Unit 1: Science 21

Unit 1
Grade 3
SCIENCE 21
Science 21
Science For The 21st Century
A K-6 INTEGRATED SCIENCE CURRICULUM BASED ON THE NYS LEARNING STANDARDS FOR MATH, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPED AT
PUTNAM/NORTHERN WESTCHESTER BOCES CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES Marla Gardner

Director
Abby B. Bergman
Regional Science Coordinator Science Consultants
Michael DeCandido Janet Jesse Myrna Klotzkin Arthur Lebofsky Helen Pashley
For further information regarding this curriculum and staff development program, please contact Dr. Marla Gardner (914) 248-2332 or Dr. Abby Bergman (914) 248-2336.
2006 by Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES, 200 BOCES Drive, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598. All rights reserved. No portion of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES Curriculum Center.
Acknowledgements and Credits

Science 21 has been a highly effective curriculum program due to the efforts and dedication of teachers who served as curriculum developers on grade level design teams. Using feedback based on classroom teacher experiences, each design team continually develops, pilots and revises the Science 21 curriculum to improve and strengthen it. We gratefully acknowledge the contributions made by the teachers who have served on the Science 21 design teams. The following designers are to be recognized for infusing their enthusiasm, creativity, talent and team spirit into the Science 21 curriculum.
GRADE K
Gail Boule Wappingers Gerri Burnett Chappaqua Jeanne Burruano Putnam Valley
Susan Cargill Chappaqua Yvonne Denmark Ossining Gayle Fisher Peekskill
Diane Ford Peekskill Kristine Klausz Ossining Angela Letizia Lakeland
Diane Madaio Chappaqua Betsy Rasa Haldane Amy Stewart Peekskill
GRADE 1
Melissa Billings Chappaqua Lin Butter Putnam Valley Yvette Cavaliere Lakeland
Deanna DiFilippo Lakeland Trish Faigle Yorktown Judy Finehirsh Haldane
John Fiore Ardsley Rachelle Furlan Ossining Christine Hirsch Peekskill
Joan Kavanaugh Wappingers Roseann Malagrino Wappingers Barbara Rink Ossining
GRADE 2
Marie Barrow Ossing Jeanette Benfante Yorktown Melissa Bryan Ossining
Ann Carlson Chappaqua Nina Chase Lakeland Laurie Colantuono Wappingers Beverly Eisenberg Chappaqua
Judy Finehirsh Haldane Jan Jesse Putnam Valley Florence Kowalski Wappingers Patricia Madeux Putnam Valley
Wendy Moore Peekskill Susan Petroccione Haldane Jan Tovar Yorktown
GRADE 3
Ferzeen Bhana Ossining Carol Burrell Wappingers
Lorraine Czarnetzki Lakeland David Dougherty Haldane Jacquie Figueroa Peekskill
Ruth Giancola Putnam Valley Betty Hill Chappaqua Carol Jacobson Yorktown
Barbara Jennings Haldane Kathleen Marks Yorktown
GRADE 4
Alicia Braccia Katonah Kate Bauer Putnam Valley Donna Black Yorktown Wayne Dederico Wappingers
Paul Finch Chappaqua Karen Gagliardi Haldane Gary Hattersley Haldane Lucy Knapp Ossining Annie Lemon Peekskill
Richard Liquori Ossining Bob Napuli Ardsley Judy Peltier Peekskill Patricia Prager Lakeland
Saranne Ratner Wappingers Ralph Smith Putnam Valley Christopher Strahley Chappaqua Mary Woods Yorktown
GRADE 5
Jane Bernstein Haldane Malorie Bratt Lakeland
Celeste DiRuocco Lakeland David Dougherty Haldane Andrea Frusciante Chappaqua
Marella Giilchrist Peekskill Frances Kedzielawa Wappingers Grace Leone Lakeland
Joyce Noah Putnam Valley Roseanne Verlezza Yorktown
GRADE 6
Karen Brothers Putnam Valley Sandy Greene Lakeland
Diane Johnson Peekskill Bill Post Haldane Rhoda Post Wappingers
Mary Resanovitch Lakeland Chris Romano Wappingers Danielle Sunberg Wappingers
Judy Toledano Lakeland Alexis Vazquez Peekskill Henry Wiethake Ossining

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ILLUSTRATIONS AND GRAPHICS

Helen Pashley provided many of the artwork and graphics for the Science 21 curriculum. Somers Middle School student, Andrea Chryssikos, assisted in redoing a few of the student work samples. Other illustrations were added by students from the Communications Academy located in Tech South at the Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES campus. We would like to thank Vito Rinaldo, Ingrid Boffi and Angela Fontana of the Communications Academy for their coordination in working with the following students who created some of these other illustrations and artwork. Jason Anderson Rebecca Bardes Aaron Cassese Anna Corbi Chris Cruz Dexter Gillette Aisha Johnson Michael Johnson Adria Ingegneri Cheryl Kuszak Rachel Lightbody Sahid Loyola Chrissy Lush Darren Mathews Kate Mullen Shannon OBrien Tim Pelepako Alison Poulakis Jonathan Russell Patrick Salerno Kristin Shelton Filippo Simone Justin Smith Jennifer Sullo Charles Tabah Tara Tuttle Andrea Valvo Adriana Velez Amy Zerello
HEALTH EDUCATION
We are grateful to Mary Ford, Health Coordinator of Chappaqua, for her contribution in finding, connecting, developing and integrating health-related lessons to Science 21 units.
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Foreword
What is Science 21?
Science 21 is an integrated K-6 science curriculum developed at the Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES. It was originally conceived by a Steering Committee and the BOCES curriculum staff. This planning committee provided the future direction and vision of elementary science education for the local school districts as a means to meet the needs of the New York State Learning Standards for Mathematics, Science and Technology. The programs major emphasis is on investigations that are student directed and relevant to students everyday lives. The programs main focus is on hands -on, inquiry-based science, and that math, language arts and technology are integrated at points where they fit naturally. Science 21 is based on the Big Ideas in Science Education today.
BIG IDEAS IN SCIENCE EDUCATION

Less content is more Building on prior experiences Student as Scientist Connecting science to math, technology and language arts Better tools and strategies to evaluate student learning in science
Science 21 Vision Statement VISION STATEMENT

The Science 21 Project envisions that science classrooms in member districts will foster a learning environment where all students learn the skills, knowledge, and habits of mind to become independent and collaborative inquirers, problem-solvers, and self-directed learners in their present and future lives. In such an environment students will.
Engage in the active construction of essential knowledge that is developmentally appropriate and relevant to their lives in the life, earth, physical, environmental and health sciences. Be encouraged to take risks, to ask questions and engage in the planning and conducting of investigations and/or research that allows them to answer these questions, while employing appropriate materials and skills. Engage in identifying real world problems, designing solutions, evaluating solutions and communicating this information in a variety of ways including spoken, written, pictorial, graphical, and mathematical forms. Engage in a variety of child-centered learning experiences where they must apply and transfer skills and knowledge of science to other disciplines and in areas beyond the classroom. Be assessed in a variety of ways, including performance tasks, exhibitions, written and oral tests and portfolios, in order to demonstrate what they know and are able to do in science.
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SCIENCE 21:
Kindergarten ~ Exploring Our World
SCOPE AND SEQUENCE

Unit 1: Using My Senses To Learn About And Appreciate Science (Mystery Box) Unit 2: Using My Senses To Learn About Me In My World (Human Body, Senses, Health And Safety) Unit 3: Using My Senses To Learn About Other Living Things In My World (Properties Of Plants And Properties Of Animals) Unit 4: Using My Senses To Learn About Non-Living Things In My World
First Grade ~ Order In Our World

Unit 1: Unit 2: Unit 3: Unit 4: Organizing Ourselves To Do Science Investigations Investigating Attributes And Properties Of Objects Identifying The States Of Matter Investigating Living Things (Snails)
Second Grade ~ Measuring Changes In Our World

Unit 1: Unit 2: Unit 3: Unit 4: Tools To Measure Our World Observing And Measuring Changes In Energy Observing And Measuring Changes In Living Things Observing And Measuring Changes In The Environment
Third Grade ~ Cycles In The Natural World

Unit 1: Unit 2: Unit 3: Unit 4: How A Scientist Investigates Plant Cycles How A Scientist Investigates Electricity How A Scientist Investigates Water Cycles How A Scientist Investigates Animal cycles (Butterflies)
Fourth Grade ~ Organization In The Natural World

Unit 1: Unit 2: Unit 3: Unit 4: Organizing Ourselves For Doing Science Digestion, Nutrients, Food Chains And Food Webs Simple Machines Organization Of The Earth (Constructive And Destructive Forces, Rocks And Minerals)
Fifth Grade ~ Interactions In The Natural World

Unit 1: Interactions Of Chemical Matter (Focus On Controlled Studies) Unit 2: Interactions In The Microworld (Cells Leads Into) Unit 3: Interactions In The Human body (Respiratory/Circulatory & Muscular/Skeletal systems And Genetics) Unit 4: Interactions In The Environment ~ Energy Transfer
Sixth Grade ~ Investigations Of Science And Technology In Our World

Unit 1: Unit 2: Unit 3: Unit 4: Investigating The Nature Of Science And Technology Investigating Energy (electromagnetism, Potential/Kinetic) Investigating Earth In Space Investigating The Environment (Ecosystems, Human Interactions with The Environment)
SCIENCE 21:
Cycles In Our Natural World GRADE 3
UNIT 1
How A Scientist Investigates Plant Cycles
Fall 2010 Update
SCIENCE 21: Science For The 21st Century

How a Scientist Investigates Plant Cycles GRADE 3 UNIT 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents
Unit Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 1 Letter to the Family ..................................................................................................................................... 5 Unit Glossary ............................................................................................................................................... 7 Materials List ............................................................................................................................................... 9 Lesson 1: What is a scientist and what does a scientist do? (Mystery Substance) .................................. 11 Lesson 2: What is a scientist and what does a scientist do? (Picturing a Scientist) ................................ 19 Lesson 3: How does a scientist (student) keep an account of his/her work? ........................................... 37 Lesson 4: How does a scientist (student) investigate how a seed becomes a plant? ................................ 45 Lesson 5: How does a scientist (student) learn about the parts and functions of a plant ......................... 73 Lesson 6: How can research and technology assist scientists in learning about plants? .......................... 67 Lesson 7: Have our perceptions of a scientist changed? .......................................................................... 77 Unit Assessment ...83 Reading in the Content Area ...111 Student Journal Pages ..131

How a Scientist Investigates Plant Cycles GRADE 3 UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION
Grade Level Theme
Cycles in the Natural World
Introduction
Unit Theme
How A Scientist Investigates Plant Cycles
Unit Objectives
Students will be able to: communicate their knowledge about scientists and what they do engage in the process of science which includes observing, questioning, predicting, hypothesizing, conducting investigations, analyzing data and communicating their findings in a variety of ways. develop an attitude of respect for the work of scientists and gain an awareness of the similarity and differences of the work and behavior of scientists across cultures. develop a science journal in order to record the questions, processes and progress of their investigations. investigate the germination process of a seed. investigate the parts and function of a plant. build background knowledge of plants by researching videos, books, CD ROM disks and the internet. demonstrate broader and more diverse ideas about what scientists do and how they work as a result of engaging in this unit.
Unit Focus
How will our experience at investigating plants inform us of what a scientist is and how a scientist works?
General Overview
This unit is designed to give third grade students authentic experiences in science through in-depth lessons on journal writing and investigating plants. The goal of this first unit is to provide students with the opportunity to express and build on their prior knowledge, ideas and beliefs about what a scientist is and what a scientist does within the context of plant investigations. Follow-up lessons revisit the students initial ideas to assess how their perceptions of science have changed as a consequence of this unit.
2007, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES SCIENCE 21 Grade 3 Unit 1
MST Learning Standards
MST Learning Standards are reinforced when students:

STANDARD 1 Analysis, Inquiry, Design question the exploration of others and what they need to clarify and compare with their own understanding. explore phenomena by direct observation and by using simple measuring devices. share knowledge that they have attained with others and actively seek knowledge and responses to their ideas from them. understand that computers can be used to store personal information (journals). use the Internet to telecommunicate with a distant location/person with the teacher's assistance.
STANDARD 2 Information Systems
STANDARD 3 Mathematical Reasoning STANDARD 4 Scientific Concepts
collect, analyze and display data.
observe and describe the cycle of plants. explore and observe the continuity of life through production of seeds by plants for new
STANDARD 5 Apply Technology STANDARD 6 Themes of MST STANDARD 7 Apply MST Skills
generate ideas for possible solution, individually and in groups; and explain reason for their choices. observe and describe the interaction among the parts of plants. observe phenomena and evaluate them by measuring and conducting investigation to collect data and draw conclusions.
Curriculum Correlations
By engaging in journal writing and working cooperatively in small groups as students investigate, the English Language Arts Skills of writing and communicating orally are reinforced. Through collection and analysis of data, mathematics is incorporated. Research and technology skills are encouraged throughout the unit.
Management and Planning

This unit will take approximately 6-8 weeks. There are 7 lessons with approximately 10 teaching periods. Additional time for plant germination and development is necessary as an on-going investigation. Record keeping in the form of journal writing is emphasized . Specific management ideas are included in each lesson. Lesson number two, "What is a scientist and what does a scientist do? (Picturing A Scientist)", may be presented first, at the discretion of the teacher. Journal writing should, regardless of where the teacher starts, be initiated with the first lesson. Teachers should consider accessing the following internet site, http://www.wnet.org/wnetschool. On this net site, the teacher can read the Instructional Television Guide for WNET and determine when relevant PBS programming is available for viewing and/or taping for later classroom use. Those teachers seeking reading in the content area, may want to refer to sources other than those mentioned in the lesson resource lists. Certain text materials (e.g., Addison Wesleys, Units on Life Cycles, Electricity, and Water) are grade appropriate and address topics covered this year. It is during this unit that it will be an ideal time to discuss the pending planting of hollyhock seeds or mallow seeds later in January. These plants will later serve to be a source of food and habitat for the Painted Lady Butterflies in Unit Four. These seeds MUST BE grown in INDIRECT sunlight. Advanced preparations that are needed for upcoming lessons are denoted by this symbol:
Any safety issues associated with a lesson are highlighted by this symbol:
Any special notations and/or reminders are designated with this symbol:
A Note About Journal Pages: All journal pages that are part of this curriculum unit should be considered as recommendations. Teachers should feel free to use them as is, modify or personalize them, or create their own from scratch with these as a model. A Note About Blackline Masters: Throughout the curriculum unit, a small version of a blackline master is usually depicted to help you quickly reference a teacher blackline master or an activity sheet from the student journal pages. Teacher blackline masters are found at the end of a lesson. Student activity sheets are found in the Student Journal Pages section located at the end of the unit.
Home Connection Letter

The Home Connection Letter should be sent to the parents prior to the beginning of the new science unit.
Advanced Preparation!
Preparation Note: In preparation for work in a couple of weeks, the teacher should plant various seeds in a box at the start of this lesson - lima beans, peas and corn. A large, cardboard, box (approximately 13"x13x21") should be lined with plastic and filled with 2" to 3" of soil. Seeds should be planted in rows and labeled, watered and then covered with clear plastic to make a miniature greenhouse. Keep in a warm, well-lit (not direct sunlight) area and allow plants to grow while children experiment with mystery substance, journals and germination (about 2 weeks or more). A supply of plants will then be available for students to transfer to their "pots" (double paper cup) filled with soil to carry out their investigation of roots, stems, leaves etc.
Grade 3, Unit 1 Science
Date______________________________
Dear Family, Our third grade class will be using an exciting science program called Science 21, which is activity-based and not textbook-based. Research has shown that true science learning does not come from memorizing facts from a science textbook. Rather, good science is learned through active participation, engaging students in inquiry-based, hands -on experiences. Through Science 21 your child will be actively engaged in science activities, learning how scientists ask questions and design experiments to find the answers. Like scientists, your child will be working cooperatively, recording results and sharing them with the rest of the class. Whenever we begin a new science unit, we will be writing you to let you know what we will be doing and how you can best support your child in learning the new unit. For our first unit our class will be investigating what a scientist is and what a scientist does. We will begin by looking at how scientists study unknown objects and materials. With the acquired scientific process skills that the students have learned, they will then explore how plants grow. We are hoping to make a number of connections between what we study in class and what the students have at home. We will be asking the pupils if they have a favorite plant, either inside or outside of their home. They will be asked to draw and describe that particular plant and its parts. They will also be asked the name or type of plant and any special needs it may have. Any cooperation and information you can provide to help with this home/school connection would be greatly appreciated. If you have internet access, do a search on that particular plant and see what interesting new things you can discover about it. It is not necessary to purchase a plant for this purpose; just identify one that already exists. Thank you for your help in supporting your young scientist.
Sincerely,

How a Scientist Investigates Plant Cycles GRADE 3 UNIT 1 GLOSSARY
This glossary contains very simple definitions and is provided as an aid for the teacher. Full definitions are presented in the Teacher Background section of each lesson. It is further recommended that students keep a series of pages in their Science Journals with a running list of new words they learn. A sample journal page is provided at the end of the student journal for that purpose. Adapted when an organism has matched its environment well enough to survive. Animal dispersal when plant seeds are scattered due to attachment to an animals fur or skin. Assessment - a strategy to determine what a person knows and is able to do. Botanist a person who studies plants. Chlorophyll a green pigment in plants necessary to perform photosynthesis. Conclusion a statement of the results of a research or the answer to a question that was investigated. Cotyledon a leaf of a plant embryo. Dicotyledon as a plant starts to grow, it has two leaves (ex. bean). Embryo a fertilized egg cell ready to develop into a living organism. Flower the part of a plant where reproduction occurs. Fruit the plant structure within which are the seeds of a plant. Geotropism when a plants roots grow down toward gravity and its stem grows up away from gravity. Germination when a plant seed begins to sprout or grow. Hypothesis a guess based on organized data as well as past experience. Leaf the part of a plant that makes food using sunlight. Monocotyledon as a plant starts to grow, it has only one single leaf (ex. corn). Observation - the use of the senses to describe a substance or something a substance does. Ovary the part of a plant where seeds are formed. Petals leaf-like structures on the edges of a flower that may have a color or an odor to attract insects. Photosynthesis a plants food manufacturing process. Phototropism when plants turn their leaves toward a light source.
Glossary
Pistil the female or seed-bearing part of a flower. Pollination the process whereby a pollen grain is transferred to the pistil of a flower. Prediction a guess based on past experiences. Procedure the planned and thought-out process developed to study an event or substance. Properties - characteristics or attributes that help describe a substance. Root the part of a plant that anchors it to the ground, absorbs water and minerals, and can store food. Rubric - a list of expectations (standards) used to evaluate work. Scientist - any person who asks questions (inquiry) and performs controlled tests to get answers. Sepals small, leaf-like structures that cover a flower bud. Stamen the male or pollen-bearing part of a flower. Stem the part of a plant that supports leaves and transports materials from the roots to the leaves. Stomata tiny openings on plant leaves through which the plant exchanges gases with the atmosphere. Substance - a piece of matter. Tropism a plants response to a stimulus. Wind dispersal when plant seeds are scattered by air movement.

How a Scientist Investigates Plant Cycles GRADE 3 UNIT 1 MATERIALS LIST
Materials: Materials for units one and two will be packed together and separated into a shared-materials kit and a consumed-materials kit. The list below is for this unit only and is separated by lesson. The (*) indicates teacher provided materials: Lesson One: Mystery Substance The Science 21 materials kit comes with a Slime Making Kit which includes droppers pre-filled with the necessary chemicals, and with a small dish for mixing. a zip lock baggie *scissors paper towels or *moist towelet for hand clean up coffee stirrers protective gloves goggles food coloring balance ruler *clock As an alternative, teachers may want to use the following recipe to make "gak" as a mystery substance. The following makes enough for a single group of students: *2 tablespoons Elmers glue *2 tablespoon of water 1 drop of food coloring 2 tablespoons of borax solution [cup of borax in 1 liter of water, stir and allow to set for 15 minutes. Some of the borax will settle to the bottom (super-saturated solution)]. In a zip lock bag, mix the Elmers with the food coloring by kneading . Add borax solution and continue to knead.
Materials List
Lesson Two: Picturing a Scientist drawing paper/notebook -- Science Journals *crayons or markers
Lesson Three: Journal Keeping *paper, markers, pencils, crayons, rulers, construction paper *the student's own Science Journal can be added to, or an additional book may be provided for this purpose (bound book). *picture of scientist from the previous lesson. *bag of roasted peanuts (or walnuts), in shells balance hexagram masses hand lens ruler Lesson Four: Seed to Plant zip lock bags paper towels paper cups potting soil lima beans, peas and corn seeds measuring devices - balance, rulers, hand lenses spoons plastic straws for plant support with plastic ties book, What is a Cycle? Lesson Five: Plant Parts and Their Functions *celery food coloring *water *containers, large enough to contain significant growth *top of carrot *garlic bulb *potato *flowers *leaves seeds *fruits *plants grown by students toothpicks book, The Third Grade Book of Plants (A Science 21 Reader) Lesson Six: The Role of Research and Technology *book resources - including an encyclopedia, in class, or in the library *CD ROM and Internet, as available. Lesson Seven: Changing Views of a Scientist *materials to draw or generally create illustrations or make models of a fictitious plant. Science 21 Reader: A Scientist Investigates Plants.
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How a Scientist Investigates Plant Cycles GRADE 3 UNIT 1 LESSON 1
Lesson 1
Mystery Substance
Lesson 1
Focus Question
What is a scientist and what does a scientist do?
Overview
Students will communicate their knowledge about scientists and what they do by experimenting and creating a mystery substance.
Students Will Know And Be Able To:

1. Observe, describe and ask questions about the properties of the mystery material. 2. Record their observations, listen with respect to the ideas of others, and reach conclusions through data analysis and discussion with others. 3. Understand that experiments need to be done more than once and that findings can be verified by duplicating the experiments of others.
Background Information For Teachers

This lesson is designed to introduce students to a model of how scientists conduct investigations. The lesson focuses on how the processes of science enable scientists to learn new knowledge about an unknown substance. Some of these processes include: observations, drawing on prior knowledge and experience, discussion with others and developing tests on experiments to learn more. Students need to be engaged in tasks that involve doing, thinking, reflecting and reviewing. In this way they build new knowledge not by themselves but collaboratively. Investigating this mystery substance is a way to extend students' ideas of the properties of a substance. Using the five senses will lead to "obvious" properties - color, smell, texture, etc. In this lesson students think of other ways to "investigate" the mystery substance to get at less obvious properties. Using some of the words that they use, e.g., rubbery, leads them to examine properties of rubber, like its ability to bounce (rubber ball). Rubber can also be molded into various shapes, (tires, balls, erasers) and can hold those shapes. Another student description, e.g., like runny or pourable, can help them focus on
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a question such as, Will it harden if left alone for a time? What will happen if it is heated or cooled? Cake batter is pourable, but when heated changes completely. Listed below are several suggested tests to have students consider. Bounce test: Will it bounce? How high? How many times? etc. Shatter test: When dropped from various heights, will the material fragment? Shape test: Will the material maintain a shape when formed or will it take the shape of the container? Heat test: (done by the teacher) What happens to the substance when heated? Will it melt, dissolve, change consistency, etc.? The heat test can be performed in a heat proof container on a hot plate, if available. Or a short period of heating (10 second intervals) can be used at medium heat in a microwave. An open flame should not be used. Cool test: Does the material freeze, harden, soften, fragment? Does the material's properties change over time?
Safety Note!
Materials
The Science 21 materials kit comes with a Slime Making Kit which includes droppers pre-filled with the necessary chemicals, and with a small dish for mixing. The (*) indicates teacher provided materials: a zip lock baggie *scissors paper towels or *moist towelet for hand clean up coffee stirrers protective gloves goggles food coloring balance ruler *clock As an alternative, teachers may want to use the following recipe to make "gak" as a mystery substance. The following makes enough for a single group of students: *2 tablespoons Elmers glue *2 tablespoon of water 1 drop of food coloring 2 tablespoons of borax solution [cup of borax in 1 liter of water, stir and allow to set for 15 minutes. Some of the borax will settle at the bottom (super-saturated solution)]. In a zip lock bag, mix the Elmers with the food coloring by kneading. Add borax solution and continue to knead.
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Management
This lesson will take two to three class days or lesson equivalents to complete. The mystery substances are prepared ahead of time using one of the recipes. Students are placed in groups of 2 to 4 . Anticipate student needs by having various measuring devices around: balance, ruler, clock, heat source (microwave oven) access to refrigerator or freezer, etc. The food coloring may have an effect on the mixture consistency, and you may decide to omit it after experimentation. The slime mixtures also may decompose quite quickly or become watery. Students should work quickly, but also note this change as a property of the material. Be prepared in the event that students may want to add other materials to their slime to see what happens to it. Have available some table salt, chalk dust, pencil shavings, talcum powder, etc. Safety Note: While the materials mentioned are generally safe, this is a good time to emphasize safe laboratory procedures. Polyvinyl alcohol is mildly irritating, so the use of gloves and eye protection for the student using the materials in the group is recommended. The slime itself is safe to handle, but, as good practice, students should be advised to wash hands after all laboratory-type work. Open flames should be avoided during this activity. Preparation Note: In preparation for work which will follow in a couple of weeks, the teacher should plant various seeds in a box at the start of this lesson - lima beans, peas and corn. A large cardboard box (approximately 13"x13x21") should be lined with plastic and filled with 2" to 3" of soil. Seeds should be planted in rows and labeled, watered and then covered with clear plastic to make a miniature greenhouse. Keep in a warm, well lit (not direct sunlight) area and allow plants to grow while children experiment with mystery substance, journals and germination (about 2 weeks or more). A supply of plants will then be available for students to transfer to their "pots" (double paper cup) filled with soil to carry out their investigation of roots, stems, leaves etc. A Note About Journal Pages: All journal pages that are part of the third grade units should be considered as recommendations. Teachers should feel free to use them as is, modify or personalize them, or create their own from scratch with these as a model.
Safety Note!
Teaching Procedures
1. Have students make their mystery substances as described above or in the kit directions. Note: if using the prepared materials in the kit, when cutting the dropper bulb stems, DO NOT hold on to or squeeze the dropper bulb. Alternatively, the teacher can make the mystery substances up ahead of time for students to use. Each student should have a small sample of the mystery substance to observe, touch, smell, etc.
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Ask:
What are some properties of the material you observed? What questions do you have about the material? Have students record their observations on their activity sheet.
Check for students prior knowledge using a KWL chart (What do you Know? What do you Want to know? What have you Learned?) Record on chart paper the ideas and questions that students have about the mystery substance. Encourage students to compare it to a known substance and to properties of a known substance.
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2. Working within their own group and alone, encourage students to generate questions which may lead to further investigations about the mystery substance. If students are not generating questions and ideas, see background notes for suggestions to help them. In their groups, students should develop a plan for investigating their question. This plan may include the following: purpose - for their test prediction - of what they think will happen procedure - for the test recording - their results and any conclusion they have reached. The Mystery Substance Checklist can be used to assist students in their planning and in carrying out their investigations.
3. Students then carry out the investigation as outlined in their proposal. Students may opt to duplicate the tests of others. Ideas and results should be recorded on a class chart that is saved and posted for use in the next lesson, and also entered in their Science Journals (see next page).
Please Note!
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4. Time should be allowed for appropriate and complete clean-up to teach children that safety and the care and maintenance of scientific equipment is also part of the work of a scientist.
Assessment Procedures and Suggested Rubrics

1. Since this is an introductory lesson, a formal assessment is not included. A self assessment should be done by the group in answer to one or more of the following questions: What experiment did our group generate and, if tested, what result did we get? What idea did I learn by listening to others, either in my group or from the class discussion? What property of the mystery substance surprised me or interested me the most?
Integration with Other Subject Areas

Language Arts Clear, concise, correct, student writing should always be emphasized, as should clear, concise and correct language usage. Encourage children to use newly acquired words in both the correct verbal and written context. Mathematics Measurements of observations and or any data collecting may provide opportunities to emphasize mathematical concepts as well.
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Extensions and Applications

Students should be cautioned about creating their own mixtures with slime without teacher approval, but the spirit of investigation should be emphasized. The teacher may perform demonstrations of what happens if the slime or "gak" is mixed in different proportions other than that in the directions.
Safety Note!
Teacher Resources
Blakey, N., Lotions, Potions and Slime: Mud Pies and More, Tricycle, 1996, ISBN 1-883672-21-X.
Home School Connection

The students should describe what they are investigating in school and ask parents or siblings for any suggestions related to what could be added to the slime to further check its properties in school, or what else they would like to know about the substance. Commercial "GAK" may be available in local toy stores for comparison to the class material. Students may want to bring this in for teacher demonstration use.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: If you havent done so already, you should have, in preparation for work which will follow in a couple of weeks, planted various seeds in a box at this time - lima beans, peas and corn. A large cardboard box (approximately 13"x13x21") should be lined with plastic and filled with 2" to 3" of soil. Seeds should be planted in rows and labeled, watered and then covered with clear plastic to make a miniature greenhouse. Keep in a warm, well lit (not direct sunlight) area and allow plants to grow while children experiment with mystery substance, journals and germination (about 2 weeks or more). A supply of plants will then be available for students to transfer to their "pots" (double paper cup) filled with soil to carry out their investigation of roots, stems, leaves etc.
Please Note! Advanced Preparation!
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Lesson 2
Picturing A Scientist
Lesson 2
Focus Question
What is a scientist and what does a scientist do?
Overview
Students will communicate their knowledge about scientists and what they do by evaluating and interpreting their experiments with the mystery substance.

1. Identify characteristics, responsibilities and tools of scientists. 2. Develop an attitude of respect for the work of scientists, the opinions and contributions of others and gain an awareness of the similarities and differences of behavior of scientists across cultures. 3. Communicate their knowledge, perceptions about the work, tools and characteristics of scientists by drawing a portrait of a scientist.
Background Information for Teachers

Students have some understanding of the work and tools of scientists. Often they picture someone working in a laboratory with all kinds of glasses, jars, tubes etc. around them. Scientists do much more than that. They read and research background material from books and references. They engage in dialogue with colleagues around the world either on the telephone, in person, through E-Mail or on the Internet. They read scientific journals and magazines. Each science discipline has professional organizations where scientists meet with their colleagues, share ideas, argue, agree/disagree and publish scientific papers and reports for distribution around the scientific community. In today's world, they are often interviewed for the newspaper or TV when some new idea or discovery is made. When unusual events occur, like a comet is discovered in the heavens, or a disaster/epidemic occurs
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Ebola virus, AIDS), the media often calls upon known and accepted scientific experts to inform the public. In lesson one, students had the opportunity to engage in some of the above experiences. In this lesson, students are asked to visualize and record their ideas about scientists and what they do.
Materials
drawing paper/notebook -- Science Journals *crayons or markers
Management
This lesson will take one to two class days or lesson equivalents to complete. Students can be grouped (4 to a group), but should work individually on their picture.
Teaching Procedures
1. Using the mystery substance investigation as a base, have the students identify and discuss the way that they behaved like a scientist. Use the charts developed in lesson one to recall what they discovered and how they behaved. Students will also be asked to draw an individual picture of a scientist in action showing what a scientist does. This picture will be compared to another picture at the end of the unit. The activity should be based on the child's ideas and not be teacher directed.
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3. The appropriate pages in the Science Journal should be completed. (a) Students will write a narrative about their scientist. Ask: What did you put in the picture? Why did you put it there? 4. On the journal page titled Things that I do that are like a scientist, have students brainstorm and draw/write four ways that they may presently be acting like a scientist. (give each student 2 pages.)
(a) Students should then share pictures and narratives with the class. (b) Additional guiding questions that can be asked include: What is a scientist? What does a scientist do? What tools does a scientist use?
Assessment Procedures:
Assessment should be embedded in the teaching process. As students are discussing and planning their picture and narrative, a rubric should be established, with student input, so that it is clear to them what you are evaluating. The purpose of this experience is to broaden student perspective about scientists and what they do. The picture and narrative should include a clear representation of the scientist and clear explanations of why the students showed certain traits/skills/ activities. For an example of a suggested rubric see next page.
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Suggested Rubric
Example of a Rubric: Distinguished - Picture clearly shows a person working at one or more tasks that a scientist performs, and the narrative clearly explains with detail the work depicted. Proficient - Picture shows a person working at a task that a scientist performs, and narrative explains the work depicted with little detail. Apprentice - Picture shows a scientist at work, but narrative is not consistent with picture; or picture fails to show a scientist at work, but narrative shows student understands a task of a scientist. Novice - Picture and narrative not completed or explained; work neither represented correctly nor narrative explains a task a scientist.

Technology Using equipment that extends the skills and techniques of people is the heart of technology. All tools and instruments that scientists use (i.e., microscopes, balances, computers, etc.) are technology. Tools that not only scientists, but all of us use to extend our skills (i.e. screw drivers, rulers, magnifying glasses, etc.), are also technological devices. Aesthetics The use of fine artistic skills is not the point of the lesson, but an aesthetic sense might be emphasized in an art class. "Scientific" background music can also be made part of the aesthetic component of this lesson. Language Arts Again, the use of correct and appropriate language should be emphasized early in the use of the student Science Journals.

Students may be asked to read and report on the biographies of certain scientists. A visit by a scientist may be arranged, possibly a parent. A scientist could also include someone who conducts routine laboratory work in hospitals or doctor offices, or even the school nurse.
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Field trips to a local hospital or research facility may also serve to add observations to the students view of how scientists do their work. Even a visit to a local high school science lab may serve this purpose. Use computer technology, such as clip art, to enhance, but not replace, their drawings of a scientist.
Teacher Resources
Warren, R.L., & Thompson, M.H., The Scientist Within You, Vol. One, ACI Publishing, 1996, ISBN 1-884414-16-8.

Have students evaluate how scientists are portrayed on TV, in newspapers and in magazines. Have students ask their parents what their opinion of how scientists look and behave is.
Students Work Samples

On the next few pages are a few samples of student work for My Picture Of A Scientist and Things that I do that are like a scientist, courtesy of R. Kipperman and B. Snyder, Thomas Jefferson E.S., Lakeland.
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Lesson 3
Journal Keeping
Lesson 3
Focus Question
How does a scientist student keep an account of his/her work?
Overview
Students will learn the necessary skills for keeping a scientific journal.
Students Will Know and Be Able to:

1. Create a science journal in order to record the questions, processes and progress of their investigation. Some categories that may be included are: questions; observations; predictions; hypotheses; procedures; data collection; graphs, charts or tables; findings; conclusions; and notes.

Students will need assistance in maintaining a science journal. It is important for students to understand the reasons for journal writing. Use the charts developed in previous lessons, the drawings and the narratives to recall their thoughts about the work of a scientist. New thoughts and suggestions that arise out of their pictures and writings should be noted. A student's inability to find in their notes what they need to support their thoughts should be used to develop a criteria for a good journal entry. As journal writing continues over the school year, the criteria should be revisited and revised as needed. This establishes a standard for assessment of what a good journal should contain. A partial list of what might be included in a journal entry is included below. Your list should be started with the children and may or may not contain all of these. Add any important ideas that you deem appropriate. Remember, if students decide what should be there and a very important component is missing, it should surface as you progress and will then be added. The students will then own the standards of a good journal. Possible journal entries might be: Date of journal entry Scientific Vocabulary (appropriate descriptive words)
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Measurement Questions generated (I Wonder? What else would you still like to know? How do you find out?) Predictions Illustrations or Diagrams (always labeled) Charts and Graphs Possibility to write about their feelings or opinions
The teacher may want to make a chart of the following, for reference. This is a partial list. Students will need accessibility to these words. Instead of a chart, the teacher can make a poster of student generated words for each of the senses and add to the poster(s) as needed. Smelling sweet flower smoky burnt rotten Touching soft rough slippery heavy fuzzy Hearing quiet crinkly snapping crunchy squishy Seeing color size shape shiny transparent Tasting** bitter sweet sour
Safety Note!
** Unknowns should never be tasted.
Materials
*paper, markers, pencils, crayons, rulers, construction paper. *the student's own Science Journal can be added to, or an additional book may be provided for this purpose (bound book). *picture of scientist from the previous lesson. *bag of roasted peanuts (or walnuts), in shells. balance hexagram masses hand lens ruler
Management
This lesson will take one to two class days or lesson equivalents to complete, but will be on-going through the year. Students should work in groups of 2 to 4, decided ahead of time by the teacher and/or class. On-going observation and journal work kept over the next week or two, should be scheduled on a regular basis - each morning, each week, every other day, at lunch time - 10 to 15 minutes/session. Safety Note: For the peanut activity, students should be reminded not to taste or eat the materials in use -- some students may also be allergic to peanuts. Walnuts may be an appropriate substitute. Preparation Note: Seeds to be used for the next lesson on plants need to be soaked in water for about 24 hours prior to the time students will initiate their investigation. Plan for this as this lesson concludes.
Safety Note!
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Teaching Procedures
1. Give each group of students one peanut from a bag of roasted peanuts still in their shells. Ask them to carefully observe and write down characteristics that they can observe about their special peanut. All observations should be recorded in their Science Journals.
Remind them they should not taste or break open their peanuts or even mark or disfigure them in any way. They can, however, create a unique name for their peanut. The peanut is a seed. If the teacher prefers, other types of seeds could be used for this activity (e.g., maple seeds, marigold seeds), but the peanut provides much greater variation for student observations. Provide ample time for the class to fully observe and describe the peanut. Have hand lenses, rulers and balances available and on display. Provide instruction on their use, as needed. When they are done, ask the children how well they think they did in identifying their specific peanut. Then collect all the peanuts and add them to a collection of about 30 others on a paper towel. Then ask the groups to send up a "researcher," armed only with their observations list, to seek out and find their original peanut from among the mass of others. Tell them this task is very dependent on how well they did their observations. Another alternative is to put a number on the bottom of a plastic plate holding the peanut (corresponding to student pair number). Later, switch observation sheets and have students try to find a particular peanut using the descriptions on the sheets.
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Create a class list, transparency or poster of student-generated words for each sense students used in describing their peanut (i.e., categorize the words by senses). See the model provided in the section, Background Information For Teachers. As a class or in small groups, students should be asked to develop a model of a journal page that would work best for this kind of activity.
Discuss as a class the elements of good journal writing. Refine the ideas that they think are needed. Facilitate the discussion to include ideas from the background information. Have the groups share their models with the class and create a large chart that illustrates the best and most critical elements in journal writing. 3. Share journal entries. Students add/delete/comment in their journal any new thoughts or reflections they might have and add any revised items they feel belong now in their model for journal entries. Erasing in journals should, however, be strongly discouraged.

1. Self Assessment - After above sharing with classmates, each student should complete the following statements in their Science Journals (see journal page, Assessment): I thought my journal was good because... I could make it better by... I acted like a scientist when I... 2. A suggested rubric for a science journal appears following this lesson.
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Language Arts Strong emphasis should be placed on vocabulary skills, and using exact language when describing something. Aesthetics While secondary to this activity, keeping their work neat and organized and possibly adding art work, appropriate to the materials, should be given some mention.
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Technology Extensions and Applications

If computers are available, create computer journals or E-Mail journals. Students may E-Mail responses back & forth to peers in their class and other schools. A resource that may make this work easier is Web Workshop by Sunburst Communications.
Related Student Literature

Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of Seeing the World Around You. Clare Walker Leslie, Charles E. Roth. Storey Publishing. ISBN 1-580-17493-0. Micucci, C., The Life and Times of the Peanut, Houghton Mifflin, 2007, ISBN 0-395-72289-6. Moss, M., Amelias Notebook, Scholastic, ISBN 0-590-10794-1. My Nature Journal:A Personal Nature Guide for Young People. Adrienne Olmstead Pajaro. ISBN 0-967-24591-5. Science Notebooks:Writing About Inquiry. Brian Campbell. Heinemann. ISBN 0-325-00568-0.

Students could be asked to watch a science related program (e.g., Discovery Channel, NOVA, Scientific American Frontiers, etc.) and create their idea of what a scientists journal for the work shown on the program, might look like.
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Grade 3, Unit 1, Lesson 3
Rubric for Science Journal

Name___________________________________ Date__________________
Topic: _____________________________________________ EXPECTATIONS FORMAT

Name in top right corner Date under name Topic - first line Skips line before and after topic
ACCEPTABLE
NOT ACCEPTABLE
MECHANICS
Correct spelling Correct punctuation Correct capitalization Complete sentences
ORGANIZATION
Describes the days activity Explains why we did the activity Tells how we did it Tells what happened Tells what we learned Includes questions Includes pictures if applicable
COMPLETENESS Hands in on time NEAT AND ORDERLY

Neat handwriting Easy to read and follow
ACCURACY
Information correct
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Lesson 4
Seed to Plant
Lesson 4
Focus Question
How does a scientist (student) investigate how a seed becomes a plant?
Overview
Students will use prior knowledge of journal writing to record entries on the growth and development of a seed. Using investigation, students will learn what is needed for a seed to germinate.
Students Will Know and be Able To:

1. Understand the conditions and resources needed to germinate seeds. 2. Observe, measure, use correct scientific vocabulary, and record over the next several weeks, the growth of their plants. 3. Predict, develop questions and prepare methods for answering questions in their journal. 4. Share observations and ideas when working alone and with others. 5. Do on-going journal writing.

This lesson will begin with an investigation of seeds and what is needed for seeds to germinate. The following background information on plants will provide you with a summary of the facts, concepts and processes that you and your students will learn as you engage in the plant investigations presented in this unit. It is important to note that providing students with the opportunity to construct meaning for themselves through collaboration, investigation and science discourse and dialogue is a more valuable and long-lasting learning experience than directly transmitting the facts and concepts in the form of notes, lectures and worksheets. The actual activities in lesson 4 that you will be providing to the students begin on page 46.
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Seeds: Seeds contain a young plant in the form of an embryo and a supply of food for the developing plant (cotyledon). Most seeds are formed in flowers and most seeds have protective covers that help them withstand the effects of time, travel and weather. Some seeds are also specialized to promote dispersal to areas well away from the parent plant. When flowering is over and seeds are mature, the seeds fall from the plant and germinate in the soil if conditions are suitable. In some cases, the seeds from the plant are adapted to be transported away from the parent plant. This adaptation helps reduce overpopulation and competition for resources and enables plants to colonize new areas. The two main ways that seeds may be dispersed are by wind and by animals. Some plants have seeds that are dispersed by explosive pods or by water. Some examples of Wind Dispersal include: a) Shaking pods scatter seeds (e.g., Poppy). b) Parachutes (e.g., Milkweed and Dandelions) have light seeds with feathery hairs. The large surface area of the parachute hairs carry the seed on air currents and can spread them over a very large area. c) Winged fruits (e.g., Lime, Ash and Tulip) have extensions of the seed which make it spin as it falls to the ground. If a wind is blowing, it can help the seed to move away from the parent plant. Some examples of Animal Dispersal include: a) Hooked fruits (e.g., Burdock): The outside of the seed has tiny hooks like "Velcro" which catch in the fur or clothes of passing mammals and are later removed during cleaning. b) Succulent fruits (e.g., Rose): Birds eat the succulent fruit and may discard the seed away from the plant. If they eat the seed, it will pass through undigested and drop with their droppings away from the parent plant. Roots: Roots anchor the plant in the ground. Plants are held tightly in the ground so that they are not blown away by wind or washed away by rain. Roots also absorb water and minerals from the soil for the plants. Some roots are able to store food for the plant, such as potatoes. Stems: The stem supports the leaves and connects the leaves to the roots. It transports water and minerals from the roots to the leaves where food is made.
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Leaves: Leaves are the part of the plant where photosynthesis (food making) takes place. Green plants are self-nourishing. They have tiny "food factories" within their leaves. With energy from the sun, water and minerals from the soil, carbon dioxide from the air, and with the help of chlorophyll (the green coloring matter in leaves and other parts of plants) a leaf produces "food" consisting of sugars and starches. The food then circulates throughout the plant in the sap. The food manufacturing process is called photosynthesis ("photo" means light, and "synthesis" means putting together).
Leaves have tiny openings (stomata) all over their surfaces through which plants "breathe. During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide and give off a waste product, oxygen. Nearly 100% of the oxygen animals and humans require is made by green plants. At night, when there is no light and photosynthesis cannot take place, plants give off carbon dioxide. (Humans continually breathe in oxygen and give off carbon dioxide.) Flower: The flower is the part of a flowering plant that takes care of reproduction. The stamen is the male, pollen-producing part of a flower. It's made up of an anther (tiny, bag-like structure) and a filament (thread-like stalk). The pistil, the female or seed-bearing part of a flower, consists of a stigma with a sticky top, an ovary (hollow structure at the base containing "eggs") and a style (slender tube).
PISTIL
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Pollination occurs when a pollen grain is transferred from the stamen to the pistil by insects, birds, or the wind. The pollen grain swells as it absorbs water, sugar and other materials from the stigma. The pollen grain then germinates that is, it grows a tube downward to the ovary and after reaching the ovary's "eggs," produces seeds. Fruit seeds stay in the ovary until they are ripe and ready to be scattered by the wind, animals, humans, water, or by expulsion. Some flowers have both a pollen-bearing stamen and a pistil with an ovary; these are called "perfect" flowers. "Male" flowers have only the stamen; "female" flowers have only the pistil. Sepals, which are really specialized leaves, encircle the petals of a flower and protect the flower. Fruit: The fruit is what botanists (a person who studies plants) call the plant structure that contains the seeds, whether it is the fruit of an apple or the pod of a peanut. Seeds are remarkably adapted for dispersal. Without dispersal, seeds would fall directly under the parent plant and overcrowding would occur. As a result, most of the young plants would not be able to survive. Phototropism: Plants turn their leaves in the direction of a light source as a response to light. Plants themselves also grow toward the light source, usually the sun. Other Tropisms: Plants respond to stimuli which are controlled by chemicals that occur in the plant known as auxins. Geotropism is when the roots of a plant grow downward as a response to gravity. The parts that are above the ground grow vertically up. In addition, another response to a stimulus is illustrated when some leaves curl when there is not enough water for a plant; this is a mechanism to prevent water loss through dehydration. Germination of Seeds: Many seeds are dispersed when they are eaten by animals. Seeds that have hard coats and are indigestible pass right through the animal's digestive tract to be deposited on the ground and start growing. Some seeds have parachute-like structures which enable them to travel in the wind.
Please Note!
Note: Light is NOT necessary for seeds to germinate, only for plants to grow. If conditions are not right, seeds will not grow. Some seeds can remain dormant for hundreds of years, awaiting proper conditions. When seeds first start to germinate, they use the food stored in their seed leaves or cotyledons. In many plants the cotyledons are pushed above the ground as the shoot starts to develop. They turn green and look like ordinary leaves. The cotyledons continue to provide food for the growing plant until the shoot develops green leaves, which can make food. The seeds of most flowering plants have two cotyledons and are called
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dicotyledons. They have broad shaped leaves with bean seeds being an example of this type of seed. Some seeds have only a single cotyledon and are called monocotyledons, with corn being an example of this type of seed.
The young roots that begin to emerge from the seed take water and minerals from the soil. Some plants grow and produce flowers and seeds more quickly than others. Flowering plants such as marigold are called annuals. The seeds germinate and grow into plants which flower and produce more seeds all in the same year. Other plants are biennial because it takes two years for the seed to be produced and for the flower to occur in the second year. Perennials are plants that live for many years, flowering each year. As seedlings grow larger, they must be replanted to larger pots or replanted outdoors. Stones should be placed on the bottom of the container for drainage. Plants grow, breathe, reproduce and use food as do animals. However, unlike animals, most plants are green and can make their own food.
Uses of Plants: Throughout history, plants have been used to produce clothing, medicine, oxygen, food, decoration, lumber and paper. Early humans used parts of plants to cover their bodies. Later on, they learned to spin plant fibers into thread and yarn. Cloth can be made from the fibers of both the cotton and flax plants. Pain killers, like morphine and codeine, are made from the sap of the opium poppy. Quinine, used to treat malaria, is made from the bark of the cinchona tree. Most people take plants for granted. But, plants are essential to life on this planet. They produce oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, filter out dust, provide windbreaks and moderate temperature, absorb noise,
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prevent soil erosion, feed humus or decomposed organic matter into the soil, provide shade for animals and humans, provide food and shelter for wildlife and humans, increase underground water resources, create natural beauty and improve property values. Seeing things from a plant's perspective can help people appreciate plants.
Some Growing Tips

These are general tips which are included here for your information. Additional details relevant to this specific set of activities follows in the "teaching procedure".
Please Note!
1. MOST IMPORTANT! Expose your plants to indirect sunlight as much as possible. The plant should be on the window sill all day long. Plants should not touch the window glass. Windows with a southern exposure are best. Perhaps you can place your plants in another room periodically if your windows do not face south by placing plants on a rolling cart. 2. Do not overwater the plants. Yellow leaves, brown stems or rotting indicate overwatering. 3. Do not allow the plant to dry out. Keep them at least one foot away from the hot air ventilator. Brown leaf tips indicates dry air damage. 4. Do not allow the plants to become too cold. It may be necessary to remove the plants from the window sill at night and over the weekends. 5. For small individual planters use 2 paper cups. Punch holes in one cup, then place it inside another cup. Add soil. Next, add water until the water runs out of the holes in the bottom of the inside cup. Plant the seed twice as deep as the seed's diameter. 6. Do not plant seeds too close together, particularly beans and peas. 7. Use sticks to hold tall plants up. Use twist ties to hold plants to sticks. 8. Over vacations make arrangements for plant care with your custodian. Sending plants home with students is not recommended since they are tender and tend to break in transit. Mature plants should be sent home at the end of the school year. 9. For watering of class gardens, you can use a wick of cotton clothesline which runs under the potting soil to a jar filled with water. Cover the jar with a lid or plastic wrap to lower the evaporation rate.
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10. To create a greenhouse for large individual planters, cut and bend coat hangers or other wire into arches to fit the individual planters. Water and cover with a plastic bag.
11. To create a greenhouse for class gardens, put sticks in corners or use bent wire hangers again. Water and cover with a large plastic bag or clear plastic sheeting.
Materials
zip lock bags paper towels paper cups potting soil lima beans, peas and corn seeds measuring devices - balance, rulers, hand lenses spoons plastic straws for plant support with plastic ties
Management
This lesson will take one to two class days or lesson equivalents to initiate, but may be on-going through the year. Students should work in groups of 2 to 4 (decided ahead of time by teacher and/or class). On2007, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES SCIENCE 21 Grade 3 Unit 1
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going observation and journal entries, kept over the next week or two, should be scheduled on a regular basis - each morning, each week, every other day, at lunch time - 10 to 15 minutes/session.
Seeds to be used for investigation in this lesson will need to be soaked in water for about 24 hours prior to the time students will initiate their investigation. In addition, the teacher should have planted various seeds in a box at the start of the first lesson - lima beans, peas and corn. A supply of plants should now be available for students to transfer to their "pots" (double paper cup) and filled with soil to carry out their investigation of roots, stems, leaves etc. This is also an ideal time to discuss the pending planting of hollyhock seeds or mallow seeds in January. These plants will later serve to be a source of food and habitat for the Painted Lady Butterflies in Unit Four. These seeds MUST BE grown in INDIRECT sunlight. The teacher may want to grow some extra plants, in order to allow for those plants that students used that may not survive. By having extra plants, it may reduce anxiety later.
Please Note!
Teaching Procedure
Students will be given several different seeds that have been soaked for at least 24 hours in water. Lima beans, peas and corn should be used. Corn may need 48 hours of soaking. Students should examine seeds and discover the parts of seeds - seed cover, food supply and embryo plant. They should record in their Science Journal their observations and questions both in words and drawings. Many students will be surprised to find the small embryo" plant.
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2. Students should then be asked to develop a KWL chart on plant seeds and plan an investigation of what conditions are necessary for a seed to germinate. Within their group they should develop: a purpose for their test; a prediction of what they think will happen; a procedure for the test; the recording of their results; and any conclusion they have reached. Groups may decide on several ideas to test and students should see what materials are available for their use. The outline of this proposed investigation should be included in their Science Journal.
Among the factors they may test are: seeds growing under identical conditions, but with one in wet soil and one in dry soil; seeds growing in light or dark (again, seeds do not need light to germinate); seeds growing in full sun or shade; seeds growing in cups stored horizontally versus cups standing vertically; a cup spinning on a slowly-rotating record turn-table, versus one standing still; a seed germinating in an ice bath versus one with water at room temperature. Allow time for students to "plant" their seeds and begin a journal of what they are doing and what they expect.
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Ideas for planting seeds: a) Use a ziplock sandwich bag with paper towel inside. Towel can be wet or dry. Bag can be placed in light or darkness. Bag can be placed in warm or cold place. b) Use 2 paper cups, as described earlier. Punch small holes in bottom of cup 1 to allow for drainage. Place cup 1 in cup 2. Add soil to cup 1. Soil can be left wet or dry. Cups can be placed in light or darkness. Cups can be left in warm or cold place. c) Use clear film canisters for germination. d) Use a black film canister. Punch a hole in the canister. Insert a paper towel wick. Use sterilized soil or vermiculite to avoid damp-off. Put the canister in a water basin. e) Use a sheet of paper towel to make a seed holder. (see the following diagrams for doing this.) Fold it in half in one direction, and in half again, but in the opposite direction. Create a "shelf" for your seed by folding the towel as shown here.
Cut small holes in the bottom of the "shelf" so that the roots can easily be observed as they grow down through the holes. Be sure the holes aren't too big for your seeds. A hole punch makes ideal openings.
Place the seeds on the paper towel shelf and tape the sides of the tray shut with tape. Slide the paper towel into a plastic sandwich bag as illustrated here. Then moisten the towel, leaving a little water in the bottom of the bag.
3. Over the next several days students should observe, measure, record, draw and ask questions in their Science Journals about the progress or lack of progress of their seeds as they germinate.
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(There are continuations of this chart included in the journal pages)
4. After a week to 10 days, enough time for seeds to begin to germinate, each group should gather their results and share them within their group and then with the class.
A class chart should be developed to post results, raise some questions and draw some conclusions. Where students results are inconsistent or disagree, further investigation should be done and shared again after the investigation is completed.
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1. Self Assessment - After several recordings of plant growth in student journals, have students use model journal page that was developed in previous lessons to evaluate their current journal entries. They should also compare their first entries with the latest one. A criteria could be distributed and children can assess themselves. 2. Discussion between student and teacher should take place noting strengths of journal writing with suggestions made for improvement. Since this is a time-consuming activity, selfevaluation by students may be done at a given time, but the teacher may assess individual journals in small groups over a series of days.
Integration with Other Subjects

Technology Magnifying lens, rulers and whatever tools students use for their investigation are means for extending their knowledge. Additionally, if they are using computers for writing and drawing, they are also involved in technology. For student drawing, other tools may be employed, such as a computer drawing program and/or compass, protractor, etc. Social Studies The interrelationship of human history with plant husbandry and agriculture may be introduced at this time, depending on what area of history is being studied. Plant growth and human survival have always been intertwined. Language Arts The on-going use of appropriate writing skills should continue to be monitored and supplemented.

Seeds are not the only way plants propagate. Students may be encouraged to try and grow new plants from twigs, leaves or root parts to see if they can grow new plants. A piece of potato, containing an "eye" placed on a paper towel in a baggie and set out of bright light in a warm place, will develop into a new plant. Similarly, small twigs from forsythia or willow trees will develop roots if left standing in a jar of water. African violet leaves and chrysanthemum leaves will sometimes also develop rootlets and eventually, can be planted to propagate new plants.
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Students can be given a "mystery seed" to plant and grow either now or at the conclusion of this unit (marigolds, for example). They should be asked to grow it until it flowers and then analyze it as compared to the observations made in this and forthcoming lessons. Seed dispersal models can also be created to model how the seeds are scattered about their environment. Have students examine the seeds and fruits of a variety of plants from the local area and discuss why and how these seeds move away from the parent plant. Brainstorm ideas as to the best design for a seed that would travel a long way from the plant and record ideas on the board. Have students work cooperatively to design their own seed and test it by dropping it when standing (carefully!) on a chair, or using any other method of dispersal as appropriate. Have them evaluate their designs and make modifications as necessary, and as time allows. They should record their findings and present what they have found out to the rest of the class.
Black Line Masters

Centimeter graph paper is provided either to be used to graph data or provide a background against which students can measure plant growth. If all students use the same grid throughout the year, consistent comparisons of results are generated. The master can also be used to provide a transparency grid for use to compare class results on the overhead.
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Teacher Resources
The United States Department of Agriculture, has a National Plant Data Center at P.O. Box 74490, Baton Rouge, LA 708744490. Telephone (504)775-6280. They also have a web page at: http://plants.usda.gov and the site includes a plant database. The local office of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Office can be found in the telephone directory, and is also an exceptional source of plant pamphlets and information. Carolina Biological Supply Company, 2700 York Rd., Burlington, NC 27215 (800-334-5551), has been marketing "Wisconsin Fast Plants". These are flowering plants (Brassica rapa) that complete their life cycle in 35-40 days -- that is, they go from seed to flowering plant producing new seed, during that time. They germinate in two-three days, producing flowers within two weeks of planting.
Student and Teacher Resources

Bunting, E., Sunflower House, Harcourt, 1996, ISBN 0-15-2000483-1. Burnie, D., Tree, Eyewitness Books, A. Knopf, NY, 1988, ISBN 0-39489617-3. Demi, The Empty Pot, Holt, NY, 1990, ISBN 0-8050-1217-6, or paper, ISBN 0-0850-4900-2. Dowden, A.O., From Flower to Fruit, Thomas Y. Crowell, NY, 1994, 0395-68376-9, or paper 0-395-68944-9. First Discovery Book, Atlas of Plants, 1996, ISBN 0-590-58113-9. Heller, R., The Reason for a Flower, Scholastic, NY, 1983, ISBN 0-448-14495-6. Jordan, H., How a Seed Grows, Harpur Collins, NY, 1972, ISBN 0-690-40646-0. Simon, S., Ride the Wind, Harcourt Brace, 1997, ISBN 0-15-292887. Sis, Peter. Tree of Life:Charles Darwin. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0-374-456283. Stidworthy, J., Plants and Seeds (Through a Microscope), Gloucester Press, NY, 1990.
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Vansant, R., Seeds, Flowers and Trees: Science in Art, Song and Play, McGraw, ISBN 0-07-017909. Winner, C., The Sunflower Family, First Avenue Editions, 1997, ISBN 1-57505-007-2.

Students should be encouraged, starting with this lesson, to carefully observe plants they see at or near or on the way home. Cautions about poison ivy and other potentially poisonous plants should be provided. The children should be challenged to observe plant parts and possible seed dispersal methods, but should be advised against pulling out plants or seed materials or in anyway damaging the plants.
Safety Note!
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How A Scientist Investigates Plant Cycles GRADE 3 UNIT 1 LESSON 5
Lesson 5
Plant Parts and Their Functions
Lesson 5
Focus Question
How does a scientist (student) learn about the parts and functions of a plant?
Overview
Students will investigate the parts and functions of a plant. Students will develop an investigation to resolve some of the questions they are developing through journal writing and in collaboration with other students.

1. Identify the parts of a plant - root, stem, leaves flower and the function of each part. 2. Continue journal writing and plan an investigation to answer questions that arise from their work. 3. Analyze data to make generalizations, and reach conclusions about the function of the parts of a plant. 4. Understand the importance of replicating experiments to confirm validity. 5. Share their knowledge with others and learn from each other.

The background information provided in the previous lesson will also serve to assist the teacher in their preparation for this lesson. Additional ideas for investigation are provided in the Teaching Procedures section located on the next page.
Materials
*celery food coloring *water *containers, large enough to contain significant growth *top of carrot *garlic bulb The Third Grade Book of Plants, A Science 21 Reader
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*potato *flowers *leaves seeds *fruits *plants grown by students toothpicks
Management
This lesson will take one to two class days or lesson equivalents to initiate. Schedule time to observe, record and discuss what is happening with the plant over the next few days. Students should remain in their group, 2-4 in a group. Each group will be assigned tasks to set up and observe a particular part of the plant. Flowers for dissection can be obtained from local florists or supermarkets; they might be willing to make donations of their aging materials at the start of a shopping week. Teachers may want to do the following activities as suggested, one task per group with reports made to the class, or they may choose to have each group do each of the activities.
Teaching Procedures
Assign each group the task of investigating the function of one part of the plant - root, stem, flower, leaves (See background information in the previous lesson for possible investigation ideas). Each group will discuss and record the function of plant parts in their Science Journal. Have students look for similarities and/or differences among each plant part.
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2. The teacher may offer suggestions for planning and conducting the investigation as needed. Possible investigations include: Root - garlic, potato (using an eye and inch surrounding it), carrot tops and/or sweet potato suspended in water to watch the generation of roots. Students can allow the roots to dry out and observe the effect on the plant. Have students remove roots from one of their currently growing plants, and return the plant to its container. Observe and record results of such "derooting". Also, sedum or pachysandra can be used to show atypical roots. Have students compare them to other plant roots. Stem - Place celery and/or white carnations in colored water. Split white carnation stem part way up and put one half in one colored water and other in another color water. Watch and determine stem function from the results of the visible water movement. Leaves - Remove all leaves from a plant but continue to care for it in a normal fashion. If new leaves appear, continue to remove them and observe what happens. Journals should be used to record what they did and what they observe happening over the course of several days. Flowers - Students should be provided with a flower and allowed to dissect it. A large flower like amaryllis or lily is appropriate. As they dissect the flower, students should discover the tiny "dots" that will become the seed. Students should be provided with the diagram of a flower and helped to identify the parts. Journal writing should include a diagram of the flower and the correct labeling of parts.
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Petal Anther Stamen Stigma Pistil Style Ovary Eggs Sepal Filament
Have students touch the tip of the anther and see the pollen that comes off onto their fingers. They should address this observation in light of the role insects play in pollination. Seed - Provide several different seeds - lima beans, peas and corn. Soak for at least 24 hours to soften the coating - corn seed for 48 hours. Using a toothpick, dissect carefully and with the aid of a diagram, identify the parts of each.
Students can plant seeds with or without food supply, embryo and covering. At least one or two seeds should be left untouched. Students should plant them in soil or place in a zip lock bag, as before, and note the results.
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3. Each group should make predictions about what they believe will happen with their investigation. These predictions should be included in their Science Journal entries. Students should also illustrate their investigation with labeled pictures and diagrams of their set up. Over the course of several days students should make observations and record their results, any agreement or disagreement with predictions, and additional questions generated. 4. After several days of observing, each group prepares a presentation of their investigation. The presentation includes an outline of the investigation results with diagrams when appropriate and questions that have arisen. Each group presents their findings at a "Plant Conference" to the class. Students take notes, ask questions and offer ideas when appropriate. 5. After all groups have presented, have each student give his/her thoughts and reflections on doing science investigations. (if desired, you may repeat this activity as an assessment after students have completed their research in lesson 6.)
6. Students or groups who wish to re-investigate what another group investigated should be allowed to do so. This emphasizes the replication of events which is so crucial to building a base of scientific knowledge. 7. To review or reinforce the concepts developed in this lesson, read The Third Grade Book of Plants, a Science 21 Reader. Discussing the concepts can help teachers to review the content of the unit and uncover any misconceptions that the students may have developed.
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1. Before students begin to prepare their report to the class, class agreement should be reached on what will constitute a good presentation. Students should help develop the rubrics to be used in preparing their reports. Some criteria or standards include: Accurate recording of observation and methodology. Diagrams that are clear, correctly labeled and complete. Results and/or conclusions reached and questions that have arisen are presented with some idea of how to answer them. Below is an example of possible rubric definitions:
Assessment Procedures And Suggested Rubrics:
Distinguished
Recording of observations and the methodology are accurate.
Proficient
Apprentice
Novice
Recording of observations Recording of and the methodology are observations and the mostly accurate. methodology contains some inaccuracies.
Recording of observations and the methodology were incomplete or missing.
Diagrams are clearly Diagrams are clearly Diagrams are visible, Diagrams are visible, clearly labeled, visible, clearly labeled and labeled but contains some incomplete or missing. and accurate. mostly accurate inaccuracies. The conclusion reached agrees with what was investigated and any questions that arose were communicated clearly. The conclusion reached mostly agrees with what was investigated and any questions that arose were mostly communicated clearly. The conclusion reached somewhat agrees with what was investigated and any questions that arose were somewhat communicated clearly.
The conclusion reached and any questions that arose were incomplete or missing.
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Assessment Procedures And Suggested Rubrics (continued): 2. The rubric may also be used by students for self-evaluation. During the presentation and after collecting completed work, the teacher should assess each groups presentation and provide written feedback. 3. In addition, unlabeled blackline masters are provided for plant parts, flower parts and seed parts for use either as journal entries or class assessment using the overhead. 4. At the end of the lesson is a blackline master of a Checklist For A Journal which can be used to assess students journals.
Integration With Other Subject Areas

Language Arts There are significant cross-disciplinary implications during this lesson as students prepare and report on their work. Sharing group responsibilities should also be emphasized along with clear, correct and concise reporting. Technology Continued use of the computer for journal writing could be pursued, noting additional items needed to conduct investigations and what was needed to make a good presentation. The camera/video can be used to take pictures of their experiment, and a multi-media presentation could also be encouraged. The program, Video Workshop, also allows the importing of video images.
Extensions And Applications

Students may observe that some trees lose their leaves in the fall. A branch may be measured after all the leaves are gone and recorded in their Science Journal. Next June, after leaves have re-grown on the trees, students can re-measure that same branch. They should record data, analyze it and draw conclusions. Have students take a pea or bean plant and shake the dirt from the roots, and dry the plant. The plant can then be taped to white paper, and parts labeled. Allow about a week to dry (If desired, press the plant between two heavy books to flatten.). These pages can then be added to student journals.
Black Line Masters

Plant parts (in student journal page) Flower parts (in student journal page) Seed parts (in student journal page) My thoughts and reflections... - (in student journal page) Checklist for Journal (end of lesson)
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Student And Teacher Resources

Brown, M., Lotus Seeds: Children, S & S Children, 1986, ISBN# 0-684-18490-7. Buscaglia, L., The Fall of Freddie the Leaf, an allegory of life and death, ISBN 0-913590-89-4. Carle, E., The Tiny Seed, Picturebook Studio, Natick, Mass, 1987, ISBN# 0-88708-015-4, or 0-88708-155x for reprint paperback. Gibbons, G., From Seed to Plant, Holiday House Books, NY, ISBN# 0-8234-0872-8. Kellog, S., Johnny Appleseed, Morrow, NY 1988, ISBN# 0-688-06417-5. Kilmer, J., poem "How Lovely is a Tree", in Trees and Other Poems, ISBN# 0-87797-165-x. Silverstein, S., The Giving Tree, Harpur and Row, NY, 1964, ISBN# 0-06-025665-6. Spilsbury, Louise and Richard. Plant Parts(Life of Plants). Heinemann. ISBN 1-20340504-2.
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Checklist for Journal
1. Did the students ask questions? 2. Did the students ask WHY questions in an attempt to seek greater understanding? 3. Did they include direct observations? 4. Did they use simple measuring devices to record observation? 5. Do students understand what is necessary to germinate and sustain plant life? 6. Do students understand the structure of a plant? 7. Does the journal transmit information to the reader in a clear and concise manner?
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Lesson 6
The Role of Research and Technology
Lesson 6
Focus Question
How can research and technology assist scientists in learning about plants?
Overview
In this lesson, students use various sources - books, CD ROM disks, the Internet, videos, etc., to learn more about plants. This will lead to individual investigation to understand or confirm their knowledge.

1. Research videos, books and CD ROM disks to learn new knowledge about plants. 2. Be introduced to the Internet in order to access new information about plants, depending on school, classroom or library availability.

In this lesson, students will be introduced to the way scientists uncover more information by researching books and electronic resources and by collaborating with others.
Materials
*book resources - including an encyclopedia, in class, or in the library *DVDs, CD-ROMs and Internet, as available.
Management
This lesson will take one to two class days or lesson equivalents to initiate, and can run as long as the teacher views practical. It can also parallel or be integrated with current Language Arts instruction. At this point in the school year, this lesson should serve as an introduction to the process of research. Student reports might only require a few sentences at this time.
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Teaching Procedures
1. Before beginning research, students working in their group should decide what sources they would like to research. Books and other
resources should be readily available and students may need assistance in using the index or menu to access information. Students should work within their group. The librarian and/or computer teacher should be available to the students. 2. Notes may be taken, print outs collected, and any student contributions reviewed, as needed. Allow about 50 total in-school minutes for researching. In follow-up class periods, information collected should be analyzed by groups of students, and a report put together with their findings . 3. The teacher will assess the research work and help students to see what progress they have made in writing and using resources to obtain new information. Topics or areas students can research may include: plant parts, plant scientists, plants as they vary by environment, plants uses (medicines, food, etc).
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Assessment Procedures And Suggested Rubrics

1. With the students, develop a rubric that will help assess student research. (Or use the journal page, My thoughts and reflections on doing science investigations from lesson 5.) Since they will report out as a group what they have learned and how they will investigate it, the rubric should make clear that the students: Cooperatively find a source and topic they would like to use. Report on at least 2 concepts they learned that were new to them. State how this work is related to how real scientists might investigate life cycles in the natural world. Describe why this is it important to them or someone else. 2. The students with the teacher can develop what and how much will represent an exemplary report as well as other levels of competency. Below is an example of another suggested rubric that may help you and/or your class develop a similar rubric suitable for your plan. Diagrams are Some diagrams are missing. included, but are not completely labeled. Report was clearly Report was mostly The report understood and clear and accurate. Report was consisted of only a accurate. somewhat clear and list of facts copied Labeled diagrams included. Labeled diagrams included, but a crucial diagram missing. Students own words were used with no scientific vocabulary used. Scientific vocabulary used. Some scientific vocabulary used. Students own words were used with a few scientific vocabulary.
Distinguished
Proficient
Apprentice
Novice
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Integration With Other Subject Areas

Language Arts As before, research and reporting are integral components of language arts skills and whatever connections can be made to clear, correct and concise writing and speaking, should be made. Technology This is another opportunity to move students toward trying alternative, and preferably electronic resources both at the school library and/or local community library. Aesthetics Credible reporting should now be asked to include clear communication in an aesthetic or artistic sense too. Especially if students are creating a multimedia presentation, an artistic or even musical sense may be integrated into their presentation.

Using the local library for additional research or other outside resources, such as the Department of Agriculture database or the Cornell Cooperative Service, should be encouraged. Other local botanical resources such as a local plant nursery should not be overlooked.
Student And Teacher Resources

Ardley, N., The Science Book of Things That Grow, Harcourt, NY, 1991, ISBN# 0-15-200586-2. Morgan, N., The Plant Cycle, Thompson Learning, NY, 1993, ISBN# 1-56847-091-6.
Internet sites: http://www.youcan.com/interact/leaf.html Shows leaves changing color in the fall as chlorophyll breaks down. http://www.sccs.swathmore.edo/~tkorn/ wildflowers/ Shows many wildflower pictures and gives interesting facts about flowers.
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Lesson 7
Changing Views of a Scientist
Lesson 7
Focus Question
How have our perceptions of a scientist changed?
Overview
Students revisit the original lesson (lesson 2) on picturing a scientist and accompanying narrative to determine how their perceptions have changed. A final creative activity, designing a plant, will help assess student comprehension.

1. Demonstrate broader and more diverse ideas about what scientists do and how they work. 2. List the various tasks of a scientist. 3. Share an appreciation of the many and varied tasks of the scientist. 4. Understand the importance of listening to others, keeping accurate records, raising questions about the work they do, reflecting on their thoughts and actions, and have respect for the knowledge and ideas of others. 5. Demonstrate responsibility for their own work, individually, and in a group.

The teacher and the students now have an opportunity to reflect, assess and question whether the work they engaged in to acquaint them with the scientist and his work has accomplished this goal. The processes listed below in the Teaching Procedures section are written for the students, but the teacher might want to consider keeping a "journal" also to help model student efforts. The teacher "journal" notes can be shared with the class just as students share their journals with each other and the class. The teacher can also add to his/her journal the comments, suggestions and questions of the students as well their own reflections after the "share" session.
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Two other key areas that teachers need to reinforce are: Reflective Practice: An important practice for all students is to reflect on their own learning. By revisiting the lesson on "Picturing a Scientist" the student can see if he/she has moved in the concepts, and perceptions that they initially had. It is also an important life skill (MST Standards). Questioning: Students should be encouraged to record questions that have arisen as they reflect, and assess their work. The journal is the place to record these questions and thoughts.
Materials
* materials to draw or generally create illustrations or make models of a fictitious plant Science 21 Reader: A Scientist Investigates Plants.
Management
This lesson will take one to two class days or lesson equivalents to initiate, and can run as long as the teacher views practical. It can also parallel or be integrated with current Language Arts and Fine Arts instruction.
Teaching Procedures
1. This lesson is a follow-up to lesson 2. Before beginning any drawing or narrative, students should discuss within their group the things that they did while investigating plants. Each group contributes their ideas to the general class review. The teacher will list the ideas of the groups. Adequate time should be given (5 minutes) for students to reflect on this chart and then add other ideas that surface. Students should use their journals to review and support the facts that might be added. This models the importance of a journal for keeping notes and using those notes as a resource. 2. After the review, offer the following challenge: The "budding botanists" in the class have been selected to participate in designing a plant that would make a major contribution to the improvement of our world. Their challenge is to design and build a model of a new plant, using what they have learned about plants and their parts. To complete this task the students must: a) use their Science Journals as a reference source and as a place to record their work; b) include a detailed, labeled illustration of the complete model of this new plant; c) include a detailed, labeled diagram and description of each plant part and its purpose;
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d) build an actual model of the new plant with available materials, or other items brought from home -however, no actual plants or parts can be used; e) write a summary paragraph that describes the value and contribution that the new plant could make toward improving our world; f) give a team presentation about their newly designed plant. 3. After students have completed their presentations they should be asked to revisit the original lesson on picturing a scientist and that accompanying narrative to determine how their perceptions have changed. Ask them to rewrite their original work based on what they learned by acting as scientists in investigating plants. Then they should create a new drawing of a scientist. When redrawing the scientist, emphasize the content more than just the artwork. See the assessment section below for additional questions reflecting on the work of this unit.
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Assessment Procedures And Suggested Rubrics:

1. For the activity on creating a new plant, the following questions should serve as a guide: To what extent did the students effectively communicate, both in writing and in their presentation, their knowledge of the major parts of a plant and the relative functions of these parts in helping the plant live and grow? To what extent did the students use and apply this knowledge in creating plans for a new plant that could be beneficial to the world? To what extent did they satisfy the criteria (standards), af, in step 2 of the teaching procedure above?
2. The teacher can work with the class to develop the rubric for the revisited picture and narrative of what a scientist is or share a rubric such as the one below: Distinguished: The new picture and narrative show greater insight into who a scientist is and what he/she does. Proficient: The new picture and narrative support an understanding of what is a scientist and what he/she does. Apprentice: The new picture and narrative show some understanding of what a scientist is and what he/she does, but do not relate to each other. Novice: The new picture and narrative illustrate a beginning understanding of who the scientist is and what he/she does.
3. A self-assessment activity can also be used at this point. The spirit of the practice of reflection on one's work, eventually grows to an assessment of one's work. A set of questions can be developed here with the students to allow them to assess their own personal growth in knowledge about the work and tools of scientists. Self-assessment can also include the students looking at how well their lab group worked together. Sample activity sheets found in the journal pages can be used for this purpose.
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Assessment Procedures (continued):
4. Ultimately, a key attribute of this unit will be the student perception that keeping a journal of their work is a valuable activity. Ask them to respond to the following question: How did your journal help you, and if you had to do over again, how would you change your journal to make it more helpful?
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Assessment Procedures (continued):
5. Read the Science 21 Reader, A Scientist Investigates Plants, with the students. Ask them to compare the way in which Raven (the scientist) conducted his investigation with the activities followed in this unit.

Language Arts and Aesthetics This final activity is dependent on student developing skills in communication, verbally, visually and in written form. This should be a heavily interdisciplinary lesson. Technology Without given direction, it would be interesting to note what students, having used technology in previous lessons, now return to that set of resources to complete the tasks of this lesson.

Students can be asked to again look at popular images of scientists in both print and visual mediums, to determine the accuracy of those portrayals compared to what they learned during this unit.
Student and Teacher Resources

Tresselt, A., The Gift of the Tree, Lothrop, NY 1992, ISBN# 0-688-10684-6, or library binding 0-688-10685-4. Science 21 Reader: A Scientist Investigates Plants. Helen Pashley. P/NW BOCES, 2008.
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How A Scientist Investigates Plant Cycles GRADE 3 UNIT 1 UNIT ASSESSMENT
Assessment
In the Unit Assessments section you will find suggestions and models of both traditional and hands-on, authentic assessments that can be used to assess students knowledge and skills for this unit. (These assessments also appear in the Grade Three Assessment Packet.) 1. What role can teachers play in the assessment process? In the investigative classroom, where students are quietly working together in collaborative groups, how is it possible to assess the science understandings that each child is acquiring? The goals of assessment should be to evaluate student skill development and understanding. The information that you obtain from student evaluation can be used to further student learning. Assessments help students accommodate and revise their understandings by refining their inquiry skills and questioning abilities. Assessment is most useful when it is a natural part of instruction. During an activity, it is possible to assess individual as well as group achievement in various areas when the teacher takes a step back and removes him or herself from the details of the investigation. This enables the teacher to focus on the skills that students are applying in their investigation and the understandings that they are demonstrating as reflected in their small group conversations. While assessing students during investigations, the teacher is carefully listening, observing and asking small groups of students open-ended questions while trying to maintain a record of the conversation. It can be said that this kind of assessment is informal as compared to paper and pencil tests. Also through careful questioning and assessment of student journals, the teacher can obtain an accurate picture of student achievement. 2. What role can students play in the assessment process? Even at the elementary school level, it is important for students to assess how well they worked in their group and the contributions that
Unit Assessments
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they made to the group. They can begin to take notice of those areas where they were most successful and those areas where they need improvement. They should help to establish what kinds of behaviors lead to successful collaboration and what successful collaboration would look like and sound like in the classroom. Students are encouraged to become more aware of their own learning by engaging in various forms of reflection and self-assessment. This may be accomplished by the use of reflective journals (or a section in their science journals that is dedicated to personal reflection of their work, the process that they have been engaged in, and the knowledge that they have gained).
How a Scientist Investigates Plant Cycles

Paper/Pencil Test
Objective Assessment Constructed Response Questions.. Circus (Performance) Assessment. Station Directions For Performance Assessment Performance Assessment Directions. Plant Parts Station. Rubric for Rating Circus Performance Assessment.. Answer Guide For Unit One.
85 93 99 103 105 107 109 109
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Grade 3, Unit 1 Objective Assessment
Name ____________________________________________________ Circle the correct answer for each question.

1. Which of the following is NOT a job of the roots of a plant?
A. B. C. D.
anchor the plant absorb water from the ground produce seeds obtain minerals for the plant
2. When plant seeds are scattered by the movement of air, this is sometimes called:
A. B. C. D.
pollination animal dispersal germination wind dispersal
3. All scientists:
A. B. C. D.
must be men make observations be older than 21 work only in a laboratory.
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4. Which part of the plant makes food (using sunlight) for the rest of the plant? A. B. C. D. flower petals fruit leaves.
5. A person who studies plants is called a: A. B. C. D. chemist teacher botanist zoologist.
6. The scientific name for the baby plant inside a seed is the: A. B. C. D. pod primary root seed coat embryo.
7. A scientist makes guesses about why things happen. She bases these guesses on past experiences. These guesses can be called: A. B. C. D. predictions rubrics procedures assessments.
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8. What could happen to a plant if its flowers are removed: A. B. C. D. the plant would die the plant would fall over the plant would not produce seeds the plant would change color.
9. Look at the following picture. Three main parts of the tree are shown: leaves, trunk, and roots. Draw a line from the plant part to what it does.
Uses sunlight to help make food__
takes in water from the soil__
carries water from roots to other plant parts__
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10. Look at the following picture. One part of the plant is missing. What might happen to this plant?
A. B. C. D.
it will not be able to get water from the soil it might not be able to make food to survive it will not attract insects it will fall over.
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ASSESSMENT
GRADE ____THREE_________
UNIT ___ONE __________
CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE QUESTIONS
In keeping with state assessment practices, it is appropriate to provide parallel tasks so that children will have some experience with the types of questions that they will confront in the New York State Elementary-Level Science Test in Science (E-LST). The pages that follow outline constructed response items that can be given to students to assess their accomplishment of the goals and objectives of the SCIENCE 21 Program as well as provide experiences with the kinds of items they will face in future assessments. Encountering these types of questions within the natural context of their science program will yield important information to teachers and help to evaluate student performance, teaching approaches, and program effects
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ASSESSMENT
Grade 3, Unit 1
Name _____________________ Date ____________________________ BUDDING BOTANIST

1. Create your own plant. It should have the same needs as the plants we have been studying. Draw its picture in the space below. Give its size in metric units.
Name your plant: ____________________________ It is _________ cm tall. 2. Label your plants parts in the picture that you drew above. Feel free to make up any new parts, but be sure to include the ROOTS, STEM, LEAVES, and FLOWER. Fill in the chart below: Main Parts of My Plant root stem leaves flower (other) ___________________ Function of Each Part __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ _____________________________
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3. Describe the habitat of your new plant. What does it need to grow and how does it get it? ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________
4. How does you plant help the world? How is it useful to animals or humans? ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________
5. What are some other important facts about your plant? ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________
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ASSESSMENT
GRADE ____THREE__________
UNITS ___ONE ______
CIRCUS (PERFORMANCE) ASSESSMENT

The goal of the circus assessment is to formally evaluate the knowledge, reasoning, and skills that the students should have acquired during the unit. This assessment requires them to be able to perform tasks individually, enabling each students level of attainment in these areas to be gauged. It also gives students some practice in the form of assessment that they will encounter in Grade Four. General Instructions The following is a model E-LST-type manipulative and performance-based assessment that may be used at the end of this unit. This section contains one station and assumes 15 minutes time to complete. Use the suggested rubric to determine student skill, but do not focus on a numerical grade. Based on the number of students, create the number of stations needed. Encourage students to use full sentences and correct grammar in their written responses. Advise students to raise their hand if they have a question. A timer will be needed to assist students in pacing their work. The assessment pages that follow should be duplicated for each child. The student should have a direction sheet taped in place at the station. Review all directions before the test, reading them aloud as needed. Each child should come prepared with two pencils with erasers, extras being available.
The station for this unit is: Plant Part Identification and Function. STATION SET-UP MATERIALS LISTS
No special materials needed. Students will be working on the page given to them. However, if available, a real plant may be set up at the station.
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Station Directions
Directions:
At this station you are asked to label the parts of a plant as pictured in your test booklet.
1. First label the four parts.
2. Then, in the space provided on your worksheet explain the job of each plant part.
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ASSESSMENT
GRADE _____Three_________
UNITS ____One _______
NAME ________________ DATE __________________ PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT DIRECTIONS

During this skills test you work at a station. In this case, the station can be your desk. You will be given 15 minutes to complete the task. A few times while you are working, your teacher will tell you how much time you have left to finish your work. When two minutes are left to go, you will be reminded to complete your work, check it over, and clean up. If you finish before time is up, carefully check your work. Read the directions carefully. Record your answers only on the page given to you by your teacher. If you do not understand any part of the test, quietly raise your hand. Do not talk during the test.
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Plant Parts
Name_________________________________
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Rubric for Rating Performance Assessment (Unit One)
Accomplished
Proficient
Developing
At least 3 parts correct. Limited or some incorrect explanations.
Beginning
Two or less parts correct. Minimal correct explanations.
All 4 parts correctly All 4 parts correctly identified. identified. Explanations Explanations contain significant complete and detail. accurate.
Answer Guide for Grade Three, Unit One Assessment Objective Test
1 C 2 D 3 B 4 D 5 C 6 D 7 A 8 C 9 leaves, root, trunk (top to bottom) 10 B
Constructed Response Question

1. Student drawing should include leaves, stem, roots, flower, and measurement given in the space provided. Any creative name should be accepted. Parts of plant should be labeled. 2. For each flower part in the picture, a function should be given in the space provided. 3. Plant needs should be stated with some allowance for creativity. Items that should be included: water, soil (nutrients/minerals), sunlight. 4. Accept creative responses. Some possible human uses might include: food, clothing, shelter. 5. Accept creative responses.
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How a Scientist Investigates Plant Cycles GRADE 3 UNIT 1 READING IN THE CONTENT AREA
In the Reading in the Content Area section, you will find several readings that may be used for Unit 1. They can serve as an English Language Arts connection to this unit. These readings also provide important background information for the students. The readings for this unit provide support for the lessons. Teachers should look ahead at the selections and duplicate those readings that are appropriate prior to or during the various activities that the readings are intended to support.
Reading In The Content Area
List of Readings
What Do Scientists Do?.. From Seed To Plant .. The Important Parts of a Plant ... The Uses of Plants .
pg. 111 pg. 115 pg. 119 pg. 125
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Grade 3, Unit 1, Reading in the Content Area
What Do Scientists Do?

Picture a scientist in your mind. What do you see? Are you imagining a wild-haired man in a white lab coat with all kinds of glasses, jars, and tubes around him? There may be some scientists who actually appear like that, but most scientists do not! The list of different kinds of scientists can go on and on. There are people who study all kinds of animals, people who explore the oceans and the skies, people who produce new products to make our lives easier, inventors, doctors, nurses, etc. It is important for us to think about how scientists affect our everyday lives. Wherever you are, whatever youre doing, youre probably enjoying some -thing that resulted from the work of scientists. Sound engineers make your movies and music better. Doctors study the human body and find cures for diseases. Chemists bring you all kinds of things from fibers for carpets and clothing, plastics, cosmetics, and cleaning fluids, soaps and perfumes. Agricultural scientists work to make food products better . Automotive engineers design safer, more efficient cars. And these are just a few examples. It is also important to remember that scientists can be men or women, young or old, and come from any country or part of the world. What makes people scientists is what they do, not what they look like! There are some common things that all scientists do. They ask questions. They learn with their senses. They measure, compare, conduct experiments, and record their findings. They solve problems. Then, they communicate the results of their studies to others. But science has two important meanings. One is the way that we study objects and events in our lives. The other meaning is the actual subject that we learn and the knowledge that we acquire. In science, we learn about animals and plants and their environments, energy, light sound, magnetism, rocks, minerals, reactions and many other topics. Scientists approach problems in ways that help them to come out with clear results that other people can understand and they can try their experiments over again to see if they can get the same findings. So, you dont have to wear a lab coat and be surrounded with strange equipment to be a scientist. In your classroom you can be a scientist. It all depends upon what you do to find answers to problems and challenges.
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Name _______________________________
Date ___________________
Think about and answer the following questions: 1. What are some of the things that scientists do to solve problems? _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________
2. What are the ways in which you behave like a scientist? _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________
3. Is science a subject that we study or a way that we act? Explain. _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________
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From Seed to Plant

Most plants begin with a seed. Seeds contain a young plant in the form of an embryo and a supply of food for the developing plant, the cotyledon. Seeds also have a protective covering called a seed coat. Most seeds are formed in flowers and most seeds have protective covers that prevent them from drying Seed Coat out. These covers also protect them from the weather and allow them to last a very long time. Seeds are protected within the bottom of flowers. The seeds fall from the plant and will grow in the soil if they have enough water and the soil is soft enough. In some cases, the seeds from the plant are carried away from the parent plant.
Embryo Food (Cotyledon)
Bean
There are two main ways that seeds may be transported from the parent plant to the place where they will grow. They are by wind and by animals. Some plants have special parts that allow them to catch the wind and drift off to faroff places. Have you ever seen the winged maple seeds? When the wind blows, the wings can carry the seeds over a long distance.
Dandelion
Winged maple seed
Other plants have parachutes that carry the seeds away on air currents and they can spread over a very large area. Animals also spread seeds. Some seeds have tiny hooks like "Velcro" which get stuck in the fur or clothes of passing mammals and are later deposited at another place. Some birds eat fruit that have seeds in them. They digest the fruit, but the seeds pass through them and come out in their droppings.
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Name _______________________________
Date ___________________
Think about and answer the following questions: 1. Name three parts of a seed and explain the purpose of each part. _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 2. What are some of the ways that seeds are spread from one place to another. _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 3. Why do you think it is important that seeds have a way of traveling from one place to another? _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________
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The Important Parts of a Plant

There are four main parts of most plants: roots, stem, leaves, and flowers. Lets look at these plant parts one at a time. Roots: Roots anchor the plant in the ground. Plants are held tightly in the ground so that they are not blown away by wind or washed away by rain. Roots also absorb water and minerals from the soil for the plants. Some roots are able to store food for the plant, such as potatoes. Stem: The stem connects the leaves to the roots. It transports water and minerals from the roots to the leaves where food is made. The stem also provides support for the plant allowing the leaves the reach the sunlight that they need to produce food. Leaves: Leaves are the food making factories of green plants. Leaves come in many different shapes and sizes, but their job is always the same. Leaves are made to catch light and they have tiny openings (stomata) that allow water and air to come and go. The outer surface of the leaf has a waxy coating that protects the leaf. Veins in the leaf carry nutrients within the leaf itself. Green plants make their own food and the leaves are where this happens. With energy from the sun, water and minerals from the soil, carbon dioxide from the air, and with the help of chlorophyll (the green color in leaves and other parts of plants) a leaf produces "food" consisting of sugars and starches. The food then circulates throughout the plant. The food making process is called photosynthesis ("photo" means light, and "synthesis" means putting together). During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide and give off a waste product, oxygen. Nearly 100% of the oxygen animals (including human beings) require is made by green plants. At night, when there is no light and photosynthesis cannot take place, plants give off carbon dioxide. (Humans continually breathe in oxygen and give off carbon dioxide.)
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Flowers: Flowers not only look pretty but, in fact, are the most important part of the plant for making seeds. When seeds grow, they make new plants. Flowers have some basic parts. The female part is the pistil. The pistil is located in the center of the flower and it is made up of three parts: the stigma with a sticky top, a style (slender tube) and the ovary, a hollow structure at the base which contains the eggs. The male parts of a flower are stamens and usually surround the pistil. The stamen is made up of two parts: the anther and the filament. The anther produces pollen and the filament is a thread-like stalk that holds up the anther.
PISTIL
Pollination occurs when a pollen grain is transferred from the stamen to the pistil by insects, birds, or the wind. The pollen grain swells as it absorbs water, sugar and other materials from the stigma. The pollen grain then germinates that is, it grows a tube downward to the ovary and after reaching the ovary's "eggs," produces seeds. Fruit seeds stay in the ovary until they are ripe and ready to be scattered by the wind, animals, humans, or water. Petals: Petals are also important parts of the flower because they help attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and bats. You can also see tiny green leaf-like parts called sepals at the base of the flower. They help to protect the developing bud. Fruit: The fruit is the ripened ovary of a plant that contains the seeds. When the pollen combines with the eggs in the ovary, fertilization occurs. After this happens, the ovary swells and becomes either fleshy or hard to protect the development seeds. Every seed is a tiny plant, or embryo, with leaves, stems, and root parts waiting for the right things to happen to make it grow. Seeds are also protected by a coat (the seed coat) which covers the seed and can let the embryo survive some tough conditions.
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Name _______________________________
Date ___________________
Think about and answer the following questions: 1. Name at least four parts of a flowering plant and explain the function of each one. _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 2. Why is pollination an important process for plant development? _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 3. Explain the life cycle of a flowering plant beginning with the seed. _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________
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The Uses of Plants

Human beings are completely dependent upon plants. First of all, plants produce the food that we eat, the oxygen that we breathe, and are turned into clothing, fuel, shelter, and many other necessities of life. Our dependence on crops such as wheat and corn (maize) is obvious, but without grass and grain the livestock that provide people with food and other animal products could not survive either. Throughout history, plants have been used to produce clothing, medicine, oxygen, food, decoration, lumber, and paper. Early humans used parts of plants to cover their bodies. Later on, they learned to spin plant fibers into thread and yarn, and to make baskets. Cloth can be made from the fibers of both the cotton and flax plants. Wood from trees is used to make furniture (desks, chairs, tables, lamps), building materials (walls, floors, house frames), tools (ladders, rulers, pencils, handles), paper (writing, wallpaper, decoration, toys, money), fuels (firewood, charcoal), boats, sports equipment (bats, golf clubs, hockey sticks), musical instruments (pianos, violins, guitars, clarinets), machinery parts, looms, spinning wheels, etc. The rubber from rubber trees are used for elastic, toys, erasers, tires, boots, rubber bands, gloves, etc. Cork from trees is used for bulletin boards, wine stoppers, sound proofing, and coasters. Different colors taken from plants are used to make dye for clothing, string, rope, paper, paint, and cosmetics. Plants are also used to make medicines. There are over 120 different kinds of medicines that are made from plants and plant parts. Some plants are used to make pain killers, cancerfighting drugs, antibiotics, cough medicines, and insecticides. Plants are also used to make perfumes and other cosmetics. Most people take plants for granted. But, plants are essential to life on this planet. They produce oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, filter out dust, provide windbreaks and moderate temperature, absorb noise, prevent soil erosion, provide shade for animals and humans, increase underground water resources, create natural beauty and improve property values.
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Name _______________________________
Date ___________________
Think about and answer the following questions: 1. List four ways that plants are essential for human life. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________
2. Think of four objects that are made from plants that were not listed in the article. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________
3. Native Americans used plants to make medicines. Why do you think this was so? _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________
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How a Scientist Investigates Plant Cycles GRADE 3 UNIT 1 JOURNAL PAGES OUTLINE
Journal Pages Outline

Describe Your Mystery Substance ...........................................................................................................1-2 Mystery Substance Checklist ...................................................................................................................... 3 Experiment .................................................................................................................................................. 4 My Picture of a Scientist ............................................................................................................................. 5 Things that I do that are like a scientist... .................................................................................................... 6 Know Your Peanut (or Walnut) ............................................................................................................... 7 A Scientists Journal Entry .......................................................................................................................... 8 Assessment .................................................................................................................................................. 9 Seed Sketch ..........................................................................................................................................10-11 What is needed for a seed to germinate? ................................................................................................... 12 Growth Chart ........................................................................................................................................13-15 Results of Investigation ............................................................................................................................. 16 My Groups Work ..................................................................................................................................... 17 What Are The Parts Of A Plant? ............................................................................................................... 18 The Parts Of A Flower .............................................................................................................................. 19 Parts of a Seed ........................................................................................................................................... 20 My thoughts and reflections on doing science investigations ................................................................... 21 Some ideas of what we need to include in our presentations: ................................................................... 22 The Budding Botanist Project ................................................................................................................ 23 My Picture of a Scientist ........................................................................................................................... 24 Observations of Behaviors of My Lab Group ......................................................................................25-26 How did my journal help me? How would I change it to make it more helpful? .................................... 27
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
Describe Your Mystery Substance
SIGHT
TOUCH
HEAR
SMELL
Name: ________________________________ ___________________
Date:
Mystery Substance (continued) What I Know What I Want To Know What I Learned
Name Group Member
_________________________ _________________________ _________________________
Date: __________________ ________________________ ________________________
Mystery Substance Checklist

Cooperative Group Checklist Student Checklist _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ 1. Ask questions about the mystery substance. 2. Listen to questions from all group members. 3. Write a description of the mystery substance. 4. Develop a test to answer one of your questions. 5. Describe the test and the results. 6. Write the information you collected in your science journal. 7. Develop other tests on the mystery substance. 8. Make predictions about these tests. 9. Do the test.
_____ 10. Observe and describe the mystery substance. _____ 11. Describe changes caused by temperatures. _____ 12. Write information clearly in your journal. _____ 13. Use correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar in your journal writing. _____ 14. Use scientific language.
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
Experiment
Develop a plan to investigate the questions you have.
Purpose: (Why are you doing this test? What do you want to find out?)
Prediction: (What do you think will happen?)
Procedure: (What steps will you take to find an answer to your question?)
1. ____________________________________________________________ 2. ____________________________________________________________ 3. ____________________________________________________________ 4. ____________________________________________________________ 5. ____________________________________________________________
Results: (What did you find out? What conclusions did you reach?)
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
My Picture of a Scientist
Information about this scientist
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
Things that I do that are like a scientist...
Pair Number ______________________________ Date:________________ Recorder: _________________________ Speaker: _________________
Know Your Peanut (or Walnut)

Record your observations below: _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
A drawing of our peanut (or walnut).
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
A Scientists Journal Entry:

_______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
Assessment I thought my journal was good because:

_______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
I could make it better by:

_______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
I acted like a scientist when I:

_______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
9
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
Seed Sketch
Sketch
Description
Sketch
Description
Questions
Questions
10
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
Seed Sketch
Sketch
Description
Sketch
Description
Questions
Questions
11
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
What is needed for a seed to germinate?

Plans of investigation
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
12
Name: ________________________________
Date: _______________
Growth Chart
Write your observations Draw what you see each day
Day ____
Day ___
Day ___
Day ___
13
Name: ________________________________
Date: _______________
Growth Chart Continued

Day ____
Day ___
Day ___
Day ___
14
Name: ________________________________
Date: _______________
Growth Chart Continued

Day ____
Day ___
Day ___
Day ___
15
Name: ________________________________
Date: _______________
Results of Investigation
_______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
16
Name: ________________________________
Date: _______________
My Groups Work
_______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
17
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
What Are The Parts Of A Plant?

Most plants have ROOTS, STEMS, LEAVES, and FLOWERS. Each part has a job to do in helping a plant live and grow. Label each plant part. Briefly describe the function of each plant part. Then, color the plant.
1. ____________________
4. _________________
2. ____________________
3. _______________
18
Name: ___________________________________________________
Date: ___________________
The Parts Of A Flower

Stigma (female part) Style (female part) Pistil (female part) Ovary (female part) Sepal
Directions: Place the correct word from this list on the proper line showing that part of the flower.
Anther (male part) Filament (male part) Stamen (male part) Eggs Petal
19
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
Parts of a Seed
Kernal
20
Grade 3, Unit 1, Lesson 5 &/or 6
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
My thoughts and reflections on doing science investigations

Two new things that I learned about plants from the investigations are: 1. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 2. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
How are our investigations like the way that scientists investigate life cycles? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
Why is it important to investigate your questions? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
21
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
Some ideas of what we need to include in our presentation: 1. Accurate recording of observations and procedures. 2. Diagrams that are clear, complete, and clearly labeled. 3. Results and/or conclusions completed and described. 4. Questions about the experiment and ways to investigate the questions. 5. ____________________________________________________________ 6. ____________________________________________________________
Resources for research: 1. ____________________________________________________________ 2. ____________________________________________________________ 3. ____________________________________________________________ 4. ____________________________________________________________
How our reports will be evaluated:

Grade What is needed in the report:
1. __________________ 2. __________________ 3. __________________ 4. __________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
22
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
The Budding Botanist Project

_______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
23
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
My Picture of a Scientist
Information about this scientist
24
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
Observations of Behaviors of My Lab Group

Behaviors that contributed to success Behaviors that did not contribute to success
1. What we did well as a group.____________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ 2. What contributions did I make to the group?______________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ 3. What could our group do to improve the next time that we investigate? ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________
25
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
Observations of Behaviors of My Lab Group (continued)

Circle the number that you feel describes your groups behavior. My group...
Needs Work 1. Shares 2. Listens to each other 3. Is polite to each other 4. Praises each other 5. Speaks quietly 6. Concentrates on project 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3
Super 4 4 4 4 4 4
26
Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________
How did my journal help me?

_______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
How would I change it to make it more helpful?

_______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
27

Unit 1: Science 21

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Unit 1: Science 21

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Unit 1

PUTNAM/NORTHERN WESTCHESTER BOCES CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES Marla Gardner

Acknowledgements and Credits

Susan Cargill Chappaqua Yvonne Denmark Ossining Gayle Fisher Peekskill

Diane Ford Peekskill Kristine Klausz Ossining Angela Letizia Lakeland

Diane Madaio Chappaqua Betsy Rasa Haldane Amy Stewart Peekskill

Deanna DiFilippo Lakeland Trish Faigle Yorktown Judy Finehirsh Haldane

John Fiore Ardsley Rachelle Furlan Ossining Christine Hirsch Peekskill

Joan Kavanaugh Wappingers Roseann Malagrino Wappingers Barbara Rink Ossining

Wendy Moore Peekskill Susan Petroccione Haldane Jan Tovar Yorktown

Lorraine Czarnetzki Lakeland David Dougherty Haldane Jacquie Figueroa Peekskill

Barbara Jennings Haldane Kathleen Marks Yorktown

Celeste DiRuocco Lakeland David Dougherty Haldane Andrea Frusciante Chappaqua

Marella Giilchrist Peekskill Frances Kedzielawa Wappingers Grace Leone Lakeland

Joyce Noah Putnam Valley Roseanne Verlezza Yorktown

Diane Johnson Peekskill Bill Post Haldane Rhoda Post Wappingers

Mary Resanovitch Lakeland Chris Romano Wappingers Danielle Sunberg Wappingers

Judy Toledano Lakeland Alexis Vazquez Peekskill Henry Wiethake Ossining

ILLUSTRATIONS AND GRAPHICS

BIG IDEAS IN SCIENCE EDUCATION

Science 21 Vision Statement VISION STATEMENT

Science For The 21st Century

SCOPE AND SEQUENCE

First Grade ~ Order In Our World

Second Grade ~ Measuring Changes In Our World

Third Grade ~ Cycles In The Natural World

Fourth Grade ~ Organization In The Natural World

Fifth Grade ~ Interactions In The Natural World

Sixth Grade ~ Investigations Of Science And Technology In Our World

Science For The 21st Century

Cycles In Our Natural World GRADE 3

Fall 2010 Update

SCIENCE 21: Science For The 21st Century

SCIENCE 21: Science For The 21st Century

2007, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES SCIENCE 21 Grade 3 Unit 1

MST Learning Standards

MST Learning Standards are reinforced when students:

STANDARD 2 Information Systems

STANDARD 3 Mathematical Reasoning STANDARD 4 Scientific Concepts

collect, analyze and display data.

2007, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES SCIENCE 21 Grade 3 Unit 1

Management and Planning

2007, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES SCIENCE 21 Grade 3 Unit 1

Home Connection Letter

2007, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES SCIENCE 21 Grade 3 Unit 1

Grade 3, Unit 1 Science

SCIENCE 21: Science For The 21st Century

2007, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES SCIENCE 21 Grade 3 Unit 1

2007, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES SCIENCE 21 Grade 3 Unit 1

SCIENCE 21: Science For The 21st Century

2007, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES SCIENCE 21 Grade 3 Unit 1

2007, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES SCIENCE 21 Grade 3 Unit 1

SCIENCE 21: Science For The 21st Century

Students Will Know And Be Able To:

Background Information For Teachers

2007, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES SCIENCE 21 Grade 3 Unit 1

2007, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES SCIENCE 21 Grade 3 Unit 1

2007, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES SCIENCE 21 Grade 3 Unit 1

potato flowers leaves seeds fruits *plants grown by students toothpicks