher
“Answering the question word HOW (vs WHY) was a great learning experience for the 2nd graders. They loved the flower activity! Thank you for this dynamic program! It's the 2nd graders' favorite lesson of the week.”
· Genie · Teacher
“I loved seeing their faces when the flowers "bloomed" in the water!:)”
· Mary · Teacher
“The kids loved watching the flowers bloom in the water and were able to articulate to me why that was happening.”
· Carlin · Teacher
“It was so cool to see the paper flower actually "bloom"! Now we are going to follow up with an experiment with which one blooms the fastest (crayon, colored pencil, or marker)”
· Cheryl · Teacher
“The lesson was engaging and timely, and we got to make a card to be taken home to Mom!”
· Harminder · Teacher
“Very meaningful lesson. Tied in nicely to my plant unit. Also, gave me the opportunity to allow students to make Mother's Day cards. Students love watching the fowers "bloom". Good fun!”
· Martin · Teacher
“Loved the experiment! So amazing! ”
· Jennifer · Teacher
“The kids oohed and ahhed when their flowers opened up. It was magical learning!!”
· Sharon · Teacher
“I love the interactive portion. I also liked that it was both a Mother's Day card and Science lesson that they could share. ”
· Kena · Teacher
“I love that the kids were able to make a mother's day card while learning about science. They were in awe seeing the flower bloom.”
· Kathryn · Teacher
“Such a great way to mix art and science!”
· Megan · Teacher
“I did this lesson with 15 mixed age kids grades k-4 and all of them loved it.”
· Susan · Teacher
“The kids absolutely loved guessing what causes flowers to bloom and then loved to see their flower open up with water. This was an excellent activity with very little prep. ”
· Carly · Admin
“Showing my K students how the petals open in the water solidified a great conversation about the strength/movement of water in a plant.”
· Tracy · Teacher
“Water...making plants move??? WOW! Also needed an idea for Mother's Day...a science experiment...perfect!”
· Julie · Teacher
“This is our first time doing a lesson and I love that the activity instructions are step by step and that there is a timer. We look forward to doing more lessons! :)”
· Laura · Homeschooler
“I thought the card part of the activity would be too young for my 5th graders, but the LOVED the lesson!!”
· Caity · Teacher
“The flower blooming activity was great! The kids loved being able to see the action of the petals expanding out! ”
· Amanda · Teacher
“THe kids were amazed! It was a great lesson”
· Marcelle · Teacher
“I wish you could have heard the excitement when the "flowers" opened! :) Awesome as usual.”
· Joy · Teacher
“Very engaging for my ELL students.”
· Karol · Teacher
“The class really enjoyed watching the colored flowers open. Their flowers were so colorful and bloomed so graceful. ”
· Ailene · Teacher
“The students thoroughly enjoyed watching the petals open. They observed and commented on how quickly some opened than others an decided it had to be because of the folding. WONDERFUL LESSON!”
· Kerri · Teacher
“It was so much fun to see the students' amazement as the flower opened! The step by step directions are great for first graders! Thanks for making science so exciting!”
· Michelle · Teacher
“My kids loved the part that talked about the biggest flower. They were amazed about the way that plants use water. They knew that plants need water to grow, but they didn't realize just how vital water is to plant development. Thanks for this fun lesson!”
· Christine · Teacher
“The children loved making the flowers and watching them grow!”
· Laurie · Teacher
“All of it! the Flower activity was a genius idea!”
· Charlotte · Homeschooler
“Learning about how flowers grow was engaging for students. The experiment truly sealed the deal. The kids loved watching the water move up the petals and observe them opening up. Great lesson. Thanks! ”
· Megan · Teacher
“Thank you for going step by step and for the looping repeat. It was perfect!”
· Christina · Teacher
“The kids loved this activity and are very excited to give this card to their mom on Mother's Day!”
· Kristen · Teacher
“They loved the exploration at the end and the different variations you gave them at the end set them thinking. They came up with several of their own.”
· Rachel · Homeschooler
“There was a collective "Whoa" when they put their second flower in the water.”
· Elise · Teacher
“The investigation is wonderful! It allows the students to see an investigation and its always great to practice following directions. ”
· Denise · Teacher
“Perfect timing for Mother's Day!”
· Laurie · Teacher
“My class thought that the fact that the flowers actually bloomed was amazing !”
· Shauna · Homeschooler
“Loved the step by step very helpful for all learners!!!”
· Ofelia · Teacher
“Loved this for spring!!”
· Susan · Teacher
“kids loved watching the flower bloom!”
· Amanda · Teacher
“Perfect for spring time poems and Mother's Day gifts!”
· Dawn · Teacher
Lesson narration:
English Spanish

Activity Prep

Print Prep
In this mini-lesson, students learn how the unique properties of water help flowers bloom in the spring. In this activity, each student will make a colorful paper flower and a greeting card that they can give to any special person in their life. When placed in water, the paper flower will unfold, appearing to move and bloom in front of your eyes! You may want to use this as a Mother’s Day activity, but students choose who will receive their card, so it can be for anyone special.
Preview activity
Flower Power and Flower Card (Grades 3-5) printout Print 30 copies
Flower Power and Flower Card (Grades K-2) printout Print 30 copies
Clean-up Supplies (Eg. Paper Towels)
1 roll
Crayons
Colored pencils will also work. We do not recommend markers because the colors will bleed into the water.
Details
90 crayons
Experiment Materials
Optional. Students can experiment and make flowers with different types of paper. You can supply students with regular paper, construction paper, origami paper, or card stock.
Details
60 items
Scissors
30 scissors
Dot Stickers
Tape will also work. We like to use dot stickers because they are easier to distribute in class.
Details
30 stickers
Plastic Plates (10")
A small bowl will also work. This is only needed if you will be setting up a water station.
Details
1 plate
Prep Instructions

You will need access to water for this activity.

Prepare a Water Station

bowl of water

Watching the paper flowers open in person is incredibly fun and engaging! If you have time, we recommend that you prepare an extra flower and set up a water station. All you need is a small container (plastic plate or bowl) filled with water. Gently place the flower on top of the water and watch it open! The paper fibers absorb the water and expand, pushing the tips of the paper out.

Experiment With More Flowers (Optional)

You and your students can make more paper flowers if you have time. You can try making flowers with different numbers of petals. You can use different types of paper (e.g. construction). You can place one flower inside of another flower. You can color half the petals with crayon and leave the other half blank. The wax of the crayon prevents the paper fibers from absorbing the water, so you can predict what might happen. The possibilities are endless! Have fun and stay curious!

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How do flowers bloom in the spring?

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