Growth and Changes in Plants

The following two lessons are developed around the culminating mini marsh assignment that covers grade 3 specifics of the Science strand, Understanding Life Systems, Growth, and Changes in Plants. The first lesson is an introductory assignment where students independently create a plant from plasticine. This lesson touches on three curriculums: Science, The Arts, and Language.  Students will learn to properly label and identify the function of the plant parts. The assessment tool used for the first lesson will be a checklist to coincide with the worksheet expectations. The second lesson plan is the summative assignment where students work in groups of three to make final observations, measurements, conclusions, while identifying similarities and differences of the growth and development stages of the mini marsh plants. Students will be able to express the impact humans have on plant growth and present this knowledge to the class using a digital tool.  This lesson meets curriculum expectations from Science, Language, and Math. Two assessment tools are used, a checklist for self-assessment and a rubric for summative assessment.

Candidate: Amrina Visram Grade: 3Duration: 90 Minutes Strand: Understanding Life Systems

Topic: Growth and Changes in Plants

Specific Learning Expectations (from 3 major categories—knowing, doing, and applying)

1. 1.1   assess ways in which plants are important to humans and other living things, taking different points of view into consideration2. 2.6 use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including stem, leaf, root,

pistil, stamen, flower, adaptation, and germination, in oral and written communication

3. 3.2 identify the major parts of plants, including root, stem, flower, stamen, pistil, leaf, seed, and fruit, and describe how each contributes to the plant’s survival within the plant’s environment.

Integrated Curriculum Subjects4. Art- Visual Art D1.1 create two-dimensional works of art that express personal feelings and ideas inspired by the environment5. Language - Writing: Point of View 2.5 identify their point of view and other possible points of view on the topic, and determine if their information supports their own viewAssessment and Evaluation: (Provide a rationale explaining why you have chosen these specific assessment tools. Why are they the most appropriate assessment tools? Also, do these assessment tools link with the Specific Learning Expectations above?)Check list- By incorporating a checklist, the students are able to refer to it when labeling their plants. The student swill be able to gain maximum understanding of the lesson when writing the information that they found on paper. I have chosen to use a checklist because the checklist will indicate if they are staying on task and are able to connect the

artwork to the answer of their question (Appendix 6). I believe that a checklist is an appropriate assessment tool because it touches on all aspects of the diagram and the writing component. The checklist pinpoints the areas that the student would need to have in order to attain the appropriate grade.The worksheet- The worksheet would also be used as an assessment tool to ensure that the specific expectations to language have been provided.Teaching Methods and Sequence:Introduction (20 min)

1. Read the book The World Came to My Place Today by Jo Readman and Ley Honor Roberts (Appendix 3).

2. Before reading the book, ask the students what they might think the book is about by looking at its cover.

3. When you get to page 11-12 ask:a) What did you pack in your lunch bag today that came from around the

world?b) Address the fact that many of the items that George got in his delivery

were plants.4. After reading the book, brainstorm a web on chart paper of specific plants that

were shown in the book. Then explore the back cover of the book to give the students a visual of where all the items in George’s house came from. Again, emphasize the importance of plants.

Development (40 min) Now that we have understood the importance of plants, explore parts of the plant

with the students. Draw a simple diagram of a plant and ask students if they are able to label any part of it from prior knowledge (Appendix 5). This way, you know where the students stand in reference to the parts of a plant.

Now that the students have a visual of the plant, let them connect into a think, pair, share with others around them to discuss the importance of the plant in the environment. Ask them to share some examples. Touch on concepts such as oxygen and food.

Prompting questions: Why are plants important? Could we survive without plants? What do plants give to humans and animals that is important for our

survival? Make sure that students know some words that are not commonly used when

labeling the plants, i.e., root, stem, flower, stamen, pistil, leaf, seed, and fruit. Explain what each part of the plant is and why they must all be included in order

for the plant to survive.

Application/Summary (30 min) Students will now work with plasticine to create a plant. Once they are done creating the plant, they must label it using toothpicks and

paper to create a ‘flag-looking’ structure, and stick it into the plasticine plant. Once this is done, they will work on the provided worksheet (Appendix 2) to

explain this question: What is the most important part of the plant? Why do you

think this part is important? By asking this question, students will build on the knowledge that they have just

learned and make an educational guess as to why it is important.

Accommodations/Modifications: (fictionalize a case based on your firsthand experience, i.e., provide an example of this).Accommodation- A student in my class cannot conduct fine motor skills; therefore, plasticine will not be used. Instead, this student will work on an iPad to create the image of the plant and label the plant using the same technology (Appendix 1). The writing process will then be turned into an oral recording of the student’s voice. This way, the student is not frustrated and is able to work on the task without focusing on the process. The teacher’s goal is not to assess the student’s ability to sculpt or draw, but instead to assess if the student understands the parts of the plant.Modification-A student in the class has completed the task early and is ready to move on. Specific modifications have taken place so that the student is able to learn and not distract other students or get bored. One modification is engaging the student in reading a book about the plants. These are some example books for the student to read to gain more information on plants: The Hayes Book of Plants and Flowers by Brian Holley or Plants by Peter Riley (Appendix 4). Both of these books can build on the student’s prior knowledge of plants and help to solidify the structure and parts of a plant.

References/Resources: (consult a variety please)Holley, B. (1986). The Hayes Book of Plants and Flowers. Burlington: Hayes Publishing.Readman, J., & Roberts, L. (2004). The World Came to My Place Today. London: Eden Project.Riley, P. (2004). Plants (North American ed.). Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens Pub.The Ontario Curriculum: Language Grade 1-8 (2006)The Ontario Curriculum: Science and Technology Grade 1-8 (2007)

The Ontario Curriculum: The Arts Grade 1-8 (2009)

Anticipated Challenges:One challenge that I could see happening during this lesson would be the ability to work with plasticine. Students may not stay on task if they are able to play with the plasticine at their desks. Another challenge that I could anticipate would be the concept of oxygen and food. Some students will not know how to answer these questions and that could make them frustrated. By doing this in a think, pair, share, no student will be ‘left in the dark’ trying to answer these questions. If the students look like they are struggling, then direct them to talk in small groups about these questions. Lastly, materials could be in short supply in the classroom. This could pose some problems, but if this is the case, ask some students to create their diagrams on the iPads instead of working with the plasticine.

Signaturized Lesson

Lesson one was signaturized by using personal ideas to create the lesson. I did not use any sources to make this lesson plan. Even though this lesson might already exist, I did

not refer to anyone else’s work to create this lesson. I did use resources, like the two books, to help students that finish earlier have something to work on.

Appendix 1:Doodlecast Pro Video Whiteboard

Appendix 2:Worksheet

Name:_____________________Date:______________________

Your plasticine model: ____________________________________________

Answer the following question:

What is the most important part of the plant? Why do you think this part is important?

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Appendix 3:

This is the book that would be read at the beginning of class.

Appendix 4:Extension books

Appendix 5:

The teacher uses this diagram on a chart paper to show the parts of a plant.

Appendix 6:

Assessment Tool

Checklist Student name: Date:

1. Is their name and date on the worksheet?

2. Has the student included a title (worksheet)?

3. Does the student have all of the parts of the plant?

4. Is the plant labeled correctly?

5. Does the student answer the question, “What is the most important part of the plant?”?

6. Does the student answer the question, “Why do you think this part is important?”?

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