Plant Growth & Development
Lesson 5
How Does Your Plant Grow?
At this stage of the growing cycle (Days 5, 6, 7, 8), the plants have grown tall enough for students to measure and record their height in centimeters on a graph. Integrating math and science, this is an opportunity for students to collect data and apply graphing skills to the experiences they are having growing plants.
Objectives:
Students learn how to measure their plants to the nearest centimeter. Students begin keeping data of their plant growth on a bar graph
4. Lesson set up and Management
GLE 1.1.4 Understand that energy comes in many forms.
(Lessons 3-7)
*Describe the forms of energy present in a system (e.g., light energy is needed in a plant system so the plant can make food through photosynthesis.)
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).
*Describe how plants and animals get food differently.
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 1.2.2 Understand that energy can be transformed from one object to another and can be transformed from one form of energy to another.
(Lessons3-8, 10-12, 16)
*Identify sources of energy in systems (light energy is the source of energy in a plant system; food energy is the source of energy in an animal system).
GLE 1.2.7 Understand the life cycles of plants and animals, and the differences between inherited and acquired characteristics.
(Lessons 3-12, 16)
*Observe and describe the life cycle of a plant or animal (e.g., Wisconsin Fast Plant).
*Describe that the young of plants and animals grow to resemble their parents as they mature into adults (e.g., Wisconsin Fast Plants; bees).
*Describe inherited characteristics (e.g., leaf shape, flower shape and color).
GLE 1.3.8 Understand that living things need constant energy and matter.
(Lessons 3-12, 16 and EXTENSIONS: students also earn information from listed books, videos, web sites)
*Identify sources of energy and matter used by plants and animals to grow and sustain life (e.g., air, water, light, food, mineral nutrients).
*Identify sources of energy and matter used by animals to grow and sustain life (e.g., air, water, light, food, mineral nutrients).
*Explain how plants and animals obtain food (e.g., plants make food from air, water and sunlight, mineral nutrients; animals obtain food from other living things.)
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 2.2.3 Understand why similar investigations may not produce similar results.
(Lessons 3-12, 15, 16)
*Describe reasons why two similar investigations can produce different results (e.g., identify possible sources of error, different rates of plant growth).
GLE 2.2.4 Understand how to make the results of scientific investigations reliable.
(Lessons 3-12, 15, 16)
*Describe how the method of investigation insures reliable results (i.e., reliability means that repeating an investigation gives similar results).
GLE 2.2.5 Understand that scientific comprehension of systems increases through inquiry.
(Lessons 3-12, 15, 16)
*Describe how scientific inquiry results in facts, unexpected findings, ideas, evidence, and explanations.
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.
- To live and grow, plants need light, water, carbon dioxide from the air, and mineral nutrients from the soil.
Measuring (making quantitative observations) is one of the most basic skills in science. Students will use paper strips of centimeter-squared paper or centimeter cubes to measure the growth of their plants (see Figures 5-1 and 5-2). Provide time each day for students to carefully measure and graph the growth of their plants. The plants will be growing most actively during the first 18 days of the life cycle. From days 9 to 13, growth will be dramatic because that is when the plants will have their growth spurt.
After day 18 the growth will slow down quite a bit, but students should continue to measure and graph at least once a week. This will confirm that growth has slowed. During this time in its life cycle, the plant is using its energy to develop flowers and seed pods rather than to grow taller.
4. Lesson set up and Management
Materials:
For each student :
- Quad of plants
- Strip of paper precut to 1 cm wide (see Appendix F)
- Centimeter marked ruler (optional)
- Scissors
- Student notebook
For the class:
- Snap-together centimeter cubes
- Glue sticks
- Crayons, colored pencils, or markers
Tip:
Students will be able to measure more accurately with the centimeter paper than with the ruler or cubes. Rulers have many tiny marks that are easily interpreted incorrectly. Also, some students will measure their plants using the wrong end of the ruler by mistake. Students may not snap the centimeter cubes together tightly, resulting in inaccurate measurements using that tool as well.
Students can use centimeter strips or centimeter cubes to measure the growth of their plant. Students then record their plant’s growth by coloring in the centimeter squares on the graph in their science notebooks.
Student Management:
Tip: As the plants grow taller, they will easily become entwined with nearby plants in other quads. If allowed to retrieve plants on their own, students will grab their quad while unintentionally pulling along others with which their plants have become tangled. This will cause damage to their plants and those nearby as they fall to the floor. To alleviate this problem, carefully untangle the plants in each quad as you call students up one by on and hand the quads to them.
Tip: Assist students returning their plants to the watering system by calling them up one at a time. Make sure each planter quad is seated squarely on the watering mat and that it is not crushing any neighboring plants.
Tip: Students must be very careful not to break the stems of their plants while they are measuring them. Once the stem is broken, the plant section above the broken stem will die. If this happens students will need to select another plant in their quad to measure. Make sure that students note this change in their student notebooks.
Tip: It is very helpful for students to work in pairs to assist each other while measuring their plants and also to verify the measurements taken. This is especially helpful for visually impaired students and students with physical disabilities that involve fine motor control.
FINAL ACTIVITIES
Depending on the time of year when this unit is taught, the expectations you have for writing will need to be taken into account.
Show exemplary student work from your classroom if available.
EXTENSIONS
Extension #1 mentioned in this lesson should be done as a prerequisite to this lesson. Students should have prior experiences measuring objects using centimeter strips, metric rulers, and centimeter cubes and recording their measurements before they are asked to measure their plants.
Extension #2 is interesting, but does not relate to this lesson. If your district has adopted the Investigations in Number, Data, and Space® math curriculum by Pearson Scott Foresman, your 3rd grade students will do, or have already done, this activity in the measurement unit From Paces to Feet.
Extension #3 would make for a very scientifically interesting class graph. If you don’t have a lot of space to post many days of class growth graphs, you could designate one day a week for this activity. Again, if you use Investigations math curriculum, you can have your students create a line plot of the growth data collected. A line plot is a quick way to show the data your students have collected. Point out and discuss any outliers (much smaller and/or much taller than the majority of the plants), and other data that can be interpreted on the line plot graph such as the range (shortest to tallest), and the mean (average – where most of the plant heights are bunched together).
Writing Support:
- Students begin keeping data of their plant growth on a bar graph in their science notebooks.
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.