Name of Lesson: Plant Purpose and Placement: What Plants Can Do and How We Use Them Prepared By:
Prepared By: Jacob Weddle
Grade Level: 8th Grade
Overview & Purpose
Plant Purpose and Placement: What Plants Can Do and How We Use Them.
Students will learn and understand the purpose and impact plants have on our
communities, our planet, and our daily lives.
Lesson Objectives
Information (Brief
summary of the lesson,
description)
Teacher Guide
The teacher will guide and instruct students as
they learn of how plants benefit the world and
everything on it, teach the steps of plant growth,
and inform them on the important concept of
native vs. non-native plants.
The teacher will inform students on the numerous
roles plants play in society and the world, have
the students brainstorm ways plants are important
to every living thing, and then verify by
recording them on a whiteboard. Next, review
with the students the steps of plant growth,
energy production, and reproduction. Following
that they will be taught about the concept of
non-native plants, how their climates are
different from what might be native to the area
(e.g. a cactus in a desert vs a maple tree in a
desert), and how climate change might affect the
native plants. Finally, the teacher will distribute
copies of the attached activity to the students for
them to read through then fill out. They will last
then be asked to draw a native plant on the
document.
Subject: Science
Education Standards Addressed (TEKS)
§112.20 Science, 8th Grade
(1) Grade 8 science is interdisciplinary in nature; however, much of the
content focus is on earth and space science.
(E) Organisms and environments. In studies of living systems, students
explore the interdependence between these systems. Students describe how
biotic and abiotic factors affect the number of organisms and populations
present in an ecosystem. In addition, students explore how organisms and
their populations respond to short- and long-term environmental changes,
including those caused by human activities.
Student Guide
Students will learn about the uses and benefits of Material Needed
plants, review the basic steps of plant growth,
● Plant Purposes
and understand the concept of native versus
non-native plants. Research Activity
Sheet printable
● Computers for
The student will learn the numerous roles plants
play in society and the world, brainstorm ways student use
plants are important to every living thing, and ● Whiteboard and
then will have the teacher record their answers markers
on the whiteboard. Next, students will review
with the teacher the steps of plant growth, energy
production, and reproduction. Following that
they will learn about the concept of non-native
plants, how their climates are different from what
might be native to the area (e.g. a cactus in a
desert vs a maple tree in a desert), and how
climate change might affect the native plants.
Finally, they will fill out the attached activity to
read through then fill out. They will last then be
asked to draw a native plant on the document.
Activity (Include both Students will be instructed to brainstorm as a Students will brainstorm their answers as a group Other Resources
group on what plants do for the environment and and give them to the teacher in the form of hand
guided and individual (websites, books, etc.)
all living beings and the teacher will record them. raising and stating their answers. Following that
practice) Following that, the next activity will be handed they will be taken to the computer lab or use ● Plant Purposes
to them to fill out, which helps them learn about their personal computers to research and fill out Research Activity
the climate of the local area they live in with the the activity packet. Sheet
help of their own research on computers, where
the teacher will guide them through the research
process.

Assessment (describe how The teacher will assess their answers as a group,
correct them following the process of acquiring
students will demonstrate
these answers if need be, then assess and grade
mastery) the research they documented in the activity.
Students will answer initially in a group format
to estimate and gauge their understanding of
plant life and its benefits, then fill out the activity
as a show of understanding the material taught,
as well as an understanding of their own
research.

Summary The teacher will inform students of the Students will learn of the important effect plants Additional Notes
importance of plant life in our environment, have on our local environment and for us, they
Activity is linked in
review the life cycle of plants, teach them about will give answers to show their understanding of
native and non-native plants and the impact how plants matter for our environments, learn “other resources.”
climate has on them, as well as how climate about these facts, then review the plant life cycle. Students may need to
change affects these plants. Following that, they Following that, they will research and fill out the take the activity for
will be instructed to fill out and complete the attached activity as they research local climate
attached assignment, where they will research and plant life, and then research and draw a homework or work on it
local climate and plant life, and then draw a specific plant. for more than one day
native plant to the local climate. depending on their
general grasp of the
material that would need
to be known prior.