TCNJ Lesson Plan

Science: Photosynthesis
1. Topic of the Lesson and Grade Level: Photosynthesis: Third Grade
2. Lesson Essential Question(s):
1. What is the process of photosynthesis?
2. How does photosynthesis benefit humans?
3. Standards:
Pennsylvania Standards:
3.1.3.A2: Describe the basic needs of living things and their dependence on light, food, air,
water, and shelter.
3.1.3.A5: Identify the structures in plants that are responsible for food production, support, water
transport, reproduction, growth, and protection.
4. A. Learning Objectives and Assessments:
Learning Objectives

Assessments

Students will be able to explain the process

of photosynthesis.

Students will participate in an interactive

example of photosynthesis as well as work
through a fill in the blank worksheet during
a Prezi presentation about photosynthesis.
Students will also learn a song about
photosynthesis.

5. Materials:
Sun Chips
Water
Sour Patch Kids
Photosynthesis song
Photosynthesis worksheet
Prezi on Photosynthesis

6. Pre-lesson assignments and/or prior knowledge: Students will have some prior knowledge
about photosynthesis from past science classes but will not know specifics. The teacher will ask
for thumbs up, thumbs down about the basics of photosynthesis to gauge what the students know
or think they know prior to the lesson beginning.
7. Lesson Beginning: The lesson will begin after a thumbs up, thumbs down analysis. The
teacher will do a quick activity with the students, which will give them an interactive
interpretation of what photosynthesis is. The kids will act as plants and the teacher will be the
sun. The teacher will have the students take a deep exhale (carbon dioxide), and the students

will also be given a small cup of water. Then, the teacher will give the students Sun Chips to
represent the sun. Finally, the students will pass Sour Patch Kids to each other to represent
glucose and will take a deep inhale to represent oxygen, which is the ending result of the
photosynthesis process. The students will also be allowed to eat the Sour Patch Kids and Sun
Chips once the activity is finished.
8. Instructional Plan:

Students will complete interactive activity with the teacher.

Students will stay at their seats and be given a worksheet to utilize during the Prezi
presentation.
The teacher will go through the Prezi presentation on the process of photosynthesis, and
students will complete the fill in the blank worksheet as the slides are reviewed.
The teacher will teach students a photosynthesis song. They will practice and sing along
with the video to help them learn the process of photosynthesis in a way that could aid in
memorization.
Students will hand in fill in the blank worksheets to check for correctness, but will be
handed it back the next day so they can keep it to remember the information.

o Differentiation: There are a variety of resources used to teach this lesson, all of which can
help any type of student and their needs for learning. The Prezi is a great visual tool for
learning material, but on top of this, the activity at the beginning of the lesson as well as
the song are very unique ways of teaching, indicating the versatility of the lesson. If
students have issues, the teacher will be walking around to help them, whether it by their
writing, or reading the song lyrics. The song is also very catchy, so it should be fairly
easy for the students to catch on.
o Questions: What do plants need in order for photosynthesis to happen? How do humans
benefit from photosynthesis? What does photosynthesis create for the plant itself as well
as for humans?
o Classroom Management: Students will be told that if the class becomes too excited to the
point where it is distracting that the activities will have to come to an end. The students
are very well behaved, so it is expected that they will be attentive during the first activity,
and if there are problems the teacher will utilize the 1,2,3, eyes on me strategy.
o Transitions: Students will stay at their seats for most of the lesson. When the class
practices the song, they will be allowed to stand up, but will be told to stay in their space
next to their chair so that everyone has personal space.
9. Closure: Students will answer the question Sid the Seed asked them in the beginning of the
lesson in his diary entry. They will post it onto the bulletin board next to the diary entry for that
specific day.