Download Plant Explorers KS2 Lesson plan

Plant Explorers
KS2 RHS Wisley lesson plan
National curriculum; Science, Geography
Learning objectives
Structure
Introduction: Welcome and Health & Safety
Children will be able to:
 Explore the requirements
of plants for life and
growth
 Recognise that living
things are grouped in a
variety of ways.
 Explain how plants are
adapted to suit their
environment in different
climate zones.
 Understand key aspects of
plant life in different
climate zones.
 Discuss asexual/sexual
reproduction in some
plants
Assessment questions
Can you explain what
plants need in order to
survive?
Explain that we are going to think about different habitats and what they are like. Give
each group a set of cards with the words and pictures for drought, water, light,
competition and shade. Sort into those that apply to the rainforest and those that apply to
the desert. Ask each group to explain their thinking.
Activity 1
Give each group some pictures of plants.
Have a selection of items – e.g. ladder, drain pipe, wax candle, tin of pins, umbrella. Ask
children to pick an item and each group to choose a plant picture that is linked to it in
some way. Groups to explain their choices.
Use this to discuss adaptations e.g. drip tips, waxy leaves, spines, white hairs, climbers.
Activity 2
Visit the Glasshouse and in small groups led by school staff and helpers, look for plants
with different adaptations – drip tips, shredded leaves, epiphytes, climbers, dark
underneath, white colour, spines, waxy leaves (or a selection of these). Find examples,
record some with name, zone in which it’s found and its adaptation.
Schools may chose to focus on the tropical zone only.
Activity 3
Propagate a tropical plant to take back to school, and learn about real plant explorers.
Plenary
Can you explain what
adaptations plants need in
order to survive?
Resources:
Sets of pictures of habitat
features and plants
Selection of plants
showing adaptations.
Selection of artefacts e.g.
pins, umbrella, ladder, wax
candle,
Recording sheets
Plants, pots and labels.
Differentiation:
Mainly by outcome but also:
More able - Explain in
more depth their reasoning
including adaptations not
discussed in activity 2.
Less able – with adult
support explain their
thinking.
Key Vocabulary: Plant adaptations, habitat, similar, different, drip tips, epiphytes, leaves,
spines, roots, stems, climate zone, asexual/sexual reproduction, cloning
RHS Education and Learning, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, GU23 6QB
[email protected] 01483 212432
Charity No: 222879/SCO38262
RHS Education and Learning, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, GU23 6QB
[email protected] 01483 212432
Charity No: 222879/SCO38262