TE804 Spring 2012

Kathryn Preston
TE 804 Section 001
2 February 2012

Instructional Sequence for Plants Unit (Structures, Functions, Needs)

Authors: Kathryn Preston & Beth Rood

Unit Learning Goals:

S.IP.02.11 Make purposeful observation of the natural world using the appropriate senses.
(Students will be looking at how their seedlings grow, observing growth patterns, comparing seedlings with mature plants, etc).

S.IP.02.14 Manipulate simple tools (ruler, meter stick, measuring cups, hand lens, thermometer, balance) that aid observation and
data collection.
(Students will need to measure the size and length of leaves, stems, and seeds. They will need to collect data and organize it to
chart the life of their plants.

S.IA.02.13 Communicate and present findings of observations.

(In writing and classroom presentations, students will tell their classmates about what they have found out as their bean and
cucumber plants progress through the life cycle.

S. RS.02.11 Demonstrate scientific concepts through various illustrations, performances, models, exhibits, and activities.
(Students will be creating pictures of what a seed looks like, as well as illustrating the life cycle of a plant from seed to mature plant).

S.RS.02.15 Use evidence when communicating scientific ideas.

(Every time students write in their journals or present to the class they must have evidence to back it up with).

L.OL.02.14 Identify the needs of plants.

(Using bean plants, students will take away various plat needs, (light, water, air) and see what happens).

L.OL.02.22 Describe the life cycle of familiar flowering plants including the following stages: seed, plant, flower, fruit.
(Students will grow a cucumber and a bean from seed and examine each stage of growth along the way. They will observe how the
seed grows and goes through changes along the way.)

L.HF.02.13 Identify characteristics of plants (for example: leaf shape, flower type, color, size) that are passed on from parents to
young. (Using adult beans that they have grown and new seedlings, students will compare how various parts are alike (leaves, root
system, flowers/seeds)).
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Calendar No. Activity Label Activity Functions* Activity Description

Day (Why this activity in this
sequence?)

1 1 Pre-Assessment Establish A Question Students will participate in a written pre-test including questions about
plant structures, functions, and needs. This activity will act as a
formative assessment in order to gauge students’ prior knowledge of the
information included in our plant unit. This formative assessment will
take place after our initial science talk.

2 2 Denying Plants Elicit Students’ Initial Ideas This is an initial whole-group discussion based around the needs of
Basic Needs- plants. Students will watch a time-lapsed video of plants growing toward
Initial Discussion the top of the forest. Following the video, the teacher will lead students
in making inquiries about the different elements plants need to germinate
and thrive (grow) thereafter, such as water, air, and sunlight, as well as
(With Time-Lapsed
those elements that remain less crucial or unnecessary for plant
“Life” Video Clip) development, such as plant food, soil, or pots. This will segue into a
discussion introducing students to the idea that setting up experiments
with different variables (a bag without light, a bag without water, a bag
without air), and the controls of the same type of seed and bags without
soil, will enable us to figure out which elements plants truly need to
germinate. (Students will compare the healthiest plant without soil to
another plant with soil by the end of the unit to see that although plants
can sprout without soil, additional minerals will be needed for the plant to
thrive later on in life).

2 3 Setting up our Explore Phenomena for Students will be working in small groups (3-4 children per group). Each
experiments Patterns group will have set up three experiments - 1) growing a plant without
light, 2) growing a plant without water, and 3) growing a plant without air.
The teacher will model how to set up each of these, and then students
will work in their small groups to set up their three experiments. The
plants will be grown in clear plastic ziploc bags (this connects to what we
did in our SME 301 course at MSU). Students will have data collection
books that they will keep throughout the unit. On this day, they will draw
what each experiment looks like initially in their data collection book.

3 4 Seed model Explore Phenomena for Students are going to look at lima bean seeds that have been soaked in
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Patterns
Students Explain Patterns
water (they will be pre-soaked for students). The teacher will ask the
students why the water might make a difference in the seed. Students
will work independently during this activity. First, the teacher will display
a zoomed-in, detailed picture of a real seed at the front of the class. The
teacher will ask the students to carefully open the seed with their fingers
and think about how their seed looks like the one displayed. They will
then discuss how plants have seed coats, embryo, and food, as well as
how each one of the seeds have these parts (*pattern*).Students will
then draw and label their drawings of their seeds.

Note: All seeds need water to sprout. Water softens the seed casing and
causes the cells in the seed embyro to begin multiplying.

4 5 Seed model Introduce Scientific Ideas Students will explain their observations from the dissection and the
discussion teacher will record the observations on the Smart Board. Then, the
Comparing Student Ideas to teacher will model the dissection of a seed with the class underneath the
Scientific Ideas document camera (now that they have explored it independently).
Together we will locate the parts the students observed during the
exploration (seed coat, embryo, food). Next, the teacher will talk about
any of the parts students may have overlooked. Students will then
hypothesize about the functions of these parts. After a discussion, the
teacher will use an arrow to label, name, and record the function of each
part. This is important because if students had difficulty finding one of the
parts, they can see it now. The teacher will lead a tell-all by comparing
student hypotheses to the actual scientific facts pertaining to each of the
parts found in the seed. Finally, students independently complete the
“Big Bean” worksheet, labeling each part of the lima bean and their
functions, as a way to reinforce and practice these findings.

5 6 Roots Function #1 Explore Ideas About Patterns Students will explore the school grounds while keeping the guiding
(Anchoring the question (“What is keeping the plants in the ground?”) in mind in order to
Plant) realize that one of the functions of plant root systems is to anchor
plants. Once students find suitable plants to work with, the teacher will
model pulling up a few of them in order to demonstrate how the roots
School-Ground
were woven into the soil beneath the ground. The teacher will keep in
Exploration mind that a variety of plants with different types of roots (taproot and
fibrous) might aid students in making inquiries about the function of plant
roots. Another guiding question will be: “Which type of root is easier to
pull up from the ground? Why?” The teacher will bring the uprooted
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plants inside.

5 7 Roots Function #1 Elicit Students’ Initial Ideas Once inside, students will work, hands-on, with the plants in order to
(Anchoring the explore the differences between the taproot and fibrous root
Plant) systems. Students will also be provided with posters of each of these
types of roots for reference. Students will make hypotheses regarding
why different plants might have different kinds of roots during small-
Discussion
group discussions, thereafter sharing ideas with the whole
class. Students will record observations in their science journals.

6 8 Root Function #2 Elicit Student’s Initial Ideas Teacher sets up carrot/dye experiment before discussion and leaves it
(Absorb Water) out of sight.

Discussion & Connecting back to the hypothesis that plants might need water, the
teacher will ask the probing question of, “How might plants get the water
Experiment Set-up
they need to grow?” This might be a good time to observe the plant-
needs experiment plants for ideas. (Keep in mind that students might be
confused about how the plant first starts growing without roots to take in
the water.) Make predictions pertaining to how plants might take in
water.

6 9 Root Function # 2 Explore Phenomena For Set up another experiment with a carrot sitting in dyed water in front of
(Absorb Water) Patterns the students. Ask if they think the experiment might help us figure out
how plants take in water. Why or why not? (Whole class
discussion). Pull the experiment out that has been absorbing dyed water
for hours. Ask the class to compare/contrast the two different carrots.
Guide students: “What do the differences (in color) tell us about how
Making plants take in water?” “Where did the water move to?” Leave out
Observations & second experiment for kids to observe in passing throughout the rest of
Discussion for Dye the day (to see it with their own eyes). Have students record their
Experiment observations in their science journals.

7 10 Stems Explore Ideas about Patterns Briefly discuss plant parts that we have already learned about (seeds,
roots). Explain that today we are going to learn about the part of the plant
that grows above the ground and from these observations we will try to
figure out its functions. Hold up a real plant and point to the stem. Ask
students what the name of this part is. Once students identify this is the
stem, hold up asparagus (and place it under the document camera). Let
students know that this is also a stem. Make a cross sectional slice as
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well as a lengthwise cut so that students can see the inside. The teacher
will ask students questions such as, “Why is it wet inside? How might the
water get into the stem?” This will connect to the previous lesson
regarding roots and how water gets into a plant. Students will record their
observations in their science journal.

8 11 Stems Students Explain Patterns Discuss how water gets into the stem - this is a connection to our roots
lesson above. We will continue to discuss stems and what stems do for
a plant. The stem not only supports the plant, but it also is used to
transport water up through the plant. We will look at the following
questions: How can we test how water gets into the stem? Also, how
does water travel through the stem? Students will observe/assist the
teacher in placing a carrot (preferably with sprouting stems), broccoli
stalk, celery stalk (with leaves), and a white flower (carnation or daisy)
into colored water. Note: Two or three days previous to this lesson, the
teacher will have placed each of these objects in a jar with colored
water in the bottom. These will be out of sight from the students. This
will allow students to explore water moving through a plant root, stems
carrying water, and water entering the leaves and flowers.

In science journal, students will complete the “before” observation page

and write down their predictions about what they think is going to
happen with the colored what with each of the different items (carrot,
broccoli, celery, and flower). We will then have a class discussion to
share out their predictions about what will happen. Students will then
write and draw “after” observations in their science journal.

9 12 Root & Stem Students Explain Patterns On this day, wrap up root and stem functions by observing the
Function accompanying experiments that students have worked with throughout
Observations the unit. Guide students: “What has happened to all of our plant
parts?” “Why have they changed colors?” “What other conclusions can
we draw from observing our experiments?” “What does this tell us
about the jobs(functions) of roots and stems?”

10 13 Plant Needs Students Explain Patterns & Students will observe the plant experiments they set up at the
Observations Compare Scientific and beginning of this unit in small groups (see Day 2 above). Discuss “What
Student Ideas has happened?” Also discuss what conclusions that we are making.
Students will have made daily observations about their experiments,
and in small groups students will evaluate the experiment. The teacher
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will reinforce the main point that plants need air, water, and light (and
eventually soil) in order to thrive (unless the plant is hydroponic of
course) by comparing which plants look the healthiest.

Future Lessons At this point, students should understand the basic needs of plants, as
Layout well as their structures and structures’ functions (of roots and
stems). This will allow students to segue into the upcoming lessons
regarding additional plant parts (flowers, fruit, leaves) and how these
parts fit into the life cycle of plants.

14- Post- Apply to Near and Distant As part of our post-assessment plan, we will have three forms of post-
16 Assessments Contexts with Support assessment. First, we will go on a nature walk as a whole class around
(Nature Walk) our school woodlot. We will stop occasionally, and the teacher will ask
applicational questions related to the plant parts, functions, and needs
that we have been discussing throughout this unit.

A second form of assessment will involve students individually

examining a live plant (with numbers on it). The teachers will provide
students with a bank of part words, and functions. Students will first
label the plant with appropriate structures (match the numbers to the
name of the structure on an assessment sheet) and thereafter will
match the appropriate function to each structure.

The third form of assessments will be a paper-pencil assessment (as

Apply with Fading Support provided and required by our school district’s curriculum).
For the take home assignment, students will be asked to examine the
(take home assignment to
plants they find in their home settings and neighborhoods. They will
use in their own lives draw a picture of at least one plant, labeling the parts and writing about
outside of school) how that new plant might use those parts. Students will be expected to
come ready to share with classmates, including any details that might
help support their ideas (regarding functions) such as where they found
it, or the plant’s name (with parent help).

* Describe the activity functions using I-AIM.