Goal:
To teach students about how things grow and change using plants to show how they go through a cycle of life. From the seed stage to the actual plant students will see how life is created in the plant world.
Specific Learning Objectives:
- Students will be able to identify what plants need to survive and grow their own plant.
- Students will learn how to recognize the separate parts of a flower.
- Students will be able to describe and verbalize the growth cycle of plants.
- Students will be able to communicate ideas about what “counts” as a plant.
- Students will demonstrate their prior knowledge of plants.
- Students will begin thinking about plants as a diverse group of organisms.
- Students will discuss what “counts” as being alive.
Prior to the Lesson:
Prior to the lesson the students will have a chance to discuss what they know about plants and flowers. We will create a KWL chart to utilize throughout the process of discovering plant life cycles.
Introduction/ Hook:
We will start by having a discussion about what we know about flowers and plants. Students will have break out rooms turn and talk on Zoom to discuss what plants are and how they grow. We will use Zoom dry erase to create a list of things we know about plants.
We will watch the video about plant parts: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3St51F4kE8). After we discuss the video we will complete the labeling diagram together.
Day 1
We will use our KWL chart on Zoom again and have a discussion about what we know about plants growing. We will read the story, We Plant a Seed, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxl6Kiy7NPI). Then we will discuss what we learned from the book. We will break out into groups in Zoom to turn and talk about the stages of the plant growth cycle. After break out rooms groups will share what they discussed as we fill in our KWL chart. Students will have a worksheet that they can either print and complete or make a drawing.
Day 2
I Created a YouTube channel to make science videos about plants. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRm3PwkLw-Q). The video was an actual lesson in which I planted seeds that would turn into flowers that I would deliver to the kids at home when they were about to flower. For several weeks while doing lessons about plants and their life cycle I took photos of their flowers in each stage of growth and posted them on Bloomz so that they could see what each stage looked like.
Assessment
Student’s body of work from our online activities. I also assigned work on the IXL science platform. Students will also plant and journal growth cycle at home with a plant seed.
Appropriateness of Activities
The lesson presented was appropriate for this age group. It translated effectively online and gave good visual learning points to help students understand the cycle of growth of plants and their parts.
Correlation of Activities to the Seminar
This is a lesson I adapted from my classroom and tried online. It translated well with additional video resources. The use of Zoom Dry erase makes the lesson more interactive. The pictures of their flowers through the growth cycle created excitement and interest. When I dropped off the individual flowers that grew over three months the students were able to make connections. Most planted their own flowers and posted pics on Bloomz.
Self Evaluation
This was one of the easiest and most fun activities I tried. It was successful in so many ways. It made good connections with families. It generated lots of interest and engagement on the topic. Most of my kids planted their own flowers after I delivered the one I grew at home. It was a home run. I would plant other flowers and plants and watch them grow the next time I do this activity.
