Lesson Plans

Leaves: 40 minutes
STANDARD: (PA/Common Core):

I. Performance Objectives (Learning Outcomes)

• Third grade students will explain how leaves produce food

through photosynthesis by creating a visual of photosynthesis.

• The students will be able to explain why photosynthesis is

important in their journal.

II. Assessment/Evaluation plan

Assessment: Documentation Scale:

Tool: (e.g. rating
(e.g. product, quick scale, rubric, (performance levels)
response, interview) checklist,
anecdotal notes)




 Word Wall of key Anecdotal notes Narrative
vocabulary

Leaves project: to
check students Anecdotal notes Plus/check/minus
understanding of
photosynthesis Rating Scale
Plus – all terms are
Journal response:
recorded properly
drawing and
explanation of one Check – most terms
process of are recorded correctly
photosynthesis
Minus – most terms
recorded incorrectly

A. Formative: The students will complete a journal at the end

of the lesson

B. Summative - None

III. Instructional Materials (includes amount)

• fresh spinach leaves

• hole puncher (or can use hard plastic straw)

• baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)







 • liquid dishwashing detergent (only need a drop)

• 1 plastic syringe (no needle, 10 mL or larger)

• 2 clear cups

• 1 measuring cup

• 1 measuring spoon (1/8 teaspoon)

• light source (natural sunlight works, or you can use an

artificial light)

IV. Subject Matter/ Content (prerequisite skills, key vocabulary, new

content)

A. Prerequisite Skills

1. Know what oxygen is.

2. Know why plants and humans need oxygen.

B. Key Vocabulary
















 1. Photosynthesis- A process where plants use energy from the
sun to transform water, carbon dioxide, and minerals into
oxygen.

2. Energy- The strength and vitality required for sustained

physical or mental activity.

3. Chlorophyll- Green pigment in plants that is used to trap

energy from the sun.

4. Hydrogen- A gas that has no color, odor or taste.

5. Carbon dioxide- A gas that is naturally present in the air.

6. Glucose- Is the main source of nutrition for plants fueling their

cells for function and growth.

7. Bicarbonate-

C. New Content

1. Understanding the process of photosynthesis.

2. Why photosynthesis is important to plants and animals

V. Implementation

A. Introduction –



















 1. In a brown bag, have clues using objects or pictures that will
get the students wondering what they’ll be learning about.

(In the bag have a sun, small water bottle, the carbon
dioxide symbol, and a picture of a plant)

2. Pick students to pull out one item at a time. When an item is

pulled out, talk about what each item could possibly be used
for.

3. Tell students all of these items are a part of a process that

leaves on a plant go through to make food for the plant.

4. Tell the students that this process is called photosynthesis.

B. Development –

(Have the word photosynthesis on board as a visual

while explaining what the word means)

1. Tell students that the word photo means “light” and synthesis
means “to put together” when you put the word together
photosynthesis means to “put together with light”.

2. Have students watch Brainpop video about photosynthesis

1. https://www.brainpop.com/science/cellularlifeandgenetics/
photosynthesis/














 2. After watching the video, create a word wall with all the key
vocabulary terms.

3. Say to students “Today we are going to be real scientists!”

Explain that we are going to be recreating the photosynthesis
process and observing what happens to leaves as they go
through the process.

1. Break students into their groups.

2. Each group should have all materials ready on their desks

prior to beginning of class.

4. Teacher will model each individual step of the experiment,

once a step is modeled students will repeat that step.

1. First you will fill your measuring up with 300 milliliters of

water

2. Next you will measure ⅛ teaspoon of baking soda, dump it into

your water and mix it all together. This creates a bicarbonate
solution. (Point to word wall and give definition of bicarbonate
solution.)

3. Explain that when the baking soda dissolves into the water it
releases carbon dioxide. Leaves absorb carbon dioxide through
the air. (Point to word wall and give definition of carbon










 dioxide)

· Next, we are going to take our second

measuring cup and fill it with 200 milliliters of
water and add just a drop of liquid
dishwashing detergent.

· Now, we’re going to go back and take our

first solution (bicarbonate) and pour half of it
into a clear cup.

· Then, using your 1/8 of a teaspoon put a

drop of the detergent solution. If we see
bubbles, we’ll keep adding a small amount of
the detergent solution till there’s no bubbles.

· Next, we’re going to take our spinach leaf

and punch 10-20 holes in it using our hole
puncher. When doing this try not to punch
holes on the veins of the leaf, only on the
smooth areas. (show students what you mean
by this)

· Now, we’re going to take our syringe;

remove the plunger and add our spinach leaf
discs that we hole punched out into the syringe.

· Now, we’re going to put the plunger back

into the syringe and get rid of as much air as
possible without crushing the spinach discs.


· Next, we’re going to put the tip of the
syringe into our bicarbonate/detergent mixture
and pull 3 milliliters of liquid.

· Now, taking our syringe we’re going to

place our finger over the tip of the syringe and
you’re going to pull back on the plunger; this
creates a vacuum.

· Now, this part you must make sure you

keep your finger over the tip of the syringe and
swirl the leaves around for about 10 seconds.
After 10 seconds you can remove your finger
from the tip to release the vacuum.

· Next, we’re going to repeat that process

one more time.

· Now, we’re going to pour our spinach

discs into our cup of bicarbonate/detergent
mixture.

· Once you have your leaves into the cup

we’re going to put the cup under a light for
about 3 minutes.

· While your cup is under the light you’re

going to write down your observations on what
happens to the leaves as they go through the
process of photosynthesis and give off oxygen.
• Then, have students turn off their light source and observe
what happens to the spinach leaves with no light.

• Explain to the students that during photosynthesis plants use

carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight to make food and as a
result the plant produces oxygen.

• Ask the students why it’s important that plants create oxygen.

C. Closure –

1. Review what has been learned about photosynthesis and how

leaves produce food through the process of photosynthesis.

1. Share a diagram of the process of photosynthesis on the

board and have students hold up the correct missing step
for the diagram.

2. Have students complete a journal response drawing one

process of photosynthesis and explaining what happens during
that process.

Accommodations / Differentiation -

• Hand-over hand assistance for students















 • Written instruction on the students desks for them to look back
to

• Pictorial instructions

VI. Reflective Response

A. Report of Students’ Performance in Terms of States

Objectives (Reflection on students performance written after
lesson is taught, includes remediation for students who failed
to meet acceptable level of achievement)

B. Personal Reflection

1. Did the students meet expectations of the lesson?

2. Was the lesson appropriate for their abilities?
3. Could I have taught the lesson differently?
4. Was the lesson completed in the allotted time?

VII. Resources (APA Format)

https://www.clearwaycommunitysolar.com/blog/science-center-
home-experiments-for-kids/learn-how-photosynthesis-creates-a-
natural-chemical-reaction/