K5 Science Endorsement GPS Lesson Plan

Title Greenhouse STEM Lesson

Teacher(s) Kimberly McCreary
E-mail Kimberly.mccreary@cobbk12.org
School Pickett’s Mill ES
Lesson Title Greenhouse Galore
Grade Level 1st and 5th Concepts(s) Plant needs and Plant Parts
Targeted
Performance Expectation – science engineering practice - design an investigation/model of
a greenhouse; collect data to determine the effect of the greenhouse in creating a warmer
environment for plants

Science & Engineering Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concept

Practice (Content)
1. Asking questions See Georgia Performance 1. Cause and effect
2. Developing and using models 2. Patterns
3.Analyze and interpret data Standards below for 1st 3. Structure and Function
4. Design solutions and 3rd grade

Georgia Performance Standards – First Grade:S1L1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information
about the basic needs of plants and animals. a. Develop models to identify the parts of a plant—root, stem, leaf,
and flower. b. Ask questions to compare and contrast the basic needs of plants (air, water, light, and nutrients) and
animals (air, water, food, and shelter). c. Design a solution to ensure that a plant or animal has all of its needs met.

Third Grade: S3P1. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the ways heat energy is transferred and
measured. a. Ask questions to identify sources of heat energy. (Clarification statement: Examples could include
sunlight, friction, and burning.) b. Plan and carry out an investigation to gather data using thermometers to produce
tables and charts that illustrate the effect of sunlight on various objects. (Clarification statement: The use of both
Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature scales is expected.) c. Use tools and every day materials to design and
construct a device/structure that will increase/decrease the warming effects of sunlight on various materials.

Safety Considerations – Cutting of any plastic containers should be done by teacher or

other adult
The Learning Plan:

ENGAGE: Show students a picture of a greenhouse; show the youtube clip of the Canada
greenhouse

EXPLORE: STEM Challenge: You have been chosen to construct a working greenhouse for our school! We
are looking for the most creative and effective greenhouse. Your greenhouse needs to include the proper habitat
for your seed to grow. It needs to support the basic needs that the seed would need to survive (air, water, light,
nutrients). After constructing the greenhouse you must also collect data about the environment inside your
greenhouse (temperature, etc.);

Brainstorm individually and with your STEM group to come up with possible solutions for this challenge.

Then: Work with team to build the greenhouse using the available materials that your group chooses.

EXPLAIN: Students will place their greenhouse out in the school garden. 3rd Graders will lead
the 1st grade partners in using a thermometer to take the temperature inside their greenhouse
at 0 minutes, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes. They will collect this data on a chart. 1 st
graders will order the numbers from least to greatest to determine if the greenhouse is warmer
after sitting in the sun for longer.

EXTEND: Students will work with their vertical STEM teams to create a Claim-Evidence-
Reasoning for their project.

EVALUATE: Rubric for Completion of the STEM challenge and data collection/C-E-R
Title of the Lesson:
Lesson Logistics/Materials: Students will be placed in Vertical STEM teams with 2 3rd graders
and 2 1st graders in each group.

Materials: aluminum foil, plastic containers (milk jugs, 2 liter bottles, etc.), plastic wrap, wax
paper, craft sticks, pipe cleaners, other recycled materials

Opening/Hook/Initial Focus: Show students a picture of a plant in a snowy environment.

Discuss what will happen to the flower in that area. Ask if there are ways to save the flower!

Closing: Show video clip of hydroponics, discuss the benefits of pseudo-environments

(greenhouse, hydroponics, etc.) for growing plants in harsh climates
Powerpoint for STEM Challenge: