USF Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template (rev.

Fall 22) Name(s):

_______________________________________________________________

Grade Level Being Taught: Subject/Content:

Instructions: Type your information into the fields below. Delete the italicized portion.
Part 1: Lesson Content
Title/Topic of Lesson
_______ 2 points
Watch Me Sprout...Watch Me Grow, Grow!
The topic of the lesson is sunflower growth. Students will be selecting soil, a pot, and a site,
along with how often they water their seed, to grow a sunflower plant in. They will be using
what they know about plant growth to build their perfect container that promotes plant growth.

Meeting your students’ needs as

people and as learners This lesson may promote the desire to help in a community garden. This lesson can also promote
_______ 3 points planting other plants.

The local community may have community gardens, so this may be something familiar to the students.
Their love of gardening may be created through this experiment.

What Standards relate to this

lesson?
(You should include ALL applicable SC.3.L.14.2 - Investigate and describe how plants respond to stimuli (heat, light, gravity), such as the way
standards.) plant stems grow toward light and their roots grow downward in response to gravity.
_______ 5 points
SC.3.N.1.2. - Compare the observations made by different groups using the same tools and seek reasons to
explain the differences across groups.

SC.3.N.1.3. - Keep records as appropriate, such as pictorial, written, or simple charts and graphs, of
investigations conducted

1
USF Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template (rev. Fall 22) Name(s):
_______________________________________________________________

Grade Level Being Taught: Subject/Content:

Instructions: Type your information into the fields below. Delete the italicized portion.
What misconceptions might
students have about this They might think that the plants will grow very quickly, and I will need to tell them to have patience.
content? They may think that plants get energy through plant food rather than from water, the sun, and soil.
_______ 2 points They might think that plants collect water through their leaves instead of their roots.

Objectives- What students will

know or be able to do after the
instruction – the learning Students will be able to display their knowledge of what plants require to grow by choosing appropriate
outcomes soil, containers, and sunlight amount to grow 2 sunflower seeds. They will keep accurate records of how
Content (WHAT students are their plants grow, and then be able to reflect on the experiment once it has concluded.
learning- look to the standard)
Action (HOW students will show it-
there might be clues in the
standard)
Measure (HOW WELL they need to
do it)
(Note: Degree of mastery does not
need to be a percentage.)
_______ 3 points

Level(s) of Thinking
_______ 2 points
Level 3 – Apply. Students will be experimenting with creating the right conditions to grow a sunflower
plant in, and they will be applying their knowledge of plant growth. I picked this level because it offers a

2
USF Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template (rev. Fall 22) Name(s):
_______________________________________________________________

Grade Level Being Taught: Subject/Content:

Instructions: Type your information into the fields below. Delete the italicized portion.
level of challenge and will show me if these students know the material.

Assessment Plan- How will you

know students have mastered To begin, after I read to the students, I will give them a worksheet where they will have to fill out and
your objectives? color in the parts of a sunflower. They will label the different parts, like roots and stem, so that they have
_______ 5 points a base understanding of plant anatomy. Then they will journal about the plants for 8 weeks.

I will collect the journal as the summative assessment.

Assessment Scoring/Rubric Students will write down observations in a journal about their seed/container each day. They will be
What are the criteria for how you asked to note down what their container looks like every morning from the beginning of the experiment
will assess student to the end, and then they will turn in their recordings. There will be one assignment at the end of the
learning/student work? If you’re experiment where their final journal entry will be a reflection.
using a rubric, include your rubric
here.
_______ 2 points

Part 2: Lesson Implementation

Management & Environment 1
(integrated throughout your I will read to the students on a rug, sitting on a chair in front of them. Then everyday during their
step-by-step plan): observations I will be at my desk near the plants. The students will be in desk groups of 4 around the
1 How will you arrange room.
yourself and the students
(location in the classroom,
3
USF Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template (rev. Fall 22) Name(s):
_______________________________________________________________

Grade Level Being Taught: Subject/Content:

Instructions: Type your information into the fields below. Delete the italicized portion.
seating)?
2 What processes & 2
procedures will you use? Referent teacher procedure where students can ask for help. Procedures align with the rest of class,
How and when will you everything is done orderly.
communicate those to
students?
3 What expectations will you 3
have for the students? How I will remind students to be courteous and polite when interacting with others. They will go to the
and when will you materials table one table at a time, and will not fight over materials. I will tell them about the
communicate those to expectations before we do anything so they know them going in.
students?
4 What strategies will you use
if students do not meet your
expectations? Are there
specific students who
require a more extensive 4
management plan? What I will remind students about our classroom expectations if they are not adhering to them. If there are
will that consist of? fights about materials, then the fighting students will have to pick last. For students with 504 plans or
5 What will students do if adhd, I will make sure to remind the class every day about observing via journaling and watering their
they complete the task plants so they do not forget.
quickly?
_______ 5 points

5
The task will take time, as it extends over 8 weeks. For students whose plants sprout first, they will still
have to record their plant daily. For students who finish journaling every day faster than others, they will
be directed to silent reading time.

Materials
(What materials will you use? Why Include at least one science story (trade) book – full reference
did you choose these materials?
Include any resources you used. I can grow a flower by dk :
This can also include people!)
4
USF Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template (rev. Fall 22) Name(s):
_______________________________________________________________

Grade Level Being Taught: Subject/Content:

Instructions: Type your information into the fields below. Delete the italicized portion.
_______ 3 points Sirett, D., & Patane, C. (2018). I can grow a flower. DK Publishing.

Pots – 3 kinds. One with many holes in bottom, one with few holes, one with no holes. Offers variety for
students to see what will allow a plant to grow the best
Soil - 3 kinds. Alkine soil, silt soil, and peat soil. Again offering variety
Choco sunflower seeds - fast growth

Differentiating Instruction for

various types of learners (i.e.,
instructions, audio, visual,
tactile, postings of expectations,
etc.)
_______ 5 points
Some students may be more sensitive to their plant not growing than others. I will have to make sure
they are not overly emotional if something goes wrong, and I will do my best to look on the positive side
for them.

Students that are visual learners will most likely benefit from the lesson.

Accommodations
(What students need specific
accommodation? List individual
students (initials), and then explain
the accommodation(s) you will
implement for these unique
learners.)
_______ 5 points
I will label my bags of soil, pots, and areas to put the sunflowers in both English and Spanish.
I will model instructions step by step, and use visuals.
I will use graphic organizers and tie our lesson into real world scenarios (I.e. plants and trees all grow
the same). I will make expectations very clear
I will offer guiding questions to provoke deeper thought.

5
USF Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template (rev. Fall 22) Name(s):
_______________________________________________________________

Grade Level Being Taught: Subject/Content:

Instructions: Type your information into the fields below. Delete the italicized portion.
References (Planning of
instruction should be guided by
research-informed https://www.kidsdogardening.com/how-to-grow-sunflowers/
approaches. Acknowledge https://www.cpalms.org/PreviewResourceUpload/Preview/153078
references used to inspire lesson https://savvygardening.com/growing-sunflowers-in-pots/
ideas.)
Use APA7 for references/citations
Minimum 3
_______ 3 points

Higher Order Thinking H.O.T. Include at least 10 Higher Order Thinking (H.O.T.) questions that you will ask throughout the
Questions lesson:
_______ 5 points
1. Illustrate your container. Point out what soil, pot, and light intensity you used.
2. How different do you think sunflower growth is from the growth of a tree, like in the book we read?
3. What might happen if we put a sunflower seed in a dark room with no light? Why?
4. Can you give a brief outline of a plant’s life cycle starting from the seed being planted to the plant
maturing?
5. What would happen if a plant did not have roots?
6. Why do you think plants photosynthesize to get their energy instead of eating food like animals?
7. Describe what you believe is the ideal combination of materials to get your plant to grow, and why.
8. What do you think the consequence is when you do not water your plant?
9. How many weeks do you believe it will take for your plant to mature? Why?
10. What characteristics make up soil good for plant growth?

Step-by-Step Plan - In the sections below, describe what you plan to do in teaching this lesson? Be thorough. Act as if you needed a
substitute to carry out the lesson for you.
1. Engage I will ask students what they know about how plants grow. Specifically, I will ask them if they know
_______ 10 points how a plant eats, how a seed turns into a plant, and what a plant needs to grow. This will give me an
opportunity to see what misconceptions the students have. After this, I will read aloud the book “I can
Grow a Flower” by DK. This book gives an overview of how a sunflower grows from a seed into a
grown plant. After reading the book, I will ask students if they have any questions, and answer them.
Then I will give the students a worksheet of a sunflower that they will need to label and color the
6
USF Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template (rev. Fall 22) Name(s):
_______________________________________________________________

Grade Level Being Taught: Subject/Content:

Instructions: Type your information into the fields below. Delete the italicized portion.
roots, stem, leaves, seeds, and petals of.
2. Explore I will show the students the materials of soil and pots, along with the areas in the classroom where
_______ 10 points plants could be grown. I will let them read the components of the soil and let them touch it so they
can get the feel of it. I will let them explore the pots and places in the room with differing layers of
sunlight. Before this, I will ask them how often they think they would need to water a growing plant.
All of these questions and explorations will give them a basis for what they think they would need to
choose for a sunflower seed to grow.
3. Explain I will then tell the students that we will be growing sunflower seeds. I explain to them that they
_______ 10 points will be cataloguing what happens to their seeds over the course of a 8 weeks by using a journal. I
tell them that their first step in this process is to chose a soil and pot they want to grow their
plant in, followed by where in the room they want to grow their plant (by the window, directly
at the window, or on a table in the back of the room), and how often they want to water their
plant (I will remind the students every morning when they are journaling about what happened
to their plant to water it if they want to). I tell them I want them to explain why they chose these
specific materials in their journal, to see what their thought process is.
I will make sure to have each area in the classroom where plants can be grown, and the soil and
pot types, labeled in english for the ELL learners. An anchor chart will be made with the
instructions on how to observe and record what their plant is doing (the steps being to write a
sentence or two about what their pot looks like on that day, along with any questions they may
have, or any drawings)

4. Extend I will encourage my students to talk to each other and compare what their plants are doing. I want
_______ 10 points them to communicate with one another, and problem solve together (e.i. more water/less water,
move plant somewhere different).
The journals will allow students to write down their observations every day and to see how far their
plants have come. The additional questions can be discussed amongst the students.
At the end of the experiment, I will have students write a reflection, and this will be turned in
alongside the journal.
The ELL adaptations will take place through the anchor charts, labels, and the ability to converse with
peers over problems. I allow journals to be done through drawing, as well, so if needed they can
draw their entries.

7
USF Elementary Education Lesson Plan Template (rev. Fall 22) Name(s):
_______________________________________________________________

Grade Level Being Taught: Subject/Content:

Instructions: Type your information into the fields below. Delete the italicized portion.
Evaluate I will see how the students react and learn from the experiment in real time and through the
_______ 10 points journal. I will see their knowledge and inquiry through journal entries and questions. The
reflection will be about how they think their choices in material, location, and water impacted
their plants. Students will be allowed to bring their sunflowers home with them at the end of the
8 weeks. I will ask students what kind of plants they think might do well under similar
conditions, or what kind would do badly.
I will have students who are native speakers of English and the language of the ELLS work with
them and have labels on things like I normally would.