Life Cycle of Plants2nd GradeKayla Lindroos

Standards• 2.4.1.1.1 Living things are diverse with many different

observable characteristics.• Describe and sort plants into groups in many ways,

according to their physical characteristics and behaviors

• 2.4.2.1.1 Natural systems have many components that interact to maintain the system• Recognize that plants need space, water, nutrients, and air, and that they fulfill

these needs in different ways

• 2.4.3.1.1 Plants and animals undergo a series of orderly changes during their life cycles.• Describe the characteristics of plants at different stages

of their life cycles.

Standards• 2.1.1.2.1 Scientific inquiry is a set of interrelated processes

incorporating multiple approaches that are used to pose questions about the natural world and investigate phenomena.

• Raise questions about the natural world and seek answers by making careful observation, noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing them with others

• 2.2.1.1.1 Objects can be described in terms of the materials they are made of and their physical properties.

• Describe objects in terms of color, size, weight, texture, flexibility, strength, and the type of materials in the object.

DescriptionThis unit is designed for second graders to be able to become experts on the life cycle of plants. Throughout this unit, students complete a variety of hands on activities and experiments that aid them in knowing all there is to know about the life cycle of plants. Students will be planting their own seeds and making observations throughout the entire unit.

At the end of the unit students will create an informative brochure written from the perspective of a seed throughout its life.

Students keep a vocabulary book throughout the unit.

Timeline• 5 lessons about the life cycle of plants

• To be taught over the course of about 8-10 days

• Observations

• Re-teaching/reviewing

• Working on project

Basic Science Content• Students will be learning...• Parts of a seed

• Parts of a plant

• How leaves help a plant get light

• Chlorophyll

• Overview of the entire plant life cycle

• Photosynthesis

Vocabulary• Seed

• Stem

• Roots

• Flower

• Leaves

• Chlorophyll

• Photosynthesis

• Pollen

• Carbon Dioxide

• Oxygen

• Seed Coat

• Micropyle

• Embryo

• Cotyledon

• Xylem

• Phloem

• Absorb

Objectives•Students will be able to:• Name and identify parts of a seed.

• Name and identify parts of a plant.

• Describe the steps involved in the life cycle of plants.

• Explain what chlorophyll is and what it does.

• Describe what the result of photosynthesis is.

Lesson 1• I Can:

• Label the parts of the seed

• Students are each given their own seed to start growing.

• Before planting they will observe the inside of a seed.

• Make predictions of what the inside of the seed will look like

• Observe the outside of the seed

• Measure the seed

• Sketch the opened seed and compare to predictions

• What was the same

• What was different

Lesson 1• Learning and labeling parts of a seed activity

• Discuss the role of each part

• Students label the diagram

• Students will also be creating their vocabulary booklets to work on throughout the lesson

Lesson 2• I Can:

• Describe how different shape leaves help a plant get sunlight.

• Explain the job of chlorophyll.

• Students will continue to make observations on their seed.

• Students will predict how the shape of leaves help a plant get sunlight.

• They will compare pictures of different leaves and talk about how they think the shapes help the plant.

• Head outside and observe their hands in the sunlight.

• Watch how different positions provide more or less sunlight

• Compare the shape of leaves to the shape of their hands and record their results.

• Students will complete chlorophyll rubbings to transfer the color to paper.

Lesson 3• I Can:

• Name parts of a plant and their jobs.

• Learners will continue to make observations of their seeds.

• Students will describe a plant using adjectives for different parts of the plant.

• Students will learn the different parts of a plant and their jobs.

• Complete a diagram of a plant

• Put together a puzzle of plant parts as a group

Lesson 4• I Can:

• Name the steps in the life cycle of a plant and tell what happens in each stage.

• Students will continue to make observations.

• Overview the steps in a plant’s life cycle

• Students will be able to correctly order and describe the steps.

Lesson 5• I Can:

• I can list the steps in Photosynthesis

• Students will act out the steps in photosynthesis and be able to describe why it is important.

• Review of the entire unit.

• Students work on their summative assessment projects.

Summative Assessment• Students will be creating brochures containing all of the information

covered in the unit.

• Brochures will be written through the point of view of the seed.

• “The seed” will tell about its different parts, life cycle of the plant, photosynthesis, chlorophyll, and parts of a flower.

Content:• Parts of a seed• Life cycle of plant• Parts of a flower• Information about chlorophyll• Photosynthesis• At least 10 vocabulary words

• Brochure would be graded on:

Appearance• Neat• Colorful• Readable• Contains a title• Has name

Today we are going to...•Look at parts of a seed and their jobs.(Lesson 1)

Embryo

Cotyledon(seed leaf)

Seed Coat