Exploring Plant Parts

Name: Natalie Weston

School: MacArthur University Academy
Grade: First Grade
Length: 45 minutes
 
Overall lesson topic/title and purpose 
 Topic: Plant Parts
 Purpose: Students will research and identify the different parts of plants in their
environment.
 
Rationale
 1-LS1-1 Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking
how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive.
 RI.1.4 Know and use various text features (e.g., headings, tables of
contents, glossaries, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or
information in a text.
 RI.1.7 Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
 
Goals/Objectives for today’s lesson:

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to label plant parts with a 75%
accuracy level.
 

Materials & supplies needed:

 From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons
 A Seed is the Start by Melissa Stewart
 Little Tree by Loren Long
 Stems by Vijaya Khisty Bodach
 Leaves by Vijaya Khisty Bodach
 The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
 Leaves by Carol Lawrence
 Seeds Sprout! by Mary Dodson Wade
 All About Flowers by Claire Throp
 All about Leaves by Claire Throp
 Investigation Worksheets, clipboards, pencils
 Anchor Chart
 Assessment Labeling Paper
Introduction to the lesson  (5 min) Support
 To begin, I will call students to the carpet (they
will sit by table) and I will ask students to show Academic:
me what it looks like to sit in the listening position.
I will review the social contract and will have -activating background
students to read the classroom procedures with knowledge
me. I will explain that if students have questions
they are to raise their hands and not call out. -pre-assessing knowledge
 “Okay boys and girls, I need your help! What do through a game format
we already know about plants?” They need air,
water, light Social: 
 “That’s correct! We know that plants are living
things that need food, water, and air just like you -turn and talk discussion
and me. Each of us have special body parts that style
help us eat food, drink water, and breathe air.
These body parts help us survive!” -discussing in groups
 “Guess what? Plants also have parts that help before sharing out
them to survive just like we do! Today we are
going to be learning more about these special
parts of plants.” Linguistic: 
 
-picture representations
Outline of key events during the lesson (20 min)

 “Who can tell me some parts of a plant?” Roots, -working with partners
stems, leaves, flowers
 “Very good! Today we are going to be exploring -reading the passages and
roots, stems, leaves, flowers and even seeds. pages together before
Everyone on your feet!” have students work
 “I am going to teach you a song to remember individually
plant parts. Ready?”
 Sing “Flowers, stems, leaves and roots, leaves
and roots” to the tune of Head, Shoulders, Knees Academic:
and Toes while also showing students
movements. -reviewing information
 Practice singing and acting out the song together
until students are comfortable. -use of interactive smart
board
 “Very good friends! This song is a great way to
remember plant parts.”
 “Now we are going to be exploring plant parts Social:
with partners. For each partner group, you will get
a book that explores a plant part, an investigation -working together as a
sheet, clipboards, and pencils.” class to match items
 “Each group will have a different book that you
and your partner will read together to find out -having different
 information about plant parts. Remember to use participation structures so
picture clues to learn more too!” that students are
 “After you have read your story, you are going to interacting with different
write/draw two facts that you learned about plants people/size groups
and plant parts on your investigation sheets.
Each partner will fill out their own sheet.” -making students the
 “You will have 15 minutes to look through your experts
books and find 2 facts. Remember you only have
15 minutes to find your facts so stay on track! I Linguistic:
have already chosen your groups so when I call
you up, come get your book, clipboards, and
sheets.” -creating chart together
 Call each group up to get their materials and using written and picture
once everyone is settled, put 15 minutes on the representations
clock. 
 After 15 minutes, call time out and have students -having illustration
return to the carpet putting their books in a pile by representations in books
me. Tell students to sit in their normal places on and written words
the carpet next to someone they did not just work
with. Academic:

Closing summary for the lesson (5 min) -having fact paper with
them throughout the
lesson to refer back to
 Explain that students will now have 5 minutes to
share their facts with a new partner!
Social: 
 “Now that we have had a chance to explore plant
parts on our own, we are going to discuss what -turn and talk discussion
you experts found together!” style
 “We are going to discuss what we learned today
and create an anchor chart together” -discussing in groups
 I will then ask students “what are our plant parts before sharing out
we discussed today?” Flowers, stems, leaves,
roots, seeds
 I will then show students a large drawing of a Linguistic: 
flower on the chart and we will discuss facts
about each plant part and write them on the chart -reviewing the assessment
 I will have students help me write down facts they directions and
learned about plant parts from their books. As expectations before
they speak, I will record their thoughts on the students begin
chart.
-having the anchor chart
we created for students to
Transition to next learning activity (5 min) refer back to for extra
support
 After we have completed the chart, we will read
 over it together. -song to engage multiple
 We will then sing our song and do our senses
movements once more as well.
 I will then show students the evaluation piece.
Students will each receive a piece of paper where
they are to look at the diagram and write the
correct label in each box (flower, stem, leaves,
roots).
 “On this paper, you are going to look at the plant
part options down here and write the correct plant
part in each blank box!”
 “You are going to complete this paper by yourself
at your desk when I tell you to return to your
seats.”
 I will have students put their fact papers on my
desk and will have table captains come get the
assessment papers for their tables.

Assessment (10 min) Academic: 

-going over directions for
 As an assessment, students will write the correct Assessment together
plant part labels in the blank boxes around the Social:
plant diagram. -reviewing partner work
 Students will complete the assignment in pencil Linguistic: 
and they are to put it on my desk when finished -students who have a harder
and to read to self until everyone is finished.  time writing responsibilities
can draw picture
representations