Developmental Lesson Plan- Plant Life Cycle

Teacher Candidates: Katelyn Jackson, Ruina Gentile, Jose Orellana, Megan Hobar

Date: 9/15/2021 Group Size: 20 Allotted Time: 1 hr

Grade Level: 3rd Subject or Topic: Plant Life Cycle

Common Core/PA Standard(s):

Standard - 3.1.K.A3 Observe, compare, and describe stages of life cycles for plants
and/or animals
Standard - 3.1.3.A3 Illustrate how plants and animals go through predictable life cycles
that include birth, growth, development, reproduction, and death

Learning Targets/Objectives:

Students will be able to display the life cycle of a plant by creating play-doh models.

Assessment Approaches: Evidence:

1. Exit slips 1. Correct responses on exit slip
2. Play-doh life cycle 2. Play-doh life cycle
3. Journal Entry 3. Recreate life cycle in journal entry
4. Debriefing 4.Discuss key terms after each activity

Assessment Scale:
The scale will be out of 5.

5- exceptional (The student shows all six parts of the life cycle with the play-doh creation.)
4- acceptable (The student shows four parts of the life cycle with the play-doh creation.)
< 3- needs work (The student shows three or less parts of the life cycle with the play-doh
creation.)

____/5 points.

Subject Matter/Content:
Prerequisites:
● Different types of flowering plants
● Knowing that a plant goes through a life cycle
● How to use materials properly
Key Vocabulary:
● Seed - A flowering plant unit of reproduction.
● Soil - Loose upper layer of the earth's surface where plants grow.
● Stem - the main structure that supports leaves and flowers and moves food and water
around the plant.
 ● Sunlight - Light from the sun that helps plants grow.
● Germination- Phase of plant growth when the seed begins to sprout.
● Seedling - A young plant grown from a seed.
● Sprout - Small growth on a plant.
● Bud - Small growth at the tip of a stem that later develops into a flower.

Content/Facts:
● Plants start their life as a seed and grow up to become a mature plant.
● Seeds are dispersed into soil in a variety of ways.
● They then germinate and start life.

Introduction/Activating/Launch Strategies: (10 minutes)

● Introduction - To start off the lesson, the story The Tiny Seed will be read to the
students.
● While reading the book ask the students:
○ How many seeds started to grow in the ground during the spring?
○ Which seed grew faster? What happened to the bigger flower?
○ Who visited the flower as it grew all summer?
○ What happened to the flower when autumn came again? The seed?
● After reading the story to the students, the teacher will ask the students what their
favorite type of plants are. While the students are listing off their favorite plants, the
teacher will record the responses on the smartboard.
● Once we have a decent list of plants that the students like, the teacher will say
excitedly, “Did you know that all of these plants go through the same life cycle!?”
Development/Teaching Approaches (40-45 minutes)
● The teacher will pass out one set of plant life cycle cards to each table in the classroom.
(Activity 1- found on Activities Page)
● The students will look at the pictures on the cards and work as a table to try and sort
what they think the order of the life cycle is. While the students are sorting the cards,
the teacher will be walking around the room and helping students when needed.
● Once the students are done sorting their cards, the teacher will get the students’
attention back to the smartboard where the teacher will have the cards on the screen
that are able to be moved around.
● The teacher will have the students raise their hands to share what order the cards
should go in and explain why they think/know they’re right. The teacher will ask the
students for a thumbs up or thumbs down if they agree with the other students.
● After we complete the life cycle together on the board, the teacher will point to each
one and say the name of that cycle and have the students repeat it back.
● The teacher will tell the students that there are five parts to the life cycle of a plant.
● It first starts with the seed. When a seed is put into the soil and is given the correct
amount of water and sunlight, the plant will start to grow.
● The second, the seed goes through a process called germination. This is where an
organism grows from a seed or a similar structure. The seed is now a sprout, where
signs of roots start to show.
● The third is the seedling. This is where you can start seeing the plant above the ground.
● The fourth is a young adult. This is where you can see leaves and the budding of the
 flowers on the plant.
● The last is the adult plant. This is where the plant matures and the seeds of the plant
eventually make their way back into the ground to start the cycle all over again.
● After the teacher teaches the students the different parts of the life cycle, the teacher
will pass out our next activity.(Activity 2- found on Activities Page)
● Each student will get a paper flower with nothing on it. The flower will have six
different pedals on it. In the middle, it will say “Life Cycle of a Flowering Plant”. The
students will have the time to color in the stem, leaves, and parts of the life cycle
pedals.
● The teacher will have a PowerPoint that allows the students to follow along on how to
create the flower activity. Along with the flower cut out, the students will have pedals
to cut out that match the flower cut out.
● After the students cut out the flowers, they will need to fold them. On the insides of the
pedal, the teacher will instruct them what to write along with what to draw on the
outside of the pedal.
● After the pedals are complete, the students will be instructed to glue them in the life
cycle order on the flower cut out.
● Now that we know the parts of the life cycle we are going to do a fun activity!(Activity
3- found on Activities Page)
● To check the students' understanding of the life cycle, each student will have a decent
size piece of paper. Along with paper, each table has a variety of colors of Play-doh for
the students to use.
● The students will be shown an example of what is expected out of them.
● Each student will be using play-doh to show each stage of the life cycle. Along with
the play-doh illustrations, the students will be instructed to label each stage along with
showing the arrows of the life cycle.
● After they finish their activity, the students will be instructed to take a picture on an
iPad and post it online to the app “Seesaw”. This will allow the teacher to see if they
understand the life cycle of a plant.

Closure/Summarizing Strategies: (5-10 minutes)

● So today we have learned all about the life cycle of a flowering plant!
● Did you know there are a lot more to plants than just the life cycle?!
● Just like you and me, plants have parts to them as well! For example, we have legs
while plants have stems. Our legs help us move around while the stem for a plant helps
the plant stand up.
● For tomorrow, I want you to think of possible parts of the plant and how each part
helps them survive.

Accommodations
● Our student that we are accommodating for is a female ESL student who is fluent in
Spanish.
○ For the flower cut out activity, we can have the inside of the pedal say what that
process is in English along with Spanish. This will allow her to follow along
and understand what it means when she refers back to it.
 ○ While we are going over the different parts of the life cycle, we could include
the word in Spanish as well as English so that she is able to understand what we
are talking about.
○ The use of images will be extremely important so that they can understand what
we are talking about better.
○ There is a student in the classroom that is bilingual so that student can help her
during the Play-doh activity if she needs help with translation or anything.
● Differentiation
○ For students who are struggling- The teacher could do one on one instruction
with the student when sorting the cards. The teacher could also put the flower
activity together already for the student so that they don’t have to use the
scissors and glue.
○ For students who are accelerated learners - The teacher could have them write a
summary about the life cycle of a plant.
Materials/Resources:
● Book: Carle, E. (2018). The tiny seed. New York: Little Simon.
● Crayons
● Markers
● Flower cut out with pedals
● Glue
● Scissors
● Good size piece of paper for each student
● Different color combinations of Play-doh for creating the life cycle
● Cards and life cycle template for each table
● PowerPoint:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1r9_5gPV39MaiWDFvP2xBUUONpK3tR9Rv
U3UKTKcVZRk/edit?usp=sharing

Activity Page

Activity 1:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/835277062126715910/
Activity 2:
Activity 3:
This is an example of what is expected from the students for the Play-Doh creation.
However, instead of images, each cycle would be shown by the use of Play-Doh.
See
d
Sprout

Adult
Plant
Life Cycle Of a
Plant

Adolesc Seedli
ent Plant Baby ng
Plant

Play-Doh Life Cycle Rubric:

Name: ____________________________ Play Doh Life Cycle

Participation I fully worked on my I sort of worked on I didn’t even try.

creation. my creation.

Behavior I controlled myself I controlled myself I did not follow any

and followed class and followed class class rules.
rules the whole time. rules most of the
time.

Having Each Life I show all six parts of I only show four parts I only showed three
Cycle Component the life cycle. of the life cycle. or less parts of the life
cycle.

Reflective Response:
Report of Student Learning Target/Objectives Proficiency Levels

Remediation Plan (if applicable)

Personal Reflection Questions:

● Are there things that could have been taken out?
● Are there things that should have been added?
● How was my pacing?

Additional reflection/thoughts
Is there enough information that the students will retain this?