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Predictions About Plants

What is needed for plants to grow? Students will make predictions about the effect of sun and water plant growth.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

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  • Dry Erase Board

Steps

  • Step 1

    Ask students to discuss what they know about how plants grow. How do new plants begin? What nutrients are needed? What kind of lighting promotes growth? Talk about how different plants need different types of nutrients in the soil, varying amounts of water, and various amounts of sun and shade, but all need light and water.

  • Step 2

    Ask students to predict what would happen if plants received both sun and water, just sunlight, or just water. Have them draw their predictions on a white board using either dry erase markers or dry erase crayons and label each drawing with predictions. How will the plants look that grow in each of these three conditions: sun + water, sun only, water only?

  • Step 3

    Compare predictions and have students discuss the reasoning in their drawings.

Standards

LA: With prompting and support, read informational texts appropriately complex for grade level.

SCI: Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and water to grow.

SCI: Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.

LA: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

LA: Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.

LA: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade level topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

LA: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

MATH: Measure and estimate lengths in standard units.

MATH: Solve problems involving measurement and estimation of intervals of time, liquid volumes, and masses of objects.

MATH: Represent and interpret data.

VA: Students will initiate making works of art and design by experimenting, imagining and identifying content.

Adaptations

Create an experiment in class to test the effect of light and water on plants. Plant three seedlings. Put two by a window where they will get sun and another in a dark area such as a closet. Water one of the plants that's near the window as well as the plant that's in the dark every two- to three days, so one of the plants gets both sun and water, one gets only sun and another gets only water. Check the status of the plants periodically.

Start an herb garden, either in the classroom or outdoors on school grounds in an appropriate place. Have students collaboratively decide on what they'd like to grow. Students can take turns performing various tasks, such as watering, fertilizing, weeding, trimming, etc.