Download Exploring Plant Parts

Kindergarten
Science
Unit: 09
Lesson: 01
Suggested Duration: 7 days
Kindergarten Science Unit 09 Exemplar Lesson 01: Exploring Plant Parts
This lesson is one approach to teaching the State Standards associated with this unit. Districts are encouraged to customize this lesson by
supplementing with district-approved resources, materials, and activities to best meet the needs of learners. The duration for this lesson is only a
recommendation, and districts may modify the time frame to meet students’ needs. To better understand how your district may be implementing
CSCOPE lessons, please contact your child’s teacher. (For your convenience, please find linked the TEA Commissioner’s List of State Board of
Education Approved Instructional Resources and Midcycle State Adopted Instructional Materials.)
Lesson Synopsis
Students will be exploring plant parts with a specific focus on identifying the roots, stems, and the leaves.
TEKS
The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) listed below are the standards adopted by the State Board of Education, which are required by
Texas law. Any standard that has a strike-through (e.g. sample phrase) indicates that portion of the standard is taught in a previous or subsequent
unit. The TEKS are available on the Texas Education Agency website at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=6148.
K.10
Organisms and environments. The student knows that organisms resemble their parents and have structures and
processes that help them survive within their environments. The student is expected to:
K.10B Identify parts of plants such as roots, stem, and leaves and parts of animals such as head, eyes, and limbs.
K.10C Identify ways that young plants resemble the parent plant.
Scientific Process TEKS
K.2
Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student develops abilities to ask questions and seek answers in classroom
and outdoor investigations. The student is expected to:
K.2D Record and organize data and observations using pictures, numbers, and words.
K.4
Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses age-appropriate tools and models to investigate the natural
world. The student is expected to:
K.4B Use senses as a tool of observation to identify properties and patterns of organisms, objects, and events in the environment.
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION
Performance Indicators
Kindergarten Science Unit 09 PI 01
Create a three-flap graphic organizer that identifies the three parts of the plant: roots, stems, and leaves. Explain (orally) these structures and how they help plants survive
in their environment.
Standard(s): K.2D , K.10B
ELPS ELPS.c.3D , ELPS.c.3E
Key Understandings
Plants have parts.
— What are the parts of a plant?
Different parts of plants have functions that help plants survive.
— What is the function of the roots?
— What is the function of the stem?
— What is the function of the leaves?
Vocabulary of Instruction
plants
roots
stem
leaves
function
botanist
support
storing
growing
anchoring
absorbing
food
Materials
bean seeds (see Advance Preparation, 1 per student)
book (about plant leaves, 1 per class)
Last Updated 04/26/13
page 1 of 11 Kindergarten
Science
Unit: 09
Lesson: 01
Suggested Duration: 7 days
book (about plant roots, 1 per class)
book (about plant stems, 1 per class)
celery (with some leaves still attached, 1–2 stalks per group)
containers (clear, to hold plant stalk, 1 per group)
crayons (per group)
crayons or colored pencils (per group)
food coloring (variety of colors, 1 different color per group)
hand lenses (1 per student)
leaves (see Advance Preparation, 2 per student)
paper
paper towel (or wax paper, small piece, 1 per student)
pencils (1 per student)
resealable plastic bags (small, to hold seeds, 1 per group)
resealable plastic bags (to hold How Do Seedlings Resemble The Parent Plant? cards, 1 set per bag)
seeds (dry, 3–4 per bag)
water (per class)
Attachments
All attachments associated with this lesson are referenced in the body of the lesson. Due to considerations for grading or student assessment,
attachments that are connected with Performance Indicators or serve as answer keys are available in the district site and are not accessible on the
public website.
Teacher Resource: How Do We Know It’s A Plant?
Teacher Resource: Directions for Colored Celery
Handout: How Do Seedlings Resemble the Parent Plant? (1 per group)
Resources
Suggested websites with plant structures and functions:
http://www.biology4kids.com/files/plants_structure.html
http://discovery-station09/plant-parts-june.shtml
http://plants.pppst.com/plants.html
http://www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios100/labs/plantanatomy.htm
http://www.tutorvista.com/biology/parts-of-a-plant-for-kids
www.brainpopjr.com/science/plants/partsofaplant/preview.weml
http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/plants-1-plant-parents/ (parent plants)
The Science of Spring: http://seeds.sciencenetlinks.com/seeds/
Time lapse of a radish sprouting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d26AhcKeEbE&NR=1
Time lapse of a corn sprouting and growing:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFCdAgeMGOA&feature=related
A plant life cycle in under two minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JumEfAbjBjk
Suggested Books:
Blackaby, S. (2006). Plant plumbing: A Book About roots and stems. Mankato, MN: Picture Window Books.
Charman, A. (2003). I wonder why trees have leaves: And other questions about plants. New York: Kingfisher.
Khisty, V. (2006). Leaves. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, Inc.
Khisty, V. (2006). Roots. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, Inc.
Khisty, V. (2006). Stems. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, Inc.
Kudlinsky, K. (2005). What do roots do? New York: NorthWord Books for Young Readers.
Kuhn, D. (1998). Plant stems and roots. Huntington Beach, CA: Creative Teaching Press.
Advance Preparation
1. Gather leaves for the leaf observations and rubbings on Day 2. You will need enough leaves for each student to have two leaves.
2. Gather a book about stems, roots, and leaves.
3. Before the lesson on Day 4, you will need to soak some bean seeds overnight and then keep them moist for a day or two so they sprout.
Students will be observing the parts. They will not be planting them.
4. Copy the Handout: How Do Seedlings Resemble The Parent Plant? onto sturdy paper. Laminate them for greater durability. Cut them out,
and place them in resealable, plastic bags. (1 per group)
5. Prepare attachment(s) as necessary.
Background Information
According to the introductory TEKS material for Kindergarten, “students observe and describe the natural world using their five senses. Students develop vocabulary through
their experiences investigating properties of … organisms.”
Prior to this lesson, kindergartners have examined evidence that living organisms have basic needs and can reproduce. They have also compared living organisms to
Last Updated 04/26/13
page 2 of 11 Kindergarten
Science
Unit: 09
Lesson: 01
Suggested Duration: 7 days
nonliving objects to understand that there are important differences. During this lesson, students will become aware that survival is a key component of life for plants. Plant
structure, characteristics, and how young plants resemble the parent plants will also be addressed in this lesson.
A plant is a living organism. Plant parts include roots, stem, leaves, flower, fruit, and seeds. The stem has four important functions: support for the leaves and flowers, moving
water and nutrients between the roots and leaves, storage of nutrients, and growing new tissue as the plant grows. Roots have four main functions including: anchoring the
plant in the soil, absorbing water and minerals from the soil, storing food, and providing for the pathway for water and minerals to go from the roots to the stem and from the
stem to the roots.
For more information on plants and their functions and how young plants resemble the parent plant, please consider the following websites:
Websites with plant structures and functions:
http://www.biology4kids.com/files/plants_structure.html
http://discovery-station09/plant-parts-june.shtml
http://plants.pppst.com/plants.html
http://www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios100/labs/plantanatomy.htm
http://www.tutorvista.com/biology/parts-of-a-plant-for-kids
www.brainpopjr.com/science/plants/partsofaplant/preview.weml
Other plant websites:
http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/plants-1-plant-parents/ (parents plants)
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
Instructional Procedures
ENGAGE – How Do We Know It’s A Plant
Notes for Teacher
NOTE: 1 Day = 30 minutes
Suggested Day 1
1. Set up a KLEW chart in the class science notebook with the title How Do We Know
It’s A Plant?
2. Ask:
What is a plant? Allow students to respond. Record their thinking on the chart in
the class science notebook under the “K”.
3. Distribute a piece of paper to each student. Instruct students to draw two examples of
a plant. Students should label any parts that they know. Collect these pieces of
paper.
4. Focus student attention on the KLEW chart. (If this is the first time you have used
this, then you may need to explain the categories to the students.)
5. If this is the first time using the KLEW chart, you may want to direct some of the
questioning, such as, but not limited to:
Materials:
paper (plain, 1 sheet per student)
crayons or colored pencils (per group)
Attachments:
Teacher Resource: How Do We Know It’s A
Plant?
Instructional Notes:
Students will be recording several observations on paper. They
should be dated before collecting and then at the end of the unit
there will be a sequential record of their learning.
Information on the KLEW chart can be found at:
What is a plant? Plants are living organisms that do not move, usually have
http://www.nsta.org/publications/news/story.aspx?id=51519
chlorophyll (or green coloring somewhere), and produce their own food.
What are the parts of plants? Plants have many parts. The most common and
easily recognized are the roots, stem, leaves, flowers, fruit, and seeds. In this
lesson, the focus is on the roots, stem, and leaves.
What do plants need to live? A plant’s basic need include water, air, nutrients
(food), sunlight, and space to grow.
Please note: The suggested answers in italics are for the teachers benefit. It is
not expected that a kindergarten student should know this.
6. If you are familiar with the KLEW chart, simply ask students the question:
What do you know about plants?
EXPLORE – Leaves
Suggested Day 2
1. Say:
Materials
Today you are going to be a botanist.
A botanist is a scientist who studies plants.
2. Ask:
What tools do you think that you will need to make careful observations
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paper (plain, 1 sheet per student)
leaves (see Advance Preparation, 2 per student)
crayons (per group)
hand lenses (1 per student)
book (about plant leaves, 1 per class)
page 3 of 11 Kindergarten
Science
Unit: 09
Lesson: 01
Suggested Duration: 7 days
of a plant? Students should recall that they need a hand lens to see details and
paper and a pencil to record their observations.
3. Distribute a piece of paper to each student. Instruct them to fold it in half and then in
half again. Their paper will have four sections (See the sample below.). You may still
need to model how to fold the paper.
Instructional Notes:
It is suggested that a model of the four boxes are drawn in the
class science notebook so students will have a visual reminder of
the task. Placing icons in the corner of the boxes will clue students
in to the work that should be in each box. (See sample to the left.)
If time is limited for science instruction you may consider placing
the leaves, a few hand lenses, some pencils, and some crayons in
a science learning center. Students could complete the second
leaf observation and second leaf rubbing during this time at the
science learning center.
This would be a good time for a word wall to be created. In
addition, the teacher may need to review what the word “function”
means.
4. Say:
I will be distributing leaves to each group.
You will be observing only two of the leaves.
In the boxes in the top row you, will draw your leaf.
Use the hand lens to observe details.
In the box, below the leaf you have drawn is where you will create a
crayon rubbing of your leaf.
Check For Understanding
This is an opportunity to assess where students are in the
understanding of science process skills.
5. Model how to create a leaf rubbing. There may be students who have never had this
experience.
6. Distribute a hand lens and leaf to each student.
7. Say:
When you have completed one leaf observation and one leaf rubbing, we
will stop and have a discussion about our work.
8. Allow time for students to complete the task. Monitor students, and encourage
careful observation and drawing of the leaf.
9. After the majority of students have completed one observation and one rubbing,
begin the discussion.
10. Say:
We will compare and contrast each type of illustration.
Ask:
What can we learn from each picture? We can learn about the pattern on the
leaf, the leaf size, and the leaf shape.
Which has more detail? Answers will vary depending on student opinion.
Which is more realistic? Answers will vary depending on student opinion.
11. Read a book about leaves. After reading the book,
Ask:
What is the function of the leaves? They help the plant make food.
EXPLORE – Roots and Stems
Suggested Day 3
1. Say:
Materials:
Today, we are going outside to observe some plants in our school yard.
book (about plant roots, 1 per class)
2. Ask:
What are some safety rules that we should remember? Although safety
rules may vary by classroom, some important safety rules are:
Wear closed toe shoes.
Do not touch anything without the teacher’s permission.
Wash hands when returning inside.
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Safety Notes:
Check with your principal before heading outdoors. You may need
to pick up a hand-held radio or give the school secretary your cell
phone number in case someone needs to reach you. Check with
the school nurse for any student allergies. Bee sting reactions
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Science
Unit: 09
Lesson: 01
Suggested Duration: 7 days
3. Take the class outside. Point out plants such as trees, shrubs, flowers, weeds, and
grass.
4. Ask:
What do all of these plants have in common? They all have green parts, and
they are all stationary- they cannot change locations like animals do.
5. Continue with the observations. Point out the stems and leaves on a variety of
plants. Gather all of the students around you (in a small circle). Carefully pull up a
weed or some grass. You want to make sure that the roots will be visible. Display the
roots for the students to see.
6. Say:
You may have noticed that roots are found on the part of the plant that
grows in the soil. We usually do not see the roots of a growing plant.
7. Ask:
could be especially serious for some students.
Instructional Notes:
If the teacher cannot take the class outside to observe plant stems
and plant roots, they will need to supply a plant to conduct this part
of the lesson.
The stem has four main functions: support for the leaves and
flowers, moving water and nutrients between the roots and the
leaves, storage of nutrients (Think of a cactus.), and growing new
tissue as the plant grows (Think of how a tree grows.).
Roots have four main functions, which include anchoring the plant
in the soil (or to a tree, in some cases), absorbing waterand
minerals from the soil; storing food, and roots act as a passageway
for water and minerals to go from the roots to the stem and from
the stem to the roots.
Science Notebooks:
Record students’ comments in the class science notebook on the
KLEW chart.
Why do you think roots are an important part of a plant?
8. As you are walking back to the classroom, allow students to point out the stems and
leaves of plants. If there is a tree, explain that what we call the “trunk” of a tree
started as a stem when the plant was very young.
9. If students touched any plants outside, they should wash their hands.
10. Once back in the classroom, add to the KLEW chart in the “L” section.
11. Read a book about plant roots.
12. After reading the book, facilitate a discussion about the function of roots and stems.
(See the Instructional Notes for information on roots and stems.) Include the
Guiding Questions:
Ask:
What is the function of the roots? Roots have four main functions, which
include anchoring the plant in the soil (or to a tree, in some cases); absorbing
water and minerals from the soil; storing food; and roots act as a passageway for
water and minerals to go from the roots to the stem and from the stem to the
roots.
Please note: The suggested answers in italics are for the teachers benefit. It is
not expected that a kindergarten student should know this.
EXPLORE/EXPLAIN – How Does A Plant Start?
Suggested Day 4
1. Distribute 3–4 seeds in a small, resealable, plastic bag. (1 bag per group)
Materials
2. Ask:
What are these? Answers will vary according to students’ experiences.
Are they living or non-living? (Living)
How are they used? Answers will vary according to students’ experiences.
What will happen if we put these in soil? If all of the basic needs are met,
then they should grow.
What do they need to grow? Seeds need water, air, and nutrients. When the
leaves start to show, then the plant also needs sunlight.
3. Record student responses on KLEW chart.
4. Instruct student to each take out one dry seed from the small, resealable, plastic
bag.
5. Distribute the bean seeds that have been soaked and are starting to sprout (1 per
student and maybe a few extras). In addition, each student needs a hand lens for
observing, a small piece of paper towel or wax paper on which to place the seeds,
and a blank piece of paper for recording observations.
6. Ask:
What are some features (or parts) you can see on the dry seed?
What are some features (or parts) you can see on the sprouting seed?
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seeds (dry, 3–4 per bag)
resealable plastic bags (small, to hold seeds, 1 per
group)
bean seeds (see Advance Preparation, 1 per
student)
hand lenses (1 per student)
paper towel (or wax paper, small piece, 1 per
student)
paper (plain, 1 sheet per student)
pencils (1 per student)
Instructional Notes:
If time is limited for science instruction, you may consider placing
the seeds, cups, and soil in a science learning center. Students
could plant their seeds in a clear, plastic cup of soil, placing the
seed along the side so they can observe germination and growth.
The seeds could all be planted in one tray (such as a paint tray
filled with soil) and class observations could be made. It is the
teacher’s choice. The growing seeds could be placed in a science
center for daily observations.
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Science
Unit: 09
Lesson: 01
Suggested Duration: 7 days
What are some changes you can observe between the dry seed and the
sprouting seed?
7. Students should draw the seed before and after sprouting, labeling the parts of the
seed (with teacher assistance). Provide a word bank. A completed example is shown
below.
As time and access permit, show students a time-lapse videos of
seeds germinating and developing into plants
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d26AhcKeEbE&NR=1 (radish
seed)
If your students view this 46 second video, Ask:
Did all seeds germinate? (No)
Why is the basic need of space to grow important? (The plants
are too crowded and there is no room for the radish root to grow.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFCdAgeMGOA&feature=related
(corn seed)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JumEfAbjBjk Wisconsin Fast
Plant-seed to plant to flower to seed in just under two minutes.
8. Students do not need to memorize the parts of a seed. The intent is to provide some
background knowledge of how the three plant parts (roots, stem, and leaves)
start.
Science Notebooks:
Record students’ comments in the class science notebook on the
KLEW chart.
9. As students are drawing the sprouted seed,
Ask:
What do you thing the small, long, white part will grow into? A root
Does anyone have any small leaves on their sprouted seed?
Why do you think the plant has a seed coat? It protects the seed until
conditions are good for the seed to grow.
10. Add student responses to KLEW chart.
11. Collect student work.
EXPLAIN – How Does A Stem Work?
Suggested Day 5
1. Hold up a stalk of celery and a glass of colored water.
Materials:
2. Ask:
If this piece of celery represents the stem of a plant, what might happen
when it is placed in this glass of colored water? (Students’ responses will
vary according to their understanding that a stem carries water up from roots to
leaves.)
3. Record student predictions (claims) in the class science notebook.
4. Conduct the investigation. (Use the Teacher Resource: Directions for Colored
Celery.)
5. If the science lesson does not occur until the end of the day, then students will not
have the opportunity to make any observations until the following day. If science
class is in the morning, then make an observation after lunch and then again at the
end of the school day.
6. Read a book about plant stems. During the reading of the book, ensure that
students can relate what they are reading to the celery experiment and to plants that
they have seen around them.
7. After reading the story,
Ask:
What is the function of the stem? The stem has four main functions: support
for the leaves and flowers, moving water and nutrients between the roots and the
leaves, storage of nutrients (Think of a cactus.), and growing new tissue as the
plant grows (Think of how a tree grows.).
Please note: The suggested answers in italics are for the teachers benefit. It is
not expected that a kindergarten student should know this.
EXPLAIN/ELABORATE – Are You My Family?
containers (clear, to hold plant stalk, 1 per group)
water (per class)
food coloring (variety of colors, 1 different color per
group)
celery (with some leaves still attached, 1–2 stalks
per group)
book (about plant stems, 1 per class)
Attachments:
Teacher Resource: Directions for Colored
Celery
Instructional Notes:
When the celery stalk sits in the colored water for about 15
minutes, the colored water is absorbed by the celery and is soaked
upwards to the leafy part through the "veins" in the celery
stalk. Some pieces absorb the colored water faster. The longer the
stalk sits in the colored water, the darker the celery stalk becomes
from the food coloring. This clearly demonstrates to students that
the stem acts as the carrier of water and nutrients from the ground
to the other parts of the plant. The colored water is actually carried
up into the leafy part of the celery, and the leafy part changes color
(according to the color of food dye used).
Suggested Day 6
1. Students should understand the concept that plants start from seeds and have roots,
stems, and leaves.
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Materials
page 6 of 11 Kindergarten
Science
Unit: 09
Lesson: 01
Suggested Duration: 7 days
2. Students will observe seedling pictures and the parent plant pictures and make
observations about how the young plants resemble the parent plant.
As students observe both the seedling and the parent plant, they should be able to
make the connection that the leaves are one way to identify a plant. It is not a “fool­
proof” method, but the examples on the Handout: How Do Seedlings Resemble
the Parent Plant? show the leaf similarities.
3. Distribute the Handout: How Do Seedlings Resemble the Parent Plant? (1 bag
per group), and have students sort and match the cards.
4. As students are sorting and matching the cards,
Ask:
In what ways do young plants resemble the parent plant?
5. After students have had whole group experiences with these pictures, place the
cards in a science learning center for use as a reinforcement activity.
EVALUATE – Performance Indicator
resealable plastic bags (to hold How Do
Seedlings Resemble The Parent Plant? cards,
1 set per bag)
Attachments:
Handout: How Do Seedlings Resemble the
Parent Plant? (1 per group)
Instructional Notes:
The information in this activity is new to kindergarten. Students are
supposed to be able to identify ways that young plants resemble
the parent plant. This concept will not be assessed on the
Performance Indicator in this lesson.
Suggested Day 7
Kindergarten Science Unit 09 PI 01
Materials
Create a three-flap graphic organizer that identifies the three parts of the plant: roots, stems, and
leaves. Explain (orally) these structures and how they help plants survive in their environment.
Standard(s): K.2D , K.10B
ELPS ELPS.c.3D , ELPS.c.3E
1. Review the three parts of the plant and their function.
paper (plain, 1 sheet per student)
crayons or colored pencils (per group)
Instructional Notes:
Provide students with a word bank for this Performance Indicator.
They should have the words roots, stem, and leaves visible. In
addition, consider posting the words support, storing, growing,
anchoring, absorbing, and food.
2. Distribute a piece of paper to each student.
3. Model how to fold the paper in half vertically.
4. Instruct students to draw a plant on the outside cover. The illustration needs to
include the three parts of the plant that they have learned about in this lesson.
5. Students should then be instructed to carefully cut the picture so that there are flaps
to open (top flap only). The teacher may need to model this. At this time in the school
year, most students should be able to cut the flaps by themselves.
6. On the inside, students are to label the three sections. (The top flap would say
“leaves”, middle flap would say “stem”, and bottom flap would say “roots”.)
7. Students should be encouraged to draw or write 1–2 words explaining the structure,
such as leaves = food, stem = water to leaves, roots = water from soil.
8. Students need the opportunity to explain (orally) these structures and how they help
plants survive in their environment.
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page 7 of 11 Kindergarten
Science
Unit: 09 Lesson: 01
How Do We Know It’s A Plant?
What do we think we
What are we
What is our
What are we
Know?
Learning?
Evidence?
Wondering?
©2012, TESCCC
10/09/12
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Kindergarten
Science
Unit: 09 Lesson: 01
Directions for Colored Celery
1. Fill a container about 1/4 full of water.
2. Add 10–15 drops of food coloring to your container of water.
3. Put the celery stem into the container of water, and let it sit for a day.
(*The stem should be cut at an angle. An adult should cut the stem for
you.)
4. Observe the celery during the day, and make observations.
Describe
Look
5. At the end of your experiment, examine the whole plant carefully (the
stem and leaves). In which parts can you see the food color?
©2012, TESCCC
10/09/12
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Kindergarten
Science
Unit: 09 Lesson: 01
How Do Seedlings Resemble the Parent Plant?
©2012, TESCCC
10/09/12
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Kindergarten
Science
Unit: 09 Lesson: 01
©2012, TESCCC
10/09/12
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