Miss Johnsons Plant Experiment

Miss Johnsons Plant Experiment

MissJohnson,asecondgradeteacher,reacheddeepintohercanvasbagandpulledout
twoplants.Sheplacedtheplantsonatableatthefrontoftheroom.Sheaskedherclassto
gatheraroundthetabletolookattheplantsanddescribewhattheysaw.
Theylookthesame,Helenasaid.
Theleavesaregreen,Aaronadded.
Theyrestandingstraightup,Leenoted.
MissJohnsonaskedthemtotouchthesoilandtellheraboutit.
Thesoilismoist,anditsdarkbrown,Miaobserved.
Thesoilisgettingstuckundermyfingernails,Teresasaid.
MissJohnsonplacedoneplantinasunnyspotonthewindowsillandtheotheronthe
floorinadarkcorneroftheclassroom.Sheaskedforfourvolunteers.Eachvolunteerwas
responsibleforwateringtheplantonthewindowsillonceaweek.MissJohnsonpromisedher
classtheplantswouldbepartofanimportantlessonthefollowingmonth.
****
Fourweekslater,MissJohnsonbroughttheplantsbacktothetableandinvitedthe
classtodescribethemagain.
Theydontlooklikeeachotheranymore!Helenasaidexcitedly.
Oneplantisgreenandhassomenewbrightgreenleaves,andtheotherplanthas
moreyellowandbrownleavesthangreenleaves,Ninaexplained.
Oneplantisstandingstraightup,andtheotheroneisbentover,Lennyadded.
MissJohnsonthenaskedthestudentstotouchthesoilandtellheraboutit.
Itsmoistanddarkbrownaroundthisplant,Gracesaid.
Itsverydryandlightbrownaroundthisplant,Maxdescribed.

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Miss Johnsons Plant Experiment

MissJohnsonexplained,Plantsarealive.Theyrespondtowheretheylive.Whatare
thedifferencesbetweenwhereIputtheplantsandhowwecaredforthem?
Youputoneinadarkcornerandtheotheroneonthewindowsillwheretheresalotof
light,Elliereplied.
Wewateredtheplantonthewindowsill,butwedidntwatertheplantinthecornerof
theroom,Aaronsaid.
Thatsright.Whichplantisgrowingandhealthy?MissJohnsonasked.Severalstudents
repliedthattheplantonthewindowsilltheywateredwastheonewhichwasgrowingand
healthy.
Youreright!MissJohnsonexclaimed,proudofherstudents.Thenshecontinued,I
wantedyoutoseeforyourselvesthatplantsdependonlightandwatertogrowandtobe
healthy.Didyouknowthatplantsbreathe?Theyhavelittleopeningsontheirleavesthatlook
liketinymouths,buttheyaretoosmalltoseewithoutamicroscope.Whenwebreathe,we
breatheinoxygen.Plantsbreatheincarbondioxide.
Plantstakeincarbondioxidefromtheairanduseittobuildtheirleaves,stemsand
roots.Plantsalsotakeinwater.Thisiswhyweneedtowaterplantssotheywillgrow.They
usetheirrootstosuckwaterupintotheirbodies,andthelittleopeningsontheirleavesto
breatheincarbondioxide.
Oncetheyhavewaterandcarbondioxide,plantsneedlight.Leavesaremadeupofa
bunchoftinycells.Insidethecellsareverylittlethingscalledchloroplasts.Chloroplastsare
whatmakeleavesgreen,andtheyarealsowhatturnthecarbondioxide,water,andlightinto
sugarandoxygen.Thesugarisfoodfortheplants.Theplantsreleasetheoxygenintotheair,
whichhumansandmanyanimalsbreathein.
Whatdoplantsneedtogrowandbehealthy?MissJohnsonaskedherclass.
Theyneedlightandwater!theclassreplied.
Letsplacebothplantsonthewindowsillwheretheywillgetlotsoflightandgrow.
Whowouldliketovolunteertowatertheplants?
AllofMissJohnsonsstudentsraisedtheirhands.

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Questions: Miss Johnsons Plant Experiment

Name:

_____________ Date: _______________________

1. What does Miss Johnson ask her class to look at and describe?
A
B
C
D

two plants
three plants
four plants
five plants

2. What is compared and contrasted with the plant on the windowsill?

A
B
C
D

the plant on Miss Johnsons desk

the plant in a dark corner
another plant on the windowsill
a plant that one of Miss Johnsons students has at home

3. Plants need light and water to be healthy.

What evidence from the story supports this statement?
A Miss Johnson asks for four volunteers to water the plant on the windowsill.
B When Miss Johnson takes two plants out of her canvas bag, they both have
green leaves.
C When Miss Johnson takes two plants out of her canvas bag, they are both
standing straight up.
D The plant on the windowsill that Miss Johnsons students watered is healthy.
4. What happens to the plant in the dark corner?
A
B
C
D

The plant
The plant
The plant
The plant
students.

in
in
in
in

the
the
the
the

dark
dark
dark
dark

corner
corner
corner
corner

grows poorly and does not stay healthy.

stands straight up and has only green leaves.
grows bright green and red leaves.
is watered once a week by Miss Johnsons

5. What is this passage mainly about?

A
B
C
D

different types of trees and where they grow

what plants need to grow and be healthy
what second graders do for fun after school
what working in a science lab is like
1
2013 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Questions: Miss Johnsons Plant Experiment

6. Read the following sentences:

Miss Johnson then asked the students to touch the soil and tell her about it.
Its moist and dark brown around this plant, Grace said.
Its very dry and light brown around this plant, Max described.
What is the meaning of the word soil above?
A
B
C
D

tree
flower
dirt
water

7. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below.

The plant on the windowsill has bright green leaves; _______, the plant in the dark
corner has brown and yellow leaves.
A
B
C
D

in contrast
in conclusion
in particular
as a result

8. Which plant gets water and a lot of light?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

2
2013 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Questions: Miss Johnsons Plant Experiment

9. Which plant does not get water and a lot of light?

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

10. What will probably happen to the plant in the dark corner after it is moved to the
windowsill and gets water? Support your answer with evidence from the passage.
______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

3
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Teacher Guide & Answers: Miss Johnsons Plant Experiment

Teacher Guide & Answers

Passage Reading Level: Lexile 700
1. What does Miss Johnson ask her class to look at and describe?
A
B
C
D

two plants
three plants
four plants
five plants

2. What is compared and contrasted with the plant on the windowsill?

A
B
C
D

the plant on Miss Johnsons desk

the plant in a dark corner
another plant on the windowsill
a plant that one of Miss Johnsons students has at home

3. Plants need light and water to be healthy.

What evidence from the story supports this statement?
A
B
C
D

Miss Johnson asks for four volunteers to water the plant on the windowsill.
When Miss Johnson takes two plants out of her canvas bag, they both have green leaves.
When Miss Johnson takes two plants out of her canvas bag, they are both standing straight up.
The plant on the windowsill that Miss Johnsons students watered is healthy.

4. What happens to the plant in the dark corner?

A
B
C
D

The plant in the dark corner grows poorly and does not stay healthy.
The plant in the dark corner stands straight up and has only green leaves.
The plant in the dark corner grows bright green and red leaves.
The plant in the dark corner is watered once a week by Miss Johnsons students.

5. What is this passage mainly about?

A
B
C
D

different types of trees and where they grow

what plants need to grow and be healthy
what second graders do for fun after school
what working in a science lab is like

1
2013 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Teacher Guide & Answers: Miss Johnsons Plant Experiment

6. Read the following sentences:
Miss Johnson then asked the students to touch the soil and tell her about it.
Its moist and dark brown around this plant, Grace said.
Its very dry and light brown around this plant, Max described.
What is the meaning of the word soil above?
A
B
C
D

tree
flower
dirt
water

7. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below.

The plant on the windowsill has bright green leaves; _______, the plant in the dark corner has brown and
yellow leaves.
A
B
C
D

in contrast
in conclusion
in particular
as a result

8. Which plant gets water and a lot of light?

Suggested answer: The plant on the windowsill gets water and a lot of light.

9. Which plant does not get water and a lot of light?

Suggested answer: The plant in the dark corner does not get water and a lot of light.

10. What will probably happen to the plant in the dark corner after it is moved to the windowsill and gets
water? Support your answer with evidence from the passage.
Suggested answer: Answers may vary, as long as they are supported by the passage. Students may
respond that the plant will become healthy after it is moved to the windowsill and gets water. As evidence,
they may point out that the other plant is thriving under such conditions. Conversely, students may
respond that the plant in the dark corner is already in such bad shape (bent over; brown and yellow
leaves) that moving it to the windowsill and watering it will not have much effect, as it may be too far
gone to save.

2
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