Make a cress head

Activity

Learn what seeds and plants need to grow in this fun craft activity.

  • Estimated time: 30 minutes
  • Location: Indoors
  • School term: All year round
  • Level of experience: No experience needed
  • Subject(s): Science, Art&DT

Learning objectives

  • Recognise that plants need light and water to grow
  • Explore the different stages of plant growth
  • Understand that roots anchor plants

Preparation

Prepare your eggshells by using a blunt knife to take off the top third of the shell only, and empty the egg into a bowl - you can use this in a future cooking project to avoid food waste. Once the content of the egg has been removed, wash out the eggshell and leave it to dry.

Use this activity as an introduction to plants and as a fun way to involve others in gardening and your school garden.

Equipment

  • Eggshells
  • Cress seeds
  • Cotton wool - either balls or roll (not pads)
  • Egg box or an egg cup
  • Pens and other resources to decorate your eggshells with

Step by step

  1. Start by decorating the eggshell. Funky faces work well.
  2. Place the eggshell in either an egg box or egg cup.
  3. Wet your cotton wool and squeeze out excess water.
  4. Place the wet cotton inside of the eggshell. If you are using large eggshells, add more cotton wool.
  5. Sprinkle a good amount of cress seeds onto the wet cotton wool.
  6. Place the eggshells in a warm, light place to grow like a windowsill.

Hints & tips

  • Cress seed can germinate in a few days and should be long enough to harvest within 7-14 days.
  • If you don't have cotton wool, you can use some peat-free multipurpose compost.
  • Take photos with a digital camera of cress growth and use them to create a diary.
  • This activity also works well with microgreens and soft herb seeds.