A planter is a farm implement, usually towed behind a tractor, that sows (plants) seeds in rows throughout a field.

It is connected to the tractor with a drawbar or a three-point hitch. Planters lay seeds down in precise manner along rows. Planters vary greatly in size, from 1 row to 54, with the biggest in the world being the 48-row John Deere DB120.

Such larger and newer planters comprise multiple modules called row units. The row units are spaced evenly along the planter at intervals that vary widely by crop and locale.

The most common row spacing in the United States today is 30 inches. Since we are learning all about farm machines this week, we decided to explore the fascinating world of planters.

With this activity, we used tractors to plant a variety of beans. Using clay as their soil, real (and fake) foliage, and their imaginations, students created a variety of different crops!