Warner University

Heather Coulter

EDU 3050

Unit Plan

August 5, 2019
 Unit Plan Template

Unit Author: Heather Coulter

Unit Title: How Does Your Garden Grow
Subject Area and Grade Level: Science

Third grade
Sunshine State Standards:

-SC.3.1.L.17.2: Recognize that plants use energy from the sun, air, and water to make their own

food.

-SC.3.L.15.2: Classify flowering and nonflowering plants into major groups such as those that

produce seeds, or those like ferns and mosses that produce spores, according to their physical

characteristics.

- SC.3.L.14.1 Describe structures in plants and their roles in food production, support, water and

nutrient transport, and reproduction.

(CPALMS, 2019).
Approximate length of unit: 7 days
Unit Summary:

This unit of study explores plants and plant growth. It explores characteristics of flowering

and nonflowering plants. It explores the parts of plants and their function. It explores

environmental factors for plant growth and how modifications to those factors affects plant

growth. It explores how the weather and climate affect plant growth. It covers determining last

frost date, planting depth and space, days to maturity, planting zone, planning a garden, and

planting a garden.
Unit Content Outline: Using outline (Roman numeral form), outline the content you will be

teaching throughout the unit.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I. Characteristics of plants

a. Flowering and Nonflowering Plants

b. Grouping Plants by their Characteristics

II. Environmental Factors for Plant Growth

a. Importance of Air

b. Importance of Water

c. Importance of Temperature

d. Importance of Nutrients

e. Importance of Light

f. How changes in these factors affect plant growth

III. Weather, Climate, Temperature on Plant Growth

a. Humidity and Vapor

b. Weather vs. Climate

c. Dew point

d. Temperature and Frost

e. How weather affects plants

IV. Parts of a plant and their function

a. Seed

b. Roots

c. Stem

d. Leaves

e. Petals

V. Planning a Garden
 a. Interpreting Seed packets

b. Considering environment

c. Considering planting depth

d. Considering plant spacing

e. Considering last frost

f. Considering planting zone

VI. Planting a garden

a. Preparing soil

b. Measuring seed spacing

c. Measuring planting depth

d. Proper plant watering

Unit Objective 1:

TSWBAT identify categories that various displays of plants, fruits, vegetables, and grains may

be categorized into according to their characteristics (Knowledge/Remembering).

Multiple Intelligences (for each objective):

1. Body Kinesthetic: Students will move around during our Musical Plant Classification round

up game.

2. Musical: Music will be played during our Musical Plant Classification round up game.

3. Visual/Spatial: Students will use pictures to categorize plants.

4. Logical/Mathematical: Students will categorize various plants, grains, vegetables, and fruits.

5. Interpersonal: Students work together in pairs during round up game.

Specific Assessments (for each objective):

Formative Performance assessments:

1. In groups, students will find 3 pictures each from garden magazines of plants, grains,
 vegetables, and fruits. Students will brainstorm three categories they could classify these

pictures into according their characteristics, and will sort these plants, fruits, vegetables,

and grains into these 3 brainstormed categories. Students will be assessed that they can

classify plants according to characteristics.

2. Teacher will play music. When music stops, students will pair up. Teacher will call out a

specific plant, fruit, or vegetable. Students in pairs will have 30 seconds to list on paper

as many characteristics of that plant as they can. We will do 10 rounds of this. Students

will then take their list of characteristics and see how many ways they can group the 10

plants by these characteristics. Students will be assessed that they grouped the 10 plants

according to characteristics of the plants. They will need to create at least three different

groups/categories.
Accommodations: What accommodations will you use to aid students in achieving this
objective. Be sure to address ESE, ESOL and Gifted students.

ESE: Students will be provided with images of plants, grains, vegetables, and fruits to cut out.

They will sort these images into 3 provided categories and glue them under each category on a

paper. For the musical game, students will be given a picture/word chart of characteristics to

refer to.

ESOL: For the musical game, students will be provided a list of characteristics in English and

Spanish for vocabulary reference. For the sorting pictures activity, students will be given a

Spanish/English dictionary.

Gifted: Students will be encouraged to further categorize their images, by creating subcategories

for their categories created for the musical and picture assessment activities.

Unit Objective 2:
TSWBAT describes factors of a plant’s environment that are required for plant growth

(Comprehension/Understanding).
Multiple Intelligences (for each objective):

Visual/Spatial; logical/mathematical: Students create a diagram map of 5 factors of a plant’s

environment required for growth.

Logical/Mathematical; Naturalist Students categorize date and observations on a graph of daily

observations of seedlings and the effect of an environmental factor on that seedling.

Specific Assessments (for each objective):

Formative Performance Assessments:

1. Students will create a picture diagram of factors of a plant’s environment that are

required for growth (light, moisture, air, temperature, and nutrients).

Students will be assessed that they correctly identified and included each factor into their

picture diagram.

2. Students will be put in groups, and there will be 6 total groups. Students will conduct an

experiment in each group with growing seedlings. The first group will provide a seedling with all

adequate 5 environmental factors important for growth. One group will limit light, another will

limit moisture, one groups will limit air, another group will limit temperature, and another group

will limit nutrients. As a group, students will document their findings on a worksheet daily for 5

days. We will then add each group’s findings to a large graph on the board as each group

presents their findings. Students will then be assessed during the daily observations that they are

on task and on course for their experiment, completion of their charts, and for group

participation. Feedback will be given during it. They will also be assessed by a rubric for a short

essay response on how they have learned how the 5 environmental factors impact plant growth.
 Plant Environment Study

Date: Date: Date: Date: Date:

Control Group:

Group Members:

(List names)
Height (inches)

Height (centimeters)
Number of Leaves
Color of Plant
General Appearance
Daily Observations

Date: Date: Date: Date: Date:

Environmental Factor Group:
Group Members:
(List names)
Height (inches)
Height (centimeters)
Number of Leaves
Color of Plant
General Appearance
Daily Observations

(University of Florida, 2017).

5 Environmental Factors on Plant Growth Short Essay Rubric

.
Points Worth: Points Earned:
Student Includes how all the 10
environmental factors
together help plant growth:
Student Includes their 20
observations over the 5 days
of how lack of a factor
affected plant growth.
Student Includes what they 20
learned about how the lack of
each of the other 4 factors
affected plant growth.
 Total points possible: 50 Points earned:

Accommodations:

ESOL: Students will have a word bank for completing their diagram.

ESE: Students will have pictures and word bank that they can cut out the answer and glue it in

the correct box on a preconstructed diagram.

Gifted: Students will be encouraged to write a sentence next to each environmental factor on

their diagram as to a reason why each factor is important. In the group observation activity, they

will be encouraged to write a paragraph about why the factor their groups has is important for

plant growth, what happens if there is not enough of it, and what they think would happen if

there is too much of it. They are also encouraged to experiment as to what happens when there is

too much of their factor.

Unit Objective 3:

TSWBAT choose plants by frost date that are appropriate for a group garden, by applying

knowledge about climate and weather to correctly sort out 5 seed packets for their garden that are

appropriate to season and have the appropriate frost dates on them for our state (application).
Multiple Intelligences (for each objective):

Naturalistic: Students will find the dew point in the weather forecast.

Logical/Mathematical: Students will research the climate zone they are in. They will research
last frost date. Students will research plants appropriate to grow per their climate zone. Students
will record information on their chosen seeds on a chart.

Interpersonal: Students will work in groups to select appropriate seeds to season, climate, and
frost date.

Specific Assessments (for each objective):

-Performance based formative assessment: Students will work in groups to research the dew
point in the weather forecast and to research last frost date for the area. They will take their
knowledge they have learned about last frost date and climate, and days to maturity to select 5
seed packets for a group garden that is appropriate to season and have the appropriate frost dates
for the appropriate zone. They will be assessed through observation and by reviewing their
selections. Feedback will be provided. They will record their answers on the following group
worksheet:

Names: Date:
1. What is our climate?
2. What is our zone?
3. Which seeds did you pick?
1. Days to Maturity: When to plant:
2. Days to Maturity: When to plant:
3. Days to Maturity: When to plant:
4. Days to Maturity: When to plant:
5. Days to Maturity: When to plant:

Accommodations:

ESOL: Encourage to work in a group to facilitate vocabulary and linguistic skills. Provide access

to an English/Spanish dictionary.

ESE: Paraprofessional or teacher will help student identify appropriate plants by offering two

choices at a time to look for appropriate seeds based on planting zone. Paraprofessional or

teacher will help student fill out form while referring to back of seed packet.

Gifted: Student will research another planting zone of interest for plants common to plant in that

location.
Unit Objective 4:
4.TSWBAT examine the parts of a plant and their function (analysis).
Multiple Intelligences (for each objective):

Naturalistic: Lesson will begin by students walking around outside observing parts of plants,

drawing pictures of what they see, and writing observations of characteristics of plants they

observe.

Visual/Spatial: Students will construct a diagram on a five-flap paper of a plant, identifying it’s
parts (flower, stem, roots, leaf, seed).

Linguistic: Students writes a description of each of a plant’s parts.

Specific Assessments (for each objective):

Performance based formative:

Students will construct a diagram on a five-flap paper of a plant, identifying its parts. Students

will be assessed by rubric if they correctly identify each of the five parts of a plant and provide a

description of the importance of each part and what it does, under each flap (Florida State

University, 2019).

Rubric:

Student identifies all five parts of plant correctly: 15 points/ Points earned

Students provides an acccurate description of each part and it’s importance: 15 points/

Points earned

30 total points/ Points Earned

Accommodations:

For ESOL students, teachers should have a reference picture of the plants labeled so that they

can make connections in creating their own diagram. Provide a Spanish/English dictionary for

students.

ESE: students can have a premade 5 flap booklet and can match words and description to each
part.

Gifted: Have student write a paragraph connecting how all these individual parts work together.

Unit Objective 5:

5. TSWBAT prepare a plan for a garden by working in groups to formulate a garden plan and

preparing a map of their garden containing their 5 selected plants.

Multiple Intelligences (for each objective):

Interpersonal: Students will plan a group garden bed, working together to create a map/diagram
of their garden.

Visual/Spatial: Students will create a group presentation and garden design to share with their
classmates.

Linguistic: Students must present their garden project to the class. Students will explain three

ways that they considered the environment when planning their group garden and explaining

their rationale of plant choices, design, and location of their group garden through a group

presentation of their garden plan. They will include seed spacing and full sun or shade, plant

height and width, vining or bush.

Specific Assessments (for each objective):

1. Formative Performance Assessment: Students will be assessed by observation throughout the

creation of the garden plan and map/diagram. Feedback will be provided verbally during and

upon completion before presentation to the class. Students will also present their garden plan to

the class and it will be assessed with a rubric. Students will receive feedback to be used in the

final stage of planting of their garden. They must consider seed spacing and full sun or shade,

plant height and width, vining or bush, environmental factors, planting depth, and climate in their

design. Students will receive feedback to be used in the final stage of planting of their garden.

Group has 5 plants 10 points possible

Considers environmental 10 points possible
factors
Considers plant size 10 points possible
Considers climate 10 points possible
Includes Map or diagram 10 points possible
Students explain three ways 30 points possible
that they considered the
environment when planning
their group garden and
explaining their rationale of
plant choices, design, and
location of their group garden
 Total Points Possible: 80 Points earned:
points

Accommodations:

ESOL: Pair student in a group to facilitate language development and vocabulary.

Gifted: Student will be challenged to create garden plan in a way that is innovative and creative.

ESE: Paraprofessional or teacher will assist in helping student create a garden bed map, working

on each element per plant at a time in the design. An alternate is to provide student a mapped out

grid for them to insert each plant, looking at spacing on the back of seed pack to find where that

plant goes.

Unit Objective 6:
6. Evaluation: TSWBAT plant seeds in a group designated garden bed utilizing

knowledge learned from unit (Evaluation).

Multiple Intelligences (for each objective):

Verbal/Linguistic: Students will write a self-relfection journal.

Intrapersonal: Students will self-reflect in a journal for the week- each day documenting what

they’ve found interesting, what they’ve learned, and what they want to know more about. They

will also document their experience planning and planting their group garden raised bed.

Interpersonal: Students will plant a garden raised bed they design with their group.

Naturalistic: Students will plant a raised garden bed considering types of plants appropriate to

climate and environment, factors of the environment, seed spacing, plant depth, sun/shade.

Specific Assessments (for each objective):

1. Students will complete the Teacher-Made Paper/Pencil summative assessment test.

2. Summative Assessment: Students will be assessed of their knowledge to use the

 information learned in our garden plan by observation during the implementation of

planting the group garden. They will be observed for using appropriate seed spacing,

using appropriate seed depth, planting seeds in appropriate locations such as shade or full

sun, and for considering the five environmental factors that affect plant growth.

3. Affective assessment: Students will be assessed to evaluate what students have learned by

keeping a journal for the week- each day documenting what they’ve found interesting,

what they’ve learned, and what they want to know more about. They will also document

their experience planning and planting their group garden raised bed. They will add this

to their cumulative portfolio assessment folder for the unit, including the other

observations and work they’ve completed this week. They will have a checklist which

will be evaluated for completeness as part of the cumulative portfolio assessment.

Accommodations:

ESE: Holes for planting can be pre-dug and student can match seed packet to labeled area of

garden bed. As an alternate, student can be assisted in using seed tape to measure seed spacing

for planting, which is then buried in a pre-dug row.

ESOL: Encourage student to work in group to promote language development and vocabulary.

Gifted: Student will implement their innovative garden design, using unconventional measures

such as trellising or growing plants vertically.

Teacher-Made Paper/Pencil Test Include a copy of your teacher made test assessing this unit.
The test should have Sunshine State Standards listed, a variety of questions used, provide a copy
of the test along with answer key, contain clear directions, and point values for ALL questions
should be provided.

Summative Assessment:

Name: Date:

How Does Your Garden Grow Unit Test (70 points total)

State Standards:

-SC.3.1.L.17.2: Recognize that plants use energy from the sun, air, and water to make their own
food.

-SC.3.L.15.2: Classify flowering and nonflowering plants into major groups such as those that
produce seeds, or those like ferns and mosses that produce spores, according to their physical
characteristics.

- SC.3.L.14.1 Describe structures in plants and their roles in food production, support, water and
nutrient transport, and reproduction.

Multiple Choice: Circle the appropriate answer.

1. Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. Would plants dry out faster when humidity is
high or low? __________ (2 points)

A. high

B. low

2.The more water vapor, the higher or lower the humidity?__________ (2 points)

A. Higher

B. Lower

3. Does warm air or cold air hold more water vapor? _________ (2 points)

A. Warm air

B. Cold air

4. When does freezing occur? Above or below the dew point?____________ (2 points)

A. Above
B. Below

5. Is frost more likely in high or low humidity?_______________ (2 points)

A. High

B. Low

6. How do plants usually obtain nutrients? _________ (2 points)

A. From their roots through the soil

B. From their leaves

C. From their petals

Circle all that apply

7. Plants get their energy from ___________ (2 points)

A. Sun

B. Water

C. Air

D. Petals

E. Stems

Short answer:

8. What is one way to return nutrients to the soil? (3 points)

______________________

9. List the 5 environmental factors that impact plant growth. (5 points)

10. Refer to the map below: 3 points

What is the dewpoint for Pittsburgh? _____________________________________

11.Below is the back of a seed packet. Use the data on the seed packet to answer the questions:
(16 points total)

Cucumber
Planting depth: ½ in.- Thin to 18” Direct sow: After
1in. Danger of frost
Start Indoors: 6 weeks Maturity: 55-60 days Full Sun
before last frost
Vining

a. When can you plant cucumbers seeds directly into the ground?___________________(2
points)
b. When can you start cucumber seeds inside?________________________ (2 points)
c. How long does it take until a cucumber plant is ready to set fruit or flower?
______________ (2 points)
d. Where should you plant your cucumbers in regard to environment? ________________
(2 points)
e. Is this cucumber plant a bush or does it vine? _______________________ (2 points)
f. How deep should it be planted? ______________________ (2 points)
g. How much space should be between cucumber plants? ____________________(2 points)
h. If the average last frost for our state is April 20th and the average first frost is October 1st,
would you plant cucumbers After April 20th, before April 20th, or After October 1st?
_______________________ (2 points)
12. Refer to the Map: (6 points total)

a. Which planting zones do the state of Pennsylvania fall into? ____________ (2 points)

b. Are the higher numbered zones (7-11) warmer in climate or cooler? ___________ (2

points)

c. Are the lower number zones (3-6) warmer in climate or cooler? ________ (2 points)

13. Short Essay Response:

What are some overall factors to consider when planting seeds? Provide three examples and
why. (8 points)

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

14. What is one function of a flower? (3 points)

______________________________________________________________________________
______________

15. What is one function of a stem? (3 points)

______________________________________________________________________________

16. What is one function of a leaf? (3 points)

______________________________________________________________________________
______

17. What is one function of a root? (3 points)

______________________________________________________________________________
_______

18. What is one function of a seed? (3 points)

________________________________________________________________________

Answer Key

Summative Assessment:

Name: Date:

How Does Your Garden Grow Unit Test (70 points total)

State Standards:

-SC.3.1.L.17.2: Recognize that plants use energy from the sun, air, and water to make their own
food.

-SC.3.L.15.2: Classify flowering and nonflowering plants into major groups such as those that
produce seeds, or those like ferns and mosses that produce spores, according to their physical
characteristics.

- SC.3.L.14.1 Describe structures in plants and their roles in food production, support, water and
nutrient transport, and reproduction.

Multiple Choice: Circle the appropriate answer. Correct answers are highlighted

1. Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. Would plants dry out faster when humidity is
high or low? __________ (2 points)

A. high

B. low

2.The more water vapor, the higher or lower the humidity?__________ (2 points)

A. Higher

B. Lower
3. Does warm air or cold air hold more water vapor? _________ (2 points)

A. Warm air

B. Cold air

4. When does freezing occur? Above or below the dew point?____________ (2 points)

A. Above

B. Below

5. Is frost more likely in high or low humidity?_______________ (2 points)

A. High

B. Low

6. How do plants usually obtain nutrients? _________ (2 points)

A. From their roots through the soil

B. From their leaves

C. From their petals

7. Circle all that apply. Plants get their energy from ___________ (2 points)

A. Sun

B. Water

C. Air

D. Petals

E. Stems

Short answer:

8. What is one way to return nutrients to the soil? (3 points)

fertilizer

9. List the 5 environmental factors that impact plant growth. (5 points)

Air, water, temperature, nutrients, light

10. Refer to the map below: 3 points

What is the dewpoint for Pittsburgh? 54 degrees

11.Below is the back of a seed packet. Use the data on the seed packet to answer the questions:
(16 points total)

Cucumber
Planting depth: ½ in.- Thin to 18” Direct sow: After
1in. Danger of frost
Start Indoors: 6 weeks Maturity: 55-60 days Full Sun
before last frost
Vining

a. When can you plant cucumbers seeds directly into the ground? After danger of frost (2
points)
b. When can you start cucumber seeds inside? 6 weeks before last frost (2 points)
c. How long does it take until a cucumber plant is ready to set fruit or flower? 55-60 days (2
points)
d. Where should you plant your cucumbers regarding environment? Varied answers: warm,
sunny, full sun (2 points)
e. Is this cucumber plant a bush or does it vine? vine (2 points)
f. How deep should seeds be planted? ½ in to 1 in (2 points)
g. How much space should be between cucumber plants? 18 inches (2 points)
h. If the average last frost for our state is April 20th and the average first frost is October 1st,
would you plant cucumbers After April 20th, before April 20th, or After October 1st? After
April 20th (2 points)
12. Refer to the Map: (6 points total)

a. Which planting zones do the state of Pennsylvania fall into? Zones 5, 6 (2 points)

b. Are the higher numbered zones (7-11) warmer in climate or cooler? warmer (2

points)

c. Are the lower number zones (3-6) warmer in climate or cooler? Cooler (2 points)

13. Short Essay Response:

What are some overall factors to consider when planting seeds? Provide three examples and
why. (8 points)

-Varies responses; may include environmental factors, plant size, seed spacing, seed depth,
climate.

14. What is one function of a flower? (3 points)

-Flower functions may include: reproduction, seeds formation, fruit formation.

15. What is one function of a stem? (3 points)

-Stem function may include: support, photosynthesis (if green), or water/nutrient transport.

16. What is one function of a leaf? (3 points)

-Leaves function may include: photosynthesis, water/nutrient transport.

17. What is one function of a root? (3 points)

-Root function may include: nutrient transport, support, water/nutrient storage

18. What is one function of a seed? (3 points)

-Seed function may include: reproduction

Resources

Florida State University. (2019). CPALMS. Retrieved from http://www.cpalms.org/Public/

KidsGardening.org. (2017). Helping kids grow. Retrieved from https://kidsgardening.org/lesson-

plans/

N.C. Cooperative Extension. (n.d.). Third grade lesson plans. Retrieved from

https://guilford.ces.ncsu.edu/third/

University of Florida. (2017). What makes plants grow. Retrieved from

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/4h/4H36000.pdf