The Fastest Indoor Growing Plant Project for the Second Grade

Green Beans

• Green beans work well for a second-grade classroom gardening experience because they grow quickly with minimal care. Plant green-bean seeds in small glass jars filled with potting soil. Place the seeds next to the glass, about 1 inch beneath the soil surface. Keep the soil evenly moist and store the jars in a sunny window. The seeds germinate within seven to 10 days -- and because the seeds are visible through the glass, the children can watch the seed split open, forming roots and leaves. Buy bean seeds in packets from a nursery. Beans sold in grocery stores are dried and won't germinate well.

Veggie Root Race

• Place a moistened paper towel in a plastic zip-top bag. Add a few vegetable seeds, spacing them at least 1 inch apart. Use lightweight, fast-germinating seeds, such as radish, carrot, lettuce or beet seeds. If desired, use a stapler to make a row of staples horizontally and vertically across the bag, to keep the seeds from falling to the bottom. Mist the paper towel frequently to keep it moist. Tape the bag to a sunny window and watch the seeds germinate. Make a chart detailing which seed types germinated and grew most quickly.

Herbs and Leaf Crops

• Warm-season vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers and green beans take a long growing season and require a lot of sunlight, water and space to grow. Herbs and lettuce, on the other hand, grow quickly with limited space and sunlight. Plant some herbs and greens in small containers or a grow box and place them in a sunny window. Instruct the children on how to care for them. Season a soup with the herbs and make a salad with the greens for a snack. Enrich learning with books on gardening, such as "Scarlette Beane" by Karen Wallace or "Planting a Rainbow" and "Growing Vegetable Soup," both by Lois Ehlert.

Annuals

• Buy inexpensive terra-cotta pots that stand 4 inches high or less. Allow the children to paint the outsides with tempera or acrylic paint. Once dry, fill the pots with potting soil and plant marigold seeds 1/4 inch beneath the surface. Keep the soil evenly moist and set the pots in a sunny window. The plants emerge within seven to 10 days and grow quickly, producing yellow and orange blooms. These colorful pots make inexpensive gifts for Mother's Day or the end of the school year.