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Primary Subject Area: Science |
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Grade Level: K - 1
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Overview:
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This lesson is intended to teach students about plants by using hands-on activities. This overall goal will be achieved by recording plant measurements, dissecting plants, drawing plants, including at least four plant parts, and graphing plant growth. This unit may be taught prior to Mothers’ Day. This lesson can be used to teach health, nutrition, or food - related topics. |
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Approximate Duration: 10 class periods (50 minutes each) |
Content Standards:
- Science as Inquiry
The students will do science by engaging in partial and full inquiries that are within their developmental capabilities. - Life Science
The students will become aware of the characteristics and life cycles of organisms and understand their relationships to each other and to their environment.
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Benchmarks:
- SI-E-A4
employing equipment and tools to gather data and extend the sensory observations; (1,2,3,4)- SI-E-A5
using data, including numbers and graphs, to explain observations and experiments; (1,3)- SI-E-A6
communicating observations and experiments in oral and written formats; (1,3)- LS-E-A1
identifying the needs of plants and animals, based on age-appropriate recorded observations; (1,2,4)- LS-E-A3
locating and comparing major plant and animal structures and their functions; (3)- LS-E-B1
observing and describing the life cycles of some plants and animals; (1,2,3)- LS-E-B2
observing, comparing, and grouping plants and animals according to likenesses and/or differences; (1,3)
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Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs):
- Grade K
5.
Measure and record length and temperature in both metric system and U.S. system units
(SI-E-A4)
6.
Select and use developmentally appropriate equipment and tools and units of measurement to observe and collect data
(SI-E-A4)
7.
Express data in a variety of ways by constructing illustrations, graphs, charts, tables, concept maps, and oral and written explanations as appropriate
(SI-E-A5) (SI-E-B4)
19.
Record observations on the growth of plant seeds
(LS-E-A1)
22.
Compare the human body with plants and animals
(LS-E-A3)
26.
Observe life cycles and describe changes (e.g., humans, dogs, insects)
(LS-E-B1) - Grade 1
6.
Measure and record length and temperature in both metric system and U.S. system units
(SI-E-A4)
7.
Select and use developmentally appropriate equipment and tools and units of measurement to observe and collect data
(SI-E-A4)
8.
Express data in a variety of ways by constructing illustrations, graphs, charts, tables, concept maps, and oral and written explanations as appropriate
(SI-E-A5) (SI-E-B4)
9.
Use a variety of appropriate formats to describe procedures and to express ideas about demonstrations or experiments (e.g., drawings, journals, reports, presentations, exhibitions, portfolios)
(SI-E-A6)
26.
Describe the differences between plants and animals
(LS-E-A1)
27.
Identify what animals and plants need to grow and develop
(LS-E-A1)
30.
Record and share observations of changes in developing plants
(LS-E-B1)
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Interdisciplinary Connections:
- Health Education : Standard 1
Students will comprehend concepts and strategies related to health
promotion and disease prevention.
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Educational Technology Standards:
- Use accurate and developmentally appropriate terminology (e.g., cursor, software, hardware, pull down menu, window, disk drive, hard drive, CD-ROM, laser disc) when referring to technology.
( 6 )- Discuss common uses of technology in daily life and the advantages and disadvantages those uses provide.
( 5, 6 )- Use a variety of developmentally appropriate resources and productivity tools (e.g., logical thinking programs, writing and graphic tools,digital cameras,graphing software) for communication,presentation,and illustration of thoughts, ideas,and stories.
( 1, 3, 4 )- Use technology tools (e.g., publishing, multimedia tools, and word processing software) for individual and for simple collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities for a variety of audiences.
( 1, 3 )
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Objectives:
The students will identify the needs of plants, based on age-appropriate recorded observations; observe, compare, and group plants according to likenesses and/or differences; observe and describe the life cycles of some plants; locate and compare major plant structures and their functions; employ equipment and tools to gather data and extend sensory observations; use data and include numbers and graphs to explain observations and experiments; communicate observations and experiments in oral format; observe, describe, and classify objects by length; and measure properties of objects using appropriate materials, tools, and technology, and identify plants that can be eaten
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Lesson Materials and Resources:
Seeds
Cups
Sand
Soil
Student journals
Chart paper
Plant related book such as The Carrot Seed, Ruth Krauss (1993)
Plants to dissect
Unifex cubes or other nonstandard units of measure
Knife |
Technology Tools and Materials:
Hardware:
computer
Software:
Corel,QuattroPro, or other spreadsheet program.
KidPix.
Plant Activities.
Other:
Hardware – computer
Software – Corel QuattroPro or other spreadsheet program, KidPix Plant Activities
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Background Information:
The students should have a basic understanding of plants and plant life. They should also have a basic knowledge of measuring and graphing. |
Lesson Procedures:
- Introduce the unit with literature by reading The Carrot Seed to the class.
- The students will plant an herb such as rosemary or mint, which may be gifts for Mother’s Day. (The teacher should plant a few extra in case some of the plants don’t grow.) Clearly mark each cup with the student’s name.
- The students will record plant measurements in writing journals or in KidPix Plant Activitiesjournal component. Print a calendar with four students' names on each day of the week, Monday – Friday. The students will go to the computer on their days and in order of the names on the list.
- Divide the students into groups of four or five to observe as the teacher dissects a plant. (Flower, stem, leaves, root, etc.)
- Using KidPix Plant Activities or paper, the students will draw a plant, including at least four plant parts.
- At the end of the unit, the students will take one last measurement of their plants and will place their plants in rows according to height. This step will give the students a concrete experience with graphing before moving to an abstract experience.
- The students will help type their plant information into a spreadsheet.
- Produce a bar graph using information from the spreadsheet or on chart paper.
- The students will compare and contrast the computer-made bar graph to the bar graph with actual plants ranked in order by height. Ask questions such as, "Which length has fewer plants?" "Are there any two lengths alike?" "Which length has the most plants?"
- The students will discuss plants that they can eat and how these promote good health. (For example:carrots, brocolli, lettuce, strawberries, apples, etc).
- The students will learn the nursery rhyme "Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary."
- The students will then rewrite this nursery rhyme by adding information they have learned in this unit.
"_______quite scientific, how does your garden grow?
With water, and soil, and lots of sun
That’s how our garden grows."
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Assessment Procedures:
The students will be assessed based upon
journal entries,
plant diagram, and
accuracy of measurement. |
Accommodations/Modifications:
Consider different learning styles and abilities when planning this lesson.
----- written by Division of Nutrition Assistance
TEACHERS MUSTS FOLLOW SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENT’S INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN (IEP) OR 504 MODIFICATION PLAN (IAP).
NON-READER (BELOW GRADE-LEVEL READER/WRITER)
*For the student who does not recognize his/her name, teachers may use child selected stickers to designate each student on Lesson Procedures 2 and 3.
*Reluctant writers can be given a variety of pre-drawn plant parts and asked to place at least 4 plant parts together in the correct position.
*Non-readers can be paired up with proficient readers to complete Procedure 7 (type plant information into a spreadsheet)
STUDENTS WITH PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS
*A keyboard overlay or TouchWindow (Edmark) may be used to complete Procedures 3, 5. and 7.
*Pencil grips or oversized crayons may be needed to complete Procedure 8.
*Buddy system may be necessary to complete Procedures 3, 5, 7, and 8.
ADDITIONAL GENERAL CLASSROOM ACCOMMODATIONS FOUND IN “HELPFUL LINKS”
----- written by teresa fleming
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Explorations and Extensions:
The students will use Print Shop Deluxe to print a Mother’s Day card to be given with their plants.
The students will identify foods served in the school cafeteria that are plants. |
Lesson Development Resources:
KidPix Plant Activities software instruction book
This lesson was reviewed and updated by Diane Cole and Millie Naquin for the SLU Excellence in Health and Education Project in June 2003. |
Reflections:
Plants have parts just as people do. Dissecting plants forces students to pay attention to the details of these parts. People and plants have special needs to be able to grow. Plants need sun, air, soil, and water; people need sun, air, food, and water. This lesson works well during the spring.
The students will go to the computer in order of level of computer literacy, alternating between proficient users and low-ability users. The names of the students will be listed along the stem of a sunflower drawn on a poster. The first name on the list should be that of the most proficient computer user in the class. After the teacher has demonstrated to the student how to perform the task, that student will draw his/her plant. That student will serve as a peer tutor for the second student. The second student will sit with the third and so on. |
Contact Information:
Division of Nutrition Assistance
http://www.louisianaschools.net/lde/nutrition/1667.html
Louisiana Department of Education
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Additional Contacts:
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Group: Division of Nutrition Assistance |
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MarcoPolo Lesson: No
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