Digging into Literature with Seed Diaries
written by Dr. Dene Gainey
The Seed Diary Literary Project was a 30-day trek where students learned about gardening, literary devices and figurative language all at the same time by way of 30 daily written tasks that asked students to apply their seed growth to some element of writing. An example of this might be to describe the plant or the seed using descriptive imagery.
Students started by choosing seeds, soaking their peat moss pods in water, digging into the peat moss with toothpicks and burying their seeds. Once the seeds were buried (my recommendation was three in a pod just in case a seed was not successful), students placed pods in Ziplock bags and sealed trapping in moisture as well as some gases to get the seed germination process underway. Students began their observation processes daily, adding various attributes of writing to the diaries each day. See the first five days of activities below as well as the project overview.
Project Overview:
Students (you) will plant a seed in a peat moss pod, name their plant, and label it for identification. Each day, you will observe your seed/plant and write a diary/journal entry. Every entry must respond to the daily "do this" prompt, which incorporates a specific literary device or figurative language technique. Predictions, observations, and reflection should be woven naturally into each entry. Your entries should be titled and dated within the Word document attached to the assignment on Teams. Extra points will be given if you include visuals/photos. This project’s points total 400, with 10 points for each day’s observations and writing, and 100 points for the successful germination and growth of your plant from seed.
Daily entries should be 1 paragraph or less, unless otherwise indicated.
Day 1 – Naming & Identity
Do This: Personification + Imagery
Write about naming your seed. Why this name? Describe the seed using vivid imagery as if it already has a personality.Day 2 – Point of View
Do This: First-Person POV (Seed)
Write from the perspective of the seed planted in the soil. What does it feel, fear, or hope?Day 3 – Simile
Do This: Similes
Describe the peat moss pod and seed using at least three similes.Day 4 – Metaphor
Do This: Extended Metaphor
Compare your seed’s journey to something else (a journey, a dream, a battle, a secret).Day 5 – Prediction Writing
Do This: Foreshadowing
Predict when germination will occur. Hint at the future using subtle clues.
Let the germination process begin!
Germination bags for peat moss pods containing seeds buried by students.
The process of seed to germination to healthy plant growth was overshadowed by excitement, triumph and hardship. Some plants thrived and survived while others were overwatered, lacked sunlight, or fell over due to lack of stem support. Students chose their seeds as well, and as such, germination times varied. Some students learned patience really quickly and others complained in the process pronouncing their seeds dead before they’d even germinated. Nevertheless, through observation and discovery, it was quickly realized that not all seeds are the same, that there are similarities between plants and humans and that plants need much of the same ingredients that we needs as humans in order to come out of our shells, to grow and to mature into healthy reproducing living things. After thirty days, some students opted to take their plants home while others decided to leave them to be planted at the school’s greenhouse, which I manage. It functions as somewhat of a community garden, and students who support the greenhouse and help to maintain it often reap the rewards, as well as staff members.
