University of Houston

Science for ELLs

Name: Lindsey Huynh

Basic Lesson Components

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Time Estimate: 45 minutes

Science Content:
Big Idea of Basic Needs:
• Animals need air, food, and water, and some animals need shelter.
• Plants need air, water, nutrients, sunlight, space.

Basic Needs of a plant:

• Plants need water, air, sunlight and nutrients to grow.
• The roots take food and water from the soil.
• A stem carries food and water.
• The leaf collects sunlight.
• The flower attracts insects.

In order to live and grow, plants need four basic elements: air, water, nutrients, and sunlight. During
the process of photosynthesis, plants use carbon dioxide to make food and release oxygen, as a
result. Roots carry water and nutrients to the plant.

TEKS: Concept: (K.9) Organisms and environments. The student knows that plants and animals
have basic needs and depend on the living and nonliving things around them for survival. The
student is expected to:

K.9B: Examine evidence that living organisms have basic needs such as food, water, and
shelter for animals and air, water, nutrients, sunlight, and space for plants.

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Content Objective(s):
The student is expected to:
• Identify and collect evidence of the basic needs of plants and animals

Processes (K.2):
• Record and organize data and observations using pictures, numbers, and words
• Communicate observations with others about simple descriptive investigations

ELPS:
1A: use prior knowledge and experiences to understand meaning in English

2C: learn new language structures, expressions, and basic and academic vocabulary heard during
classroom instruction and interactions

3E: share information in cooperative learning interactions

4F: use visual and contextual support and support from peers and teachers to read grade-appropriate
content area text, enhance and confirm understanding, and develop vocabulary, grasp of language
structures, and background knowledge needed to comprehend increasingly challenging language

5F: write using a variety of grade-appropriate sentence lengths, patterns, and connecting words to
combine phrases, clauses, and sentences in increasingly accurate ways as more English is acquired

Language Objective (s): I will write and illustrate about one basic need of a plant, using the
following sentence stem: Plants need _____ to live.

Learning strategies: c1A: Use prior knowledge to learn new language

Listening: c2C: Learn new language heard in classroom interactions and instruction

Speaking: c3E: Share in cooperative groups

Reading: c4F: Use visual and contextual supports to read text

Writing: c5F: Write using variety of sentence structures and words

Vocabulary: Definition: Cognate (T or F):

Nutrient a substance that provides nourishment essential Plant – planta
for growth and the maintenance of life True

Stem the main body or stalk of a plant or shrub, Air- aire

typically rising above ground but occasionally True
subterranean

Soil Soil – suelo

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 the upper layer of earth in which plants grow, a
black or dark brown material typically consisting Water – agua
of a mixture of organic remains, clay, and rock False
particles
Sunlight Sunlight – luz de sol
light from the sun
Roots Sun - sol
the part of a plant that attaches it to the ground
or to a support, typically underground, Nutrient – nutritivo
conveying water and nourishment to the rest of
the plant via numerous branches and fibers Space – espacio
Space
a continuous area or expanse that is free, Roots – raíces
available, or unoccupied False
Energy
the strength and vitality required for sustained Food – comida
physical or mental activity False

Misconceptions:
Plants are not living.
You can eat every plant.
Plants don’t eat food.

Materials/Resources/Technology Needs:
Materials:
• Pop bottle
• Mason jar, pop bottle, or pot
• Pebbles
• Activated charcoal
• Soil
• SmartBoard or projector
• Stem, leaves, and pot cutouts
• Poster paper
• Markers/ crayons

Book:
Non-Fiction: From Seed To Plant by Gail Gibbons
Fiction: The Enormous Carrot by Vladimir Vagin

Technology:
SMART Exchange: Plant Needs
- Students complete activities in which they identify the requirements of plants to maintain
life. They learn to recognize that we must provide these to plants in our care.
- http://exchange.smarttech.com/details.html?id=5a02f48f-c822-4ea0-ad51-77dc2f8337e2

Interactive activity: How Plants Grow

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 - Learn about how plants grow by experimenting with this interactive science activity. Using
heat & water, see if you can make the plant grow to a healthy size. Too much sun & moisture
can have a negative effect on the plant though so be careful when giving it nutrients. Keep
the amounts in balance and see how long you can keep the plant growing healthily.
Experiment with different conditions, what does closing the blinds and removing the sunlight
do? What happens if you forget to water the plant or add too much water? How about if the
conditions become too hot or too cold? Can you take care of the plant for 4 weeks? Take up
the challenge and give it a try. This fun, educational game is perfect for kids.
- http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/plantsgrow.html

Safety:
Don’t put anything in your mouth.
Wash your hands after.
Carefully and correctly hold scissors.
Don’t open, blow or shake the bottle.
Listen to instructions.

5E Instructional Procedures
What Teacher Does: What Students Do:
Engage The teacher will explain what a KTWL
15 mins chart is and how we will record some
of our answers on there.
K – What I know
T – What I think
W – What I want to know
L – What I Learned

The teacher will then ask the students:

• What do they know about
planting a seed?
• Have they planted a seed
before?
• Have they grown a plant
before?

The teacher will record the students’

answers on a KTWL chart under K -
know.

The teacher will then show a self-

sustaining ecosystem that she created
for the students to see. A few minutes
will be given so the student can
observe it with their eyes only.

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She will tell them to talk to their elbow
partner about what they see and what
they think the plant needs to grow.

The teacher will ask students these

questions and add their answers to a
bubble map under T – what I think on
the KTWL chart:
• what did they see?
• What do they think the plant
needs to grow?
• Why do they think that?
• How do they think the self-
sustaining ecosystem works?

After a group discussion, she will

explain how the self-sustaining
ecosystem works, and why she added
each component in her self-sustaining
ecosystem.

What Teacher Does (engage) continue: What students do (engage continue):

The teacher will then ask the student
what they want to know about plants
and how they grow and add it under the
W in their KTWL chart.
The teacher will then explain that we
will conduct an experiment at three
tables after they are dismissed.
The students will state what they know
about planting a seed (prior knowledge)
and their own experiences.
The students will carefully observe the
self-sustaining ecosystem that the teacher
created with their eyes only.

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 • The yellow table will split up
and each go to another table.
• No one can touch the cups in the
middle until the teacher says to.

They will then talk with their elbow partner about:

• what they see?
• what they think the plant may need to grow?
• why they think that?
• how do they think the self-sustaining ecosystem works?

The students will state what they see, think the plant needs to grow, why they think
that, and how they think it works.

The students will listen to the teacher explain the self-sustaining ecosystem with
listening ears.

The students will state a few things they would want to know about plants and how
they will grow.

The students will return to their seats and each student at the yellow table will move
to another table. They will then wait for further instructions.

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Explore The teacher will state that each table will
15 mins get two cups with a number on it.
Each table will have two different cups.
The teacher will then explain that each
group will observe their two cups. They
will first draw the two cups in their
science notebook then, they will talk to
one another about it their two cups.
The teacher will tell the student to get
their notebooks and pencil box ready
after they are dismissed. Teacher
dismisses the students.
The teacher will then inform them to lift
their cups up, draw, and then talk.
The teacher will walk around and
monitor the students’ conversations. If
students are stuck she will ask question
to help start conversation.
• What do you see?
• Why do you think it looks like
that?
• Did you touch the soil?
• What color is it?
Explain The teacher will announce that the
Day 1: students have a few more minutes to talk.
20 mins The teacher will then have a few students
from each group share what their group
Day 2: observed and what they think about their
12 mins two cups to the rest of the class.
The teacher will record what the students
think under T – what I think.
The students will listen to the teacher’s
instructions.
They will then go back to their table, get
their notebooks out, and their pencil box
open and ready.
Students will draw their two cups in their
science notebook. They will then talk in
their group about their two cups.
Student may say:
• “I don’t see anything just soil.”
• “I see a little leaf!”
• “The soil feels really dry.”
• “This one looks like the flower in
the self-sustaining ecosystem. I think
it got everything like that flower!”
The students will finish up their
conversations. A few chosen students will
then talk about their two cups and what
their group thought about them. The rest of
the students will listen to the speaker.
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 After the students have shared and
everyone has seen the other groups’
cups, the teacher will explain each cup
and why they look the way they do.
1. No water with soil
2. No soil instead there is cotton
balls with too much water
3. All needs are met
4. No sun
5. No air with space
6. No space with air

DAY 2: DAY 2:
Review what was done the day before: The students will answer the review
• What students did/ learned questions that the teacher asks.
• KWTL Chart
• Cups observed

The teacher will then explain what the

basic needs of a plant are using cup
number 6 and create an anchor chart. The
teacher will explain that with all the
basic needs the plant will grow
beautifully.

Elaborate The teacher will ask how does the self- The students will state what connection
13 mins sustaining ecosystem work tie to the real they think it has to the real world and what
world. they learn about before.

Hint: We learn about it before. We made

a display/ diagram with a sun! (Water
cycle: collection, evaporation,
condensation, and precipitation.)
The students will tie a plant’s needs to their
daily life and what needs they may need
themselves. They will use the guiding
question to answer if they are stuck

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 The teacher will then explain this is what
happens in the real world and how plants
grow without the help from anyone.

She will then ask how it could relate to

themselves if they were a plant.
• What needs do we need?
• Can you compare it to a plant’s
needs?
• What connection to a plant’s need
can you make to our needs?

The teacher will explain how the

interactive activity works and call The students will take turns and work
students up to work together or do it on a together to complete an interactive activity
projector for the class to see. with needs of a plant. This will be done on
a projector or smartboard.

Evaluate After the interactive activity, the teacher The students will create their stem foldable
15 mins will explain the assessment to the using the printed parts. They will cut out
students and how it will work. and label each leaf with a basic need of a
plant then add it to their stem.
On each leaf connected to the stem, there
will be a basic need labeled in it. So, one
leaf would be “air”, second will be
“water”, third will be “sunlight” and so
on.

The parts for the foldable will already be

printed for the students.

They will then write the sentence:

“Plants need _____ to live.”
With one of the basic needs.

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IMPORTANT NOTES FOR COURSE CREDIT:
- DRAFT 1: Include all worksheets and printable manipulatives at end of lesson plan.
- DRAFT 2: Update all work, including worksheets and printable manipulatives using
track changes.
- DRAFT 3: Include evidence of classroom instruction AND copies of student artifact(s)
collected during instruction of this lesson.

DRAFT 1

• What level of inquiry is your lesson? Explicitly how your lesson is formatted to follow
the identified level of inquiry.
o Inquiry level 2 – Structured Inquiry: Students investigate a teacher-presented question
through a prescribed procedure.
o My students will know some information about the basic needs of a plant before they
start the interactive activity. They will know plants need space, air, water, sunlight,
and soil. However, they do not know what will happen if it is over watered, under
watered, too hot, too cold, no sunlight, etc. The teacher will present the questions:
“Experiment with different conditions, what does closing the blinds and removing the
sunlight do? What happens if you forget to water the plant or add too much water?
How about if the conditions become too hot or too cold? Can you take care of the
plant for 4 weeks?” The students will then have to investigate these questions through
the process of using heat and water to keep the plant alive for 4 weeks.

• Which aspect(s) of the nature of science does your lesson address? Explicitly explain
how your lesson addressed the identified aspects.
o Ecosystem: basic needs of a plant
o My lesson addresses the identified aspects by first, letting students observe a partly
grown plant in a self-sustained ecosystem. This allows them to visually see the
environment a plant grows in. Second, we will create anchor charts about what they
see, think, and the basic needs after discussing it. Third, they will play an interactive
activity that is about the basic needs of a plant and how they grow. This will be a
review and a challenge for the students. Lastly, they will create a foldable about the
needs of a plant and write a sentence with one of the needs.

• How did you accommodate linguistically diverse students (ELLs) in this lesson? Why
do you think the strategies you selected will be beneficial to student learning?
o Sentence stem – this gives the students a basic structure to write their sentence
o State their own experiences – this allows them to make a connection
o Pre-teach vocabulary with pictures – helps students visually see what the words is
o Rephrase repeat slow down – allows students to fully understand and remember
o Visuals – helps students to easily visualize what they are thinking
o Labels – helps students connect pictures to words

• How did you integrate your students’ home cultures into this lesson?
o State their own experiences and prior knowledge

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Draft 2:

• Reflect upon the feedback received from your professor. Discuss how the feedback
impacted your lesson plan.
• The feedback I received from my professor impacted my lesson plan by helping me make
changes and improvements to it. I broke up engage into explore and explain when I
should have put it all in engage. I thought since those ideas could fit into explore and
explain it would work for those sections. After the feedback, I understood that my idea
for explore and explain was not actually for those sections and I needed to think of a new
plan for the two sections. Now, I believe that my explore actually makes more sense in
that section.
• Another feedback that I got from my professor was how would I record my students’
answers. I added a KWTL chart to my lesson plan and believe that my students would
enjoy seeing their growth throughout the lesson. It would also be easier for me to refer
back to as a review of what we have learned so far.

• Identify small group members and feedback received from each during peer teach.
Discuss how the feedback impacted your lesson plan and anticipated instruction.
• For my peer teach I taught my explore section. After my feedback from my classmates, I
realized that after each section I should still do a mini review for my students to
understand the next part. I also need to explain why and what we are doing next, so my
students will understand.

Final Draft (Draft 3):

• Identify your cooperating teacher and feedback received regarding the planning and
implementation of this lesson. Discuss how the feedback impacted your final lesson plan
and how it will impact your future instruction.
• My cooperating teacher stated that I should have …
o Used my interactive activity under elaborate as my explore rather than have my
students look and observe the two cups on their table. We both didn’t think it
could fit under explore until after the lesson.
o Allowed less discussion time between the groups even if one group was in the
midst of a great discussion.
o Stuck with KWL rather than added the T for think. She understood what I was
trying to do but, to cut the time down I could have just combined the two and
explained to the student that W for want to know can be formed from what they
think.

• Identify small group members and feedback received from each during critical friends.
Discuss how the feedback impacted this lesson plan and your future instruction.
o Mayra, Jennifer, and Dong
o After receiving feedback from my peers, the feedback impacts my future
instruction by making me aware that I should limit my use of third person
referencing. I used a lot of “Ms. Huynh” because I felt like it was necessary

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 working with younger kids. However, I was informed that I should get out of that
habit and use “I” and “me” more often. The feedback also impacts my lesson plan
as I should consider and possibly change group discussions to think, pair, share or
partner discussions. This would allow less students to stay quiet and share more
with one person rather than trying to get everyone to listen. I would also set a
visual timer for my students to see how much time they have left to draw and
discuss.

Pictures from the lesson:

Student’s work:

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