Plant Growth & Development
Lesson 1
What do you know about plants?
In this first lesson, students will have an opportunity to reflect on how much they already know about plants and what they would like to learn. They are also asked to look closely at the outside of a lima bean seed, an exercise that introduces skills that will be developed throughout the unit: observing, recording, and predicting.
Objectives:
Students share what they know about plants and discuss what else they would like to know. The teacher evaluates students' prior knowledge of plants to inform future instruction. Students practice observation and prediction skills.
3. Lesson set up and Management
GLE 1.1.6 Understand the characteristics of living organisms.
(Lessons 1-7, 9, 10, 16)
*Identify observable characteristics of living organisms (e.g., plants have roots, stems, leaves, seeds, flowers; bees have two antennae, compound eyes, six legs, two pairs of wings, a head, thorax, and abdomen).
GLE 1.2.1 Analyze how the parts of a system go together, and how these parts depend on each other.
(Lessons 1-14, 16)
*Identify the parts of a system (e.g., roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds) and how the parts go together.
*Describe the function of a part of a system (e.g., leaves are the food factories of Wisconsin Fast Plants.)
*Explain how one part of a system depends upon other parts of the same system.
*Predict and explain how a system would work if one of its parts was missing or broken.
GLE 1.2.3 Know that substances are made of small particles.
(Lessons 1, 2, 6, 9 10, 11)
*Observe and describe that some particles can only be seen with magnification (e.g., parts of seeds, parts of flowers, parts of bees).
GLE 2.1.1 Understand how to ask a question about objects, organisms, and events in the environment.
(Lessons 1-16)
*Ask questions about objects, organisms, and events based on observations of the natural world.
GLE 2.1.2 Understand how to plan and conduct simple investigations following all safety rules.
(Lessons 1-16)
*Make predictions of the results of an investigation (e.g., growth rate of the Wisconsin Fast Plant during the growth spurt).
*
Generate a logical plan for, and conduct, a simple controlled investigation with the following attributes: 1) appropriate materials, tools, and available computer technology, 2) gather, record, and organize data using appropriate units, charts, and/or graphs
*Identify and use simple equipment and tools (such as magnifiers, rulers) to gather data and extend the senses.
*Follow all safety rules during investigations.
GLE 2.1.5 Understand how to report investigations and explanations of objects, events, systems, and processes.
(Lessons 1-16)
*Report observations or data of simple investigations without making inferences.
*Summarize an investigation by describing:
-materials used in the investigation, -observations, data, results, -explanations and conclusions in written, mathematical, oral, and information technology presentation formats, -safety procedures used
GLE 2.2.1 Understand that all scientific observations are reported accurately and honestly even when the observations contradict expectations.
(Lessons 1-12, 15, 16)
*Explain why scientific observations are recorded accurately and honestly.
*Explain why scientific records of observations are not changed even when the records do not match initial expectations.
*Explain why honest acknowledgement of the contributions of others and information sources are necessary.
GLE 3.2.2 Understand that people have invented tools for everyday life and for scientific investigations.
(Lessons 1-12, 15, 16)
*Describe tools (technology) invented to advance scientific investigations (e.g., rulers, plant lights, automatic watering system, magnification devices, the development of Wisconsin Fast Plants by Dr. Paul Williams for classroom investigations).
- Many plants follow a life cycle that begins with growth from a seed and proceeds through the production of many new seeds.
- Plants have different stages in their life cycle
3. Lesson set up and Management
Materials:
- Make copies of Activity Sheet 1 for every student.
- Prepare 2 charts: "What We Know About Plants" and "What We Would Like to Know About Plants"
- Set up a distribution station for the seeds and hand lenses. Students will practice picking up and returning a few items for lessons 1 and 2. In lesson 3, students will be asked to manage a much larger number of materials.
- Fill a tub with water for students to place their dry lima beans at the end of the lesson. These lima beans will become the soaked lima beans needed for lesson 2 the following day. Make sure that water is covering the seeds completely. The lima beans will begin to ferment and smell bad if left soaking longer than 24 hours.
10X Lima Bean Seed Outside
ADDITIONAL TEACHER BACKGROUND: Above is a 10X magnified view of a dry lima bean seed. With magnification, students can see the micropyle - the tiny hole where the pollen tube attached to the ovule in the ovary. Pollen travels from the pistil down the pollen tube and enters the ovule via the micropyle. The ovule then begins to grow into a seed. Students can view this process, called pollination, on "The Magic School Bus Goes to Seed" video. The scar that is left at the site where the bean was attached to the inside of the pod is called the hilum. The seed coat is the outer protection of the seed.
After the seed disconnects from the pollen tube, water can enter the seed via the micropyle, which together with warm conditions begins the germination process.
Student Management:
- The Distribution Center is an efficient way to get materials out to your students.
- Identify a HANDS-OFF ZONE – the area just between each pair of students in a team. When materials are there, all hands are off.
- Assign Materials Managers – use a system to rotate managers, such as alternating students on different days of the week.
- Have Materials Managers raise their hand so you have their attention and know they are with you.
- At the Distribution Center, hold up each object they should get for today's lesson and name it. Remind students how many of that item are to be taken by noting the TAKE sign by the item.
- Note the path to follow as they walk to and from the distribution center (they will go in the reverse order to return materials).
- Invite the Materials Managers up. Monitor their progress down the line.
- When a Materials Manager returns to the desk, the materials are placed in the Hands-Off Zone as they inventory what they should have picked up at the Distribution Center.
- Jeweler's loupes or stereo microscopes may be used in place of hand lenses. Computer video microscopes, if available, allow students to label, store, and print magnified digital images for their science notebooks. (See lima bean image above.)
- When you create the charts for this lesson, consider laminating them and using a dry erase marker or overhead marker so your charts can be used year after year.
- Make generic signs with "TAKE 1," "TAKE 2" on index cards and laminate them for continuous use with any unit taught during the year. Some teachers use post-its in bright colors.
Writing Support:
- Have students draw and label their lima bean in their science notebooks. (If using digital microscopes, have students take a 10X digital photo of their lima bean and label the parts. Print and place in student notebook.)
- Have students predict what they think will happen to the seeds as they soak in water overnight and have them give reasons for their predictions.
- Record student predictions on a large sheet of paper or overhead transparency.
- Using the Learning Cycle transparency, show that this is the FOCUS section of the cycle.
NOTE: This is a diagnostic/preassessment opportunity to find out students' prior knowledge.
Reading Support: Students use non-fiction reading skills.
- ScienceSaurus, A Student Handbook (use as a resource)
- How a Plant Grows
Have students partner-read and write interesting facts and questions they may have on sticky notes. Students leave their sticky notes on the pages of the book until they are ready to transfer their sticky notes into their student notebooks. Students will read this book cover to cover over the course of this science unit.