Plant Investigation
Overview
This is a lesson plan created by a first-grade teacher. It is meant to assist teachers with teaching the SEED standards for first grade. It uses resources from Thanksgiving Point and Generation Genius.
Summary
This lesson a first grade lesson on investigating plants. Students will complete two different investigations to discover what plants need to survive. The whole investigation will take place over 8 days. This lesson is a face-to-face lesson plan that could easily be adjusted to virtual learning.
Background for Teachers
To teach this lesson, you will need to have an understanding of living things, the needs of living things, and how to complete an investigation. Utah's Online Library includes many resources you could use to research this topic more, including Gale In Context and World Book Online. You can also access some great resources on Generation Genuis or Scikids.
Step 1 - Goals and Outcomes
Learning Intentions:
- Students will be able to complete an investigation on plants needs.
- Students will be able to state what a plant needs to survive.
Success Criteria:
- Students will describe what will happen to a plant without water.
- Students will describe what will happen to a plant without light.
- Students will be able to state what a plant needs to survive.
Step 2 - Planning Instruction
Student Background Knowledge
Prior to this lesson, students will need to have an understanding of:
- scientific investigations
- scientific observations
- living and non living
- basic understanding of plants and how we know they are living
Step 3 - Instruction
Introduction:
- Ask students what they think makes something alive. Make a list of student ideas.
- Ask students what they think would happen if something alive did not get something it needed.
- Watch the Generation Genuis video. You may also do the DIY activity included in the video if you would like.
Investigation:
- Tell students about the investigation they are going to preform. Find more about the investigations here.
- Plant the plants for both investigations with the students and have students complete pages 1-3 of their plant journal.
- Continue to fill out the plant journal with students over the course of the next 8 days.
- On the last day, gather students together to discuss their findings.
Closing:
- Discuss the following questions with students: what happens if a plant does not recieve water, what happens if a plant does not recieve sunlight, and what does a plant need to survive?
- Have students complete pages 12-13 of their plant journal.
Step 4 - Assessments
You can assess students using any of the following links: