Organisms
Lesson 2
Observing and Describing Seeds
This lesson will help students develop observation and comparison skills. They will observe and describe four different types of seeds. This lesson provides FOCUS and EXPLORE opportunities.
3. Lesson set up and Management
INQA Scientific investigations involve asking and trying to answer a question about the natural world by making and recording observations.
INQC Scientists develop explanations, using recorded observations (evidence).
INQD Scientists report on their investigations to other scientists, using drawings and words.
INQF All scientific observations must be reported honestly and accurately.
LS1B All plants and animals have various external parts.
LS3A Some things are alive and others are not.
LS3B There are many different types of living things on Earth. Many of them are classified as plants or animals.
LS3C External features of animals and plants are used to classify them into smaller groups.
- Students will discuss ways to find out how seeds are alike and different.
- Students will use their senses and observe a variety of seeds.
- Students will draw and describe seeds.
- Students will create a class observation data table.
3. Lesson set up and Management
Materials:
- Make a classroom table for recording questions students should ask as they observe the seeds. You can run one copy of the Senses blackline master from page 33 of the STC Organisms manual or draw a four-row, two-column table with an eye to show visual observation, an ear to show listening, a hand to show feeling the seeds and a nose to show smell.
- Laminate this classroom chart and write on it with washable marker. It can be reused in the future.
- Leave this table up throughout the unit. Write the lesson number on this and each subsequent list generated to make it easier to remember what has been used for each lesson. Leave these lists up.
- It is important to spend a few minutes instructing students in the use of hand lenses as many students aren’t sure how to bring objects into focus. Show them that they can either keep the observed object stationary and move the lens toward it until it focuses or they can keep the lens near their eye and move the observed object.
- Instead of running pre-printed tables for students, have them create a simple four row, four column observation data table. There should be a row for each seed type. The first column provides a place to tape each seed type and the other columns provide space to record what students see, feel, smell and hear as they observe.
- You may want to buy a bag of uncooked kidney beans, sunflower seeds, pea seed and pumpkin seed for students to tape into science notebooks and onto cups. This is less expensive that using the plantable seeds in these places.
A class chart can remind students
of how to use their senses to observe.Students can glue the actual seed observed
onto their table in the science notebook.
Student Management:
- It can be helpful to have students work in partners even though they each have their own seeds. This will stimulate discussion and more thorough observations.
- Stop after observing the first seed and spend some time brainstorming descriptive words. Students will want to say things like: "it is like a sunflower seed". It is better if they use descriptions of observed characteristics such as: "the seed is striped, the seed is brown and tan, the seed is teardrop shaped, etc."
- The lesson suggests a pocket type folder for students to store their data sheets and other work in this unit. Often pocket folders are problematic for little children as things get dumped out and lost. A better choice is a science notebook in which to glue record sheets and samples.
- Criteria for assessing students as they work through the procedures of the lesson are given in the bulleted items. The Observing and Describing Seeds sheets also serve as assessment pieces. Teacher observation is a valuable and viable assessment and teachers may want to keep anecdotal records that might include what students say, how they follow routines and work with others, how they share ideas, interest and curiosity.
- Be sure to continue focusing students on the questions on the class observing table.
Writing Support:
- This is a good lesson for beginning to talk about using clear descriptive phrases and adjectives. Students will often not have a bank of good words with which to describe the seeds. Start a word bank for the class that can continue into other areas of the class day.
- A glossary is available in the STC Organisms Teacher's Guide and also on the Carolina Biological website. As students encounter glossary words they can highlight them in their copy of the glossary. On occasion students can take a word or two from the glossary and write a clear descriptive sentence using the word(s).
Reading Support:
- Use the glossary to enhance reading vocabulary. A glossary for this unit is available in the STC Organisms Teacher’s Guide and also on the Carolina Biological website. As students encounter glossary words they can highlight them in their copy of the glossary. On occasion students can take a word or two from the glossary and write a clear descriptive sentence using the word(s).
- Several books can help students become better observers. Among them are, Look! Look! Look! By Tana Hoban, My Five Senses by Aliki, and The Other Way to Listen by Byrd Baylor and Peter Parnall. All would be good read alouds.
- Books are available for student reading that are written at a primer and pre-primer level as well. Some are: Seeds Grow by Colin Walker, Sunshine Books Science: Seeds, Seeds, Seeds by Brian and Jillian Cutting, The Pumpkin by Joy Cowley, and Now I Know: All about Seeds by Susan Kuchalla.
Math Support:
- Bring in a pumpkin or a large sunflower head. If possible bring one for each group of four or five students. Have students remove seeds and count them organizing them by tens and ones to assist with counting skills and place value. Enhance the activity by having students estimate the number of seeds before they start and see how close they get to their estimate.