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Science
Curriculum
Unit Planner
Grade: 4
Strand: Life Processes
SOL: 4.4
The student will investigate and understand basic plant anatomy and life processes. Key
concepts include
a) the structures of typical plants (leaves, stems, roots, and flowers);
b) processes and structures involved with reproduction (pollination, stamen,
pistil, sepal, embryo, spore, and seed);
c) photosynthesis (sunlight, chlorophyll, water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and
sugar); and
d) dormancy.
Time: 3-4 weeks
1. Desired Results
Enduring Understandings (BIG Ideas)
Plant structure and function affects their survival.
•
Essential Questions
How do plants provide for their basic needs? (parts and processes)
•
What are the functions of each plant part?
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How do plants reproduce?
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How do plants undergo photosynthesis?
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How and why do plants adapt to their surroundings?
Understanding the Standard
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For many typical green plants, there are anatomical
structures that perform certain basic functions. For
example, roots anchor the plants and take water and
nutrients from the soil. Plant stems provide support
and allow movement of water and nutrients.
• The plant kingdom can be divided into two general
groups: those that produce seeds and those that
produce spores.
•
•
Many seed-producing plants have roots, stems, leaves,
and flowers. The stamen and pistil are reproductive
parts of the flower. The sepals are the small leaves that
form the housing of the developing flower.
Pollination is part of the reproductive process of
flowering plants. Pollination is the process by which
pollen is transferred from the stamens to the stigma.
•
Some plants reproduce with spores. These include ferns
and mosses.
•
Green plants produce their own food through the
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Essential Knowledge, Skills and Processes
Students will:
• Create a model/diagram illustrating the parts of a
flower (stamen, pistil, sepal, ovary, ovuole, seed) and
explain the functions of those parts.
• Analyze a common plant: identify the roots, stems,
leaves, and flowers, and explain the function of each.
• Create a model/diagram illustrating the reproductive
processes in typical flowering plants, and explain the
processes.
•
Compare and contrast different ways plants are
pollinated.
•
Explain that ferns and mosses reproduce with spores
rather than seeds.
•
Explain the process of photosynthesis, using the
following terminology: sunlight, chlorophyll, water,
carbon dioxide, oxygen, and sugar.
• Design an investigation to determine the relationship
between the presence of sunlight and plant growth.
process of photosynthesis. Green plants use chlorophyll
to produce food (sugar), using carbon dioxide, water,
nutrients, and sunlight. Leaves are the primary foodproducing part of these plants.
•
Oxygen is produced during photosynthesis.
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Dormancy is a period of suspended life processes
brought on by changes in the environment.
Prior Knowledge
•
Explain the role of dormancy for common plants.
Science Vocabulary
plant structure, function, anatomy, flower, leaf, stem, roots,
petals, seeds, spores, stamen, stigma, pistil, sepal, embryo,
pollen, reproduction, pollination, fern, moss,
photosynthesis, sunlight, water, germination, chlorophyll,
oxygen, carbon dioxide, sugar, adaptation, dormant,
response to light, response to moisture.
2. Assessment Evidence
Throughout the Unit
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Students draw and label the four main parts of a plant.
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Students plant seeds at the beginning of the unit for the
purpose of observation over time. Teacher assesses
students’ prior knowledge about plant growth.
•
Discuss with students what they know about plant
reproduction and photosynthesis.
Formative Assessment:
• Teacher observation /anecdotal records of students
engaged in cooperative learning investigations.
• KWL
• Science notebook (questions, predictions, observations,
summaries, charts, drawings)
• Conduct simple experiments using appropriate tools
• Record data on scientific investigations performed
•
Keep a plant journal or log of ongoing observations,
including measurement of plant growth and change, to
include labeled drawings.
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In groups, observe, dissect, arrange, and label specific
flower parts (lilies or azaleas are excellent choices).
Plan and construct a three-dimensional model (using
materials of student’s choice) to represent plant parts,
including the flower.
• Develop and write a plant diary from the plant’s point
of view, including processes such as pollination,
fertilization, photosynthesis, seed dispersal, and
germination).
Summative Assessment:
• Test/assessment
• Create a song, rap song, chant, or story that explains a
plant’s structure, function, and life processes, including
key vocabulary. Teachers use rubric to assess
understanding
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3. Learning Plan
References to Adopted Materials:
• Harcourt, Unit A
o Chapter 1 – Living Things
Lesson 3: What are Plants with Seeds? p. A18-A23
o Chapter 3 – Plant Growth and Adaptations (A68-A93)
Lesson 1: What do Plants Need to Live? p. A70-A75
Lesson 2: How do Leaves, Stems, and Roots Help Plants Live? p. A76-A81
Lesson 3: How do Plants Reproduce? p. A82-A87
Science and Technology: Superveggies, p. A88-A89
People in Science: Mary Agnes Meara Chase, p. A90
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Activities for Home or School, p. A91
AIMS – Life Science (Virginia 4th grade)
o Plant Part, p. 11
o Getting to the Root of It, p. 12
o Roots Required, p. 13-21
o Stem Study, p. 22-28
o Leaves: Food Factories, p. 29-30
o Sunlight Studies, p. 31-36
o Photosynthesis and Its Products, p. 37-38
o Photosynthesis, p. 39-44
o Flower Power, p. 45-55
o Pairing Up Pollinators, p. 56-67
o Pollination Stations, p. 68-74
o Dissect a Seed, p. 75-80
o Seeds, p. 81
o Seeds from Fruits, p. 82-87
o Cones and Needles, p. 88-92
o Test a Seed, p. 93-97
o Seeds, Spores, and More, p. 98
o Spores: A Special Seed, p. 99-102
o Playing a Dormant Role, p. 103-111
o Dormancy Details, p. 112
• FOSS – Structures of Life (grade 3-4) (Investigations 3 and 4 are more appropriate for 3rd grade)
Students investigate structures of plants and learn how some of the structures function in growth and survival.
o Investigation 1: Origin of Seeds
o Investigation 2: Growing Further
Suggested Activities:
• Students work together to build three-dimensional models of flowering plants, labeling parts (structure) and describing
their function.
•
Pass out the real flower. Encourage the students to examine it with hand lenses and identify its parts and where the
parts are found in the flower. Explain that they must handle the flower carefully so that it does not break apart. Have
each student draw the flower in their journal, including all the parts. If drawing is difficult for the students, have an
adult draw the flower and give each student a photocopy to include and label in their journals.
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Bring in a sample of fruits and vegetables to class. Discuss what part of the plant they come from. Focus on the fruits
(which come from the ovaries of plants). Share the fruits and vegetables with the class.
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Have the students carefully dissect the flower with their fingers. In their journal, have them record how many of each
part they found, its color, and its shape
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In groups, students develop different formats to share their knowledge about the process of photosynthesis (e.g., poems,
script for role playing, PowerPoint slides, etc.)
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Have students arrange events in sequence. Create an activity sheet in which students have to arrange the steps in
correct sequence.
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Pass out the stencils or flower pieces (look to diagram on last page). Explain to the students that their job is to assemble
a "typical" flower, attaching pieces together with tape. If using stencils, explain that they may need to cut out more than
one of each part to assemble their flower (i.e. 4 petals). The group as a whole should also try to guess what each flower
part does, based on where they put it in their flower. Students should write this information in their journals. For each
part in their flower, students should also record in their journals the number used, the color and its shape. Each group
should build only one flower at this point.
Review Activities:
• Bingo with related vocabulary
• Matching –vocabulary words with their definitions and/or pictures
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Outdoor Connections:
• Find and sketch structures of typical plants found in schoolyards. Study their rates of growth. Challenge students to
develop ways to classify plants on the basis of observations.
• In winter, go outside and study various characteristics of buds and bark. Challenge students to identify the trees by bud
and bark. Try to predict if the leaves will be large or small, single or clustered, few or numerous based on the size of the
buds and how they are arranged on the twig.
• Study tree rings to determine which years were most conducive to growth. What might have happened in those years?
• How do plants reproduce? Can you find seeds in flowers? In cones? Spores on mosses and ferns?
• How are flowers pollinated? Survey the schoolyard and look for pollinators at work. Students collect pollen on small
swatches of black cloth. Make bees and flowers from cotton balls, chenille, and tissue paper and dust the flowers with
dry mustard to simulate pollen.
• Observe and study dandelions in a plot. Collect and dissect, recording observations. (Dandelions are ubiquitous and
demonstrate all the plant life processes in a short period of time.)
• In the garden: Observe how different insects pollinate the flowers differently – their approach as well as how they
maneuver around the flower.
• Take a tree walk: see worksheet As an extension, have students choose a tree they found, identify it and then describe
how it would survive in another biome.
4. Resources
Trade books:
• None specified
Web Sites:
• Science Standards of Learning, Enhanced Scope and Sequence, Grade 4
(based on 2003 SOL – use with caution. New Enhanced Scope/Sequence should be available Fall 2012)
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/scope_sequence/science_scope_sequence/scopeseq_science4.pdf
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www.brainpop.com - Seed Plants, Photosynthesis, Pollination, Plant Growth, Carnivorous plants. Brainpop Jr.: parts of plants
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Smartboard, Powerpoint and SOL review activities:
http://www.rockingham.k12.va.us/resources/elementary/4science.htm
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http://thebugchicks.com/videos/ Bug Chicks: Flower Power and Pollination
http://plantfacts.osu.edu Resource of specific plants and visual images for research.
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http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/pollination-parties.cfm "Pollination Parties" activity
for students to learn about pollination.
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/Science45.htm Lessons under Biology and others on ecosystems and food webs.
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Videos:
• Plants of the rainforest, Schlessinger Media, c1996
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Flowers, plants and trees, Tell Me Why, c1987
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Life, BBC Earth, Warner Home Video, c2010
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Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life, Nutmeg Media, c2009
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Characteristics of plants, Schlessinger Media, c2006
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Plant reproduction, Schlessinger Media, c2006
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All about plant pollination, fruit, flowers, an seeds, Schlessinger Media, c2006
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Photosynthesis, Schlessinger Media, c2006
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The Magic School Bus: Gets Planted, Scholastic Productions, c2001
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All about plant adaptation, Schlessinger Media, c2000
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All about plant structure and growth, SchlessingerMedia, c2000
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Plant, DK Vision, c1997
Discovery Education:
• The Language of Science: Life Science 3-5: Plants [36:18]
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The Science of Plants: Grades 03-05: The Life Cycle: Generation P. (Gr. 3-5). Runtime: 19:10
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The Science of Plants: Grades 03-05: Diversity: It takes all Kinds. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 20:46
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TLC Elementary School: All about Plants. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 24:37
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Debbie Greenthumb: Where Plants Come From. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 12:54
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How Plants Grow. (Gr. 3-5). Run time: 19:00
The World of Plants: Plant Adaptations. (Gr. 6-8). Run time: 13:15
Field Trips:
• None specified
Other:
• Engineering is Elementary Unit – Thinking Inside the Box: Designing Plant Packages (Grades 3-5)
• Sally Ride Science Career Books (see your science lead teacher for more information)
• Project WET: K-12 Curriculum and Activity Guide
• Project WILD: K-12 Curriculum and Activity Guide
• Project WILD – Aquatic: K-12 Curriculum and Activity Guides
• Environmental Education Activity Guide: PreK-8, Project Learning Tree
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