Standard

(s)

Central
Focus

Unit Big
Ideas

Date &
Time

Intern: Ashley Bolin

Grade Level: 2nd Grade
Date(s): 9/14/16 9/28/16
Time: 9:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m.
Topic: Plants
Central Question: What do plants need to grow/survive?
What are the important understandings and core concepts that you want students to develop
within the learning segment?
Students will be able to apply the scientific process in order to complete the
investigation/experiment.
Students will discover that plants depend on water and light to grow.
Why are these understandings and core concepts important to learn?
It is important for students to learn about relationships that exist in the environment/ecosystem.
Standard (2-LS2-1): Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and water to
grow.
Disciplinary Core Idea: Life Science (LS2.A)- Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems (plants depend
on water and light to grow)
Science and Engineering Practice: Planning and carrying out investigations

Objective(s)

Cross-cutting concept: Cause and Effect

Objectives:
Students will be able to formulate a hypothesis based on their prior knowledge of plants.
o Blooms Taxonomy: Create
Students will be able to collaboratively plan and conduct an experiment to test their hypothesis.
o Blooms Taxonomy: Apply
Students will be able to analyze their results and data to form a conclusion.
o Blooms Taxonomy: Analyze

Knowledge of
Students

EEE Connection
Investigation question
students will answer:

What do plants need to grow?

Claim with evidence and

reasoning you hope
students will generate:

I think plants need water and light to grow. (Claim).

I think this because I provided a seed with water and
light and a plant grew. (Evidence).

Prior academic learning and prerequisite skills related to the central focus
o The students have recently been taught an overview of the basic steps of the scientific process
(purpose, research, hypothesis, evidence, experiment, results, and conclusion).
Alternative ideas or misconceptions common in this topic
o Students may believe plants must have or be in certain conditions (i.e. planted in soil) in order to
grow.

Modifications/
Differentiation
LanguageAcademic

How will you meet the strengths and needs of the whole group?
Since the class as a whole is a very social and talkative group I will
Communicate the expectations clearly.
Use classroom management strategies throughout the lesson (i.e. class dojo and clipboard)
Provide multiple opportunities for the students to share their ideas, thoughts, and opinions.
Since the class as a whole benefits from visual demonstrations
I will use SMART Notebook throughout the lesson in order to model certain tasks.
I will write certain phrases and/or sentences on the board for the students to use as a resource.
I will model/demonstrate certain tasks (i.e. planting the seed)
How will you meet the needs of groups of students with similar strengths and needs?
Students will be working in heterogeneous groups for this unit/lesson. Each student in the group will
bring their own wealth of knowledge, which will benefit all group members. Also the varying levels of
abilities in each group will allow for students to support one another.
Students are placed in groups that help balance one anothers social/behavioral strengths and needs (i.e.
students who are more introverted are placed with students who are more extroverted).
How will you meet the needs of individual learners specific learning strengths and needs?
For the students who have attention difficulties
o These students will be placed in groups with one or more students who have proven to be
effective peer models (i.e. model appropriate behavior).
For students who are uncomfortable speaking in group settings
o All of the students will have opportunities to participate in different group settings (i.e. large
group, small group, and individual). The students who are uncomfortable speaking in a group
setting will be able to communicate their thoughts, ideas, and opinions in writing.
The specific ways language will need to be understood and/or used by learners to participate in learning
tasks and demonstrate their learning.
Students will need to be able to communicate their ideas, opinions, and thoughts in their writing.
Students will need to be able to listen to the teacher and their peers in order to answer questions and to
participate in cooperative learning.
Students will need to be able to communicate their ideas, opinions, and thought to others.
Students will need to be able to visually represent data collected through the investigation in drawings.
Students will need to be able to use visuals (i.e. drawings) to support their writing.
Students will need to be able to participate in self-reflection and critical thinking.
Vocabulary and terminology for the lesson in kid-friendly terms.
Purpose: What do you want to find out? What is the goal of the investigation?
Research: Research is information you know or find from asking others or using resources. What do I
already know? What can you observe? What can you infer?
Hypothesis: A hypothesis is a prediction. What do you think will happen? What is your prediction or
guess?
Evidence: Evidence is a collection of facts or observations that proves something to be true
Investigation/Experiment: An experiment is when you test your hypothesis and collect evidence. What
will you do to test your hypothesis? What will you need to test your hypothesis?
Results: When you did the investigation what happened? What did you see, hear, and smell?
Conclusion: What do the results mean? Was your hypothesis correct? How did the investigation go?
What new questions do you have?
Light source: Where light comes from

Assessme
nts

Formative:
I will check for student understanding by reviewing their science journal entries.
o I will record data from this assessment using a checklist.
I will check for student understanding by observing and listening to group discourse.
o I will record data from this assessment using a checklist. Throughout the lesson I will take notes
using Post-It notes and later document the data collected on the checklist.
I will check for student understanding by asking the students questions through large, small, and one-toone discussion.
o I will record data from this assessment using a checklist. Throughout the lesson I will take notes
using Post-It notes and later document the data collected on the checklist.
Summative:
KWL Chart (Individual)
o This assessment is linked to more than one objective. (Students will be able to formulate a
hypothesis based on their prior knowledge of plants. Students will be able to analyze their results
and data to form a conclusion.)
Plant Assessment (Individual)
o This assessment is linked to one objective. (Students will be able to analyze their results and data
to form a conclusion.)

Resources

SmartBoard
SMART Notebook presentation
o Scientific process
o I wonder
o KWL chart
o Notebook paper to represent science journal
o End-of-unit assessment
23 copies of KWL chart
6 copies of supplies list
23 copies of the end-of-unit assessment
Science journal
Pencil
Scissors
Glue
Coloring utensils (crayons or colored pencils)
20 seeds (extras included)- soy beans
Clear plastic cups (2 dozen)
Soil
Water
Dixie cups (for watering purposes)
2 boxes (small)
Tape
Sharpie

Instructional Plan

**Students will be completing this unit over several weeks. **

Engage
At the beginning of the school year I asked for the students to tell me what they want to learn about in
Science this year by completing the statement, I wonder At the beginning of the lesson I will have a
SMART Notebook page with all their wonders listed. I will explain that the first wonder we will
investigate this year is Theresas wonder. Theresas wonder was I wonder why plants and animals need
certain habitats to survive. I will explain that we will be investigating one part of her wonder together;
we will learn what plants need to grow. I will explain to the students that Theresas wonder is the
purpose of our investigation. I will remind students that the purpose of the investigation is what we want
to find out and the goal of our investigation. I will tell the students You may already know the answer;
maybe you think you know but need to do some investigating; and maybe you dont know anything about
plants- thats okay because we are all going to investigate together to find the answer.
I will then have each student complete an individual KWL chart about plants. I will explain to the
students that before we begin we have to do some research about plants by asking ourselves What do I
already know about plants. I will pass out a handout with an enlarged KWL chart. I will have a version
of the KWL chart on a SMART Notebook page. As a class we will write under the What I want to know
column, What do plants need to grow? I will then have the students individually write what they know
about plants under the What I know column. I will give the students 5 minutes to complete this task.
I will then ask for the students to share what they know about plants with the other students at their table.
I will ask the students to explain how they know what they know (i.e. did they learn it from school or
from home (gardens), did they read about plants, etc.). I will give the students 3-5 minutes to complete
this task.
After the students share their previous knowledge with their table, I will ask for the students to cut out
their KWL chart and glue it in their science journal.

Explore
I will explain, Now that we have a question or purpose (what do plants need to grow?) we need to create
a hypothesis. As a class we will review what hypothesis means. I will ask the students to repeat the
word hypothesis. I will ask the students, Who remembers what hypothesis means? I will allow 1 to 2
students to answer. I will then rephrase their response if necessary; A hypothesis is a prediction or
guess. I will tell the students, Before we create our own hypothesis, we need to know what we will be
doing! I will explain to the students that each table will be growing a plant table to find out what a plant
needs to grow. I will tell the students that their first step as a table is to work together to create a group
hypothesis. The students must agree on a hypothesis and then write their group hypothesis in their own
science journal. I will write the following prompt on the board for reference, A plant needs ________ to
grow. As the students write their group hypothesis, Mrs. Stanton and I will review what the students are
writing.
I will explain to the students that now that we have a hypothesis we can begin our investigation. I will
explain that an investigation can be the same thing as an experiment; an experiment is when you test
your hypothesis and collect evidence or data. I will ask the students if they know what evidence is. I will
allow 1 to 2 students to answer. I will rephrase their response if necessary; Evidence is a collection of
facts or observations that proves something to be true.
I will explain, Before your table begins growing a plant you need supplies. As a group you must decide
what your group will need to grow your own plant. I will pass out a handout to each table for them to
write their materials/supplies list on. As the students create their materials list Mrs. Stanton and I will
guide them to certain materials if necessary (i.e. a seed, soil, a cup). Each group must have their list
approved by Mrs. Stanton or I.
Once all the tables have their materials, the students will be instructed to put their cup together (i.e. put
the soil in the cup, put the seed in the soil, etc.). I will then ask for each table to decide where in the
classroom their plant will grow the best. The students will write the location in their science journal
(under their group hypothesis) along with why they believe it will grow the best in that location. One
student from each group will then be allowed to place their cup in the location they chose.
I will then ask the students, What evidence will you need to know your plant to growing? How will you
know you plant is growing? I will allow 2 to 3 students to share their thoughts with the class. I will
rephrase and/or repeat the students responses if necessary. I will then ask the students, What are some
ways we can record the evidence we collect in our science journals? I will allow 2 to 3 students to share
their ideas with the class. I will explain to the students that they will draw pictures of what they see, and
write about what they see, feel, and think.
As a class we will complete the first entry in their science journals. I will ask each group to go to their
cup. I will have a SMART Notebook page on the SmartBoard that will look like a sheet of notebook paper
to model what the students need to write. The students will write Day 1 at the top of their paper. The
students will then create a T-chart on their paper; one column will be labeled I noticed and the other
column will be labeled I wonder. The students will write their observations (what they see/feel) under
the I noticed column. The students will then write any questions they have under the I wonder
column. The students may not always have a question and that is okay. The students will then sketch a
picture of what they see with pencil. The students will then return to their desks and color their drawing
with crayons or colored pencils.
Each day the students will have an opportunity to care for their plant and make a journal entry. The
students will make an entry in their science journal every day until Mrs. Stanton or I notice significant
growth occurring in each of the cups (if applicable). The students will be given 10 minutes to complete
their entry each day. If a group needs to make a critical change to their experiment (i.e. begin watering
their plant) the students must explain why the change in procedure is needed and note it in their science
journal with the rest of the daily entry information.

Explain
I will have one member from each group bring their plant back to their table. I will also instruct the
students to pull out their science journals from their desk. I will explain to the students that since we have
completed our investigation we can now discuss our results and make conclusions. I will ask for 1 or 2
students to explain what results are. If necessary I will explain to the students that scientists share their
results with others by answering the question, When I did my investigation, what happened? I will ask 2
or 3 students to share their investigation results with the class (i.e. our seed grew into a plant.). If
needed I can prompt the students by stating, When you planted your seed, what happened?
I will ask the students to raise their hand if their plant grew. I will ask the groups whose plant grew to
share their hypothesis with the class. I will write each groups hypothesis on the SmartBoard. As a class
we will compare and contrast the different hypothesizes.
I will ask the groups whose plant grew to show the class where in the classroom they kept their plant. I
will have one member from each group (whose plant grew) go stand where their plant was kept. I will
explain to the class that what a light source is. I will ask for 2 or 3 students to share different sources of
light (i.e. fluorescent lights, lamps, the sun, etc.). As a class we will compare and contrast the different
locations and the sources of light in those locations. As a class we will discuss which light source is best
for plant growth (sunlight).
I will then ask for 1 or 2 students whose plant didnt grow to share a possible reason why their plant may
not have grown (i.e. they didnt give their plant enough water or they gave their plant too much water).
I will ask the students to look back in their science journals and read their hypothesis- the hypothesis they
made as a group. I will then ask the students to give me a thumbs up if their hypothesis was correct or a
thumbs down if it wasnt right. I will reassure the students that it is okay if their hypothesis wasnt rightscientists dont always write the correct hypothesis either!
I will then explain to the students what a conclusion is. A conclusion is what you believe to be true based
on your investigation evidence and results. I will explain to the students, If your hypothesis was that
plants needed grape soda to grow and you gave your plant grape soda the whole experiment and a plant
grew, then your conclusion is, plants need grape soda to grow. In their science journals each student will
write what their conclusion is based on their results. I will provide students with the following prompt,
Plants need ________ to grow.
I will ask for 1 or 2 students to share what our initial investigation question was- what do plants need to
grow? I will ask the students, Since we have a conclusion does that mean our investigation is completely
done? I will allow the students to respond (i.e. yes or no). I will explain to the students that there is
always more that we can learn- we are never done investigating.

Elaborate
As a class we will then explore whether plants need water, light, or both to grow. I will have the students
write in their science journals, Do plants need water, light, or both to grow? I will ask the students to
make a hypothesis in their head first. I will then allow 2 to 3 students to share their hypothesis with the
class. I will ask for those students to explain their reasoning based on what they learned from their
investigation. I will then ask all of the students to write a hypothesis in their science journal. Students will
write either plants need only water to grow; plants need only light to grow; or plants need water and light
to grow. I will right the three options on the board for the students to use for reference.
I will explain to the students that I will plant 4 seeds in cups. Each of the plants will be labeled for student
reference. One plant will get water and light; one plant will get water and no light; one plant will get light
and no water; and one plant will get no water and no light. I will ask the students to talk with their tables
and discuss possible ways to prevent the 2 plants from receiving light. I will allow 2 to 3 students to share
their ideas. Mrs. Stanton or I will then place the plants in the decided upon conditions.
Every other day (M, W, F) the helper of the day will observe the plants and share their observations with
the class. Once Mrs. Stanton or I notice significant growth, the class will discuss the results.
As a class we will analyze the results. We will compare and contrast the 4 plants. I will ask the students to
share the differences and similarities they observe between the 4 plants and share their thoughts with their
table. The students will write in their science journals whether or not their hypothesis is correct. The
students will then write which plant grew the most and explain why they believe that plant grew the most.
Evaluate
Individually, the students will complete the last column of their KWL chart, What I learned. The
students will be given 3-5 minutes to complete the task.
The students will then be instructed to complete an end of the unit handout. I will explain what they will
be expected to do. The students will first draw three phases of plant growth (i.e. no growth, growth just
beginning, and the end product of growth). The students will then complete the phrase, Plants need
________ to grow. The students will then explain their reasoning using details from the investigation.
Mrs. Stanton or I will then collect the handouts.