Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley Grow

 "Can you or I or anyone know, how oats, peas, beans and barley grow?"

This month's story is actually an old folk song but like most songs it tells a story.


Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley Grow is a traditional British and American folk song.
It is a "play song" and the children perform the actions in the songs verses, basically acting out the planting and harvesting of a crop. The song can be found on many children's cd's, performed by artist such as Raffi and John Langstaff.





Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Can you or I or anyone know
How oats, peas, beans, and barley grow?


First the farmer sows his seed,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands.


Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Can you or I or anyone know
How oats, peas, beans, and barley grow?


Next the farmer waters the seed,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands.


Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Can you or I or anyone know
How oats, peas, beans, and barley grow?


Next the farmer hoes the weeds,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands.


Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Can you or I or anyone know
How oats, peas, beans, and barley grow?


Last the farmer harvests his seed,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands.


Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Can you or I or anyone know
How oats, peas, beans, and barley grow?

This video shows kids performing some of the movements in the song.




An excellent activity to accompany this song the ever popular growing a bean in a cup (or a clear bag or a test tube if you can find one).


Watch a Bean Grow
activity found at Kids Science Experiments

Materials you will need:

• Water
• Potting Soil/Compost
• A clear, plastic cup
• 3 Test Tubes
• 3 Beans (almost any kind of dry bean will do)

Steps:

1. Fill the cup with 2 inches of water
2. Drop the two beans in the cup of water
3. Leave the beans to soak overnight
4. The following day, drain/empty the water from cup and take the beans out of the cup
5. Fill the test tubes just over half way with the potting soil and place each bean inside the test tubes and fill the test tube with more soil
6. Place the test tubes in a well light and warm spot and be sure to water them every day.

Keep a close watch each day as you will be able to see how quickly the plants will grow (minute by minute).

If you do not have test tubes use clear plastic cups or a clear plastic container and plant the beans by the sides of the container so that you can watch the beans grow by looking through the clear container.

Did you know that plants need water to live? As well as absorbing water from the atmosphere (air) through their leaves, they suck water up through their stems.

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Another excellent set of directions can be found at 


http://www.ehow.com/how_2108951_science-experiment-child-bean-plants.html