1. Topic-
How Do Plants Grow?
 
2. Content-
Subject Matter: Plant Life
Key Vocabulary: Absorb, Tint, Root, Stem, Leaves
 
3. Goals: Aims/Outcomes-
1.Understand how roots pull water up through the plant and into the leaves.
2.Understand what absorb and tint mean.
3.Understand how the stem can help a plant grow without roots.
 
4. Objectives-
1.Given that the stem will be lighter in color than the leaves the student should identify that the water traveled up the stem and into the leaves.
2.Given that the stem has no roots, the student should learn that the stem can help keep a plant alive if it loses its roots.
3.Given that the stalk and leaves have turned the color of the water the student should be able to understand the concept of absorb and tint.
 
5. Materials and Aids-
Clean, Used Clear jars from home (spaghetti sauce, pickle jar, etc.)
Water
Red & Blue Food Coloring
Scissors
Celery stalk with leaves
Observation Sheet
Sticker Label
Markers
 
6. Procedures/Methods-

A. Introduction-

1.Do you like to water the plants at home or in the garden?
2.Why do we water plants?
3.Since we know plants need water to grow, what do you think happens to it after we water them?
 

B. Development-

1.First I'd like everyone to take their label and write their name on it.
2.Now place that on your jar like so. (Demonstrate)
3.In just a moment each of you will need to fill your jar about half full of water like this. (Demonstrate)
4. I will come by and place a few drops of either blue or red food coloring in your water like this. (Demonstrate)
5. Then I will give you a piece of celery, and you will place it in your jar. Stir it gently to mix up the color. (Demonstrate)
6. Once you have completed this take out your Observation sheet and draw a picture of what your celery looks like now.
7. Once you have drawn your celery, write one sentence describing what you see when you look at the celery.
8. Finally, when you have finished raise your hand, and I will come by to take a look at your paper, then I will have you place your celery on the side table here.

Separately - split one stalk in in half part way up. Place one stem in one color, and the other side in the other color. Reveal it to the students after asking for their predictions.
 

C. Practice-

1.Performing the experiment.
2.Documenting the experiment on their observation sheets.
3.Predict what might happen if stalk split in half partially with one part in one color, and the other in the other color.
 

D. Independent Practice-

Ask the students to write a sentence or two explaining what happened during the experiment.
 

E. Accommodations (Differentiated Instruction)-

1.Pair students with a partner to complete the experiment together so that the special education student is able to follow the actions of their partner.
2.Ask the class for ideas, and write some of the key words needed for describing the plant on the board to help the English learners with their sentences.
3.Ask the gifted and talented students what might happen to a white carnation if placed in colored water.
 

F. Checking for understanding-

At the end of the week ask the students to write in their journal what they learned in the experiments performed during the week.
 

G. Closure-

1.Ask what they have learned.
2.Go over the root systems importance and ready them for next week when we will sprout a bean to see its roots.
 
7. Evaluation-
1.On the test over plant life ask if a plant can live without roots if the stem is in water.
2.On the test ask what happens to the water when you water a plant.
 

This Lesson Plan is available at (www.teacherjet.com)