Parts of Plants and What They Need to Live

INTRODUCTION
Parts of Plants and What They Need to Live covers 2nd grade Science, Math, and Language Arts
benchmarks. The students will have an opportunity to discover parts of plants, what their jobs are,
what a plant’s needs are, and what happens if a plant’s needs aren’t met. Students will have the
chance to make and test their own experiment on seedlings about changes to a plant’s needs. They
will also have the opportunity to share their findings to the class by presenting their experiment
results.
Day 1: Plant Parts
Content Objective: The students will be able to identify needs of a plant and recognize
the parts of plants.
Benchmark: (Science) 2.4.2.1.1: Recognize that plants need space, water, nutrients, and
air, and that they fulfill these needs in different ways.
Day 2: Learn to Observe
Content Objective: The students will be able to use their senses to examine and
investigate plants.
Benchmark: (Science) 2.4.2.1.1: Recognize that plants need space, water, nutrients, and
air, and that they fulfill these needs in different ways.
(Science) 2.4.1.1.1: Describe and sort plants into groups in many ways, according
to their physical characteristics and behaviors.
(Science) 2.1.1.2.1: Raise questions about the natural world by making careful
observations, noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing with others.
(Math) 2.3.2.1: Understand the relationship between the size of the unit of
measurement and the number of units needed to measure the length of an object.
Day 3: Observe Independently
Content Objective: The students will be able to examine and investigate plants and
recognize differences in parts.
Benchmark: (Science) 2.4.2.1.1: Recognize that plants need space, water, nutrients, and
air, and that they fulfill these needs in different ways.
(Science) 2.4.1.1.1: Describe and sort plants into groups in many ways, according
to their physical characteristics and behaviors.
(Science) 2.1.1.2.1: Raise questions about the natural world by making careful
observations, noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing with others.
(Math) 2.3.2.1: Understand the relationship between the size of the unit of
measurement and the number of units needed to measure the length of an object.
Day 4: Start Experimenting
 Parts of Plants and What They Need to Live
Content Objective: The students will be able to devise an experiment to test a
hypothesis about the growth of plants and predict an outcome.
Benchmark: (Science) 2.4.2.1.1: Recognize that plants need space, water, nutrients, and
air, and that they fulfill these needs in different ways.
(Science) 2.1.1.2.1: Raise questions about the natural world by making careful
observations, noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing with others.
(Math) 2.3.2.1: Understand the relationship between the size of the unit of
measurement and the number of units needed to measure the length of an object.
Day 5: Experiment Observation and Comparison: 1
Content Objective: The students will be able to correlate differences in control plants
and experimental plants and predict an outcome for the next day.
Benchmark: (Science) 2.4.2.1.1: Recognize that plants need space, water, nutrients, and
air, and that they fulfill these needs in different ways.
(Science) 2.1.1.2.1: Raise questions about the natural world by making careful
observations, noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing with others.
(Language Arts) W.2.6.8.8: Recall information from experiences or gather
information from provided sources to answer a question.
(Language Arts) SL2.8.8.8: With prompting and support, create multimedia work
for specific purpose, to share experiences or information.
(Math) 2.3.2.1: Understand the relationship between the size of the unit of
measurement and the number of units needed to measure the length of an object.
Day 6: Experiment Observation and Comparison: 2
Content Objective: The students will be able to correlate differences in control plants
and experimental plants and predict an outcome for the next day.
Benchmark: (Science) 2.4.2.1.1: Recognize that plants need space, water, nutrients, and
air, and that they fulfill these needs in different ways.
(Science) 2.1.1.2.1: Raise questions about the natural world by making careful
observations, noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing with others.
(Language Arts) W.2.6.8.8: Recall information from experiences or gather
information from provided sources to answer a question.
(Language Arts) SL2.8.8.8: With prompting and support, create multimedia work
for specific purpose, to share experiences or information.
(Math) 2.3.2.1: Understand the relationship between the size of the unit of
measurement and the number of units needed to measure the length of an object.
 Parts of Plants and What They Need to Live
Day 7: Experiment Observation and Comparison: 3
Content Objective: The students will be able to observe and differentiate control plants
and experiment plants and correlate the effects on the plant.
Benchmark: (Science) 2.4.2.1.1: Recognize that plants need space, water, nutrients, and
air, and that they fulfill these needs in different ways.
(Science) 2.1.1.2.1: Raise questions about the natural world by making careful
observations, noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing with others.
(Language Arts) W.2.6.8.8: Recall information from experiences or gather
information from provided sources to answer a question.
(Language Arts) SL2.8.8.8: With prompting and support, create multimedia work
for specific purpose, to share experiences or information.
Day 8: Final Experimentation and Start Science Report
Content Objective: The students will be able to correlate differences in the control
plants and the experimental plants.
Benchmark: (Science) 2.4.2.1.1: Recognize that plants need space, water, nutrients, and
air, and that they fulfill these needs in different ways.
(Science) 2.1.1.2.1: Raise questions about the natural world by making careful
observations, noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing with others.
(Language Arts) W.2.6.8.8: Recall information from experiences or gather
information from provided sources to answer a question.
(Language Arts) SL2.8.8.8: With prompting and support, create multimedia work
for specific purpose, to share experiences or information.
(Math) 2.3.2.1: Understand the relationship between the size of the unit of
measurement and the number of units needed to measure the length of an object.
Day 9: Work Day
Content Objective: The students will be able to analyze data and information to inform
the class about their experiment.
Benchmark: (Science) 2.4.2.1.1: Recognize that plants need space, water, nutrients, and
air, and that they fulfill these needs in different ways.
(Science) 2.1.1.2.1: Raise questions about the natural world by making careful
observations, noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing with others.
(Language Arts) W.2.6.8.8: Recall information from experiences or gather
information from provided sources to answer a question.
 Parts of Plants and What They Need to Live
(Language Arts) SL2.8.8.8: With prompting and support, create multimedia work
for specific purpose, to share experiences or information.
Day 10: Share Reports
Content Objective: The students will be able to share findings with the class.
Benchmark: (Science) 2.4.2.1.1: Recognize that plants need space, water, nutrients, and
air, and that they fulfill these needs in different ways.
(Science) 2.1.1.2.1: Raise questions about the natural world by making careful
observations, noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing with others.
(Language Arts) W.2.6.8.8: Recall information from experiences or gather
information from provided sources to answer a question.
(Language Arts) SL2.8.8.8: With prompting and support, create multimedia work
for specific purpose, to share experiences or information.
 Parts of Plants and What They Need to Live
Title
Day 2: Learn to Observe
Grade Level 2nd
Standards Addressed Science: 2.4.1.1.1, 2.4.2.1.1, (Math) 2.3.2.1
Central Focus To recognize that different plants look different but have the
same needs
Content Objective/ Learning TSWBAT make observations of plants and compare and
Target contrast how plants meet their needs.
Academic Language Observation, basic needs, width, texture
Materials Observations packet
Instructional Plan Activity Description/Teacher Does/Teacher Students Do Reflecti
Talk on/Res
earch
Part 1:  Draw on students’ knowledge of Participate in class
Initiating Instruction human needs and use to find plant’s discussion
 Preview Instruction needs
 Review of pre-requisite  Use prior day's knowledge of parts of
knowledge/skills plants to compare/contrast other
plants
o What are the basic things humans
need to survive?
o How do we get those things?
o Do plants need these same
things?
o How do you suppose they get
them?
o Are parts of plants responsible for
getting these things? What are
they?
o Do all of these look the same on
all plants? Why/why not? Give me
some examples
o Talk with a partner about why you
think so?

Check for Understanding Whether or not students participate

Part 2:  Practice observing plant as class Students are
Teacher Input/Inquiry using observation skills following along with
 Intro of learning target  Have plant in middle of classroom teacher as they ask
 Explanation/procedures and everyone has packet questions about the
 Teacher Demonstration  Walk through the packet while plant. Students will
 Teacher think aloud class follows along and fills out fill out Observation
packet Packets on a
classroom plant.
o Does this plant have leaves?
o What is the texture of the stem?
o What colors are the leaves?
o What are some observations of
the roots?
Check for Understanding After the instructions are given, give thumbs
up/down
 Parts of Plants and What They Need to Live
Part 3:
Guided Support/Practice
 Paired/collaborative work
 Indiv. work & partner check
 Teacher roam & assist
Check for Understanding
Part 4:
Closure
 Restate Learning Target
Assessment
 Pair up with the partner and share Students will pair up
observations that each of you made with partner and
o Did your partner think the leaves are discuss similarities
the same color of different? and differences in
o Do you both think that the stem is observations
about the same length?
Do students participate in partner discussions
Ask students if their observations were Participate in
similar or different and why? discussion
o Why might your observations
look different? You both were
looking at the same plant?
Collect observation packets and review

Throughout their experiment they will be making observations and drawing conclusions
by comparing their experimental plant to the control. Each day they are observing and recording
to put into a presentation that will be shown to the class in either poster form or electronically.
Each person (or pair) will explain their experiment, what happened, and why they think that
happened. The student’s presentations will serve as a form of assessment along with their report
forms and observation packets.
 Parts of Plants and What They Need to Live

PLANT
OBSERVATION
S
DRAW AND LABEL A PICTURE OF
YOUR PLANT!
 Parts of Plants and What They Need to Live

STEM:
COLOR______________TEXTURE_
______________
HOW TALL
___________________________
________________
HOW WIDE
___________________________
________________
OTHER OBSERVATIONS
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
 Parts of Plants and What They Need to Live

___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
_______________
LEAF:
COLOR
_______________TEXTURE
_____________
HOW TALL
___________________________
________________
HOW WIDE
___________________________
_______________
OTHER OBSERVATIONS
 Parts of Plants and What They Need to Live

___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
_______________
ROOTS
COLOR
_______________TEXTURE
_____________
HOW TALL
___________________________
________________
 Parts of Plants and What They Need to Live

HOW WIDE
___________________________
________________
OTHER OBSERVATIONS
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
_______________
FLOWERS
 Parts of Plants and What They Need to Live

COLOR
_______________TEXTURE
_____________
HOW LONG
___________________________
________________
HOW WIDE
___________________________
________________
OTHER OBSERVATIONS
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
 Parts of Plants and What They Need to Live

___________________________
_______________
Backward Design Module Planning

Stage 1: Desired Results

Established Goals (Standards): (Science) 2.4.2.1.1: Recognize that plants need space, water,
nutrients, and air, and that they fulfill these needs in different ways.
(Science) 2.1.1.2.1: Raise questions about the natural world by making careful
observations, noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing with others.
(Language Arts) W.2.6.8.8: Recall information from experiences or gather
information from provided sources to answer a question.
(Language Arts) SL2.8.8.8: With prompting and support, create multimedia
work for specific purpose, to share experiences or information.
(Math) 2.3.2.1: Understand the relationship between the size of the unit of
measurement and the number of units needed to measure the length of an object.

Enduring Understandings Essential Questions

Students will understand  Why is it important to make detailed

 Parts of plants and their jobs observations?
 Plants look different because of the  Why are there such large differences in
different ways they obtain their needs plants? (tree vs. grass)
 How to make observations  Why does it make a difference if you
 How to use observations to answer change what the plant needs?
questions
Stage 2: Assessment Evidence
Performance Task Other Evidence
 Throughout their experiment they will be making  Observations
observations and drawing conclusions by comparing their  Class discussions
experimental plant to the control. Each day they are  Observation packets
observing and recording to put into a presentation that  Think-Pair-Share
will be shown to the class in either poster form or  Recording Experiment
electronically. Each person (or pair) will explain their Results
experiment, what happened, and why they think that
happened.
Stage 3: Learning Plan
Day 1: Plant Parts
Day 2: Learn to Observe
Day 3: Observe Independently
Day 4: Start Experimenting
Day 5: Experiment Observation and Comparison:1
Day 6: Experiment Observation and Comparison: 2
Day 7: Experiment Observation and Comparison: 3
 Parts of Plants and What They Need to Live
Day 8: Final Experimentation and Start Science Report
Day 9: Work Day
Day 10: Share Reports