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Subject & Grade Level Life Science: Benchmark 2, grade 5 Lesson 1 Organisms: Understand the characteristics, structure, and functions of organism. Diversity/Interdependence: Understand the relationships among living things and between living things and their environments. Use drawings or models to represent the plant parts and functions. Vang

Collecting, organizing, and presenting data. Lesson 2 Forming the question/hypothesis: formulate and express scientific questions or hypotheses to be investigated. Designing the investigation: design safe and ethical scientific investigations to address questions or hypotheses. Collecting, organizing, and presenting data. Analyzing and interpreting results, develop and present conclusion. Adriana

Essential Question: What supports life on Earth. Unit Questions: Essential Question: What supports life on Earth? Unit Questions: How do plants grow?

Unit Outline Lesson 1: Plants Are Powerful! Intro to plant form and function Lesson 2: How do Plants Grow? Student designs and monitor plant growth. Lesson 3: Digging In the Dirt. Intro to the soil layers and insects. Lesson 4: Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head: Intro to the water and water cycle. Lesson 5: I’m No Coward! I’m Solar-Powered! Intro to sun and electromagnetic spectrum. Vang

Learning Objective Student will understand and explain basic plant morphology and anatomy. Learner will communicate the role plants play in the environment. Learner will realize animal’s dependent relationship with plants. Learner will develop an awareness about plants and their importance to sustaining life on Earth. Learner will recognize and understand plant structure and the requirements needed for seed growth. Learner gain information about the conditions contingent for plant growth: water, sunlight, and nutrients. Learner will conduct a scientific experiment, formulate, and justify predictions as they work cooperatively to achieve a common goal.

Lesson Assessment Vocabulary Identification of plant parts and functions by creating an art model with legend. Keep a journal with recorded observations, measurements, drawings, graphs, and questions about their journey in learning about plants. Group participation and presentation of their plant project.

Lesson 1 Outline Introduction: Read Shel Silverstein’s book, The Giving Tree. Pre-assessment: Ask the learner, via discussion, what they know about plants in their everyday lives. Activity: 1. Divide learner into the following groups: Root, Stem, Leaf, Flower, and Seed. 2. Direct groups to investigate their part of the plant using Web quest and draw a poster of their part of the plant. 3. Have each group share their discovery with the class in the form of informal group presentation. 4. Students will create a paper model of their plant with legend. Vang

Lesson 2 outline Introduction: Opening song: Leaves Fall Seeds Fall Pre-Test and Post-Test: Answer a short questionnaire. Activity: Students will investigate the parts of the seed, draw/write a short description in their journal. Teacher explains what the experiment is about, and divide students in groups based on what variable students want to test. Students make a prediction and record their experiment data in their journals. Students will present and share their experiment findings with their peers. Adriana

References .Video “My First Green Video” A kids’ guide to ecology & environmental Activities. Based on the Popular “My First “ book series Step by step activities that kids have fun with while making the Earth a greener place to live in. DK interactive learning help desk. “Amazing Science Explorer” It is about Answers to tricky questions every child asks. (Internet required) Celebrate Seasons. Songs and activities. Offered in French, Spanish, and English. (disc) CD-Rom & Teacher’s manual. “Native Americans People of the Forest” (Rainbow Educational Media) Audio tape and book: “Jonny Appleseed” by James Howard Kunstler BOOKS: “A Parade of the Plants” by Melissa Stewart “A Tree Is a Plant” by Clyde Robert Bulla “How Plants Grow” by Malcom Penny “Seeds and Seedlings” by Elaine Pascoe “Life Cycle of a Sunflower” by Jason Cooper “Hungry Plants” by mary Baten “Plants Bite Back” by Richard Platt “What’s This?” by Caroline Mockford “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein Adriana