1. Topic-
Seeds/Plant Growth
 
2. Content-
seeds, plants, grow, sprouting seeds, planting seeds, garden, cycle, sequence, roots, stem, leaves, sun, soil, water.
 
3. Goals: Aims/Outcomes-
Students will understand what a plant needs to grow (sun, water, soil). Students will sprout a seed and plant it making observations as it grows. Children will make ongoing observations on their plants, and eventually use these to create a vegetable garden.
 
4. Objectives-
Students will sequence, illustrate, and label the growth cycle of a seed. Children will label a diagram (or their own drawings) of the parts of a plant. Students will make, log, and illustrate observations and hypothesize, as their seeds and plants grow.
 
5. Materials and Aids-
Book: "From Seed To Plant," by Gail Gibbons

Sprouting Seeds: green bean or lima bean seeds, snack-size ziplock bags, paper towels, water.

Planting Seeds: biodegradable seed starter pots, potting soil, water, quick-sprouting veggie or fruit seeds (watermelons & other beans work great), sunny spot, plastic wrap or lid, plastic spoons and popsicle sticks.

Writing/Lesson Supplies: science journals/notebooks, sequencing worksheet or plain paper, crayons/markers, pencils, Plant KWL chart, camera.
 
6. Procedures/Methods-

A. Introduction-

Children will gather on the reading rug, and we will generally discuss plants, and complete a KWL chart. Children will be asked what they KNOW about plants (what they need to grow, types of plants, how they start, parts of the plant, etc). I will introduce the book, "From Seed to Plant" by Gail Gibbons, and use post-it notes to make notes from myself and the children regarding new information and things we WANT TO LEARN more about - these will go on our chart under W. After the story, we will review, and add new things to the chart.
 

B. Development-

Children will each receive a ziplock bag, paper towel, and a seed. They'll wrap the seed inside the paper towel, add a bit of water, and close the bag. After they leave the bags in a sunny spot, they'll use their science journals/notebooks to make observations and hypothesize on what they think will happen to the seeds, bags, towels, and water.
 

C. Practice-

Each day, the children will add water if needed to their bags, and will make observations on their bags/plants (After a few days, they'll see roots, and a week there should be leaves.). They'll log these and illustrate their findings. Once the seeds have gotten leaves, they'll transplant them into the pots w/soil. Eventually, these will go into a small veggie/fruit garden.
 

D. Independent Practice-

Children will continue their observations of their seeds on an ongoing basis. During their observations, they will make hypothesis in small groups, and compare/contrast baggies. They'll also be able to use magnifying glasses to get closer looks at the seeds, roots, and leaves. I will take daily photos of the plants, so children can see the progress of their plants at the very end instead of relying on their journal artwork.
 

E. Accommodations (Differentiated Instruction)-

Physical accommodations will be made for students who require. I will also make accommodations for below-level students to draw pictures or sequence pre-drawn cards. For above-level students, they will be expected to draw and write at a higher performance level.
 

F. Checking for understanding-

I will observe students discussions during their observations, and will ask formative questions to help guide them, if necessary. I will also review their journals to ensure they are making the proper connections. At the end of each day/class period, we will review as a group and I will use my observation and listening to guide students.
 

G. Closure-

We will visit our KWL chart, and complete the L section for what we have LEARNED. We will review the sequence of growth for the plants, and will discuss differences in our plants, as well as investigate growing a veggie garden. Children will create a book from their drawings, detailing the growth cycle and sequence of their seeds/plants using illustrations as well as the photos I have taken through the lesson/unit.
 
7. Evaluation-
Science journals will be evaluated at the end of the unit using a rubric for science and writing, as well as ongoing feedback.
The sequence activities will be evaluated for understanding as well.
 
8. Teacher Reflection-
I will assess myself by making observations about what the students were able to identify with ease or difficulty. I will also take notice how the students respond to discussion and will adjust my questioning accordingly. I will take note of the desired end result, and compare that with what I ended up with, and analyze whether or not the lesson ran smoothly with regard to loss of instruction time and confusion.
 

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